Customer Reviews

Casino Gambling For Dummies

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this after my first trip to a casino. I enjoyed myself there but understood that I could have had a better time if I knew how casinos worked. This book is great at giving a basic knowledge of how casinos work and educates you on the many different games and how to enjoy yourself for entertainment purposes. I highly recommend this book if you a planning a trip to a casino for the first time or if you've been to a casino and you would like to expand your overall knowledge and enjoyment. It has basic tips and strategies for all the casino games and is a good starting point. You can always delve further into the games that you like with other books, but this is a quality broad overview of casinos and their games.

Any new book on casino gambling has to contend with a shelf full (virtual or real) of other titles covering the same material, but in Casino Gambling for Dummies, Kevin Blackwood has done a masterful job of bringing a fresh attitude and informative approach that provides solid justification for another title on the topic. This is the 'For Dummies' brand at its best, tackling all the favorites, blackjack, craps, sports betting, as well as many meta-topics (like dealing with the IRS after a profitable run at the tables) with fact-infused, easy-to-read prose that will entertain and inform. People just entering the neon world for the first time will get as much instructional material as they can handle, from rules of the game to strategy. Seasoned gamblers will reap the benefits of Blackwood's expertise and experience at the felt-covered tables around the world. There is particular depth in the blackjack section, likely a product of Blackwood's long resume as one of the top players in the world. The organization is inspired and the writing is top notch, particularly the chapter on horse racing.

I was mainly interested in slots, video poker, & blackjack. Presented good info in an uncomplicated style. Also full of info for practically any other game that may be your particular choice(s). I recommend it VERY highly for beginners or the more experienced player!!!!!

Kevin Blackwood is an expert blackjack player who has played all over the world; he is an expert poker player as well. His knowledge of the casino games is profound and this book gives you everything you need to know to go to the casinos and play properly. Ignore the title because you are not a dummy if you buy this book.

You are smart!

Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!

No you won't win thousands of dollars by reading this book, but if you follow the guidelines you won't lose thousands either. I saw a guy in Vegas drop $500 in 20 minutes at craps doing something that this book said in the craps section to absolutely not do: This book has good advice on what not to do and what to do. If you want to have fun gambling, if you are worried about just throwing your money away because you don't know the rules, if you worried about not knowing table etiquette or which hand motions to use when, if you are worried about looking a fool to the others at the table, then this book will calm your fears. Most importantly it points out what the odds are for each game, and when you find a game that suits you the book shows you how to possibly be a winner by playing conservatively and how not to definitely be a loser by falling for the "showy" bets. I thought it to be a very good book for a beginner.

This is an excellent beginner's book on how to gamble. The author stresses budgeting, strategies, and playing the house for your maximuym advantage. It's a good read for anyone interested in the subject.

Great info and easily readable. Lots of good points and very honest about gambling as a losing proposition. Helped me feel comfortable as I approached the tables, and gave me confidence - not that I would win, but that I would not embarass myself by not knowing the rules and etiquette of the games. Tells you what the games are with the lowest casino edge (there are none with a players edge), and what the real sucker bets are. Tells it like it is - no hype and drama.

Complete and concise. If you want to know what's going on inside a casino, this man tells you what you're getting in for, and how to make the most of your experience. He explains the games, tells you the best way to win, and the chances that you might actually win. There is no judgement here. Just information, a bit personalized.

I wonder why on page 170, the baccarat rules states that, for example, when the banker's total is 6, then the banker will draw if the player's new total is 6 or 7. The correct version is: the banker will draw when the "player's third card" is 6 or 7, not the "new total". On page 171 though, the table lists it as "player's third card". Incidentally, I found a bug in the Hoyle's Casino 2007 for PC game, with it drawing a card for the banker when it shouldn't... oh well... isn't the rule somewhat important? It is a very basic set of rule... I wonder if we have that sometimes in the casino and nobody noticed.

Otherwise, the book provides basic rules, strategies, and some interesting stories about the various games. It is a pretty good book for beginners, but make sure you pick another one up just to cross reference. Idiot's Guide and the Unofficial Guide also have a good book on casino gambling.

One thing I am sensitive about the book is that it stresses on etiquette quite a lot. Thing like, "don't hand your money directly to the dealer; doing so is a breach of etiquette and brands you as a greenhorn. After you receive your chips, leave them on the table in front of you". Oh well, a "breach"? so serious? I don't know, I just feel that nowadays, we tend to have too much politeness and etiquette and too little true kindness among human beings, so I don't like to read about etiquette for this and etiquette for that.

Casino Gambling for Dummies was a birthday gift for my very ungrateful, worthless son. I can only assume that the book arrived safely in Reno, Nevada.

The apple fell quite a distance away from the tree this time.

Christopher Cleare Glashaus