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Casino: Dead Money
$49.95
Add intrigue to your next party with this murder mystery game, set in Las Vegas casino.
Format:
Mystery Party Kit
Setting:
A casino
Time:
90+ minutes
Ages:
Adult
Players:
Don’t walk away from the table. Run.
Backstory
The guests have been invited to an evening of gambling and entertainment at the Lady Lux, a casino owned by the wealthy Dona Mancini. The guest list includes a number of gambling enthusiasts—from high rollers to novices—as well as the performers, dealers, and other staff employed by Dona Mancini. Everyone is expecting an evening replete with games of chance, dinner, drinks, and maybe a show—they aren’t expecting a power outage, the murder of a member of the surveillance team, or a lockdown that prevents them from leaving the casino.
This mystery is divided into two primary segments. During the first portion of the evening (Act One), the events take place in the gaming area of the Lady Lux, a casino and night club owned by the wealthy Dona Mancini. The partygoers will have the opportunity to eat, drink, and play games of chance. The evening will progress as a largely normal party (though there will be some degree of intrigue built into the characters’ actions).
Suspicious Death!
At the midpoint of the evening, the power goes out in the casino. When the generator kicks in and the lights come back on, someone screams—the sound coming from somewhere outside the gaming area. Upon investigation, the casino staff find that a person has dropped dead in the employee restroom. Was it foul play? The tension escalates when the partygoers realize that the casino’s security system has locked them in the building—possibly with a murderer in their midst! The Casino Operations Manager—played by the Host/Hostess and aided by the armed Security Manager—directs the guests into a back room and demands that everyone hand over their cell phones. The characters are uneasy but have no choice but to comply. When everyone has filed into the other room, the second segment begins.
Act Two opens with the characters huddled together in the surveillance room. Surrounded by screens and monitors, every nook and cranny of the casino is on display. They are frightened and suspicious of one another and of the casino staff, who suddenly seem less than friendly—and maybe more than a little shady.
Solving the Mystery
The group’s goals are threefold. First, they must determine whether the victim died of natural causes. Second, if foul play is suspected, they must determine who amongst them had the motive and the means to have carried out the deed. Third, they must find a way to alert law enforcement to the fact that they are being detained against their wills, preferably before any members of the group decide to administer justice themselves.
Assuming they are able to accomplish these goals, the players will also want to claim their winnings.
There are 24 primary suspects in this mystery, however only 10 are required to play the game. The host or hostess will play the role of the Casino Operations Manager, a character who keeps the party on track and helps to advance the action. Read the "How To Play" section for more information on how to play an expanded game with more than 24 guests.
* = Optional character
Male Roles
- Gino Cabella (The Security Manager): Gino Cabella is well dressed, soft-spoken, and cold-as-ice. He worked for Don Mancini for many years.
- Jake Morrison (The Gambler): A gambling addict and loveable scoundrel, Jake Morrison’s greatest pleasures in life are fine whisky, fine women, fine cigars, and the lure of the poker table (in no particular order).
- *John Maynard (The Security Guard): Effectively a rent-a-cop, John Maynard couldn’t cut it on the police force and security work seemed like the next best thing.
- *Larry Chastain (The Businessman): A businessman from Rhode Island, Larry Chastain is in town to meet with clients and have a little fun.
- Lorenzo Calderone (The Bodyguard): Lorenzo Chalderone is Dona “Toni” Mancini’s handsome, young bodyguard.
- Louie Lepinski (The Driver): Louie Lepinski is Michael Von Ammon’s chauffeur and confidante.
- Michael Von Ammon (The High Roller): The well-to-do owner of the pleasure yacht the Elizabeth May, Captain Von Ammon is a rakish playboy type and well liked by most.
- *Mortimer Stout (The Banker): Mortimer Stout is a financial genius who has a better understanding of accounting than he does of people.
- *Vincenzo the Amazing (The Magician): Vincenzo the Amazing astounds the casino’s audiences with deft acts of prestidigitation and awe-inspiring illusions every Friday and Saturday night.
Female Roles
- Anna Luciano (The Mistress): Anna Luciano was Don Mancini’s mistress when he was alive. She is a sultry beauty, and men flock to her.
