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Swain Scheps. Casino Gambling For Dummies
Casino Gambling For Dummies® To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Casino Gambling For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box. Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Illustrations
Guide
Pages
Introduction
Casinos and Gamblers
About This Book
What You’re Not to Read
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Casino Gambling Basics: Everything You Need to Know to Start
Casino Gambling 101: The Inside Scoop
Entering the Casino: What You’re Up Against
Marketing their way to your wallet
Accepting the odds: The house rules
Protecting your money with a plan
Identifying the colors of the rainbow
Playing the Games: What’s Your Poison?
Touring the table games
Poker: Boosted by Internet and TV tournaments
Blackjack: The best odds
Craps: Backslaps, high-fives, and cheerleaders
Roulette: The place for eccentric hunches
Baccarat: Part tuxedo, Part T-shirt
Let It Ride, Pai Gow, and other table games
Turning to digital and automated games
Slot machines: From one-armed bandit to high-tech robotic
Video poker: Not your Aunt Beatrice’s kitchen-table game
Keno and bingo: Two old standards
Betting on ball games and fast horses
Sports betting: Thrill of victory, the agony of defeat
Horse racing: A run for your money
Gambling Near and Far: Where to Find Casinos
Nevada: Viva the gambling state!
Las Vegas reigns supreme
Tahoe and Reno: Quieter cousins
Atlantic City: Vegas of the east
Connecticut: Betting with the Yankees
Diving into on-the-water gambling
Riverboat casinos: A piece of the past
Cruise ships: Sailing for international waters
Tribal gaming: Cashing in on less bling
Beyond the borders: Gambling abroad
Betting on the Internet
Measuring Your Gambling IQ
The questions
The answers
Taking a Quick Stroll Through the Casino
(Casino) Knowledge Is Power
Navigating the Casino Maze
Getting in is the easy part
Slot machines: Place them, and they will come
Table games: Penetrating the inner circle
The bar: Quiet escape — or not?
SPORTS BOOKS: WHERE YOU CAN CHEER FOR A HORSE OR A HOME RUN
Cashing out: Heading to the cashier’s cage
CASINO CASHIERS: BEHIND BARS NO MORE
Meeting the Casino’s Cast of Characters
In the pits: Serving the table players
Pit bosses
Floorpersons
Dealers
Slot employees: The reel dealers
Slot attendants
Slot supervisors
HITTING THE JACKPOT, BABY!
Management: Running the tables
Casino hosts
Other managers
Maintaining a Safe and Secure Environment
Security personnel: The human touch
Surveillance: The watchers
Taking safety into your own hands
Probability, Odds, and a Bit of Luck: What You Need to Succeed
Defining Luck: A Temporary Fluctuation
Understanding the Role of Probability
Identifying independent events
Recognizing dependent events
Factoring in the odds
Examining How Casinos Operate and Make Money: House Edge
Charging a fee
Paying less than the true odds
Calculating the Odds in Casino Games
Identifying payoff odds
Zero expectation
Negative expectation
Positive expectation
Getting an edge on the house edge
Avoiding Myths, Magic, and Other Superstitions
Relying on Betting Systems
The Martingale system
The D’Alembert system
Managing Your Money in a Casino
Setting a Budget and Sticking to It
Playing within your means
Determining your daily limits
Sizing up your bets
Keeping your bets consistent
Limiting your losses
Stop-loss limits: Covering your own butt
Time limits: Knowing when you’ve had enough
Win limits: Winning something is better than losing
Looking at Casino Credit and Its Risks
Grasping casino credit
Crediting yourself with an account
HIGH ROLLERS: MOVING UP TO THE CHAMPAGNE AND CAVIAR CROWD
Using markers against casino credit
THE TRUE COST OF AN ATM
Knowing When Enough Is Enough
Knowing the odds of failure
Knowing thyself
Resisting the urge to chase losses
Sipping, not sinking
Recognizing a gambling addiction
Understanding Taxes and the Law
Deducting your losses and taxing your wins
Unreported winnings: Don’t fool the IRS
Counting comps for tax purposes
Lowering your gambling tax
Keeping a gambling log
Wagering with a group: Who pays the tax?
