Original photo of dealers and bosses at Cal-Neva casino in Lake Tahoe, 1942.
Cal-Neva Pit Crew 1942
Reno’s Last 7-Card Stud Game
I learned to play poker in West Springfield, Virginia after my friend Barry Wilson invited me to play. We were high school freshmen, and the guys we ended up playing against were juniors and seniors. We both lost. In the coming weeks, we improved, but we were still dorks. To finance poker, Barry got a... Continue Reading →
L. M. Strauss (The Russian) and Nevada Casinos
L. M. Strauss, a native of the San Francisco Bay area, was born in October 1904. Growing up, he was like any other youth in the area, driven by the desire to earn some extra cash to support his interests and socialize with his peers. His early exposure to poker, particularly five-card stud, and his... Continue Reading →
Benny Binion and Binion’s Horsehoe Las Vegas
Benny Binion, born Lester Ben Binion on November 20, 1904, in Plot Grove, Texas, was an American gangster and casino owner. He founded the World Series of Poker and Binion's Horseshoe, a casino resort in Las Vegas. Benny Binion was known for his extensive criminal activities and contributions to the development of the Nevada gambling... Continue Reading →
Carl Cohen – Las Vegas Casino Manager and Owner
Carl Cohen was born in Cleveland, Ohio February 15, 1913, and spent his adult years working in the gaming industry, first finding employment at the Thomas Club as a dealer. Cohen saw the Cleveland Syndicate’s casinos as a fine job and was both a dice dealer and later a pit boss. He also worked as... Continue Reading →
Los Angeles Crime Boss Jack Dragna
Jack Dragna from a Los Angeles Police Department Mug Shot - 1946 Jack Dragna, born Giacomo Tommaso or Ignazio Dragna in Corleone, Sicily, in 1891, was a notorious American mobster who rose to power in the early 20th century, leading one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Southern California. After immigrating to the United... Continue Reading →
Moe Sedway and Las Vegas
Above: Moe Sedway enjoys a cigar with friend and casino partner Gus Greenbaum (Right) Moe Sedway was an American gangster and a close associate of the infamous mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. Born in 1894 in Ukraine, Sedway immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in New York City's Lower East Side.... Continue Reading →
Organized Ohio – The Mayfield Road Gang and Casinos
Today, Cleveland is best known as the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Clinic. Plus, their pro sports teams the Indians, Cavaliers, and Browns. The town and its weather are harsh, face-first against the cold winter winds that constantly blow from Lake Erie. Not the most inviting atmosphere, but... Continue Reading →
Your Desert Inn Casino Host – Wilbur Clark
Wilbur Clark was a prominent figure in the development of Las Vegas, known for his contributions to the city's casino industry and luxurious resort properties. Congenial and affable, he offered a friendly face and made a casino look safe – not shady. Las Vegas was never perfect, but the right frontman never hurt. In the... Continue Reading →
Moe Dalitz as Mr. Las Vegas opens the Desert Inn Casino
Moe Dalitz was a prominent American businessman and organized crime figure who rose to prominence during the Prohibition era. Born on December 25, 1899, in Boston, Massachusetts, he grew up in a Jewish family and dropped out of school at 14 to work in the garment industry. However, he realized quickly he could make more... Continue Reading →
Al W Moe's Nevada Gaming History 