- *Bette Fitz (The Waitress): Attractive but not as young as she once was, Bette is a little rough around the edges after years of hard work, harassment by customers, and chain-smoking.
- Dona Antonietta “Toni” Mancini (The Widow): Widow of Don Mancini, Dona Antonietta was willed the Lady Lux casino after the Don’s untimely death. After years spent running the casino by her husband’s side, she is a shrewd businesswoman who is not to be trifled with.
- Kat Bloomberg (The Surveillance Manager): Kat Bloomberg, the Surveillance Manager for the Lady Lux, handles all of the surveillance hardware for the casino.
- *Marvella Malcolm (The Magician’s Assistant): Assistant to Vincenzo the Amazing, Marvella Malcolm is the eye candy of the stage act.
- *Nancy Plimpton (The Saleswoman): Nancy Plimpton, a saleswoman from Dallas, is in town for a training seminar.
- *Regina Guissepe (The Bartender): Polite, professional, and very discrete, Regina Guiseppe has a sympathetic ear into which the loose lips of imbibing patrons can pour their stories.
- Shawna LaBeau (The Showgirl): Glamorous, bawdy, and with legs for miles, Shawna LaBeau performs with a Rockettes-like dance troupe at the Lady Lux.
Male or Female Roles
- *Casey Parker (Dealer): A university student equally capable of running the poker, blackjack, or craps tables, Casey Parker has worked at the Lady Lux for two semesters.
- *Chris Lund (Tourist): Chris Lund is a tourist on vacation with partner Pat Thompson. Chris and Pat have lived in a rural town in Minnesota their entire lives, and this is their first visit to the Big City.
- *Jesse Martin (Dealer): Equally capable of running the poker, blackjack, or craps tables, Jesse Martin has worked at the Lady Lux for two years.
- Lee Strauss (Dealer): Equally capable of running the poker, blackjack, or craps tables, Lee Strauss has worked at the Lady Lux for a number of years.
- *Mo Berry (Dealer): Equally capable of running the poker, blackjack, or craps tables, Mo Berry has worked at the Lady Lux for the past three months.
- *Pat Thompson (Tourist): Pat Thompson is a tourist on vacation with partner Chris Lund. Pat and Chris have lived in a rural town in Minnesota their entire lives, and this is their first visit to the Big City.
- *Louie Lepinski (Driver): Michael Von Ammon's chauffeur and confidante, Louie has also moonlighted as a driver for the casino's Security Manager on occassion.
- Carla Lewis (Cashier): (Played by the guest that played the victim in Act One) Responsible for handling all the money and records of patrons' debts and credits, Carla Lewis is familiar with the regular patrons as a result of handling their frequent transactions.
- Vic(toria) Angelo (The Casino Operations Manager): (Played by the Host/Hostess) Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the casino, Vic Angelo answers directly to Dona Mancini, the casino’s owner.
Extra Players
- *Investigator (male or female): Additional players have the option of playing the role of "Investigators". In this role the players are not suspects and do not have character backgrounds but can question the suspects and try to solve the mystery along with the other players.
What's Included
Casino: Dead Money is a 111-page downloadable PDF file that you print at home. It includes the following features: An introduction that explains the basic principles of running a mystery-party and provides specific tips on props, menu items, sound effects, combat and special tips to help make your party exciting, memorable and easy to run Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for your party A detailed party guidebook that will walk you through the event in a simple, easy-to-understand format Instructions on how to run the party for a large group Nametags and character sheets for each player - the character sheets include tips on costuming and role-playing, as well special goals and information unique to each character Fully customizable invitations, complete with RSVP cards and guest lists 10 illustrated clue cards the players can use to solve the mystery Voting sheets Customizable awards for your guests And much more! With your purchase of Dead Money you will also receive the following: Step-by-step printing instructions Five mp3 audio effects for use with your party Instructions on how to use these audio clips to best effectFollow these steps to host this mystery:
- Each guest will each assume the role of a particular character
Mystery Parties involve a combination of improvisational acting, storytelling, and creative problem solving. Each guest will play the part of that character throughout the course of the game. Each character has specific personality traits, goals, secrets, and information, all of which are included in the character sheet; a big part of the fun is getting into character and taking on a new, exciting role. - A mysterious Event will occur
At some point during the party, an Event will occur that will force the players to come together in order to solve a problem or unravel a mystery. Traditionally, the Event in question will be the murder of one of the characters (as played by a guest), but the parties crafted by Playing With Murder often use this basic framework to accommodate different types of Events, thereby ensuring that your guests will be surprised and entertained (even if they are veteran murder mystery party players). - Solve the mystery!
