This book is fine for the beginning dice roller, but not for those who already have some knowledge about craps. The book has a VERY GOOD discussion of the basic rules of the game, odds and the different payouts. I like the chapters on special allowance for both right and wrong betters. I still use the book to refresh my memory sometimes. Other than that, however, the playing systems are nothing great. Pass or Don't Pass with odds. Nothing new here, but a good book for those just starting out in the game of craps.

The text and elaboration on the rules of the game are great for the beginner. The "winner" part, I'm not sure of. I would investigate other books for strategy advice on craps, though I cannot advise which ones.

If you've never played before, this one is good.

Gives a simple method of playing based on mathematical explanation of odds.

I was looking for a book to actually teach me a few cons, swindles and such-like. Perhaps with cards, perhaps with coins, perhaps just with wit and clever sentence-construction. This is not what the book is about. Its entertainingly written and probably aimed at a teen reader. The first half of the book teaches you a few scams, all of which are a bit on the pants side and most aren't practical in this era. You can proably find better ones doing a 10 minute search on the 'net. The second half of the book is quite interesting. It teaches you the odds in certain casino games (there is a relatively detailed explanation of how and when to do what when playing Blackjack), roulette is also "explained", and "craps" - the dice game. You're also warned about some carnival scams (again, this material is somewhat dated). I was hoping to learn the Three Card Monte and possibly the Three Shell Game - no such luck. All that was said about these games was that you can't win, and even if you do understand how they work, and win - you'll probably get the [heck] beaten out of you. (Actually, in the little story in the book, a staple-gun is used). Give it a miss and search the net instead.

this book has a lot of very cunning tricks you can do to other people and you are guaranteed not to lose at any of them ,which leads to collecting a lot of bets.

This book is great. The guy who gave it 2 stars is misguided. The bits in this book are priceless. There are several bar bets, stunts, gambling advice and cons. The best part is that it is such a fun read. Definitely read this book some day before you die!!

IS THE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTABLE?
I bought this book back in the late 80s when I went through my gambling phase, trying horseracing and counting cards at blackjack (which btw actually works but you need to bet big money b/c the margin is so slim), among other things. I used to drive 20 minutes to buy the Daily Racing Form, come back to my house and methodically key in the race histories of the horses in that day's races, and this was back in the days of the Apple II computers when there was no Internet. I wrote a spreadsheet program (in Lotus 1-2-3, remember that?) that took the data, applied the formulas and concepts in this book, and spit out what bets I should place on each race.

Well, nowadays the Daily Racing Form has all of its data available for download in spreadsheet format so if you have some decent MS Excel skills, the number crunching process can probably be accomplished quickly in the morning, allowing ample time to get to the track (I haven't actually downloaded the DRF's data, lest I slip back into my gambling phase, which I'm happy has passed).

DID IT WORK FOR ME?
Yes it worked for me. I crunched the numbers, followed the betting rules pretty much to the letter, and overall had a positive outcome over the course of 8 to10 race cards. My rate of return (net winnings/total bets placed) was pretty low, but it was positive. The system itself is very easy to implement if you can automate the data entry and calculation part of it. If you can automate that through DRF Online, the tweaking process afterwards is pretty easy and can be done at the track. Those that can do math in their head quickly and well (and think in fifths and fractions) may actually be able to pick up a DRF at the track early and get the crunching process done in their heads. For everyone else (like me) that can't do that much math in your head (say within the 15-20 minutes between each race), the system is a little overwhelming and the principles can only serve as a guideline then.

WOULD YOU WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT?
Should you be able to "invest" money at the racetrack and expect a certain rate of return? Well, let's examine the traditional investment - stocks. You should expect a positive rate of return from the equity market (over time) because you are lending money to others who take that money and invest it in a productive process that adds value. How about card counting in blackjack? Yes, you should expect a positive return when counting cards in blackjack - the odds are slightly against you without counting cards (and following the "optimal" hit/hold strategy), but altering your betting scheme and hit/hold strategy based on face cards left in the deck has been mathematically proven by IBM mathematicians (and others after them) to allow the player to have the statistical edge on the house (see "The Worlds Greatest Blackjack Book"). So then horseracing? Races are determined by the events primarily within the power of dumb (and I mean that in the biological sense) animals, with intervening events like weather, race fixing/throwing, injury, jockey error, etc. Barring your knowledge of non-public information like a jockey's intent to throw a race, there are no theoretical or mathematical reasons why you should be able to make any money (especially not counting the house fees you are paying) betting on horses. The pari-mutuel system reflects the collective public knowledge of those betting - it's not enough to simply choose the horse that will win (or place/show), you also have to choose the horse with more consistency than your fellow bettors.

