Blood Aces

Blood Aces chronicles the rise of Benny Binion from Texas outlaw to Las Vegas casino mogul. The book follows Binion's path through the Dallas underworld of the 1920s-40s into his eventual establishment of the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. The narrative tracks the parallel stories of Binion and his rivals in organized crime, including Herbert Noble and various Dallas crime figures. Through FBI files, court records, and interviews, Swanson reconstructs the violent power struggles that defined the gambling rackets in Texas and Nevada. The book documents the founding of the World Series of Poker and details how Binion helped transform downtown Las Vegas into a gambling destination. Swanson examines Binion's complex relationships with law enforcement, politicians, and fellow casino operators during Las Vegas's formative years. Beyond its portrait of a single figure, Blood Aces explores themes of reinvention and legitimacy in American society, as criminals became businessmen and outlaws became establishment figures during the mid-20th century.

Readers describe Blood Aces as a detailed account of Benny Binion's rise in the gambling world, with strong research and engaging narrative style. The book maintains a quick pace while covering decades of history. Readers appreciated: - The depth of research into FBI files and historical records - Clear explanations of complex criminal enterprises - The portrayal of Dallas and Las Vegas in different eras - Balanced treatment of Binion without glorifying violence Common criticisms: - Too many side characters and tangents - First third focuses heavily on Dallas politics - Some repetition of facts and events - Lacks photos/visual documentation Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (300+ ratings) "Like a Texas-sized version of Goodfellas" - Amazon reviewer "Gets bogged down in minor details" - Goodreads reviewer "Best organized crime book I've read in years" - LibraryThing reviewer

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🎲 Benny Binion, the book's central figure, started his criminal empire by running a craps game with just $100 in Dallas during Prohibition 🏆 Author Doug J. Swanson spent five years researching and writing Blood Aces, conducting over 100 interviews and examining thousands of pages of FBI files 🎰 Binion essentially created the modern Las Vegas poker scene by launching the World Series of Poker in 1970 at his Horseshoe Casino ⚔️ The book details how Binion orchestrated the deaths of at least two rivals - Ben Frieden and Sam Murray - but was never convicted of murder 🏛️ Binion's Horseshoe Casino was the first casino to exchange $1 million cash over its counter when poker player Johnny Moss requested it in 1959