Conquering the Table Games
Minding Your Gambling Manners
Dressing (And Acting) the Part
Getting comfortable
Dressing up for evenings
Smoking permitted (sometimes)
BUTTING OUT
Smoking other things
Drinking encouraged
Ordering a drink
Qualifying for a beverage
Playing Well with Others: Minding Your Table Manners
Knowing your limits
Joining a game
Thou shall not touch … and other table commandments
Giving Gratuities to Dealers and Others
Tipping your dealer
Spreading the wealth
How to tip the dealer
How much to tip (or not)
Tipping other casino employees
THE RICHEST VALETS IN THE WORLD
Avoiding the Appearance of Cheating
Doing the right thing
Playing fair and square
Looking at what’s frowned upon
Breaking the Law
Protecting casinos from cheaters
LOSING LIKE A CHAMP
Will Bluff for Food: Poker
Uncovering the ABCs of Casino Poker
POKER’S POPULARITY REIGNS
Paying homage to hand hierarchy
Knowing the dealer
Following basic poker etiquette
Betting the Farm (Or Other Parcels of Real Estate)
Grasping the betting basics
Concluding the hand
Playing with (and without) betting limits
Bluffing: When deception pays
Betting it all
ENJOYING THE PLEASURES OF THE POKER TABLE
Playing the Popular Games
Holding your own at Texas Hold’em
Flops, turns, and the river: Hold’em basics
Betting the blinds
Lassoing basic Hold’em strategies
KNOWING WHEN TO FOLD ’EM
Betting in turn
LEARNING HOLD’EM SLANG
GETTING INTO POSITION: WHEN LAST IS BEST
Playing Limit Hold’em
Heading to Omaha
Playing your hole cards: Take two
More cards, better hands
Sizing up the strongest hands
Avoiding Poker Pitfalls
The Easiest Game to Beat: Blackjack
Dealing Out Blackjack Basics
Setting the scene
Valuing your cards
Preparing to Play
Finding a table: Strategic seating
ABRACADABRA: CAN A CERTAIN SEAT GIVE YOU AN EDGE?
Seeking single-deck tables
Spotting tables with favorable rules
Eyeing table bet limits
Purchasing chips
Homing in on house rules
Does the dealer hit on a soft 17?
Is doubling down restricted to certain card combinations?
Can you surrender?
Dealing what’s in the cards
CUTS AND BURNS: ENSURING SHUFFLING SAFETY
Betting Your Bottom Dollar
Playing Your Hand
Exercising your options
Act natural: Holding 21
Stand and deliver: Staying put when your total is high
Hit me, baby: Asking for another card
Get two for one: Splitting pairs
Double the fun: Increasing your bet
Going beyond Lady Luck
Assuming a ten is lurking
Simplified strategy for hard hands
Essential strategy for soft hands
Basic strategy for double downs
Basic strategy for pair splits
Basic strategy for stiff hands
Basic strategy for pat hands
THE FOUNDING FATHER OF CARD COUNTING
Strategizing in the computer age
Avoiding insurance
Betting on the side
Drawing the dealer’s curtain
Looking at payouts
Blackjack protocol: How to avoid trouble
Identifying Common Mistakes
Rolling the Dice: Craps
Setting the Craps Stage
Casting the dice
GOING ON A DICE DIG
Surveying the lay of the table
LOOKING AT SUPERSTITIONS: CRAPS RITES AND RITUALS
Getting to know the craps crew
Shooting for the whole table
Minding Mr. Manners at a craps table
One Bet, Two Sets of Rules
One Throw, Four Possible Outcomes
Understanding the basic craps sequence
Buying in
Coming out: The first roll in the craps sequence
Making a point
Relying on Strategy to Place the Best Bets
The Pass-Line bet
The Come bet
THE GOLDEN ARM CLUB
The Don’t-Pass line bet
The Don’t-Come bet
BETTING AGAINST THE DICE
The odds bet
Taking odds on Pass-Line and Come bets
Laying odds on Don’t-Pass and Don’t-Come bets
Taking the maximum odds
Avoiding “Sucker” Bets
Resisting the lure of Big 6 and Big 8
Swearing off the worst place bets
Steering clear of buy bets
Laying off lay bets
Forswearing the field bet
Saying no to proposition bets
Finding out the hard way
The New Look of Casino Craps
Bubble craps
Hybrid craps
Spinning Wheel Goes Round n’ Round: Roulette
Getting the Spin on Roulette Basics
Starting with the wheel
Taking in the table layout
Semi-automated roulette
Betting in technicolor
BAGGAGE CLAIM ROULETTE
Chip denominations
ROULETTE’S ROOTS: PHILOSOPHIC ORIGINS AND CREEPY COINCIDENCES
Dealing with the croupier
Betting: the inside (and outside) scoop
Roulette’s special table limits
Making inside bets: Long shots and big payouts
Making outside bets: Better odds but lower payouts
Reciting Roulette Etiquette
Improving Your Odds
Starting with the basics
Playing a European wheel
3-BILLION-TO-1 ODDS
Avoiding Strategies That Don’t Work
Basing your plays on history
Blaming wheel bias
Buying into betting systems
THE MAN WHO BROKE THE BANK AT MONTE CARLO
Baccarat: Not Just For High-Rollers
Counting Down the Baccarat Basics
Baccarat Math
CAN YOU SAY “BACCARAT”?
