I purchased this book while attending a wedding in Las Vegas. I saw it in the hotel gift shop and did the touristy thing-- I bought a book about gambling in Las Vegas. I'm glad I did.

Silberstang has written an easy to follow primer on the most common gambling games that you will find in a casino. His book covers the classic table games-blackjack, craps, roulette (both American and European versions), baccarat, and keno. He also explores recent casino additions-Caribbean Poker, Let It Ride, and video poker. Slot machines, casino operation, and credit are even discussed.

Unlike some of the drivel I have read about gambling, Silberstang dispels some of the myths associated with gambling "systems." He clearly explains the games with examples, and gives the odds and demonstrates which bets favor the house (and by how much).

This was an interesting and enlightening read.

This book is explained in a way that even a trained monkey can undestand it. The secret to winning on any gambling game is "money managment". Silbertstang goes into much detail on how to accomplish this as well as other critical factors that could make you a winner. Don't go to Vegas without taking this book with you.

I bought this book because I wanted to learn how to play table games in casinos for recreation. After buying, reading and returning many other books on gambling, I realized that this is the only gambling book one needs. Silberstang covers game rules in detail, plus he clearly makes his point: all casino games have a house edge, which can't be overcome. Therefore to win, you can only choose games and bets with the smallest house advantage: blackjack, craps and baccarat. He provides solid strategies on how to play these games to minimize the impact of the house edge and take advantage of winning situations. Finally he explores the topic of money management in great detail and provides the most important advise: leave a winner.

My only complaint is that the book is a little outdated: it's nearly impossible to find single-deck blackjack in casinos. Additionally I learned that some variations of Video Poker can give a player an edge with perfect play, however the author doesn't cover these variations of the game.

I think that this book will help you find a game and a strategy, which best suits your playing style. I personally like his aggressive craps strategy for wrong bettors, although I think the strategy can be made more concervative by placing hedge pass bets without odds each time.

The suggestions in this book could be used effectively at mini baccarat,if the casino does not burn a card after the end of every deal like they do at some asian casinos. Also, there is the shuffling machine barrier to deal with which is difficult to figure out.
You may have the best strategies but if the casinos do their very best to minimise card counters and people who shuffle spook then a totally different approach to the game is neccessary if you want to get a better fighting chance at the tables.

This is probably the best book on Baccarat, and I preciously keep my copy for reference. John May's mastery of all historical, social and quantitative aspects of the game is remarkable. My only complaint is that the author tends to get carried away when he suggests "winning" strategies. Don't expect to find a practical way of making money in this book: unfortunately, a baccarat deck is much more stable than a blackjack deck. Still, if someone ever finds a winning strategy for baccarat, he will probably have read this book.

Finally, a very minor point: there is a small mistake in the description of the rules of Baccarat Banque... although since Baccarat Banque is hardly ever played today it does not really matter.

This is by far the best of 3 books I've read on Baccarat. I find it hard to believe that another book would have any more to add. The counting system is difficult (to perform, not to understand) but mathematically viable.

Avoid John Patrick's book at all costs.

The positives:
-Very original idea
-I like the set-up of the book, especially how it read just like a diary - as the name implies
-While someone mentioned that it read like a financial report, I feel that this was a very important aspect of the book. Kudos to Perry for including and tracking every cent
-This is a quick, light read - a perfect choice, especially for this subject
-He knows the book's subject - and he knows it well
-It's not like other gambling-related books - he doesn't try to sugarcoat anything or brag about wins. He's very honest and sincere
-Simply, it's interesting

The negatives:
-Perry's writing just isn't that compelling
-His random opinions on the NBA and sports betting read like "filler" and, to me, served no real purpose
-I noticed quite a few grammatical errors and printing errors
-Even though it's nonfiction, I expected a more dramatic ending. The books seems to just suddenly end.

All in all, it's a pretty good read. If you're into blackjack (or just Vegas in general), you'll really take a liking to it.

This is a great book. You really are at the table with the author, and wonder what he has been doing since. The anticipation and preperation for the trip even made me feel a little nervous when he went to the Golden Nugget for his first session.
I personally liked the asides. He does a good job of conveying the isolation he feels at times. It makes me want to try the Golden Nugget buffet next time I'm in Vegas...and stay away from the Barbary Coast or Plaza casinos. You would have to be interested in blackjack to like all the book, but someone who has never gambled in thier life would enjoy most of it.

You've read Stanford Wong, Arnold Snyder, Don Schlesinger, and all the other great stuff about how to beat the game and you have learnt how to count cards, maybe you can count down a deck to less than 30 seconds. You have gone to the casinos and put your knowledge to work, to practice and at the same time hope to make a few bucks at the end of you trips. And you know what, you got burnt many times, especially during the positive counts.
That is what happened to me. At first, I wonder if I did something wrong until I read Stuart's diary. This book is must have addition to your BJ library, Stuart's real life experience, and especially his honesty put our BJ theory to practice. A 4 stars for his writings and 5 stars for practical side of BJ.

