The Complete Idiot's Guide to Gambling Like a Pro, 4E

by Wong, Stanford; Spector, Susan

• ISBN13: 9781592574155
• ISBN10: 1592574157
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-01
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

You're no idiot, of course. The thrills of gambling certainly aren't lost on you. But when you're not testing your skills at online poker or trying your luck at roulette, you're looking for some new strategies to bring to the table...

Author Biography

Stanford Wong is the pseudonym of one of the country-'s foremost gambling authorities. The author of such classic books as Basic Blackjack, Blackjack Secrets, and Casino Tournament Strategy, he is a professional blackjack player and champion and has developed several gambling software products. Susan Spector is a training consultant to many Fortune 500 companies. In her spare time, she is a freelance writer and avid casino gambler.

Table of Contents

Part 1: On Becoming a Gambler	1	(18)
Life Is a Gamble	3	(8)
Risk and Reward	3	(1)
Games of Chance Versus Games of Skill	4	(3)
Taking a Risk on a Game of Chance	5	(1)
Matching Wits in a Game of Skill	6	(1)
Betting Strategy	7	(1)
Where to Play?	8	(1)
One More Thing About Gambling	9	(2)
Beware: There Is a Downside	9	(2)
The Odds of Winning	11	(8)
Playing the Percentages	11	(2)
Great Expectations (for the House)	13	(6)
The Bell Curve	14	(2)
Deviating from the Norm	16	(3)
Part 2: Taking a Chance	19	(40)
Slot Basics	21	(8)
The Machine Age	21	(1)
What's So Hard About This?	22	(1)
Diminishing Returns	23	(1)
What Makes the Jackpots So Big?	23	(1)
Nanoseconds to Wealth	24	(1)
Payback Percentages	24	(1)
So Many Machines, So Little Time	25	(4)
What to Play	26	(1)
The Price of Admission	26	(1)
Denominations and Payouts	26	(1)
Reels of Fortune	27	(1)
How Many Ways Does It Pay?	27	(1)
How Much to Bet	28	(1)
Advanced Slots	29	(10)
How Much Can It Cost?	29	(2)
Great Expectations	30	(1)
How Long Should You Play?	31	(1)
Preserving Your Capital	31	(1)
Playing by the Magazine	31	(2)
Right-Sizing Your Investment	33	(1)
Know When to Walk Away	33	(1)
Coinless Slot Machines	33	(1)
The Latest Rage Is Video Slots	34	(1)
Multiple Paylines	34	(1)
Tournaments Pay!	35	(1)
Some Rules to Win By	36	(1)
Sue's Views on Slots	37	(2)
Roulette	39	(10)
Where Roulette Began	40	(1)
How to Play	40	(2)
As the Wheel Turns	41	(1)
The Betting Table	42	(1)
Bettor Business	42	(3)
Inside Bets	43	(1)
Outside Bets	44	(1)
The Odds of Winning at Roulette	45	(1)
Why It Pays to Play the European Wheel	46	(1)
Surrendering	46	(1)
It's Play Time	46	(3)
Mini-Baccarat	49	(10)
Two Sizes of Baccarat: Regular and Mini	49	(2)
Playing Baccarat	51	(1)
Like Fine Crystal, Baccarat Cards Have Value	52	(1)
Rules of Play	53	(1)
A Practice Session	54	(2)
How the House Makes Money at Baccarat	56	(1)
Betting on a Tie	56	(1)
There's Nothing to Do But Relax	57	(2)
Part 3: Games of Skill	59	(82)
Basic Blackjack	61	(12)
A Brief History of Blackjack	62	(1)
Environmental Issues	62	(4)
The Seating Arrangements	63	(1)
The Money Pit	64	(1)
More Table Decor	65	(1)
What's So Good About Blackjack?	66	(1)
The Value of Your Cards	66	(1)
Playing Blackjack	66	(2)
A Natural	67	(1)
Playing Out Your Hand	68	(1)
Surrendering Your Hand	69	(1)
Splitting Pairs	69	(1)
Doubling Down	70	(1)
Taking a Hit	70	(1)
How the Game Ends	71	(2)
Stanford's Blackjack Strategy	73	(12)
