According to some paranormal enthusiasts, it’s possible to encounter ghosts during your daily routine. Even after death, the spirits of the deceased such as ghouls and ghosts, can stay around. It’s possible to encounter a ghost while doing something as simple as poker cards or enjoying a drink at a bar.
Given our violent history as a species, it’s probable that you’ve already had an encounter with a ghost. The following are real-life stories of haunted poker rooms and the tormented spirits that cannot seem to move on from the game.
Flamingo, Las Vegas
There are reports of Bugsy Siegel’s ghost haunting the oldest casino in Vegas. Bugsy Siegel played a significant role in making Las Vegas a popular gambling destination. While nobody knows who killed him, sightings of him around town have been reported.
People have seen him in different areas of Flamingo Las Vegas, where he used to own the casino, including the Presidential Suite, the pool, the wedding chapel, and even looking at his commemorative plaque. It seems that Bugsy Siegel still enjoys spending time in his old haunt.
The Haunted Heart of America
The Haunted Heart of America is a book by ghost hunters in the United States. It contains stories of their visits to locations with genuinely spooky experiences. If you don’t want to come across any ghosts, don’t worry, as the book provides insights for those interested in ghost hunting. It serves as a guidebook for the best (or worst) places to visit for a spine-chilling experience.
The authors of The Haunted Heart of America discuss various haunted locations, including the St. James Hotel. During their visit, they encountered unusual occurrences similar to those in horror films like Amityville Horror. For instance, they observed the lights in the flush poker room flickering on and off.
The Horseshoe and the Empress
The book “Haunted Tales from the Region: Ghosts of Indiana’s South Shore” mentions a unique ghost that roams around the Horseshoe Hammond Casino (formerly known as the Empress).
This ghost is said to whisper tips about gambling and poker to anyone willing to listen. While this could be a helpful haunting, it remains to be seen if the recommendations from beyond the grave are reliable.
The Never-ending Card Deck
Texas is famous for its delicious cuisine and is the birthplace of Texas Hold’Em Poker. Many poker rooms in Texas are known to have ghostly visitors. The Beckham Hotel is one such location, with a ghostly gambler who carries a deck of cards and seemingly shuffles them for an endless game that never starts. This mysterious figure is detailed in The Big Book of Texas Ghost Stories and is referred to as the dead man’s hand.
Lord Milner Hotel’s Hauntings
The Lord Milner, a hotel located in Matjiesfontein in South Africa’s Western Cape, is known for its haunting experiences, making it one, if not the country’s most famous haunted hotel. Other notorious hauntings in South Africa include Park Hospital in Kempton and the female hitchhiker in Uniondale, who is thought to be a ghost.
The hotel was built in 1899 by a man named James Logan and originally served as a military hospital. Later, a hotelier named David Rawdon took over the Hospitality command and converted it from a health facility to a hotel for travelers. He renamed it the Lord Milner Hotel during the 1970s.
The hotel is known for its eerie history, primarily because many ghosts are believed to roam around the place. A nurse has been reportedly spotted in Kate’s Card Room, where she used to play cards with its patients during her shifts. However, it could be more apparent if she was there to look for someone to play bridge with.
Old Frank and his Gambling Afterlife
According to Rita Cook’s book, the Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve is reportedly haunted by the ghost of Frank Phillips. Phillips won ownership of the place from the owner of Ringling Brothers Circus in a poker game but lost it the next day in another bet. Some people claim to have seen Frank’s ghost heading towards the poker room, leading to speculation that his love for gambling continues even in the afterlife.
Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monaco
The Monte Carlo Casino is the most prestigious in Monaco and attracts wealthy individuals from Europe. It is known for its luxurious ambiance and is rumored to be haunted by a stylish woman wearing a red dress. Not much is known about this mysterious ghost, and her presence fascinates those who encounter her.
Be cautious if you have ever played at the Casino de Monte Carlo and encountered the Queen of Hearts. It is said that she enjoys taking the Queen of Hearts card from players for reasons unknown. It is possible that this card holds a special meaning for her or that she needs several Queens of Hearts for a mysterious poker card tournament.
Loftus Hall and it’s Haunted Cloven Hoof
The Loftus and its hall is an ancient mansion in Ireland famous for its ghostly tales. It has gained notoriety for being the most haunted house in Ireland due to the spooky occurrences that have taken place there. The happenings at Loftus Hall are said to be as eerie as those at home in Boleskine, which was previously owned by Aleister Crowley and later by the famous musician and artist Jimmy Page.
According to the tale, while playing poker cards with a mysterious and eerie man who arrived by boat, Anne Tottenham was dealt two cards while everyone else had three. It is uncertain which game they were playing when the incident happened. During the poker game, Anne dropped a card and picked it up, only to notice that the stranger had himself a cloven hoof associated with devil worship during that moment in time. When Anne mentioned this, he became angry and vanished through the ceiling.
Conclusion
Some poker games are played in spooky locations with a long history, such as dark corners in casinos or abandoned buildings with a tragic past. If you’re interested, you can explore these locations and see if you can feel the presence of any spirits. However, it’s essential to be careful and keep your chips safe.
Have you ever played poker in a haunted location? These locations can offer an exciting experience for those seeking an extra thrill. Even if there’s nothing to fear, they still provide a unique ambiance that brings mystery and fascination to the game.
It’s worth checking out these locations if you ever get the chance, so keep your eye out for upcoming tournaments near one of these destinations or plan a trip to experience them in person and flex those poker hands. With their risks and rewards, they just may be where you find yourself winning big before you even realize it!