In addition to being a much sought-after dancer, beauty and weapons expert, Kitty Leroy was an infamous faro dealer and player. Faro was the most popular card game of its day. Very few people played poker at the time, contrary to every spaghetti Western you have ever seen. Faro was a relatively simple game in which each player at the table bet against the house on the probability that any one card would be turned over next. It was widely rumored that Kitty was cheating at faro as she tended to win no matter whether she was playing or dealing.
Kitty left Dallas with a lover to make easy money in California. Ultimately, Kitty found California not to her liking as the gold rush was over and there was very little money to be made – either from dancing or faro. She heard Deadwood, South Dakota was the new boomtown, so she moved there and became a popular attraction. She ultimately opened her own saloon/casino (and probably brothel). In a single night, she made $8,000 (roughly $200K today) off a German gold miner while they played faro. Not every night was quite that successful, but her business was a money-maker and she was widely respected for her business acumen.
Want to entertain yourself for considerably less than $8,000? Book a tour.
Image: Kitty Leroy with Lasso, courtesy of Nadine Hall.
