Benny Binion’s million-dollar gamble lives on 75 years later
On August 14, 1951, Benny Binion opened the Horseshoe Club in downtown Las Vegas. Binion’s Horseshoe would become a cornerstone of the casino industry, particularly for downtown. It also made Binion a household name for both locals and tourists, as well as poker players the world over. But when the Horseshoe Club first opened, Binion’s footing was uncertain. His struggles in obtaining a gaming license also offer a fascinating case study for 1950s Las Vegas and just how committed—or not—state officials were in keeping the Nevada casino industry free from organized crime entanglements. From Texas rackets to Las Vegas casinos Binion moved to ...
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Recent criminal cases show the Buffalo Mafia never really disappeared
Federal prosecutors reveal how Magaddino crime family endured under the Todaro clan
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Jerry Tarkanian’s Lakers coaching contract vanished after a suspected Mob hit
The 1979 murder of Vic Weiss may have cost Jerry Tarkanian the Lakers job. Explore the Mob ties, Tony Spilotro’s alleged role and the enduring cold case.
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Mobbed-up soccer hooligans create chaos in southern Europe
This summer, all eyes are on North America as Canada, Mexico, and the United States host the 2026 World Cup….
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MS-13’s history of brutality led to killing spree in Las Vegas
At the end of 2017, Richie Gaudio was launching fireworks in his East Las Vegas driveway to ring in the…
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Piracy became patriotism during the American Revolution
In late 1775, the Thirteen Colonies were in trouble. The British Parliament had enacted the Prohibitory Act in response to…
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Did Gregory Scarpa Sr. mastermind the attempted assassination of Joe Colombo?
On June 28, 1971, 55 years ago, Mafia boss Joe Colombo’s march in Manhattan’s Columbus Circle would be his last….
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Mark Wahlberg portrays Mafia killer Gregory Scarpa Sr. in ‘By Any Means’
During the summer of 1964, New York City mobster Gregory Scarpa Sr. traveled south to rural Mississippi and, using violent scare…
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