10 INSANE, HILARIOUS & ODD STORIES ABOUT ANIMALS IN CASINOS
WHEN CASINOS GO WILD
Casinos already have flashing lights, bizarre characters, and incredulous stories. But sometimes, they go even wilder, with the aid of animals.
From tigers stalking a penthouse suite to parrots squawking, “Hit me!” at blackjack tables, the universe of casinos has experienced some odd animal run-ins. Some are glamorous (everyone’s heard of Siegfried & Roy’s white tigers), some humorous (a horse in a UK betting shop), and some just plain peculiar.
Here are 10 of the craziest, funniest and strangest animal stories from casinos across the globe.
MIKE TYSON'S TIGERS AT THE MGM GRAND, SIEGFRIED & ROY'S WHITE TIGERS AT THE MIRAGE, ELVIS'S CHIMP CAUSES CASINO CHAOS & CAESARS PALACE CAMEL RACES
Mike Tyson’s Tigers at the MGM Grand
Boxing great Mike Tyson did not just gamble with chips; he bet on exotic pets. A decade later, he famously housed three white Bengal tigers in his Las Vegas home and was a regular in the MGM Grand casino.
The tigers were such a myth in Vegas that they were immortalised in the movie, The Hangover.
Tyson himself said that the tigers bled him dry with the amount of food and care he had to supply them, but he enjoyed showing them off as a sign of his wealth and status.
Attendees at his parties might have rubbed shoulders with Hollywood A-listers, but a prowling big cat also roamed the grounds.
Verdict: Nothing screams “high-roller” in Vegas like gambling with millions as “Kenya”, your pet tiger, lounges beside the pool.
Siegfried & Roy’s White Tigers at The Mirage
No animals may be more closely associated with Las Vegas than the white lions and tigers of Siegfried & Roy.
In the 1980’s and ’90’s, their nightly act at The Mirage was one of the most sought-after tickets in town.
The pair sprinkled magic with wild animals, transforming the Strip into a sparkling circus of glamour & wonder.
Though one fateful night in 2003 Roy Horn was mauled by one of their beloved tigers in the middle of a live show, as the world watched in shock & horror.
Verdict: Vegas animal icons, the ultimate combination of beauty, danger and showbiz glitz.
Elvis’s Chimp Causes Casino Chaos
Elvis Presley might have been the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, but he was also the King of Chaos in Las Vegas. One story concerns his chimpanzee, “Scatter”. Scatter regularly attended rehearsals at the International Hotel with Elvis.
The chimp is believed to have somehow made its way onto the casino floor, amusing some gamblers and shocking others.
Scatter had a reputation for practical jokes, stealing drinks, or, in one anecdote, throwing them at astonished slot players.
Elvis plus a naughty chimp? Only in Vegas.
Caesars Palace Camel Races
Vegas was bonkers for whacked-out promotions in the 1960s. One stunt involved Caesars Palace having camel races through its casino.
Live camels promenaded past the gaming tables, whilst bewildered gamblers laid side bets on which camel would win.
Showgirls in Cleopatra garb flanked the spectacle.
Images from the event became emblematic of Vegas’s anything-goes approach to entertainment.
Verdict: Never mind poker chips, for one night, it was camel racing in a casino.
CASINO MASCOT CATS & DOGS, THE PARROT WHO PLAYED BLACKJACK, AN ALLIGATOR ON A CASINO BOAT & A HORSE WALKS INTO A UK BETTING SHOP
Casino Mascot Cats & Dogs
Though big cats were the focus in Vegas, some casinos turned to significantly smaller animals.
In the Casinos of Early 20th-Century Nevada, Caged Stray Cats Were All the Rage. Stray cats were once kept inside early Nevada casinos to chase away mice from the cash and food stores. Over time, these cats became unofficial casino mascots.
In Reno, one gambling joint had a dog that was so loved by the patrons that gamblers tipped her treats to celebrate a winning hand.
Some casinos played into the superstition, where gamblers considered it a good omen if a cat crossed the floor.
Verdict: A little less glamorous than tigers, but casino cats had devotees, too.
The Parrot Who Played Blackjack
There are many tales in the US and UK of gamblers taking their parrots into casinos.
Anecdotes about Atlantic City include the parrot on a man’s shoulder who squawked, “Hit me!” whenever its owner played blackjack.
The bird had become a table-sized mini-celebrity, attracting a crowd.
The dealers said the parrot appeared to “know the game” and would cheer when its owner won.
