Why do Vegas Carpets Have Such Wild Designs?

According to the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Las Vegas casino carpets are designed with deliberately awful patterns to keep patrons from seeing dropped chips. And that's not all — others claim that the carpets are designed with patterns that subconsciously encourage people to gamble. Of course, the craziness of the pattern also helps to hide wear and tear as well as stains.

More casino tricks:

• Casinos are built with deliberately poor navigation, almost like a maze. This makes it harder for gamblers to get out once they're inside. Additionally, casinos some block cell phone and Wi-Fi reception to keep gamblers focused.


• Every effort is made to keep gamblers feeling good and excited, from the position of the lighting — apparently, forehead-level light is draining, and therefore avoided — to the smells. Casinos have even been known to pump pheromones through their air conditioning systems to keep patrons in the mood.


• There is a big emphasis on sound and rhythmic repetition in casinos as well. The sounds of bells ringing and coins chinking are meant to make patrons think that others around them are winning, which makes them more likely to bet big. Likewise, soothing music loops over and over to create a rhythm that makes it harder for gamblers to break pattern and stop playing.