faro

Faro, town, Portugal

Faro (fä`rō), town (1991 pop. 31,966), capital of Faro dist. and of Algarve, S Portugal. The southernmost town in Portugal, it is a seaport from which fish, fruit (especially dried figs), wine, and cork are exported. Tourism now dominates the economy. Important under the Moors, it was retaken in 1249.

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faro, card game

faro (fâr`ō) [for Pharaoh, from an old French card design], gambling game played with a pack of 52 cards. First played in France and England, faro was especially popular in U.S. gambling houses in the 19th cent. Players bet against a banker (dealer), who draws two cards–one that wins and another that loses–from the deck (or from a dealing box) to complete a turn. Bets–on which card will win or lose– are placed on each turn.

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faro

One of the oldest gambling games played with cards. Its name probably derives from the picture of a pharaoh on an early set. It was popular in Europe in the 18th–19th century and in the U.S. in the 19th century. The game involves betting on the rank, or number, of a card drawn from a dealing box. It is still played in a few casinos.