Your guests will need to use the information that their characters know (as well as additional clues that are provided during the game) to solve the mystery or overcome the problem posed by the Event. Typically this culminates in the guests voting on the identity of the murderer, but again, different parties will have different specific goals. All of our parties also come complete with additional subgames (treasure hunts, unique character goals and special puzzles) that are guaranteed to keep the action intense and your guests motivated and focused.
Expanded Game For Large Groups
If you have extra players, there are two ways that you can accommodate everyone:
- Investigator Role – Additional players have the option of playing the role of “Investigators”. In this role the players are not suspects and do not have character backgrounds but can question the suspects and try to solve the mystery along with the other players. Expanded Games include a PDF guide that explains how to use the Investigator role, as well as printable character sheets and name tags for anyone that is playing an Investigator.
- Multiple Groups – It is also possible to break your guests up into groups and play multiple instances of the game at the same time. The game will more or less happen the same way; the host makes announcements and each group moves their game forward simultaneously based on the host’s instructions. It’s good to have one assistant in each group to answer questions and facilitate gameplay within the group. This method provides a more intimate experience for your guests, who get better acquainted with a smaller group and participate in a more digestible story.Please contact us if you’d like more information about how to run your party using the Multiple Groups method.
Both the standard and expanded games are included with the purchase of any game kit.
Read more about Expanded Games here
First time hosting a murder mystery party?
Visit our How to Host a Mystery Party page to get step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for your murder mystery party.
Content Rating:
This party is rated adult. While there is no explicit material, the party does contain references to the following:
- Infidelity and extramarital affairs
- Gambling
- Drug and alcohol use
- Prostitution and trafficking
- Assault
- Murder
Difficulty:
This party is moderately complex to set up. We recommend a venue with at least two rooms and a sufficient area to hide clues for the scavenger hunt. For a more detailed and involved setting, consider setting up some gambling games that guests can play while mingling.
This party is average difficulty to solve.
Jessica –
I had this party for my birthday and everyone had so much fun! I had a blackjack table and roulette table for the guests to play during act 1. Most people played blackjack only so I think just having one game during the night is fine depending on number of guests (I had 15 people)
The clues really came together and my guests were really good at solving the mystery while still throwing off a few people.
Jess P. –
This was the third event I hosted but the most fun by far. I loved the clues that were a part of the game and we used real props to represent those as much as possible. The characters were great too! Can wait to try another!
Jenny –
My murder mystery was a housewarming/ birthday party. Everyone received their character sheets in advance so they could prepare and dress up. From the moment they all arrived there was laughter. There was none of the awkwardness that can happen when people don’t know what to say. This was a great way to make everyone comfortable. My son ran the event so all I had to do was die and then work out who killed me!
Shubach –
My husband and I hosted our 2nd Annual Murder Mystery. The first one was Murder in Manhattan. (Also Highly Recommended) Dead Money couldn’t have been any better! We had 28 people participate. Everyone got into their character, dressed up in costume, and had so much fun. For Casino games we had Blackjack, Roulette, Craps and Texas Hold’em. My husband actually built casino tables. We assigned parts a month out to give people time to prepare for the characters. All dealers were told that they had to know the game and would be teaching the players. But I also told them to make it their own so if you wanted to maybe put a spin on it to make it easier they could. That seemed to make it go great! I highly recommend this to anyone wanting fun, interactive evening! Everyone was already asking what theme we were doing next year before the party was even over.
Amy Bell –
We had our annual “Friendsgiving” murder mystery night with Casino: dead money. We went all out with casino decor, one attendee make a full size craps table to enhance our experience! We also had dealers at blackjack tables playing games as well.
msspider66 –
Our party was filled with Murder Mystery party veterans but this was our first “Playing With Murder” game. It was a last moment choice so our décor and costumes weren’t as elaborate as they have been for past ones.
Pros
– Very quick and easy to print and pull the game together.
