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Benny Binion’s million-dollar gamble lives on 75 years later

August 14, 2026

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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In Coíntzio, Michoacán, Mexican officials work to clear the charred remains of a bus. The vehicle was set on fire to block the road—a “narco blockade”—following the death of cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho.” Associated Press

Killing of cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ triggers violent backlash across Mexico

One by one, Mexico’s most notorious drug lords are being brought to justice. In each case, Mexican and U.S. law…

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Jack Dragna, pictured here in the late 1930s or early ‘40s, was the boss of the Los Angeles Mafia from 1935 until his death in 1956. Years after his death, the L.A. Mob’s decline led to the moniker, “Mickey Mouse Mafia.” Courtesy of J. Michael Niotta

Los Angeles kingpin Jack Dragna was no ‘Mickey Mouse’ boss

In 1984, when Los Angeles Mob boss Peter Milano was arrested along with 19 others, LAPD Chief Daryl Gates announced…

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Martin Scorsese, pictured here in 2024 at a German film festival, is an executive producer on a new Netflix series centered on a modern-day megaresort boss. Harald Krichel [ZJ1.1]/ CC BY-SA 4.0

Planned Netflix drama series to focus on ‘dangerous version’ of modern Las Vegas

A Las Vegas-centered drama series is in production for Netflix, focusing on “a dangerous version” of the city and an…

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Organized crime has been involved in point shaving for decades. During this game against Harvard on December 16, 1978, Boston College player Rick Kuhn, right, conspired with Lucchese crime family associate Henry Hill to ensure that Boston won, but not by too much. Janet Knott/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Recent NBA, NCAA point-shaving scandals follow the Mob’s playbook

When Antonio Blakeney ventured into international basketball, he became a star. He had been Louisiana State University’s top scorer in…

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Lucky Luciano, left, and his partner, Igea Lissoni, pictured in Rome giving a candid interview to reporter Philip Clarke, middle, in 1949. Courtesy of Cipollini Collection

Eighty years ago, Lucky Luciano traded prison for exile

When New York Governor Thomas Dewey commuted the sentence of imprisoned Mafia boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano 80 years ago, it was widely…

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Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is, as of 2025, on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for his involvement in narcotics trafficking and murders. FBI

Manhunt underway for Ryan Wedding, former Olympian turned accused drug kingpin

A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder accused of cocaine trafficking and murder has landed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives…

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Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano murdered outside Manhattan steakhouse 40 years ago

Forty years ago, a faction of Gambino crime family members orchestrated and executed a brazen coup to permanently remove their…

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