Lucrative
Gambling

Here you will find descriptions of two gambling games played in the States: euchre and fly loo.

Euchre

This is also a game much played in the States. I suppose it is a Yankee invention, named by one of their learned professors, from the Greek (eucheir), meaning `well in the hand ' or `strong'--a very appropriate designation of the game, which is as follows:--

In this game all the cards are excluded up to the sixes,--seven being the lowest in the Euchre pack. Five cards are dealt out, after the usual shuffling and cutting, with a turn-up, or trump. The dealer has the privilege of discarding one of his cards and taking up the trump--not showing, however, the one he discards. The Knave is the best card in the game--a peculiar Yankee `notion.' The Knave of trumps is called the Right Bower, and the other Knave of the _same colour_ is the Left Bower. Hence it appears that the nautical propensity of this great people is therein represented--`bower' being in fact a sheet anchor. If both are held, it is evident that the _point_ of the deal is decided--since it results from taking three tricks out of the five; for, of course, the trump card appropriated by the dealer will, most probably, secure a trick, and the two Knaves must necessarily make two. The game may be five or seven points, as agreed upon. Euchre is rapid and decisive, and, therefore, eminently American.

Fly Loo

Some of the games played by the Americans are peculiar to themselves. For instance, vast sums of money change hands over Fly Loo, or the attraction existing between lumps of sugar and adventurous flies! This game is not without its excitement. The gamblers sit round a table, each with a lump of sugar before him, and the player upon whose lump a fly first perches carries off the pool--which is sometimes enormous.

They tell an anecdote of a 'cute Yankee, who won invariably and immensely at the game. There seemed to be a sort of magical or mesmeric attraction for the flies to his lump. At length it was ascertained that he touched the lump with his finger, after having smeared it with something that naturally and irresistibly attracts flies whenever they can get at it. I am told that this game is also played in England; if so, the parties must insist upon fresh lumps of sugar, and prevent all touching.

The reader will probably ask--what next will gamblers think of betting on? But I can tell of a still more curious source of gambling infatuation. In the _Oxford Magazine_,[93] is the following statement:--

[93] Vol. V.

`A few days ago, as some sprigs of nobility were dining together at a tavern, they took the following conceit into their heads after dinner. One of them observing a maggot come from a filbert, which seemed to be uncommonly large, attempted to get it from his companion, who, not choosing to let it go, was immediately offered five guineas for it, which was accepted. He then proposed to run it against any other two maggots that could be produced at table. Matches were accordingly made, and these poor reptiles were the means of L500 being won and lost in a few minutes!'

Partners: