Customer Reviews

Casino-ology: The Art of Managing Casino Games

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Bill Zender, a seasoned live-gaming veteran who's written several books on game protection, explains the math behind the art in Casino-ology. The book starts out with a three-part analysis of blackjack. Zender emphasizes from the start the importance of time and motion issues to the casino's bottom line: by dealing an extra round per hour on each game can add more than $128,000 to the casino's revenue stream. He makes a compelling argument for speedy game play. The first section of the book, which is devoted to blackjack, should be a wake-up call for many anxious gaming executives: Zender convincingly argues against excessive protection schemes like prohibiting mid-shoe entry and over-zealous anti-card-counter measures. He wants a casino where games are quick, efficient, but attractive to the player. 6 to 5 blackjack is a particular bete noir, and Zender demonstrates that any gains in hold percentage are offset by player backlash once they learn that they're getting trimmed.

In the next section Zender assesses general issues, like game mix and player tracking, as well as specific ones like marketing to Asian customers and the pitfalls of a non-negotiable chip program. Next, he explores game protection, trying to objectively determine how many skilled card counters actually exist and whether casinos should be hyper-vigilant against them. He's got great chapters on detecting both counters and shuffle trackers and a detailed look at the false-shuffle baccarat scam that's been plaguing casinos for several years now.

Finally, Zender wraps up with some thoughts on live game management, including the proper utilization of multiple-odds craps, the effect of eliminating the boxperson on the game, and an exploration of rhythmic rolling, a craps technique that partisans claim virtually guarantees winning.

Casino-ology makes tremendous sense: it is hard to argue against Zender's plea for a more logical, more player-friendly gaming put. I like the fact that the book starts off cold with the blackjack material instead of a long introduction that stresses the importance of proper game management-we already know that it's important to run a casino well, just tell us how you think we should do it. Zender's book is almost completely devoid of theory and jam-packed with practical suggestions for better play and better results. It's a definite must-read for the casino games executive or anyone further up in the management hierarchy.

The Kindle edition doe not include images/tables/graphics. Some of the information discussed is only shown in the images and assumes that you can see the images.

The print edition is very informative.

I'll keep this short and sweet, just like how the book was written, this book is a must for anyone in the casino industry (particularly in table games) as well as anyone interested in the mysterious world of casino management. Bill does a good job at summing everything up in chapters that seem like bullet points, so it is a quick and very interesting read.

Many things are an art, many things are a science, but a good deal of most of them are a bit of both. "Casino-ology: The Art of Managing Casino Games" is a business guide for casino owners who want to maximize their profits by mastering the art of defending against the con artists and cheats that casinos inevitably attract. In addition to anti-cheating tactics, poor practices that must be avoided when running a successful casino are also covered. "Casino-ology: The Art of Managing Casino Games" is a top pick and a must read for any running a casino or dreaming of one day owning one.

If you are a casino gambler, this book is n interesting read. Likewise it's a good read if you work for a casino. I tended to bounce around looking for interesting accounts (there are plenty) but ended up reading the entire book anyway. Final thought, even though I want to beat the casino - so does everyone else. I don't always win, but if I can play a game better than most other players, I should be welcomed and invited back. Not frowned on by pit bosses when I get ready to cash out. Casino's should be customer friendly: always.