Tina Trapp herself learns how to play craps, and then for a full year she learns more and more and eventually becomes an expert player. It doesnt happen overnight. I learned all about craps from this book, plus parts are funny and it is easy to read. There are a lot of "adult" parts too so this not a kid's book, but the main emphasis is on craps. It takes place in Las Vegas and is very realistic, who knows, it might have really happened. Later on in the book she goes into advanced systems which were pretty interesting. The plot was interesting too and it had a happy ending as well.

Really informative.....opened up the complex game of craps and
I actually understood it......great book!

If like me, you love the game of craps, then you will want this book. Tina tells you all about her life as a Vegas "Lady of the Night" and about learning to play craps. Follow along as she goes from a callgirl to business woman. Along the way Tina passes along lessons learned at the craps table. Some interesting and profitable systems are laid out for you. This book does have adult content so be warned.

I was a winner with this book. Yes, I loss some money at the tables, but I did come out ahead on two out of three sessions at 3 different casinos. When I didn't follow the book to the letter I got hammered. When I followed the rules I won. I don't think I would have made the money I did without this book. It's worth the 29 bucks. I made that back 20 times over.

If you want to learn a proven method of winning at craps, then I recommend this manual. It contains a complete step-by-step set of instructions that make learning how to win easy, even if you have never played the game.

I had not played craps prior to reading "Advantage Craps." I am now able to win between $300 and $500 per day betting small. If you want to learn how to play the game correctly and make a lot of money playing, then you must purchase this manual.

I also liked the ...free coupons I got with the book. This makes this book the bargain of the year. Before you risk a dime in any casino, buy this book, try this system and prosper!

If you want to put a lot of money in your pocket fast, this system is for you. The author claims it wins over 90% of the time, and I have verified these results. I am winning over 91% of my sessions and chuckling all the way to the bank!

The system produces consistent winning sessions with infrequent losses. I also play blackjack and poker, and without a doubt I am making more money at the crap tables using the Advantage Craps strategy than I ever did at blackjack or even poker.

I know this flies in the face of conventional thinking that a game of chance can't be beaten. That is what I believed too before experiencing the power of this system.

If you really want to beat the casinos, here is your chance. I give Advantage Craps my highest endorsement!

This book was recommended to my by an owner of a gambling supply store. Mr. Renzey covers it all with advice for skill levels from novice to expert. He backs-up his system with millions of computer-simulated hands of blackjack that he did, rather than soley relying on the works of others. I have gotten rid of several other blackjack books, and kept "Blackjack Bluebook" as my guide.

I've read Renzey in various magazine and internet articles on blackjack and liked his clear style and logical approach. His book is in the same vein. I've played, studied and read blackjack for fifteen years. This manual is direct, honest and expressive. It can take the place of six other blackjack books as far as I'm concerned. Does a convincing job explaining why bad players have no detrimental effect on others, why No-Mid-Shoe Entry signs are pure nonsense, why betting progressions end up being useless and why high cards are so valuable to the player. Gets you to concentrate on the stuff that matters which is playing your hands and making your bets according to your odds. To make it easier to remember sticky points, Renzey coins catchy terms such as "the Rule of 9" for doubling down with soft hands, etc. His explanation of how and why you should adjust your play with certain borderline hands is something I haven't seen anywhere else, yet is very thorough and convincing. The book contains a true beginner's card counting system that follows only select key cards and lets you upgrade it from there. His high level Mentor Count in the last chapter is a bit strong for me, but after three complete reads, I like this book a lot.

I've read a dozen books on blackjack and never got past the basic strategy chart. This book explains things beyond basic strategy in such a logical manner that my mind opened up to the game. Now I understand what all the gibberish is about in other technical books on advanced blackjack strategy. Fred Renzey has a way with words. Darn good book!

Having read several books on craps, I bought this book based on the reviews of other players. My advice would be to save your money for the tables.

The author's book is 80 pages long, but he says nothing of importance. Most of the pages contain very few words, and are mostly white space. He described his method as innovative, but perhaps because I read the book in 15 minutes, I missed it. He says that the pass/don't pass bets are "horrendous wagers" along with odds, come/don't come bets (page 60). Reader, tell me where I am wrong, but isn't the smallest house edge in the game on the pass/don't pass bets? And isn't the best bet in the house the odds on a come or don't come bet, where you receive the true odds on your wager?

You would do well to avoid this book at all costs.

