The mirror., 1923-02-15

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spaces are used for the placing of bets.
The game is played the same the world
over. Red and black, even and odd pay
even money. That is if you wish to bet
that the pea will drop in red slot you
place your wager on the red space. All
slots are either red or black, with the ex-
ception of the 0. If you wish to bet that
the ball will stop on a number between
1 and 1S there is a space for that bet.
Contrary to popular belief cash is not
used at the tables in Monte Carlo for
actual play. This regulation is of course
subject to violation at times, but chips are
favored Every chip has the monogram
of Monaco inlaid in nickel. Five franc
chips are white; twenty-five, orange; one
hundred blue. There are values up to
5000 francs. For the larger amounts Ella
borate plaques are used.
The Casino is open from four o'clock
in the afternoon until midnight, and the
heaviest playing is between ten and the
closing hour. Play stops promptly at
midnight regardless of an exceptional run
of good or bad luck on the part of
player or players, Many devotees will re-
main in their chairs from opening to
closing time, for once the terrible fascina
ton of the game has a hold upon you it is
difficult to turn away for such material
matters as food and drink.
Every gambling house of any size has
its queer characters. Monte Carlo, being
the largest institution of that type in the
world, has many. 1t is queer trait of hu-
man nature, but give any intelligent male
a deck of cards and Hoyle's Book of
Rules and he Immediately conceives the
idea that he is the master of all poker
players. Let man learn the fundamen-
tai principles .of roulette and he sincerely
believes that he can perfect system that
can beat the wheel.
You see them on every hand in the
Casino. One man will be religiously foE
lowing an outlined course of. play~ pansing
now and tren to consult the notebooksin
his hand, or TO jot down the present play
for future reference. Another will be i'm
mersed in profound thought on one of the
lounges The man with the system is the
rule rather than the exception. Women
are more prene to trust to luck than men,
Or at least that IS. the impression that
gathered from personal observation.
One man was barred from Monte Carlo
because of his perfect system. At least
that is what was said. Now, as a matter
of fact that mans system was as near, or
perhaps more perfect than any other in
the world, but it was not perfect.
A MATHEMATICIAN might figure out
system that would hold the wheel fairly
even, so that if luck favored him he could
win, yet there is percentage with the
houses. Most systems are freakish and
conceived in the minds of persons who ,do
not understand that roulette wheel will
lever run true to any defined course un-
there has never been yestige Of doubt
but that the Monte Carlo games are ION
the square.
The man with the perfect system was
barred from the house, not because he
could beat the game, but because of dn-
desirable publicity. When public gai,i
ing establishment must prevent man of
unquestioned character from playing they
may as well close their doors.
If you have ever been in Louisville,
New Orleans or Saratoga during the rae
ing season you have no doubt encountered
the peddlers of "dope" sheets. For a dol
lar they will tell you what horse will win
each race and which will place and show.
Why any one is foolish enough to believe
that these human parasites are infalible
in their judgment is beyond me. The pro-
fessional tout will tell cne better that one