BOTTOM LINE: If you want to have more fun at the race track and have a more structured approach toward horse selection and betting, this is a great book. If you are looking for the next best handicapping strategy, please get some help at GA, really.

Simply put, this book actually does what it says. I won't go so far as to say that it is safer than the stock market. I will say that after reading this book and studying the formulas, that I had the same results (or better) when I took a vacation and spent 2 weeks actually betting at the track, than the author did during his week at the track that he describes in his book.

The book tells you how to figure out the speed, endurance and stamina of a horse to see if he has what it takes to be up at the front when the finish line comes rolling around. I have to say that even if you don't believe what he is selling, and even if you don't follow all his little rules, the major tips he gives you in this book will definitely help out the novice handicapper and make a day at the racetrack much more fun. I mean why not, winning money is more fun than losing money. Right?

My average was on $20.00 bets. I made $70.00 per day per track bet. My worst day I lost $80.00. My best day I made $700.00

Good Luck

The author's premise -- that placing bets at the horse track can be as reliable as investing in the stock market -- may be a bit hard to swallow at first... but handicapper William Scott makes the concept appear quite plausible. Scott shows a refreshing willingness to break with established traditions as he provides the racegoer with a well-explained handicapping method that attempts to remove "luck" from the equation.

Readers new to racing will gain valuable insights into the science and art of the sport, while experienced bettors will appreciate the fresh perspective on the "accepted" methods of rating horses and their past performances.

The methods detailed in the first half of the book are explained in easy-to-follow detail, supplimented by charts reprinted from various regional editions of the bible of the racing industry, the "Daily Racing Form." While the examples and calculations are explained in easy-to-understand terms, Scott never talks down to his audience -- even the experienced horseman won't be bored. The last half of the book, which shows Scott's methods in use in each race over a typical week at Belmont, serves to cement the lessons learned.

Experienced handicappers may shudder at some of Scott's play-it-safe suggestions, and businesspeople with their 401(k) statements may roll their eyes at the idea of blowing money on the ponies, but both should put "Investing at the Racetrack" to the test. After all... it's only money...

For those of us who long to win the lottery and to prove wrong those who say money can't bring happiness, The Luck of the Draw will disappoint.

I waited a long time for this book to arrive at my local bookstore, almost as long as I've been waiting to hit a lottery jackpot. (That still hasn't happened.) I was disappointed when I finally sat down to read it. The authors jump from story to story within paragraphs, many starting with "So-and-so of Middle of Nowhere, Kansas, found out that what glitters isn't always gold." Rarely do they go in-depth into what it is really like to win a lottery. They interviewed many winners, it seems, but haven't been told much beyond the moment the winners discover they've won the jackpot and pick up their tickets. Most of the people who win lotteries do the same thing with their earnings: buy a new car, a new house, settle debts, go on a trip. Then they disappear from sight. Who cares! Buy lottery tickets instead of this book -- you'll be happier even if none of the tickets is a winner.

I've always been interested in what it would be like to be a millionaire. Well now I know. Lottery winners aren't always REAL winners, some are wieners. But it is the writing of Gudgeon and Stewart that really made this book an enjoyable read for anyone. Few writers (think Dave Barry) possess the combination of razor wit and warm humour like Gudgeon and Stewart. This book is like a lottery ticket - you can't win if you don't have it.

A fast, funny read that told me everything I wanted to know about lotteries, their winners and losers - and then some. Part history, part comedy, this book was always entertaining and engaging. A great gift for anyone who plays the lottery or who just enjoys a good, easy read.

This book is a great read. It is not a book for a serious player but is pleasurable for the casual player. For the price anybody should read it.

The cover of the book makes this book look like trash. This is unfortunate because the book is not so bad at all. If you just want to get some quick advice about Poker and not get into the serious studying then this is a good book for you. Also, if you are just looking to pick up a decent afternoon's read about Poker ' go ahead and read the book. This book was never meant to be to sharpen the skills of the already experienced Poker player ' it's just a small booklet for the average Joe. It gives you the basics and a little bit beyond.

There is just one segment in the book that some may find confusing. The author states that in some Hoyle books straights don't count in 5-card stud. The author says that the reason for this rule is obvious because "in 5-card stud straights are often result of accident or of bad play." He says this but does not elaborate. I can see how some novice players may find this confusing. Why would straights in 5-card stud be results of accident or of bad play? Although the author does not explain it ' this is because in order to get a straight a player must play a hand that should be considered junk. In other words, any good player would fold a hand that may lead to a straight because if a player plays the odds then the odds are against him/her. Therefore only players who leave too much to chance would ever go through all the betting rounds to get a straight. Tight players would consider this foolish gambling and not smart play. Again, the author did not explain this at all.

