WagerPast
Gambling History
The History of Lotteries: From Bruges to New Hampshire
How lotteries grew from medieval Bruges to Elizabeth I, Jamestown, the Louisiana scandal and New Hampshire’s 1964 sweepstakes, with disputed dates noted.
The History of Dice: From Ice Age Bone Lots to Craps
How dice began: from 12,000-year-old bone lots in Wyoming to Mesopotamian cubes, Roman dice laws and the hazard game that became craps…
Poker History
The Origins of Poker: Where Did the Game Come From?
How poker began: the poque, pochen and as-nas theories, the first New Orleans references, the 52-card pack, the draw, stud and wild…
How the World Series of Poker Began: Reno to Las Vegas
How did the World Series of Poker begin? Follow it from a 1969 Reno gathering to the 1970 Horseshoe vote, the first…
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Casino History
The History of Slot Machines: From Brooklyn to Las Vegas
How the slot machine evolved from Sittman and Pitt’s 1891 Brooklyn poker machine to Fey’s Liberty Bell, the 1909 ban and Nevada’s…
The History of Roulette: From Paris Salons to Monte Carlo
Who invented roulette? Not Pascal, historians say. Follow the wheel from 18th-century France to the Blanc brothers’ single zero and Monte Carlo.
Sports Betting History
Famous Gamblers
Ken Uston: The Blackjack Player Who Took Casinos to Court
Ken Uston left the Pacific Stock Exchange for blackjack, was barred in Atlantic City in 1979 and won a landmark 1982 New…
Edward O. Thorp: The Professor Who Beat Blackjack
Who was Edward O. Thorp? Follow the MIT mathematician from a 1958 Las Vegas trip to Beat the Dealer, the casinos’ 1964…
Famous Bets
Ashley Revell’s $135,300 Roulette Bet: What Happened
On April 11, 2004, Ashley Revell put $135,300 on red at a Las Vegas roulette table and was paid $270,600. Here is…
Leicester City’s 5000-1 Title Bets: What Happened
What happened to the 5000-1 bets on Leicester City to win the 2016 Premier League? Stakes, cash-out choices, payouts and the bookmakers’…