Putting Time on Your Side	74	(1)
What Conditions Are Favorable?	74	(2)
What Conditions Are Unfavorable?	76	(1)
Introducing Basic Strategy	76	(1)
Using the Basic Strategy Chart	77	(2)
Basic Strategy When Doubling Down Is Allowed After Splitting	79	(1)
The Dealer's Up Card	79	(1)
Basic Truths About Your Hand	80	(1)
Is Insurance Worth It?	80	(1)
Counting Cards: Not Quite as Easy as 1-2-3	81	(1)
Taking As Much Advantage As You Can!	81	(4)
Sticking to the Basics (Strategy, That Is)	83	(2)
Shooting Craps	85	(20)
The Object of Shooting Dice	85	(1)
Setting the Crap Table	86	(1)
Let It Roll	87	(2)
Dice Combinations	87	(1)
Figuring Your Odds	88	(1)
The Craps Table Crew	89	(1)
Being a Team Player (Whether It's Right or Wrong)	90	(1)
Getting In on the Action	91	(1)
Being a ``Right'' Bettor	91	(2)
When It's Your Turn to Play	93	(1)
Taking Odds	93	(1)
Pressing Your Luck	94	(1)
Making a Come Bet	94	(3)
Taking Odds on Come Bets	95	(1)
Turning the Odds On and Off	96	(1)
Fast-Action Scenario	96	(1)
Nobody's Right If Everybody's Wrong	97	(3)
The Flip Side of Pass: Don't Pass	98	(1)
Giving Odds	98	(1)
The Don't Come Bet	99	(1)
Giving Odds on Don't Come Bets	100	(1)
Other Sequence Bets	100	(2)
Place Bets	101	(1)
Buy Bets	101	(1)
Lay Bets	102	(1)
Why Big 6 and 8 Bets Are Bad Bets	102	(1)
Why Hard-Way Bets Aren't Worth It	102	(1)
Out of Sequence: One-Roll Bets	103	(2)
A Proposition You Should Pass Up!	103	(1)
Playing the Field	104	(1)
Horse Racing	105	(16)
Off to the Races	105	(2)
The Inside Track	107	(3)
Getting With the Program	107	(3)
Formulating Your Own Opinions	110	(1)
How to Place a Bet	111	(3)
Not Exacta-ly a Science	112	(1)
Multi-Race Wagers	113	(1)
How the Track Makes Its Money	114	(1)
Getting an Edge at the Races	115	(1)
Finding an Overlay	116	(1)
A Fast Rail	116	(1)
A Slow Rail	117	(1)
Taking Advantage of a Too-Good-to-Be-True Situation	117	(4)
Treasure Hunting (Finding TGTBs)	118	(3)
Sports Betting	121	(20)
The Betting Line	122	(1)
How Casinos Make Money on Sports	122	(1)
Defining the Lines	123	(2)
Basic Principles of Sports Betting	125	(2)
Be Selective	125	(1)
Do Your Homework	126	(1)
Use Your Own Numbers	126	(1)
Football	127	(7)
Reading the Board	127	(1)
Betting the Spread	128	(1)
How the House Makes Its Money on Sports	128	(1)
Betting the Money Line	129	(1)
Betting the Football Totals	130	(1)
What You Need to Know About Parlays and Teasers	130	(2)
Football Handicapping	132	(2)
Betting on Basketball	134	(1)
Handicapping Hoops	135	(1)
Betting on Baseball	135	(2)
How the House Makes Money on Baseball Bets	136	(1)
Making Your Baseball Picks	136	(1)
Hockey	137	(1)
Boxing	138	(3)
Part 4: The Royals (a Lot of Ways to Play Poker)	141	(64)
Poker	143	(14)
Everyone's Playing Poker	144	(1)
What It Takes to Be a Poker Winner	144	(3)
The Hierarchy of Winning Poker Hands	145	(1)
Settling a Tie	146	(1)
Playing the Game	147	(4)
Betting Business	148	(2)
Betting Limits	150	(1)
The Rake	150	(1)
Getting Started	151	(1)
Playing Seven-Card Stud	151	(3)
Some Basic Strategy for Stud	154	(1)
Playing Hold 'Em	154	(3)
Let It Ride!	157	(8)
Born and Raised in Las Vegas	158	(1)
Playing Let It Ride	159	(2)
Riding Your Way to the Top	161	(1)
The Bonus Buck	162	(1)
Bonus Payouts	163	(1)
Is It Worth Playing?	163	(2)
Caribbean Stud	165	(8)
The Game	165	(2)
The Geography	166	(1)
How to Play	167	(2)
Qualifying the Dealer's Hand for Bonus Payouts	168	(1)
The Bonus Payout Schedule	169	(2)
