When you hear the word casino, you likely think of bright lights and big money. From the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas to small mountain towns whose 19th century Wild West buildings are filled with poker tables, casinos attract millions of visitors each year and generate billions in profits for their owners. While musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers help lure in the crowds, slots, blackjack, craps, keno and other games of chance are the heart of any casino.

Something about the large amounts of money handled by casinos seems to encourage people to cheat and steal, either in collusion with other patrons or on their own. As a result, casinos spend enormous sums on security. At the very least, every casino has security cameras throughout its building. In addition, all table managers and pit bosses keep their eyes on the game in play to make sure players aren’t stealing chips from each other or changing the outcome of a hand by palming, marking or switching cards or dice. Every employee also has a “higher-up” that keeps track of the amount of money they’re handling.

One thing is certain about gambling in a casino: the house always wins. Even the games that require only an element of skill (poker, for example) have mathematical odds that ensure the house will win the majority of the time. This advantage is known as the house edge. To overcome it, casinos entice big bettors with lavish inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury transportation and rooms and reduced-fare food and drinks while they gamble.