There are many things that go into making a casino a world-class entertainment venue, but gambling is the bread and butter of the business. While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and hotels are important components of the experience for gamblers, casinos would not exist without games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette and craps are the games that bring in billions of dollars in profits each year.
While the stereotype is of seedy backroom gambling parlors, modern casinos are often large and professionally run. They employ security guards, offer valet parking and monitor their gaming floors for suspicious activity. While crime still occurs around casino properties, it is generally rare and the police are close by.
The games themselves are based on mathematics, and every game has a built in advantage for the house. This advantage can be small, but over the millions of bets placed each year it adds up to a significant amount of money for the casino. This is called the house edge, or vigorish, and it is what gives the casinos their profits. The vigorish is often a significant part of the payout for slot machines, and it is sometimes referred to as the rake.
Players can earn free items such as hotel rooms, dinners and tickets to shows by playing for long periods of time and placing big bets. These are known as comps, and they can be quite valuable from a player’s perspective. High rollers might even receive limo service and airline tickets for their big spending.