Winning Bonus Payouts and Progressive Jackpots	169	(1)
Why Bet the Progressive?	170	(1)
Some Sound Advice	171	(2)
Three-Card Poker and War	173	(6)
Three-Card Poker	173	(3)
Three-Card Poker Table Layout	174	(1)
Playing Pair Plus	174	(1)
Playing Beat the Dealer	175	(1)
Three-Card Poker Strategy	176	(1)
Playing War	176	(3)
Pai Gow Poker	179	(8)
What Is Pai Gow Poker?	179	(1)
It Takes Two Hands to Win	180	(1)
How to Play the Game	181	(2)
The Joker	183	(1)
Setting Your Hand	183	(2)
You Can Be the Banker	185	(2)
Video Poker	187	(18)
Five-Card Draw Poker	188	(1)
How the Video Poker Machine Works	189	(1)
How to Play	189	(1)
The Big Secret	190	(1)
Choosing the Right Machine	191	(2)
How Big a Jackpot Do You Need?	193	(1)
8/5 Machine Strategy	194	(2)
6/5 Machine Strategy	196	(1)
Strategy for 8/5 and 6/5 Machines	197	(1)
Straights and Kickers	197	(1)
Variations on the Video Poker Theme	198	(2)
Playing Joker Poker	198	(1)
Playing Deuces Wild	199	(1)
Multiple-Play Video Poker	200	(1)
How Multi-Play Video Poker Games Work	201	(1)
Playing Triple Play	201	(2)
What to Bet	203	(1)
Multi-Play Variety	203	(2)
Part 5: Nothing but Numbers	205	(36)
Keno	207	(16)
Live Keno	208	(1)
Playing Keno	209	(3)
What to Bet	210	(2)
Mark Your Ticket	212	(1)
Playing a Way Ticket	213	(4)
Combination Way	216	(1)
Splitting Your Ticket	217	(1)
Multi-Game Tickets	218	(1)
Video Keno	218	(1)
How to Play Video Keno	219	(1)
Cycles	220	(2)
Progressive Machines	222	(1)
Lotteries	223	(10)
Winning by Numbers	223	(3)
The Big Payoffs	224	(1)
Sharing a Payout	225	(1)
Playing the Bonus Round	226	(1)
Comparison Shopping	226	(1)
Comparing Odds	227	(1)
Multi-State Mega-Jackpots	227	(1)
Daily Games	228	(1)
Playing ``Pick'' Games	228	(1)
Scratch Offs	229	(1)
What Have You Got to Lose?	229	(1)
Claiming Your Prize	229	(1)
What to Do with Losing Tickets	230	(1)
Play Smart and Win	231	(2)
Bingo	233	(8)
Big Bingo Business	234	(1)
How Bingo Is Played	234	(1)
Bingo Equipment?	235	(2)
Choosing Numbers	237	(1)
Themes	237	(1)
The Odds of Winning	238	(1)
Computer-Assisted Bingo	239	(2)
Part 6: Casino Management	241	(58)
Online Casinos	243	(14)
What's an Online Casino?	243	(1)
The Future of Online Gambling	244	(1)
Are Online Casinos Legal?	245	(1)
Update: Online Gambling Legislation As of 2005	245	(1)
Truth in Virtual Advertising?	246	(1)
Finding an Online Casino	247	(1)
Playing for Free	248	(1)
Playing for Money	249	(1)
Playing Real, Live Poker Online	250	(3)
Avoiding Trouble	253	(1)
Using the Internet as a Source of Gambling Information	254	(3)
Casino Survival	257	(12)
Don't Leave Home Without a Plan	257	(2)
Play Within Your Means	259	(1)
When Your Escape Moves Next Door	260	(1)
Casino Credit: Not Your Private Reserve!	261	(3)
Alternative Lifestyles (in America's Playlands)	262	(2)
When the Taxman Cometh	264	(2)
Casino Safety: Avoiding Cheats and Thieves	266	(3)
Casino Comps	269	(8)
Who Says There's No Free Lunch?	270	(1)
How Comps Worked in the Old Days	270	(1)
How Compassionate Are They Today?	271	(3)
How to Sleep Cheap Anyway	274	(1)
Joining Slot Clubs	274	(3)
Player Tracking	275	(1)
Proceed with Caution	276	(1)
Casino Etiquette	277	(22)
Who's Not in It for the Money?	277	(1)
At the Tables	278	(2)
At the Machines	280	(1)
The Wanderers	281	(1)
What About a Tip?	282	(1)
Appendixes
A. Gamb-Lingo Glossary	283	(12)
B. Selected Reading	295	(2)
C. The Ten Commandments of Gambling	297	(2)
Index	299