– I loved the certificates, but I wished there were bank ones so we could use them for other prize categories that we have. The ones I made up on my own weren’t nearly as good as the ones that came with the game.
– It seems like it would be a great game for people who have not played before. Enough to keep them busy without being overwhelming.
– The character set up allowed me to swap out roles for people unable to make it with ease.
Cons
– Seemed a bit simple for some of my guests, but like I said everyone attending has multiple mysteries under their belt. I thought the clues made it too easy and people didn’t have to work hard to get them
– My guests were disappointed in the lack of character details. I agreed they were lacking some depth. My guests tend to really get into their roles.
– The change of venue between the two act was awkward. We play in a few rooms of a house over the course of one night. It would have been better without the change.
Notes
– We made the mistake of not running casino games during the first part, my fault. Having the dealers run a few games will add to your evening.
– There were parts when the guests had to do and say things that were not in their info. I printed “mini” scripts with their cues. I gave them to the person a few mins before they had to do them. It worked out really well.
– I also made a detailed timeline with everything that was going on. I had my cohost read the parts that the host should read. I narrated what was going on.
Overall it was a fun night. I would definitely suggest trying this game, especially for newbies to the wonderful world of murder mystery parties. From a hosting point of view it was easy. I look forward to trying other Playing With Murder games.
Katy W –
I had so much fun hosting the Casino Dead Money murder mystery party to celebrate my 25th birthday! We had close to 30 people in attendance, but everything still ran smoothly and everyone had a lot of fun living out their characters! Everyone came dressed in full attired and taking on the persona of their characters. Overall it was a fantastic night!
ScienceGrrl –
The storyline is good but the character sheets are poorly written. I’ve used another kit from here that didn’t save same problem so maybe just the Casino one. But characters were not informed of their relationships with others. Gambler didn’t know he had an accountant so when the accountant was talking to him about finances he was confused. He also wasn’t aware he had dated the showgirl previously. A few other character sheets had similar discrepancies. This is also way harder setup as some characters were told to stick to Blackjack table so they didn’t get up and mingle. Bc I had blackjack, roulette, and poker set up as three stations, it was hard to get a feel for how well people were talking and sharing as the host. My last murder mystery was a dinner party scenario so much easier. Overall, the murder did not get solved but I also had a group of people that didn’t want to just randomly accuse each other so part of that was me picking a lot of my friends who had never done such an event before.
Victoria –
I purchased DEAD MONEY for my ladies golf group of 16. We have a tournament every year with a theme. So this year I did the Murder Mystery Party. Everyone really played along well.
AmandaRose –
I have hosted other murder mysteries and simply wanted to get all my friends together. I chose the casino theme and it was so great!! Everyone really got into character and had a great time mingling and playing the casino games. Everyone still talks about it and the event was a few months ago. They keep asking when the next one will be!
Maria Shaw –
Hosted Casino Dead Money for a group of friends to celebrate the holidays.
We had Black Jack, Roulette and Craps being played through the evening. Everyone came dressed their character and had a blast. This is the second Murder Mystery we hosted, the writer is awesome!!
Maria Shaw –
We held a Casino Murder Mystery for friends. Everyone came in costume and had a great night of laughter, friendship, games and cocktails.
This is my second murder mystery we hosted and this writer I s the best.
Nik P –
What a hoot! We had an outrageously fun time hosting this murder mystery! We decorated the house using items purchased from party city and amazon and provided drink and small bites such as sliders, veggies, and roast beef pinwheels. Just make sure that your dealers know a little something about gambling, we make the mistake of thinking they wouldn’t need to know gambling rules but our other characters were very much into the “scene” and it would’ve been more helpful if the dealers knew what they were doing.
themistress –
We used this kit for my 18th birthday party and it was a huge hit! We set up several casino games around my house (roulette, craps, texas holdem, blackjack), and my friends completed their objectives while getting some money!
Syd –
We did the Dead Money party for Halloween this year! It went incredibly well. The package is very comprehensive and sets you up for success. Having a group that is dedicated to their characters is essential. Everyone’s costumes were incredible and everyone stayed in character all night! Additionally, we had casino games set up for people to play, which really enhanced the party.
