Whether you’re putting your money on the blackjack table or throwing dice at a craps table, casinos are a fun way to satisfy that gambling itch. But despite the lavish hotels, musical shows and shopping centers that often accompany them, casinos would not exist without games of chance – slot machines, roulette, craps, blackjack and baccarat to name just a few. And it is these games that attract gamblers and generate the billions of dollars in profits casinos pull in every year.

While it’s tempting to think that a casino is an equal-opportunity entertainment venue, the truth is that the house always wins. Casinos employ a host of strategies to ensure their profitability, including offering free food and drink to keep players on the premises, which can lead to intoxication that can affect their decision-making (not to mention their chances of winning). Also, casinos use chips instead of cash, which reduces the amount of money that patrons carry with them from one area to another.

Elaborate surveillance systems give security personnel an “eye-in-the-sky” view of all tables, windows and doorways. Security workers can adjust cameras to focus on suspect patrons, and a system of security monitors keeps track of what’s going on at every point in time. The routines of individual games follow certain patterns, and security staff can usually spot blatant cheating (palming, marking or switching cards, for instance) when it occurs. But, because of the large amounts of cash involved in casino operations, both patrons and employees may be tempted to steal, either in collusion or on their own.