Security would eventually ban the bird because it distracted other players.
Verdict: A bird (YOU DON’T SAY!) offering blackjack tips? That’s the Vegas sidekick we all want.
An Alligator on a Casino Boat
The glitzy animal accounts don’t tell all. Not all casino animal stories are glamorous. In Tenor, Fla., where casino boats have been plying the waters offshore to sidestep restrictions, one gambler thought bringing his friends a baby alligator for his sailing was a joke.
Tucked into a duffel bag and smuggled aboard a boat, the gator was discovered midway through the cruise.
Patrons screamed, dealers freaked out, and security quickly removed the gator.
The gambler was banned for life, even though he said it was “just for laughs.”
Verdict: It's never a good idea to mix reptiles and roulette.
A Horse Walks into a U.K. Betting Shop
Not strictly speaking a casino, but just too good to ignore. In 2012, CCTV footage of a horse being led into a betting shop in Lancashire, England, went viral.
The owner said he was “just popping in” and didn’t want to leave the horse outside.
The horse took off across the floor, knocking over chairs and rearing back, its escape startling the other shop customers.
The oddsmakers found comedy in it, and years later, they referred to it as one of the wackiest days in their company history.
Verdict: It reads like the beginning of a classic joke, “A horsewalks into a bookie’s” but yes, this actually happened.
THE HANGOVER EFFECT, LUCKY ANIMALS 7 gambling superstitions, why do animals & casinos go hand in hand ? & THE MOST INSANE CASINO ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS, BOILED DOWN TO A GLANCE
The Hangover Effect: Tourists & Tigers
After The Hangover (2009), Bradley Cooper and company woke up in a Vegas suite with a tiger suddenly among their ranks, and some tourists attempted to mimic the madness.
Reports emerged of bachelor parties that hired exotic pets, or tried, at least, to smuggle them into casino hotels.
Although no one quite went for the full tiger, a few small exotic animals (snakes, monkeys) have been reported in Vegas rooms.
Caesars Palace staff would acknowledge they received “a lot of weird requests” from fans of the movie.
Verdict: Hollywood fiction leads to real-life animal hijinks, vintage Vegas!
Lucky Animals & Gambling Superstitions
Around the world, animals are associated with gambling fortune. While live pets are not allowed at the tables in most casinos, some continue to find their way in, in ways both resourceful and dismaying.
· In Macau, some gamblers smuggle in crickets for luck.
· In the US, players have been caught with rabbit feet or real rabbits in their bags.
· Koi fish are considered lucky in parts of Asia,and some casinos have featured aquariums as a decorative (and symbolic) element.
Verdict: From live insects to symbolic mascots, the animal kingdom and gambling superstitions have a strange connection.
Why Do Animals & Casinos Go Hand in Hand?
· Glamour & Showbiz: From Siegfried& Roy to Tyson, animals bring a spectacle to the casino.
· Superstition: Gamblers can be a superstitious bunch, perhaps even more so than many other groups, so semi-mystical rituals are easy to come by in the sportsbooks & casinos.
· Vegas Excess: Where else could camels, tigers and chimpanzees find themselves on a casino floor, other than Vegas?
The Most Insane Casino Animal Encounters, Boiled Down to a Glance
· Mike Tyson’s tigers in Vegas penthouses.
· Siegfried & Roy’s white tigers at The Mirage, wowing audiences.
· Elvis’s chimp Scatter running wild in casinos.
· Camel races at Caesars Palace.
· Casino cats and dogs serving as mascots.
· A parrot yelling “Hit me!” at blackjack.
· A baby alligator, freaking out the players aboard a casino riverboat.
· "A horse in a UK betting shop.
· Tourists doing their “Hangover” act, complete with exotic pets.
· Lucky animal superstitions worldwide.
You don’t need a tiger in your penthouse or a parrot at your blackjack table to get the casino rush. Play it safe, sound and stylish; As far as we know, no wild or otherwise animals are roaming the UK’s favourite online casinos.
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OVERVIEW
From camels marching through Caesars Palace to parrots chattering at blackjack, exotic animals have long been used to promote casinos. They provide a sideshow for visitors as they play games of chance or find refuge from the hubbub of the gaming floor.
Some were staged spectacles (Siegfried & Roy), others were utter chaos (Elvis’s chimp, a horse in a betting shop), and some were merely strange tourist antics, Hollywood-inspired.
Ultimately, casinos are about creating stories, and few are more memorable than when unexpected animals clash with the flashing lights of the gambling world.
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