Anyone who is serious about playing craps should read this book. I would especially recommend this book to new players and anyone who has never played before but is considering playing craps. After reading this book, you will know more about craps than 90% of the players. Only 1% of long-term craps players are winners. This book will definitely help to put anyone in that 1% group.

If you want to "cut the crap" out of your craps this is the book to do it, "Now you can WIN at craps" the book says, and its true. It tells you what the really bad bets are (and why) like PASS AND COME BETS, the bets all the other gambling authors say to make - these are BAD BETS and he tells you exactly why! He tells you the BEST bets (and why) AND taught me how to chart the tables! PLus there is a real interesting chapter on eighteen ways to win but only 6 ways to lose! As I said before a lot of good info is packed into this book - if you want to read something different from the rest, study and apply what he says - and you will cut the crap out of your craps!

Book informed me of a few things I wasn't aware of but didn't much cover the small Indian casinos prevalent in our area which is all we play in. Would possible be O.K. for anyone that travels around some.

The way that this book is set up is that the author gives you a series of questions, and then the answers. Personally I did not care for this format. Part of the problem is that by the time you get to the answers, it is easy to have forgotten the exact wording of the questions. I think that it is ok to have a quiz after the information is presented, like some of the Dummies and Idiots books might do, but I did not care for the quiz first format. If you know NOTHING about slots, this is not a good first book to read.

Some of the chapters were more interesting than others, and more useful. I did not really care for some of the chapters about the different manufacturers of the machines, and thought that it was pretty difficult to take a quiz on this information.

Many of the themes are repeated over and over, such as how the machine is random. Sometimes this becomes a dead horse that is beaten. I know there are a lot of misconceptions about slot machines, so maybe this is neccessary.

Overall a good book, but I preferred Break the one-armed bandits better. Perhaps that is because I read "Break" first, and it was such a ground breaker. This book even quotes "Break" a few times.

I have to disagree with the previous reviewer ... a book doesn't get any easier to follow than this one. The start of each answer paraphrases the question. You can easily browse through, reading the answers as a series of essays on slots, without ever taking the quizzes. To me, breaking down the volume of information into short, digestible essays makes this one of the most user-friendly books on slots around. It goes beyond Break the One-Armed Bandits with information on video slots and slot clubs. Definitely a must for slot players.

This is a classic of poker literature, it's true, but I think it's overrated and ranks way down the list of essentials. There are at least 20 other poker books I would recommend before it. The problem is that applying the book's concepts is really a very nebulous business.

Caro's Book of Tells is essential to cracking a tough game.

Mike Caro gives the reader an excellent insight into the psychology of poker and explains the meaning of opponents' actions and verbals. He unlocks the secrets to reading opponents perfectly and helps the reader understand how to remain "tell-less" when he/she is the one in the hot-seat.

If you sit in an easy game, this book will transform you from being a consciencious winner to being a consistantly massive winner. This is no exaggeration!
Also, if you sit in a tough game, Caro will give you a huge edge over those who haven't read the Book of Tells, and hence your profits will soar.

One reviewer has claimed that the book is too expensive for its merits...rubbish: Anyone who reads the Book of Tells will earn back the cost price in their first hour at the tables after reading it: I certainly did.

Caro's Book of Tells is essential reading for anyone attempting to achieve poker supremacy.
It is a literary Goldmine that no player should be without.

I use this book when I teach body language--kinesics. Any people watcher will love it and it is so true. Read it to keep from flashing your own tells.....johnnyhughes.com

This is a fair book, but it is not near as good as Peter O. Steiner's "Thursday Night Poker." Andy Nelson's book can't decide whether it is for beginners or advanced, so it tries to fit advanced technique into too short of space. It barely scratches the surface of any of the topics it brings up. When it doesn't do that, it simply says, "Play so tight that you don't even have to think. Fold 99% of your hands." That does not make for a fun night, in my opinion.

I have recently left the arena of recreational poker player in home games and low-limit casino poker. I have moved up a notch and have become what I call a semi-pro poker player. An important book that helped me immensly was this book (and others) by Andy Nelson. This WINNER'S GUIDE gave me basics. It is filled with solid advice and information on how poker should be played. It describes the games usually played in today's world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is beginning and wants to improve. By the way, it makes an excellent gift to a spouse or friend who wants to make money playing poker.

Along with most of the other reviews on here, I agree that this is a great beginners book. It doesn't get too much into detail about higher limit games, but beginners don't need to worry about that yet. It does a great job of explaining different types of major poker games. It also tells you a key aspect of the game that I think it equally as important as knowing the game, and that's self control and money management. The glossary in the back is also useful. The only down side to this book is it doesn't get into great detail on betting structure. When I first read this book, I noticed the most popular low limit game fo Texas Hold 'Em (1-4-8-8), is not really talk about. Overall, if you are new to the game of Poker, and want to learn the essentials, GET THIS BOOK!