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Fun Facts for High Rollers

Test your gambling knowledge and discover what the casinos and the lottery folks haven't told you about 'scratching,' rolling, and dealing for cash.

June 16, 1997

by Vicki Hsueh

You could be the next instant millionaire! State governments spent $382 million in 1995 on promotional campaigns for lotteries, aggressively urging you to drop a dollar and take your chances with Lady Luck. Find out if you've been dreaming your dollars away.

  • If you purchase 50 Lotto tickets each week, you will win the jackpot every:

    5,000 years.
    6,000 years.
    7,000 years.
    8,000 years.
    9,000 years.

  • Rank the following events according to mathematical probability, 1 being the least likely, 6 the most likely.

    Death from disease caused by drinking one beer per day.
    Being dealt a royal flush on the opening hand of a poker game.
    Death from cancer on a diet of one peanut butter sandwich per day.
    Death from flesh-eating bacteria.
    Death by terrorists while traveling abroad.
    Death from a lightning strike.

  • In Clark County, Nev. last year, the average slot machine out-earned the average armed casino security guard by how much?

    $131
    $563
    $4,568
    $7,947
    $10,437

  • America's gambling habit has grown from about $80 billion a year in 1986 to (choose one) in 1996.

  • Unlike conventional casinos, card room players wager against each other and not the house. The card room takes a profit percentage of every hand played at its tables.

    In 1994, Californians spent an estimated in card rooms, on movies.

  • Last, but not least, can you tell the difference between gambling addiction and good clean fun? Click the buttons next to each statement to answer yes.

    Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?
    Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
    Did you ever have an urge to celebrate good fortune with a few hours of gambling?
    Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?
    Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
    Did you ever gamble to get money to pay debts or to otherwise solve financial difficulties?
    After losing, did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?
    After a win, did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
    Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?



  • Web Exclusives:

    Heavy Betting
    An exclusive investigation of the gambling industry's state-by-state political contributions.

    Across State Lines
    Track gambling interests political contributions across 11 states.

    Ea$y Money: The Documentary
    See exclusive video clips from the FRONTLINE and Mother Jones Television co-production.

    Fun Facts
    Test your knowledge about gambling.

    From the Magazine:

    Ea$y Money
    With exploding profits, the gambling industry is investing in politics.

    All Bets Are Off
    Citizens groups have won some key battles in the gambling wars.

    World Wide Wagering
    On the Internet, it's already possible to lose your shirt from your desktop, and more gambling sites are in the works.

    Hot!Media
    See Hot!media for more resources.
















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