Preview
  • Blood Aces

  • The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker
  • By: Doug J. Swanson
  • Narrated by: John McLain
  • Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (381 ratings)

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Blood Aces

By: Doug J. Swanson
Narrated by: John McLain
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Publisher's summary

The astonishing story of Benny Binion - a rip-roaring saga of murder, money, and the making of Las Vegas. Benny Binion was many things: a cowboy, a pioneering casino owner, a gangster, a killer, and founder of the hugely successful World Series of Poker. Blood Aces tells the story of Binion's crucial role in shaping modern Las Vegas. From a Texas backwater, Binion rose to prominence on a combination of vision, determination, and brutal expediency.

©2014 Doug J. Swanson (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
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What listeners say about Blood Aces

Average customer ratings
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Great Title to listen to

This is a great listen. I didn't know this history. very interesting. highly recommend this one.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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perfect

Great story of Benny’s life and also of the whole era. Very well researched.
Narrator’s voice is perfect. This is a fascinating biography of the man and the times

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    5 out of 5 stars
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good history

Anyone into overall poker and the
wild west, gambling, mobsters this is a must read

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a great mobster book.

the story of vinnie Binion founder of the horse casino in Las vegas. he also invented the world series of poker and was a key figure in Las Vegas for many years, but he had a checkered past and was suspected of committing a lot of crimes. a very interesting story.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Good Listen...good story...

I love Poker and Las Vegas. I think the book is worth the listen. I would listen to more stories like it.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Winner

Well researched, constructed and written. Great information about the history of Las Vegas. Bennie Binion was an original; the jury is still out on how to judge him

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Truth be told

The image of Benny Binion that was portrayed in Vegas after his death was that he was a friendly old gambler cattle rancher who owed a casino or two. A lot of people, both locals and tourists, believed it too.
Blood Aces shows a different side of Binion. In his early years Benny was the kind of man who would have people killed for getting in the way of his illegal gambling operations in Texas before relocating to Las Vegas.
While the book does cover Binion's conviction for Tax Fraud in the 1950's and the period that the Horseshoe was owned by Joe W. Brown I would have liked a little more detail on this.

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Great book, I really love the story.

I've read it a few times now. Benny is the ganster story that beats all. And he got away with it.

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Good listen.

Interesting book. Nice lesson. Nice way to pass the time I enjoyed the book and found it entertaining.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unbelievable story

Is this a movie? I feel like it has to have a movie made about this book.

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