Unofficial Guide to Casino Gambling (Paperback)

by Basil Nestor (Author) "A few years ago I produced a casino commercial called "Simple Arithmetic..." (more)
Key Phrases: progressive bet, overall house edge, percent house edge, Watch Out, Las Vegas, Bright Idea (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Nestor is an author and television producer whose credentials include several documentaries (e.g., Casinos in the Community) on casino gaming in Atlantic City and the Midwest. The "Unofficial Guide" series is designed to give readers basic, comprehensive information; this book follows the series' format, as Nestor incorporates decades of gambling knowledge to give the reader insight into probability, common gambling mistakes, and winning strategies. The book is thoughtfully subdivided into sections on machine games (slots and video poker), table games (blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, poker), and waiting games (keno and sports betting). There are several entertaining chapters about money management (e.g., the psychological pitfall of losing one's initial winnings), getting comps or credit, and generally enjoying the casino experience. This manual also contains charts, checklists, and unique features such as "Bright Ideas," "Watch Out," and money-saving tips. Luck aside, this casino companion takes an interesting approach and makes a worthy supplement to primers such as The Complete Idiot's Guide to Gambling Like a Pro (Alpha, 1999. 2d ed.).AMarty Soven, Woodside, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
The casino games seem simple, but every year, millions of people lose billions of dollars at casinos and other gaming establishments. Why? Because they lack information, rather than luck. Beyond Las Vegas and Atlantic City, this book discusses riverboat and dockside gambling, as well as the boom in Indian Reservation gambling destinations and bingo parlors. In addition to the most popular card and dice games, readers discover the latest gambling craze -- virtual casinos found on the Internet. Basil Nestor delivers to the reader the kind of insider information that casinos, other books, or experts can't or won't tell them:

• Thoroughly explains casino games, like blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, and more
• Analyze odds and guaranteed advantages of certain types of play
• Identifies ìsucker betsî and expose scam betting systems that lose gamblers money
• Clarifies casino security protocol and explicate state operations regulations
• Teaches prospective gamblers to implement methods that increase winning potential

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (January 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028629175
• ISBN-13: 978-0028629179
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #299,956 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Pointers! Great Philosophy! Have Fun!, June 3, 2000

By A Customer

Read this book if you are on a tight budget (like me). All casino games are covered, but my great challenge is video poker. My bankroll is only $100 these days. After reading, and chuckling, through the whole book, especially some of the margin notes, I decided to make my gambling sessions more methodical. (1) I learned to walk away early if I am ahead from when I started. I now take profits suitable to my investment and to my mood that day. You, too, will learn how to set your "investment goals". (2) The more hands I can play with my measly $100 bankroll, the more chances I have to win a Royal (it has happened!), so I learned to go for optimum play, not dollars. That has become my real goal. This book sets you on that course. (3) My "reward" when I lose (I do that, too!)is how much of my little bankroll I am able to hold on to during any 3 hour session. (4) I learned to really enjoy my casino visits and get better at my game at the same time. Players of other casino games will, too. They will be entertained by the whole book, and learn to play their favorite games better and with a better perspective. They may also be blessed with more money to play with. That helps to win more dollars, but the real goal is to have more fun doing it. Thanks for a great book!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insider Information, June 22, 2002

By	James M. Sheffield (Sedona, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a layman, that is non-professional and occasional gambler, (after all, I live a stone's throw from Las Vegas!)my curiosity was piqued by the fact that some people seem to have some sort of psychic insight into gaming. How did they do it? Could I do it myself?
I asked a woman, a "high-roller," how she always seemed to cash in on the jackpots. "Oh," she said, " you just go to the new machines." Wow! But how do you know which ones are new? "You just know." I'm sorry, I'm too pragmatic for such an airy answer.
However, I did find what I was looking for in the "Unofficial Guide to Casino Gambling."
I'm still not a millionaire, but I'll tell you I have a lot more fun knowing some of the insider information than I ever did just playing blindly and not knowing what I was really doing wrong.
Read it. You'll love it.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy tor read... very informative... Enjoy!, May 7, 1999

By A Customer

I originally bought a copy of "The Unofficial Guide to Casino Gambling" on impulse, at a book store, while researching a totally different topic. (I'm one those people who wander around bookstores for hours and always end up finding something interesting to buy.) The border notes hooked me into the purchase. I had to read more. The main text was even better... easy to read, often gently humorous, and very informative about odds, strategy, and the world of casinos. I am now ordering another copy to donate as a raffle prize. The more serious gambler can improve his odds, and will approach his next casino experience with a fresh perspective. The non-gambler will just have fun reading it, and gain some knowledge about what casinos are all about. Either one will come away having learned something. You write extemely well, Mr. Nestor!