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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.
Shannon –
Headline Casino night
Nickname Shannon
Menu Highlights We served meatballs, sliders, and wrapped cocktail sausages. We had chips and dip, cheese and crakers. We made a cream cheese into a square with black olives for a dice. We had individual banana pudding cups. And brownies cut into rectangles with cream cheese icing for a domino look. We served adult punch and typical drinks.
Theme Highlights We went with the complete casino theme. We made huge dice from boxes. Had swirling color lights and strobe light in front. All the quests dressed in wonderful costumes.
I threw the party for my boyfriends birthday. It was a small party of family and friends. Everyone loved the theme and playing their part.
Carol Evans –
Headline Dead Money
Nickname Carol Evans
Menu Highlights We served canapes and cocktails. Bette & Regina looked after all the guests (wouldn't hesitate to employ them)
Theme Highlights We put casino freeze all round the room, set up gaming tables and a bar area. The whole evening was really good fun. I think the whole point of them is to act out a bit of fun. Enjoyed by everyone.
Sisters Birthday
Most of the guests had not done a Murder Mystery before and weren’t initially keen as they thought you had to read scripts etc. However, most people got into character real quick (everyone likes a bit of role play). Bette, Mortimer, Anna and Michael (who decided as he was rich he would become Mikael) for the evening all acted their parts brilliantly. Highlight had to be trying to convince Gino he had the wrong colour flower on the whole evening.
Dana –
Headline Casino: Dead Money
Nickname Dana
Menu Highlights mini meatballs, taco dip, crab dip, crab cakes, buffalo chicken wraps, cheese tray, pizza and so much more I cant think of. Dessert I had brownies, cake pops, Oreo truffles in shape of dice, and two pies
Theme Highlights We bought a working slot machine, we had a poker table and roulette table. I bought slot machine wall décor and wrapped my whole house in it. and we made a photo booth.
my husband and I had went to a few murder parties in the past and we had a blast. I couldn’t wait do throw our own. I picked this one because I know my husband would like it because of the theme. We started out only wanting to invite 10-12 people, but once REALLY reading it over we realized you needed a few more to have the game fall in place. At the end we had 19 people. The party went great. we really turned our home into a casino. Lights, games and décor. Everyone had a good time and the murder was a hit!! everyone loved it and cant wait for the next party.
C.Gill –
Headline Roaring success!! Casino Dead Money
Nickname C.Gill
Menu Highlights We just did basic snack foods that people could eat while participating - chips and dip, and hummus and crackers, some chocolates and mints, and popcorn. Instead of doing bloody mary's like suggested we did a whiskey bar and put up the recipes for a bunch of whiskey cocktails. (Felt a like a better fit for a casino.)
Theme Highlights I used pinterest for some ideas. We made little streamers to hang in doorways just by using ribbon and old decks of cards ( you can get extras at the dollar store.) We also set up a little photo booth in the second room. The couple playing the tourists brought a little polaroid camera which totally added to their characters and also left us with a bunch of great pictures. The woman who played Dona did great! She wore pearls and fur coat. Everyone got super into it!
My boyfriend and I chose this as our theme for our Christmas party and it was SO much fun! I put up card themed/casino decorations everywhere and we set up snacks, and a small cocktail bar with a suggested cocktails recipe board. Every one got VERY into it and the costumes were great. My boyfriend’s brother and his husband played the tourists from rural Minnesota and had people laughing their butts off all night long.
Sarah Gibson –
Headline Dead money
Nickname Sarah Gibson
Birthday
I didn’t use this pack as it wasn’t what I expected.
It was far too complicated for my first murder mystery and a lot of the resources weren’t provided such as CCTV footage and a memory stick.
Kristy –
Headline Casino : Dead Money was so much fun!
Nickname Kristy
I had a blast transforming my basement into a casino with lots of casino theme decorations and having all three games being played at the same time worked well for us (poker, blackjack and roulette) . The guests had fun with the twist of one of the characters when they uncovered his shenanigans it turned into the funniest drama. We even had an improv magic show but obviously foolish since he was a fraudulent magician, kept everything interesting and never a dull moment. Can’t wait to see what my next mystery party has in store!!!
Amber –
Headline The party was excellent!
Nickname Amber
Everyone got into character very well. Only one person solved the mystery but the other theories were very good. I enjoyed decorating and making the props. The casino atmosphere sound track was also amazing. Would definitely throw another one!
Tiffany –
Headline Everyone enjoyed themselves
Nickname Tiffany
It was a great plot. Everyone enjoyed themselves a lot.
My two comments on it are
1. It would be easier if the casino sounds were just the slots and a winning/jackpot sounds on a 1 hour loop that can be played on a smartphone.
2. Better/more clues and lead up prompts to the who did it sheets that are handed out. It was difficult to know who "gave" out their clues/knowledge.
Lynette –
Headline Great fun!
Nickname Lynette
Great Fun! I had a blast preparing for the soiree! I drew names out of a hat for the character parts. Couldn’t have chosen any better.
Too much food! With all the activity going on, people forgot to eat or put off dining to extract that important tidbit of information. Twenty-two attendees found intrigue and hilarity in the evening’s plot. Some were surprised at their own acting abilities! Other’s were just surprised! Much laughter and enjoyment was had by all! We had an auction at the end of the evening for ‘trinkets’ with all the play money. Having another activity after the murder was solved was just the icing on the cake!
I’ll do it again! Thanx!
Jill –
Headline Perfect for my group of friends
Nickname Jill
This game was perfect for my group of friends – all who love card/casino games and are outgoing. We played this game with about 21 people, and we also turned it into a Masquerade party.
Although I didn’t require my “guests” to come in costume because I really just wanted to have a fancy dress up masquerade party – I turned it into a Masquerade at the Casino night. I will say it was difficult to stay with the scripts when we were all dressed up. Such as the “staff” who should have been doing duties – instead we all played games.
But, because we had so many people at the party I found it difficult for a lot of people to interact with some of the guests, so they really didn’t know what was going on with everyone.
Then when the victim died (because they were in another room) nobody knew how they died. They would have all preferred to see the body, so they could better understand how the victim died.
There were some instances where it was hard to figure out logistics – such as the “clues” in the survelliance room, and I Really didn’t like the text for the “Scripts”. It was hard to tell which pieces I was actually supposed to read – so I did a lot of ad libbing, and shortened a lot of that for the most part.
All in all, people had fun, and I liked reading everything and picking people to play the scripts. Seems as if I had a person for everyone.
So – it was a great time.
kim –
Headline Can't wait to do it again!
Nickname kim
I did the murder mystery for my birthday with 20 people.
Lets start with the printing. If I didn’t have a wonderful sister who worked at a place that could print, it would have been difficult for me to print. Once purines, everything made sense and helped run the party. It was really easy to get people into character and costume by sending character sheet in the invite. Everyone loved the info sheets and can’t wait til we do it again.