K.M.D. –
This was my first time hosting a murder mystery and my guests’ first time attending one. Everyone had a blast and is STILL talking about it several months later!! The materials provided to me, as the host, were easy to understand. The character profiles were fantastic and the guests stayed in character for the whole evening as they were having so much fun playing their alter-egos.
I had a bunch of casino games and decorations left over from another event and it was fantastic to have them. I had someone recently ask me why I went so all out to hire the bar staff and dealers. They were part of the game!
UniGal –
The party was phenomenal. Everyone played their role well. I made the clues based on the pictures of each clue so that the guests could find the clue then I could give them the information on it. I didn’t like that there was only one red herring. Another guest was also suspected, however, the package indicates he/she is an optional character. Therefore, it made the murderer quite the suspect and an easy catch. A little over half of the guests guessed the murderer correctly.
Stacey –
Super fun!! Went off without a hitch!!
Erin –
I hosted this party as the entertainment component of a 2 day divisional event for approximately 80 of us! This party far exceeded any of my expectations – 24 of us played primary roles and the rest of the guest were investigators. It amazed me on how people picked up on the clues and figured out the murderer, as well as the motive. Everyone really enjoyed themselves!
ambra –
It was a great party, we were 18 people participating and everybody really enjoyed it, the character were super funny and everybody dressed up. I always buy the murder mystery dinner from this website because up to now they are the best games you can find online and with a great price. This one in particular was one of the best game played together with the zombie one.
KJS –
We celebrated my mother’s 60th birthday party by inviting all her closest friends and family. We allowed participants to reply if they wanted a "main" character or a "low key" character. This game was great because characters can act or dress as much or as little as they want and the game still goes very well! Everyone who was nervous about attending and acting complimented us at the end of the night about how laid back and easy it was to participate. We spent half the time playing casino games, took a break for the "murder" & birthday cake, and then spent the remaining time figuring out the murderer and then returned to casino games. It went very well and I can’t wait to do it again with my own group of friends!
Karen H –
This party was a blast! We had 20 of us and we followed the game as written, and it was so fun! Everyone got into the spirit of the night, dressed up in costume and had a so much fun. We created a casino setting, with blackjack, roulette and a craps table, and had dealers and waitress as outlined in the game, so the environment was lively and active. I recommend this highly to anyone wanting a fun, interactive evening! I rate the game 5 stars… and we are already planning our next one!!!
Jennifer –
We threw a double birthday party using the Casino Dead Money Murder Mystery and it was great! Everyone dressed their parts & had a blast…plus they were shocked to learn who the murderer was. From beginning to end it kept everyone in suspense and laughing at the roles each were playing.
Jan –
We have not done the Murder Mystery yet. Intend to do later in the year as the Holidays are too busy. Plan is to do teams with a total casino feel, with Black Jack tables, poker, Roulette wheel, etc
Shylo –
We planed I have a Halloween Murder mystery dress up party. It was amazing everyone showed up in costume and had a blast
Kristen H –
We hosted 20 guests for our very first murder mystery party. For the most part, the party-goers had never participated in one. I think the most important part is to make sure your party-goers are excited and want to be in character! We had so much fun with the theme and luckily had attendees that totally embraced their characters! Everyone was shocked at the end to see who did it and only one person guessed it right! So much fun, directions were easy to understand & follow, and all the characters had a great time getting to know one another!
Mary –
I used the murder mystery for my annual Halloween Party. This was the fourth one I have done. Everyone said it was the best yet. One person said we would have to end our parties because there was no way to top this one.
Taha –
I threw the murder mystery party for 16 graduate students at my dorm! The party was tons of fun and the guests enjoyed the casino games that were set up. Everyone also loved the theme and getting into character. This is the 3rd murder mystery party I’ve organized and is probably my favorite so far!
Sam –
Featuring fellow graduate students, we took this story and took it back time with a 1920’s Monte Carlo theme (with modern day technology of course). Overall the party was a huge hit and we were able to build in additional roles for 55 guests!
Having sound effects and supplementing with LED lights that we could change and black out really made the night. Everyone had a great time!
Matthew Beyranevand –
Great times. I took it to the next level bybinstesd of doing print out clues I actually used real items and real videos and text messages. Was a lot of work but took the mystery to the next level.