The Baccarat Zoo
Stepping Into Baccarat
Positioning yourself to play
Betting the banker (or the player)
What’s the Deal?
Drawing for another card
Following the player’s rules
Adhering to the banker’s rules
Knowing when the banker follows the banker’s rules
Avoiding Baccarat Time Wasters
Dealing with ties
It’s not the history; it’s a mystery, and here’s how it goes
Counting cards
Relying on instinct
The Full Baccarat Experience
Playing in a room apart
Setting a table for 14
A WHALE OF A WIN
Dressing to the nines
Dealing and calling
Banking on the house
Dealing the hand
SHILLS: CATCHING FLIES WITH HONEY
Beyond the Tables: Slots, Video Poker, Sports Betting, and More
Tackling the “Riskier” Table Games
Picking Up on Pai Gow Poker
Playing the game: An overview
Setting the hand
Playing with the joker
Calculating your odds
Implementing some strategy
Tripling Your Fun with Three-Card Poker
Playing the game: An overview
Tallying up your pair-plus payouts
Ranking three-card poker hands
Reckoning your odds
Betting in Circles with Let It Ride
Playing the game: An overview
Understanding the payout
Implementing some simplified strategy
Avoiding a side bet
Dabbling with the Riskiest Table Games
THE REAL COST OF PLAYING GIMMICK GAMES
Mastering the Slots
THE BIRTH OF THE SLOT MACHINE
Understanding How to Play the Slots
LOW MAINTENANCE AND HIGH PROFIT: A CASINO’S DREAM
Playing the game: Easy as pushing a button
Dissecting the innards: How slots work
Getting wise to virtual reel-ality
Paying and winning with tickets
Identifying Different Slot Games
Increasing wagers with multipliers
Zigzagging for multiple paylines
Tuning in to theme machines
Working the progressive slots
Engaging in skill-based slots
MEGABUCKS HITS … AND MISSES
ONE PULL CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE. TWICE
Getting a Handle on Slots Odds
Stretching Your Money at the Slots
Reading the paytable
Choosing your game
Choosing the denomination you bet
Hitting an empty casino
THE COLOR OF MONEY
Playing full credits on progressive games
Maximizing your fun
Honing Your Slot Etiquette
Saving a machine
Playing two machines at once: Double trouble
Minding your manners
Playing for Comps
Taking advantage of the comps
Signing up for the players’ club
Cashing in on cash rebates
Scoring Big in Video Poker
Poker? Slots? Arcade Games? Characterizing Video Poker
Looking at video poker machines
Distinguishing between video and traditional poker
Understanding the allure
Playing the Game
Making your bet
Stretching your bankroll
Making your best hand in one draw
Collecting your winnings
Putting Your Money on the Best Machines
Holding out for the highest payout
Comparing short-pay and full-pay machines
DOWN THE TOILET WITH A ROYAL FLUSH MYTH
Advancing to progressive machines
Playing Jacks or Better: The Best Bet for Beginners
COMBINING VIDEO POKER WITH OTHER PERKS
Adding strategy to the equation
Using a simplified strategy
Conquering the mundane hands
Sticking to the system…no matter what
Investigating Other Video Poker Games
Walking on the wild side
Multitasking with multi-game play
Exploring other video poker games
Striking the Mother Lode: Keno and Bingo
Catching On to Keno Basics
Filling out your ticket: X marks the spot
Tallying your ticket
Working your way down a card
Winning and collecting
THE ORIGIN OF KENO: AN ANCIENT CHINESE SECRET
Exploring keno variations
Cashing in later with multirace keno and keno to go
Seeing is believing with video keno
Improving Your Odds at Keno
Figuring Out the ABCs of B-I-N-G-O
Setting the scene: The cast, crew, and props
Bingo worker bees
Bingo balls
Bingo cards
Bingo markers
Playing B-I-N-G-O down the line
Spicing up cover patterns
Uncovering bigger prizes with coverall
Calling Forth Winning Bingo Strategies
Seeking the ideal bingo venue
Winning at bingo: Odds aren’t all that bad (sometimes)
DOES BINGO DRIVE YOU CRAZY?
