A casino is a gambling establishment where the vast majority of the money is earned by games of chance. The modern casino may add musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers to help lure patrons, but it would not exist without the games themselves – slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno are all essential to the billions of dollars that casinos rake in each year.

Although gambling probably predates written history, the concept of a place to find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 16th century. It began in Italy, where casino-like establishments called ridotti were popular among aristocrats. These private clubs were not technically casinos, but they had all the elements of one: a variety of gambling games and a place to socialize in style [Source: Schwartz].

The casinos that have earned the most renown are those that offer the biggest rooms, the best buffets, the most spectacular attractions. But what makes a casino truly great is its staff and customer service. It takes an entire team to make sure that every visitor is having a great time and feels special.

The people who work in a casino are called gaming mathematicians and analysts. These are the people who compute the house edges and variance for all the games in the casino, so that management knows how much to pay out in winning bets and how much to keep as cash reserves. The analysts also study the results of past bets to predict how long it will take for a player’s luck to change. They are an integral part of the casino’s mathematical advantage, which is what keeps them in business despite the fact that most of their bettors lose.