Customer Reviews

Casino Confidential

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I see that this book has taken some beatings in other reviews. Key point with 3 and out -- don't sit at a table and lose lose lose lose lose lose lose. Get up and find a new table / game. It really comes down to a simple choice: Are you going to the casino for entertainment or to improve your chance of winning money at the expense of playing all day?

Anyway, here is the redeeming quality of this book, if you can get past the three and out argument which is present in this and many many other books. If you are heading to Vegas (or elsewhere) and you don't understand a decent basic strategy for any of the common games, this book will give you the basics. I've read thousands of pages of gambling books, and the material gets much deeper than this book presents. But until you are ready for that level of detail, let me tell you that the basic strategies recommended here should give you the best chance to win, minimize losses, or at the least play competently.

This is a good book on how to come out ahead at the tables. It doesn't claim to make you millions, just how to play so that you can improve the odds of winning and that you aren't blindly handing over your hard earned dough to the casinos. There is a lot of insights into the inner workings of casinos and how to tilt these to your favor. From which dealers are picked to work which tables, to finding out which dealers are hot and which are not. Worth the price right there.

Unfortunately the PREVIOUS reviewer mis-read or mis-understood the "get up and leave" after three losses rule. While the author does advocate leaving a TABLE and going to a different table after losing three hands in a row, the "leave the casino after losing three hands in a row" rule, kicks in ONLY after you have gone on a winning streak and ARE UP over your original stake. The idea being leave with winnings, rather than handing it all right back. We rationalize that behavior by saying that we are playing with the houses money. We don't call getting a raise at work paying with the rent with the bosses money do we?
HUGE difference.

This is a great book if you don't know much about casino games. It gives great basic advice for all the games, and explains all the rules and basic strategy. This would be great to read before a trip to Las Vegas if you are unfamiliar with the different table games.

ALMOST WORTHLESS! The author offers absolutely nothing NEW In the book that would help you in any casino! Waste of time mostly as you can find how to "play" the casino games in any book! Don't need another book on the rules of the games. No hidden secrets here!

This guy gives a very straight forward delivery about the various games offered by most casinos in America.
For anyone that can appreciate the explanation of the odds, and the psychology of gaming, he goes on to discuss succinctly the real odds for the various games, as well as the reasons why the house actually comes away with a much higher house advantage due to the psychology of people that gamble.
He explains the games themselves, and then goes on to give the most simplistic and up front ways to actually make some money as well as explaining the many ways that people lose money on the games.
He places a large emphasis on paying attention to trends and realizing when to walk away, as well as being disciplined about money management.
I have applied what I learned in his book on two games, and by being strict with myself about what he says in the book, I did manage to walk away a winner, but not so I am going to retire any time soon. But, I was able to enjoy playing for a number of hours, get a few free drinks and lunch, and come away with about 30% percent more in my pocket than I started with.
I suspect that even with the knowledge in his book however, that not a lot of people will enjoy any huge successes because the hardest thing to do sometimes in a casino is knowing when it is time to walk away. He tells in the book how to recognize when it is time, but knowing when it is time, and actually doing it are very different, especially when you have been having a good day up until that time.
Still, for anyone that wants to better understand the gaming world, this is an excellent book for getting both an overview of the games, as well as basic and practical strategies for playing them.

This book was such a dissapointment. I have read almost all of the books about comps, casinos and gambling. He tells you to leave after you lose 3 hands of Blackjack in a row. That's fine if you live near a casino, but I travel 2000 miles to go to Vegas.