If you're a big fan of the original TV seris from the (1957-61 staring James Garner and Jack Kelley) you'll love the book. (The book, BTW, was written in the early 60's to capitalize on the success of the original TV show, not the silly Mel Gibson movie in 1994 or the various TV sequels staring Charles Frank or James Garner again.) Like the original seris, the book is very entertaining and offers a cornicopia of wisdom and lessons that can be applied not just to Poker, but to Life (Relationships, Women, and Work-lot better than recent pop psychology junk now writtem). One of my favorite quotes from the book is "My pappy always said you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time. Those are pretty good odds!"

Book's also great for the novice poker player, but not really for serious or exerienced players.

I wasn't thrilled with this book. I know it's a compilation of articles published individually, but they didn't hold together well as a whole.

I've packed my books away for a move, so i can't tell you exacty what it is, but seem to remember the same phrase in nearly EVERY piece and almost the same exact paragraph over and over. I got sick of it after a while. Perhaps my focus on hold 'em biases me, though. Overall, Mr. Malmuth knows much more than i do about playing poker in a casino and i respect his ideas for that at the very least.

It was a great book and contained much informational essays.

Mason Malmuth in Poker Essays I and Poker Essays II provides the most direct and relevant general information on playing poker. Having played casino poker for a decade and having read and reread most of the poker literature I feel that Malmuth provides the most credible material. The information in both of these books is general, covering all aspects of poker. If you are interested in the world of poker then these books should be part of your global reference. (These books are a reedited collection of magazine columns.)

For the beginning player, this book may not be a bad choice, because it contains charts for different rule variations of the game. Also, basic counting strategies. For the serious player I would recommend Lawrence Revere or Ken Usted. The strategies in this book wouldn't hurt a casual player though, who doesn't have time or desire to invest in learning a professional level system.

If you want to give card counting a try in Atlantic City, you can play well enough to scare the casinos after reading this book (and practicing). Even if you don't want to count, the basic strategy charts make this book worth purchasing. If you play like most people I see in Atlantic City, it will pay for itself in your first 10 minutes at the table. I've never played in Vegas so I can only recommend it for the Atlantic City game.

Ive purchased this book over a year ago and it has done wonders for my play at BlackJack.It's a simple system that makes sense for every logical move and straight to the point.And it works.My last trip out to Atlantic city at the Trump Taj Mahal I started with $200 at the beginning of the shoe.. Was me and the dealer one on one in a multiple deck game since there is a no midshoe entry rule at the Taj.Half hour later at the end of the shoe I walked away with $1,300 for a profit of $1,100.You dont need a complicated "professional" system to be one up on the game and casinos'.Anyone who wants to learn the game and not spend alot of money on "complicated professional systems" that are usualy not proven to be consistent winning strategies and want to learn a winning system should buy this book.I highly recommend buying and reading this book.

In the book they're calling "Gaming's New Bible of Direct Selling," John reveals the persuasive sales tactics he uses to find casino players and keep them coming back. He analyzes slot clubs, casino floor promotions, local markets, advertising, hosts, tournaments, inactives, testing, and dozens of other marketing tactics. A must-read for every casino marketer. ...

John's writing is light & entertaining while being VERY educational. There is so much highlighter in my Casino Marketing book that you'd think it was printed in color. I have a copy of his second book, Secrets of Casino Marketing, but haven't gotten to it yet...seems as though I can't put down his first one!

I regulate an Indian casino in California and I am always looking for written material on the subject. This book has a section about Nevada Gaming Control, and a section on Indian Gaming Commissions. It has a good flow chart for the licensing process. Its good for anybody aspiring to be a casino operations manager too. Did you know that Nevada prohibited gaming three times in its history as a state? It will be required reading for new members to out regulatory team. Let me know of any other good and current casino books or training.

Lenny Powell.

Jim Kilby was one of my professors when I attended UNLV. His extensive knowledge and experience in the gaming industry makes him one of the best resources for anyone in the gaming business. This book will provide you with a solid foundation in gaming. A must have for anyone in the business.

An excellent book that goes in depth(and I do mean IN DEPTH!) into cheating methods used by crossroaders in casinos. For the serious player, this is a good read, as it contains some "legal" methods of advantage play as well. For anyone else, its just a very interesting book. If you enjoy gambling and casino life, you will probably enjoy this book as well.

good book looking at bending and breaking the rules of 21 by altering ones cards and/or money. techniques from the basic to the outrageous. worth a read by any serious player if only to see how others take money off the house.