Casino Gambling for Dummies

Earn comps and avoid big losses


Bet wisely, beat the house, and bring home the bucks!

Crazy about casinos, but worried about losing your shirt? Relax! This hands-on guide is filled with insider secrets and tips for maximizing winnings and minimizing losses in the most popular casino games --blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, slots, and more. You get the scoop on everything from game rules and jargon to making the best bets (and knowing when to quit).

Discover how to
* Understand the odds
* Develop winning strategies
* Avoid gimmicks and bad bets
* Manage your money effectively
* Gamble on the Internet
* Deal with the IRS

Growing up in a conservative small town along the Maine coast, Kevin Blackwood never anticipated visiting Sin City. With aspirations of becoming a college professor, he traveled the usual roads of academia, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in religious education and Biblical history.
His journey took a sudden detour in 1984. While working on his doctorate at the University of Oregon, he learned how to count cards and started playing blackjack on weekends. His studies began to pale in comparison to the exciting world of gambling. And one day, after a futile effort to find a parking spot on the crowded campus, he bagged his plans to teach church history, quit school — and headed to Las Vegas.
Since then, Blackwood has lived what many would consider the American dream, earning big bucks while working only part-time, winning consistently at blackjack tables all over the world. More recently, he has jumped on the Texas Hold’em bandwagon, with several poker tournament wins under his belt.
His unusual life experiences inspired Blackwood to write a novel, The Counter (Wooden Pagoda Press). In addition, he is the author of Play Blackjack Like the Pros (HarperCollins), the most comprehensive guide to becoming a winning blackjack player. He has also written for magazines, including Casino Player, Midwest Gaming and Travel, Blackjack Insider, and Gambling.com. His TV appearances include the World Series of Blackjack (semifinalist 2005) and the Ultimate Blackjack Tour (finalist 2006).

Foreword.
Introduction.
Part I: Casino Gambling Basics: Everything You Need to Know to Start.
Chapter 1: Casino Gambling 101: The Inside Scoop.
Chapter 2: Taking a Quick Stroll Through the Casino.
Chapter 3: Probability, Odds, and a Bit of Luck: What You Need to Succeed.
Chapter 4: Managing Your Money in a Casino.
Chapter 5: Minding Your Gambling Manners.
Part II: Conquering the Table Games.
Chapter 6: Will Bluff for Food: Poker.
Chapter 7: The Easiest Game to Beat: Blackjack.
Chapter 8: Rolling the Dice: Craps.
Chapter 9: Spinning Wheel Goes Round n’ Round: Roulette.
Chapter 10: Not Just For High Rollers: Baccarat.
Chapter 11: Tackling the “Riskier” Table Games.
Part III: Beyond the Tables: Slots, Video Poker, Sports Betting, and More.
Chapter 12: Mastering the Machines: Slots.
Chapter 13: Scoring Big in Video Poker.
Chapter 14: Striking the Mother Lode: Keno and Bingo.
Chapter 15: From the Cubs to the Bears: Sports Betting.
Chapter 16: More than Just the Derby: Betting on Horse Racing.
Part IV: Taking Casino Gambling to a Different Level.
Chapter 17: Casino Gambling: Online and in the Comfort of Home.
Chapter 18: The Wild World of Tournaments.
Part V: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 19: Ten Cool Places to Gamble.
Chapter 20: Ten (Or So) Common Casino Gambling Mistakes to Avoid.
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Score Comps.
Part VI: Appendixes.
Appendix A: Glossary.
Appendix B: Important Resources.
Index.