Can you believe that the first genuine casino to exist in the world was only established in 17th Century Venice? Judging by how much people love to gamble now and throughout history it can be a rather surprising fact, especially when you consider the advanced nature of civilizations such as the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks or Ancient Romans. Why didn’t these pillars of antiquity have any proper casinos? The argument that gambling didn’t exist back then is void as well, because gambling historians have uncovered evidence of gambling games being played tens of thousands of years ago. In any case, the casino hasn’t actually been around for as long as people may think, yet it is still one of the most popular establishments of the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries. In fact, some of the richest people in the world have built their fortunes through the casino world, testimony to how popular they are.
Of course places such as Las Vegas and Macau are full to the brim with casinos, and they have subsequently become cultural hotspots for gambling in the modern world. But this isn’t the only place where casinos are rife, because in the 21st Century these gambling meccas are quite literally everywhere. Now, this is mainly down to the emergence of online casinos such as 666 Casino, something that people can play from the comfort of their own homes, or anywhere with an Internet connection for that matter, however there has also been a huge rise in the number of casino inspired movies too. Just think about smash hit motion pictures such as Casino Royale or Ocean’s 11, movies that are completely and utterly invested in the exciting world of casino gambling entertainment. We love these kinds of films, however the only problem that sometimes arises here is the fact that it can be hard to distinguish the real facts here, and what things are just added for entertainment value. Never fear though, we are on hand to help!
Blackjack card counting
Blackjack card counting is one of those things that is regularly mentioned in casino films and television programs, mainly because it holds a certain mystic. Whilst blackjack card counting is not technically cheating, for instance, it can quite often be an almost sure-fire way to make sure you are taking money away from those blackjack tables and into your pocket. And for this reason many casinos won’t be very happy if they catch you employing the tactic, however it isn’t illegal, as many casino films will have you believe.
Moreover, in movie scenes like the one featuring Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover, blackjack card counting is portrayed as being something that is immensely difficult and requires human calculator levels of mathematical prowess, but this doesn’t have to be the case either. Obviously blackjack card counting isn’t exactly easy, however it also isn’t impossible to learn, and once you understand the basic principles it can be relatively easy to pick up. It seems as though blackjack card counting has been somewhat sensationalised in casino films, although we can’t say we’re surprised, because it is an exciting tactic if done correctly.
Heist films and casino security
Some of the best heist films ever made have revolved around the attempt to steal super casino’s safe full of money, and in these we have also seen some outrageously elaborate security mechanisms. Take Ocean’s 11, for example, where the protagonists had to navigate an unholy amount of different obstacles in order to get to the prize, including a room full of tons of lasers. Now, it is common knowledge that casino security is amongst the strongest in the world, giving even that or airports and army bases a run for money, however it isn’t as complex and mental as some films can lead you to believe.
With that being said, it isn’t exactly easy to steal the master safe out of a huge super casino like the ones that can be found in Las Vegas. These places have to have incredibly tight security simply due to the gargantuan amount of money they keep there, but its nothing like the extremes seen in films like Ocean’s 11.
Poker in casino films
There have been thousands of scenes during films where the protagonists are battling it out over a poker match, however this is rarely portrayed with 100% authentic accuracy. The main reason behind this is its very hard to capture the atmosphere of a poker match in just a few hours, as these games regularly go on for a much longer time than this.
Poker is also such a mental battle that it can be hard to do it justice over film, simply because we cannot have enough of an access into the inner workings of the character’s minds. Take Casino Royale, for example, this James Bond film’s whole plot revolves around a poker match, however it is only on screen for less than half of it.
Representation of progressive jackpots in casino films
Why do you think so many people are excited by the prospect of progressive jackpots? Well, the number one reason is that it is outrageously difficult to ignore the prospect of winning multiple millions of dollars off of just one spin on a slot machine, but an other reason is how favourably they have been portrayed in some Hollywood casino films.
There have been countless films where the main protagonist has ended up hitting the jackpot due to an idea of “fate”, however in real life progressive jackpot slot machines are incredibly random.
Gambling is nothing to do with fate
Following on from the last point, it is important to remember that gambling is absolutely nothing to do with a predetermined idea of fate. It can be easy to forget this after watching movies and television series where the characters win because of a genuine “reason”, however this just isn’t the case in real life. At the end of the day gambling revolves around probability and chance – nothing else.
