Reno gaming pioneer Nick Abelman's life in casinos
Nick Abelman – A Gambling Man
Lake Tahoe’s Cal-Neva Lodge
It's been nearly 100 years since Robert Sherman gave his Cal-Neva cabin at Lake Tahoe's North Shore to Norman Biltz, who leased it to Bill Doyle, who opened a little casino, who did well enough to convince Biltz to sell it to Bill Graham and James McKay. Yeah, that's not even the beginning of the... Continue Reading →
Nevada Pioneer Steve Pavlovich
Steve Pavlovich was born in Yugoslavia in 1889. He came to America armed with dreams and a promise of a good life. What he found were rough-and-tumble characters who would rather beat you for your pennies than give you the time of day. He traveled from New York to New Jersey to Wyoming before arriving... Continue Reading →
The Lure of Casino Chips
What is it exactly that makes people collect casino chips? Is it the round shape? After all, who hasn't taken a coin of some type and flipped it - heads, tails, heads, tails............that's got to be a universal urge. But chips, I'm not sure. The fact that you can hold a chip in your hand... Continue Reading →
Nevada Gaming History
I've been a gambler my whole life, ever since I started pitching pennies and shooting marbles. I hate to lose, so most of my education came on the cheap, and I've stayed with games I could beat, and steered away from people and games I couldn't. Near the beginning, I was a nine-year-old kid playing... Continue Reading →
Reno’s Town House Casino
Reno became the Divorce Capital of the World in the 1930s. Open-gaming was legalized in 1931 and the state lowered residency requirements to six-weeks for divorces. So, people arrived in droves, ready to "take the cure" as they called it, and hotels were available for those on the rich side. Those with more adventurous souls... Continue Reading →
Super Easy Aces Field Trial
Primm Valley Resort in Nevada
The King’s Castle
How's this for a great shot from the early '70s? This postcard is from Reno Tahoe Specialty, Inc. Nate Jacobson built the King's Castle Casino at Incline Village (Lake Tahoe), Nevada after selling his part of Caesars Palace in 1969. A former insurance salesman, broker, and owner, Jacobson faced charges from the Securities and Exchange... Continue Reading →
Searchlight, Nevada and The King of Casinos
Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Searchlight, Nevada. It's the proverbial black spot on a map. It's an unincorporated town 13 miles square somehow holding 500 hearty souls. To be fair, ah, well, it's a dot, that's all. Really, if you are accidentally in Needles or Blyth, California, you might drift off towards... Continue Reading →
Reno’s Northern Club
Reno’s Northern Club was one of the first casinos in the state licensed for gaming in 1931. Located on the ground floor along Center Street in Reno, the casino was run by Felix Turillas Sr. and John Etchebarren in the Commercial Hotel. Women were rare players in the 4,000 square-foot club when it opened with... Continue Reading →
Nevada Gaming History 