for more on sports betting in a casino.)
Horse racing: A run for your money
If you love a day at the track, the racebook is going to feel like home sweet home. After all, through the modern miracle of simulcasting, you can enjoy a day at several tracks at once, without leaving your cozy chair. Casinos dedicate luxurious space and resources to keep fans happy: leather seats, private work desks, and stacks of publications full of data on the ponies. And just when you think the experience can’t get any better, the cocktail server hands you a double espresso to get your brain into high gear before the race day starts. Comfortable? Good, now you just need to pick some winners.
In both horse racing and sports betting, your understanding of handicapping and external factors can improve your chances of winning. And both kinds of betting favor gamblers who take a contrarian view. When you go against the grain — and you’re right — you win bigger than when you bet with the crowd. (Read Chapter 16 for more about horse racing.)
Gambling Near and Far: Where to Find Casinos
Formerly quarantined to select areas, today’s casinos are nearly everywhere, making gambling — in some form or another — possible in almost every state. Only two states (Hawaii and Utah) have no legalized gambling. The main reason for this explosion is that the stigma of gambling has mostly been removed from our society. Although the previous generation generally viewed gambling with moral indignation, today’s attitudes are more relaxed, and many people consider casinos fun entertainment rather than one of the seven deadly sins.
This section looks more closely at the different types of gambling locations. Although Las Vegas and Atlantic City are still popular destinations for casino gambling, hundreds of other options are also waiting for you. (Flip to Chapter 19 for ten cool places to gamble.)
Nevada: Viva the gambling state!
For decades, Nevada was famous for being the only U.S. state where casino gambling was legal. That limitation changed when the state of New Jersey legalized gambling in the late 1970s (although only in one town, Atlantic City). And, despite the growth of casinos elsewhere in the United States, the Silver State remains the king of casino gambling with more than 200 commercial casinos.
Las Vegas reigns supreme
Las Vegas is the jewel in the crown and is, far and away, the biggest gambling destination in the world. Also known as Sin City or Lost Wages, Vegas is a unique agglomeration of palm trees, fountains, neon lights, and 150,000-plus hotel rooms among a wild mishmash of must-see architecture.
From its forbidden-fruit beginnings to its mobster adolescence to its starring role in a few hit TV shows, Vegas exudes a frenetic energy that makes the city a unique place in American pop culture. And Vegas takes full advantage of its iconic position. New hotel/casino complexes continue to rise from the desert floor at an astounding pace. As of 2021, half of the ten biggest hotels in the world were located within a few miles of each other on the Las Vegas Strip.
The city is still primarily known for its gambling — after all, where else can you expect to find slot machines in grocery stores and airports? But in the late 1990s — for the first time in its history — gambling money amounted to less than half of the total revenue brought in by the Vegas casino industry. And that change means people from around the world are seeing the city as a resort (or convention) destination first and a place to gamble second.
If you’re eager to learn more about Las Vegas, check out Las Vegas For Dummies by Mary Herczog (Wiley).
Tahoe and Reno: Quieter cousins
Before Las Vegas rose to prominence, Reno was the epicenter of gambling in the United States, and casinos around Lake Tahoe frequently hosted celebrities, such as Frank Sinatra and his buddies. Now, their southern Nevada competitor easily eclipses both Tahoe and Reno, but these two intriguing cities remain good alternatives for visitors that don’t care for the Vegas speed-of-light pace.
As “the biggest little city in the world,” Reno’s Wild West frontier spirit and gambling accessibility appeal to many travelers. Tahoe also boasts gambling opportunities on the Nevada side of the border while promising superb skiing in winter, a wealth of lake activities in summer, and spectacular mountain scenery year-round.
Atlantic City: Vegas of the east
In the late 1970s, New Jersey took the bold step of legalizing gambling to revitalize Atlantic City. The transformation hasn’t always gone smoothly, but today, Atlantic City’s casino industry is healthy. As one of the biggest gambling spots in the United States, it sees billions of dollars in wagers every year.
Although the Atlantic City Boardwalk can’t rival the Vegas Strip, it does offer a unique blend of glitz and glamour in a carnival atmosphere and a seaside setting. More importantly, the location means convenience for people on the East Coast — they no longer have to fly cross-country just to play blackjack.
Connecticut: Betting with the Yankees
The Constitution State legalized tribal gaming in the early 1990s, and the state hasn’t looked back since. With its proximity to Boston, New York City, and other lesser megalopolises of the northeast, Connecticut spent many years as the only alternative to Atlantic City. While it can’t compete with the size of New Jersey’s gaming industry, Connecticut hosts two of the three largest casinos in the United States: the Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun resorts.
Diving into on-the-water gambling
Some people may not understand why gambling can be legal on the water but illegal on land. Nevertheless, if your state has a river running through it or you live on the coast, you’re likely to find a casino within driving distance. (Of course, take your motion-sickness pills and be prepared to walk the plank.)
Riverboat casinos: A piece of the past
New laws and regulations have revived an icon from America’s colorful past — riverboat casinos. Although these contemporary vessels bear little resemblance to the fabled paddleboats that plied the Mississippi, gambling fun is still rollin’ on the river.
Most casino voyages are “cruises to nowhere” that last one to three hours. Some floating casinos don’t even leave the dock, but they’re in compliance with state gambling laws because they’re on the water. Typically, these casinos are smaller than the big boys in Vegas and aren’t always open 24 hours, but they usually offer most of the same games.
Cruise ships: Sailing for international waters
What could be finer than cruising off the coast of Carolina? Okay, maybe cruise ships don’t hit those waters often, but they do sail nearly everywhere in the world, including hot spots (like the Caribbean and the Panama Canal) and scenic destinations (like Alaska and Mexico).
Nearly every cruise line takes advantage of international waters
