101 Gambling Facts Before You Shell Out a Dime

As a popular form of entertainment, gambling has a rich history, and every player has the potential to become a winner in the blink of an eye. There is nothing else quite like the rush of adrenaline that can accompany the gambling experience! The gaming industry has grown exponentially for the past two decades, and the lure of gambling has drawn more and more people to the casinos as well as racetracks and Internet gambling web sites. Gambling is a fascinating pastime in many respects, and the list below will introduce you to some of the historical, statistical, and humorous tips and trivia that make this pastime special.

Did You Know?

1. At least 65,000,000 people in the United States play poker on a regular basis. 
2. Playing cards as we know them today are still greatly influenced by the French, even though playing cards were invented in China. According to French lore, the cards with Spades represent royalty. Diamonds represent Merchants, Clubs represent Peasants, and Hearts represent the Clergy. 
3. Former United States President Richard M. Nixon used money he had won playing poker in the Navy during World War 2 to finance his run for Congress in 1946. He must have been  

a good player, for it is never inexpensive to get involved in politics! 
4. 87% of the people who visited Las Vegas during the year 1996 gambled. 
5. Surveys reveal that 38% of the people who live in the United States have visited Las Vegas, typically to gamble. 
6. The game called craps usually has some of the best bets in the casino. 
7. Poker tournaments that take place on the Internet and on television have caused the Texas Hold'em variation of poker to have an enormous surge in popularity. 
8. There is one slot machine in Las Vegas, Nevada, for every 8 people who live there. In 2005, the estimated population for the Las Vegas Valley is 2 million people. That's a LOT of slot machines!