Always Bet on the Butcher: Warren Nelson and Casino Gaming

Always Bet on the Butcher is a fascinating look behind the scenes of the casino gambling business as described by Warren Nelson. In 1936 Nelson established the first modern keno game in Reno at the Palace Club, where he worked as a pit boss for several years before joining the Marines in 1942. He continued his involvement with gaming while in the service, dealing cards in an illegal joint in California during his off-duty hours. When the war was over, Nelson was hired by Bill Harrah to manage his new club in Reno. The two soon clashed over operating philosophy, and Nelson left to work in several other casinos before becoming a partner in the Club Cal-Neva in 1962. The Cal-Neva developed into one of the most successful operations in Nevada, and in 1989 Nelson was inducted into the Casino Gaming Hall of Fame.
    Warren Nelson has seen it all and done most of it. In Always Bet on the Butcher he talks freely about his experiences, from the early days when casinos used violence or the threat of it to protect themselves from hustlers, to the present-day casinos with corporate management. Of special interest are twenty-one pages of photos and an appended glossary of terms -- jargon used by gamblers and professionals in the industry. This book is a notable eyewitness account of the evolution of casino gaming in this country from a unique, insider's perspective.

"...oral history provides a fantastic vehicle for capturing the history of the [casino] industry."
    -- William N. Thompson, Oral History Review

"... a fascinating look behind the scenes of the gambling business."
    -- Record-Courier

"...an interesting account of casino gambling spanning a half-century.... A fascinating published primary source...."
    -- Thomas L. Charlton, Baylor University, Western Historical Quarterly

"In this excellent synopsis of the life of Warren Nelson, not only does the reader learn about the individual, but also about the evolution of a burgeoning industry that would prove to be the lifeblood of the state of Nevada."
    -- Judy Cornelius, Nevada Historical Society Quarterly

"The work is highly professional, yet easy to read, entertaining and especially informative."
    -- Byron Liggett, Western Gambling Journal