Some of the craziest myths, legends and stories comes from the world of casinos. In some cases they really are mind-blowing. From someone cashing in on $25 million on a slot to atomic bomb parties, we’ve heard it all. That’s why you should “lend us your ear” as the old saying goes, as from being in the know we can share some of these stories with you, purely as entertainment, of course.

The Founder of FedEx Saved the Company by Gambling in Vegas

Let’s start with an inspiring story for all aspiring gamblers and small business owners. The founder of FedEx, managed to save his struggling company by heading to Vegas. While there, he managed to earn $27,000 playing blackjack. The now massive company was down to its last $5,000 when Frederick Smith made the decision to fly to the Nevada desert in 1973 to risk it all. This may not be the best investment or business advice ever given, but Smith’s plan paid off, allowing the company to last long enough to raise $11 million and eventually earn its first profits in 1976. The rest is history.

The Nevada State Prison Used to Have a Casino for Inmates

The gaming industry is such a massive industry in Nevada and has been for a long time. If you ever doubted this fact then perhaps this story can make things a tad clearer. For 35 years, the Nevada State Prison had its own casino on the inside. No, we’re not kidding around here. From 1932 to 1967, the inmates could play Blackjack, Craps, Poker and even bet on sports. In the Carson City prison, they had a stone building on the grounds, called the Bullpen. When a new warden came in from California, he immediately shut it down – no surprises there.

The Sandwich Was Basically Invented in a Casino

Another story we would like to share with you revolves around the sandwich. The legend goes something like this: in 1765, John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, was such a huge gambler that he didn’t want to leave the gaming table to eat. Instead, Montagu told his servants to just bring him some meat between sliced bread so he could eat and play at the same time. Thus the legend of the “sandwich” was born… well, sort of.
However, in reality, the Earl wasn’t much of a gambler at all, but he did enjoy his namesake meal. The legend actually came from a French travel guide about London and is the only source of the gambling tale. The story caught on, however, and soon people throughout Europe were craving these sandwiches. Montagu didn’t invent the meal – it’s meat between bread, after all; people had likely been eating this combo for centuries – but he did give it a name and a cool story to go with it (whether he liked it or not!).

To Pee or Not to Pee

If you’ve ever been to a casino, they will usually treat you to free drinks. This isn’t always the greatest idea as it can result in some unfortunate situations. There are plenty of stories where players simply urinate all over themselves or make the conscious decision to wear adult diapers rather than step away from the table or slot machine. For instance, in Indiana in 2007, a gambler filed a complaint with the state’s Gaming Commission after he sat in a pee-soaked chair at a slot machine. And in 2015, a New Jersey man decided to urinate into a slot machine’s coin slot rather than leave the gaming floor. So, the next time you are faced with this kind of situation, ask yourself, to pee or not to pee?

The World’s Smallest Casino is in the Back of a London Cab

There are a lot of massive casinos out there in the world – including BitStarz, obviously. Some of the biggest are found in Las Vegas or Macau. For something to be considered big, there must be something being considered small. Then there are the extremes. The alleged “World’s Smallest Casino” doesn’t even have an address. The Grosvenor Casino in London has a mobile casino in the back of a cab, complete with a gaming table, dealer, bar, and a TV showing sports. The promotional stunt lets riders go anywhere in the city as long as they make a charitable donation… or they can go straight to the casino, free of charge. Perhaps this is something for Uber and the others to consider.

These are only some of the crazy casino stories out in the world. Stay tuned as BitStarz will continue to supply you with these gems, as they are perfect as cocktail party conversation starters!