Stories & curious facts
Small stories behind the games: unexpected beginnings, the layout of the wheel and the patterns our minds invent.
From the archives
The champion who was chosen by a vote
The first World Series of Poker did not end like a modern elimination tournament. Its winner was chosen by the players.
Read the story ↗A closer look
Why 32 lives next door to zero
On the betting table, numbers sit in tidy rows. On a European roulette wheel, zero is followed by 32, then 15. They describe two different kinds of neighbourhood.
Read the story ↗A closer look
Five reds later, is black finally due?
Imagine five red results in a row. It feels as though black should restore the balance. This thought experiment separates that feeling from the next spin’s probability.
Read the story ↗