We can't honestly say that it's all hype; who knows what weird and silly superstitions individual dealers, floormen, pit bosses, even casino managers subscribe to and act on in the face of a player who's winning more than he's supposed to.
Also, scenes in gambling movies and television series such as those you refer to are based on a grain of truth. In the old days -- before the casinos completely understood and put their faith in the mathematics of the house advantage -- hexes, jinxes, and evil eyes (along with the occasional cheating dealer) often ruled the day, and bosses weren't above siccing superstitions on gamblers in the days that the movie Casino represented.
Indeed, stories abound about bosses who switched decks, replaced dealers, carried rabbits feet and other talismans, wouldn’t touch a $50 bill, only wore white shoes, never put their hats on a bed, and spat in their hands and turned around three times at exactly two hours and 45 minutes into their shifts to ensure a profitable run for the joint.
In fact, the entire premise of a recent movie, The Cooler, was based on the idea that the main character, played by William Macy, was so unlucky that all he had to do was stand next to a hot player to cause him to start losing, immediately and decisively. (All told, The Cooler was, in our opinion, one of the worst gambling movies ever conceived; it was so far-fetched that the scriptwriters not only made up the concept, but even coined the term "cooler" for a casino employee who wandered around spreading bad luck. In fact, this term is actually used to refer to a pre-set or rigged deck of cards, a "cooler" or "cold" deck, which a team of cheats switches into play for an honest deck.)
Most modern casinos generally operate above all this nonsense, relying, instead, on the immutable mathematics behind the house advantage and the huge handle from which they rake their vig to ensure their profits. Still, as mentioned above, employees certainly remain who believe that they can stem a winning streak with lucky charms and voodoo. What's more, all but the most savvy players put at least some faith in "luck." So screenwriters, we suppose, could just be playing to the crowd.
That, however, is probably a bit generous to the screenwriters. After all, it's almost always easier for writers to invent this stuff out of thin air than it is to come up with a realistic plot line for a gambling screenplay. That’s why there has rarely been a well-conceived and accurate small- or large-screen portrayal of casino gambling. (We invite QoD readers to submit their favorite gambling movies and justify them in terms of accuracy and scrupulousness with the facts and details, or to cite the worst gambling movies.)
In the end, NBC’s "Las Vegas," just like "CSI," is popular because of the glitzy Las Vegas setting and the larger-than-life characters and improbably dramatic storylines, which are often more effective than a stark portrayal of the truth.
