Films like Ocean’s 11 fulfill this fantasy of beating the house. But in reality, it’s a lot more complex. Because casinos are well-oiled machines. They’re watching everything. Not only that, they’re designed to subconsciously guide you where they want you to go – from the carpet design to the shape of a chair to the decibel level of the slot machine. It’s all carefully curated to keep you there and keep you spending money. Before you know it, you’ve been sitting in the casino all day, feeding it your money without really even thinking about it. Nobody really beats the house. Host Brent Holmes is joined by film critic Christopher Lawrence, and anthropologist and media professor Natasha Dow Schull.

A Neon Hum Media and Sony Music Entertainment production.

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