In the 1940s, he relocated to Nevada, where gambling was legal, and opened the successful Binion's Horseshoe casino in downtown Las Vegas.

[1] As he traveled with his father, the young man learned to gamble, a favorite pastime when horse traders met up with farmers and merchants during county fair trade days.

[7] In 1931, Binion was convicted of shooting and killing an African American rumrunner, Frank Bolding, "cowboy style.

[9] In 1936, Binion and an associate killed a numbers operator and competitor, Ben Frieden, emptying their pistols into him.

[10] Two years later, Binion and associates allegedly killed Sam Murray, another of his competitors in the gambling rackets.

[12] By the end of 1936, Binion had gained control of most gambling operations in Dallas, with protection from a powerful local politician.

[14] With the 1946 election of Steve Guthrie as sheriff of Dallas County, Binion lost his fix with the local government and fled to Las Vegas, Nevada.

[17] Binion posted a reward on Noble's life, which eventually reached $25,000 and control of a Dallas crap game.

[18][19] Binion lost his Nevada gaming license in 1951 and was sentenced to a five-year term in 1953 at Leavenworth federal penitentiary for tax evasion.

He was the first in the downtown Glitter Gulch to replace sawdust-covered floors with carpeting, the first to dispatch limousines to transport customers to and from the casino, and the first to offer free drinks to players.

[25] After his trial and conviction in 1953, to cover back taxes and legal costs, Binion sold a majority share in the Horseshoe to fellow gambler and New Orleans oilman Joe W.

[31] Binion didn't consider himself to be very good at poker, nor did he participate much in competition or private cash games, preferring to organize them.

In 2004, federal agents seized $1 million from the Horseshoe's bankroll to satisfy unpaid union benefits, forcing its closure and eventual sale to Harrah's Entertainment.

After the final hand, and losing millions of dollars, Dandolos uttered one of the most famous poker quotes of all time: "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go."

[36] Playing no-limit Texas Hold'em, the players competed for cash at the table and later took a vote on who was to be named champion.

Binion never forgot his Texas roots and was a key player in getting the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to move to Las Vegas.

When the casino closed, Boyd Gaming took up the tradition that Binion started by continuing to pay all the entry fees.

Every year during the NFR there is a large rodeo stock auction called "Benny Binion's World Famous Bucking Horse and Bull Sale."

[38] Bred by Binion, ridden and trained by George Glascock, the solid black 15 hand gelding is the only horse to capture the NCHA World Championship three years in a row.