Casinos are a place to gamble and win big, but sometimes things can go awry. We have collected some unique casino stories for you to read through the years and share with your friends.
These stories serve as a reminder that truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. So before you head off to the casino, make sure you know the difference between fact and myth.
A Terribly Strange Bed
Wilkie Collins’ A Terribly Strange Bed is one of his best-known stories. It follows an Englishman as he attempts to gamble at a Parisian gambling house.
The Englishman, a well-educated and high class individual, is determined to live the ‘wild life’ and become another ‘bad boy’ like when he was once again in Paris.
He visits a dilapidated and poverty-stricken gambling house where people seem intent on winning money. It’s an unsettling place, especially at night when its dodgy inhabitants fill it with fear – hence why it’s called “a terribly strange bed”.
He awakens to find the top of the bed moving down on him, which causes panic and he jumps out through a window. The police arrive and arrest those inside of the gambling house for their crimes.
The Barthelme Binge
For years, Mississippi writers Frederick and Steven Barthelme indulged in an “awfully sweet” addiction to gambling at floating casinos on the Gulf Coast. But things came to a head when they inherited a quarter million dollars.
They were arrested and accused of conspiring to cheat at blackjack; however, their case was quickly dropped. Now they have written an insightful memoir entitled Double Down which is captivating-with a tone that strikes somewhere between pure heartbreak and ironic detachment-that captivates readers’ attention.
Double Down, which chronicles their gambling spree, also serves as an unflinching meditation on family and the loss of their parents. The Barthelmes’ narrative artfully juxtaposes the grief of losing their parents with the drive to win at blackjack.
The Man Who Bet His House on Arsenal
Arsenal fans were deeply hurt by Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Manchester United, but one fan suffered even greater loss than that. Henry Dhabasani from Uganda is believed to have lost his home after betting on the outcome of the game with a Manchester United fan.
Dhabasani staked his two-room house and friend Rashid Yiga staked their wife’s Toyota Premio car in order to win a bet that David Moyes’ side would come out victorious during the Premier League clash. They placed their wager in writing, with local leaders and fans witnessing the deed.
Unfortunately for Dhabasani, his confidence was dashed by a first-half header from former Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie. Manchester United’s 1-0 victory saw Dhabasani lose both his house and family; The Observer newspaper reports that shortly after the match concluded, United fans broke into his home and forcibly removed him along with his three wives and five children.
The Woman Who Hit the Jackpot
In October 2015, a woman from Oregon was having a fun-filled day out with her mother at a casino when she hit an incredible jackpot – $42,949,672. This amount set a new U.S. record for slot game payouts!
She took a selfie, certain that her life would be forever altered. Unfortunately, the reality set in and left her feeling deflated and uncertain.
At 42 years old, Veronica Castillo had experience gambling and knew a thing or two about numbers and statistics. Her goal was to earn a healthy return from her investment and perhaps even buy a house.
She had become a regular at the California Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas when she decided to visit Fremont Hotel and Casino on Wednesday. Playing Buffalo Inferno slot game, she hit the jackpot – initially thinking she had won $79,000, but soon realized it had actually been nearly 10 times larger!