From the Cubs to the Bears: Sports Betting
Legal Sports Betting: Coming Soon to a State Near You
Betting on a wide world of sports
Making money for the house
The sports betting market metaphor
Let’s talk vigorish
Leveling the Betting Field with Lines and Point Spreads
Setting the moneyline
Moneyline and implied probability
Defining point spread
Push ’em, hook ’em, and pick ’em
Being a total winner
Locking in the line
Early lines
Line lead times
Line movement
LAS VEGAS SPORTS CONSULTANTS: THE WIZARDS BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Derivative bets
Eyeing the exotics bets
Multiplying your fun with parlays
PLAYING CARDS, CLOSE TO HOME
Teasing your betting bone
What about ties?
Intriguing propositions
Forecasting with futures
Placing Your Bet in a Sports Book
Reading the board
Football odds on the big board
Baseball odds on the big board
Redeeming your winnings
Rounding Up Sports Betting Differences
Tackling football wagers
Slam-dunking basketball bets
Taking a swing at baseball betting
Lining up hockey wagers
Prop and multi-outcome bets
Relying on Strategic Handicapping
Handicapper Taxonomy
Taking Casino Gambling to a Different Level
More than Just the Derby: Betting on Horse Racing
Identifying Different Racing Formats
Betting in a Casino: Inside the Race Book
Understanding and Reading the Sheets
Placing Bets in the Race Book
Understanding the pari-mutuel system
Looking for pari-mutuel overlays
Sticking to straight bets
Experimenting with exotic bets
Placing your bet at the window
Winning strategies for your wagers
WAY OFF-TRACK BETTING
Picking Winners: Handicapping Basics
Digesting the race data: The Daily Racing Form
Assessing the speed factor
BEYER SPEED FIGURES
Contemplating pace
TAKING PACE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Showing a bit of class
A BIT MORE ABOUT CLASS
Claiming races
Allowance races
Stakes races
Rounding into form
Considering other factors
Trip handicapping
Gambling Online and in the Comfort of Home
Mapping the Legal Landscape
Playing at licensed online casinos
Going international with offshore casinos
Understanding How Online Casinos Work
Connecting to an online casino
Getting up to speed with practice games
Setting up an account
Paying to play
Putting it on a credit card
Paying with eChecks
Linked debit card
PayPal or Venmo
Wire Transfers
Cryptocurrency
Paying through a third-party processor
Accessing your winnings
Locating the Best (and Safest) Online Casino Games
Taking the first step: Online watchdogs
Checking out license origin
INTERNET GAME RAGE
Choosing good online casinos
Selecting the best games for Internet play
Poker: The game’s at your house
FINISHING IN THE MONEY
Video poker: No handles needed
Taking Advantage of Promos and Giveaways
The Wild World of Tournaments
Learning Tournament Basics
Tournament Structure
Event Categories
Betting on the Most Lucrative Tournaments
Taking advantage of overlays
Finding a freeroll (Who says you can’t get a free lunch?)
NBA OWNER SCORES BIG
Entering a Tournament (and Knowing What to Expect)
Playing with fixed chips
Seating yourself in the tournament section
Strategizing to Eliminate the Competition
Choosing a successful tournament strategy
Tabling a win with table game tournaments
Table game tournament quirks
Blackjack
Craps
Strategizing for table game tournaments
Soaring over the poker crowd
Tournament types
UNLIMITED REBUY
TURBO
SHOOTOUT
KNOCKOUT
DEEP-STACKS
Upping the ante with rebuys and add-ons
Playing tight in the early rounds
Creating fear among opponents
Thinning the herd
Plugging leaks in your game
Thinking twice about all-in bets
Bluffing your way to a win
Maneuvering through slot and video poker tournaments
Picking winners in sports betting contests
The Part of Tens
Ten Cool Places to Gamble
Living Large in Las Vegas
Landing on Boardwalk: Atlantic City
Touring Tahoe and Reno
Cruising the High Seas
Exploring Native American Casinos
Collecting Chips in Connecticut
Striking Gold in California
Finding Hidden Treasures in the Caribbean
Joining the Jet Set
Rolling on the River (or Lake)
Ten Ways to Score Comps
Ask and Ye Shall Receive
Learning Comp Math
Using a Players’ Card
Learning to Love Video Poker and Blackjack
Bet Low in Secret
Making the Bathroom Your Second Home
Looking Like You’re Losing
Greasing the Wheels
Never Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth
Behaving with Courtesy and Respect
Important Resources
Books, eBooks, and Magazines
Podcasts
Web Sites
Gamblers Anonymous
Index. A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
About Kevin Blackwood
About Swain Scheps
Dedication
Authors’ Acknowledgments
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
