I read this book with an open mind - my only prior knowledge of Steve Wynn was that he was the guy that built the Mirage, Treasure Island and Bellagio - the Mirage having ushered in the new era of modern luxury casino hotels in Vegas, and the $1.6 billion dollar Bellagio having upped the ante.
That said, I can see why Steve Wynn fought so hard to prevent this book from being released. Wynn sued the the original publisher and apparently helped force it into bankruptcy.
Any reader of this book will likely come away believing that:
1) Wynn rubbed elbows with mob figures, and may have served as a front man in some of his early dealings, before he accrued enough juice on his own,
2) Wynn leveraged his money-making capacity into a large measure of control over the local and state government and judiciary,
3) Wynn is an egomaniac,
4) Wynn kicks puppies....
You get the idea. Although the book makes a fair attempt at biography, its real purpose is to be an expose'. After 350 pages, it has the effect of beating a dead horse.
Wynn may indeed be all of those things, and certainly some of the things he's accused of could result in the loss of his Gaming License - although it seems Nevada is far too invested in him to ever let that happen. I wish there was a more balanced, well-rounded account of Steve Wynn's story out there.

This book really needed to be written. It's well-documented, impeccably researched, and it's about time somebody stood up to the mighty Steve Wynn and the gambling industry. Where else but Nevada can Wynn and Governor Bob Miller state, in the libel trial on this book, that they recently spent the weekend with Michael Milken, a convicted felon, without anyone taking notice? Book readers, take note! Wynn is placing all his finances into stopping this book from printing. He has already put the publisher of this book out of business. The First Amendment must prevail, and all of us must be vigilant so we don't lose those rights to write and/or read what we please.

Contrary to your notice, this book is in print and has been since early October 1995. The book is a quick read and tells a compelling story about the rise of Wynn in the gaming industry. It's tought but fair in its description of him as a creative guy who also is a ruthless business man capable of overcoming many law enforcement investigations of his business and personal life. The author also is under fire in Las Vegas for daring to write about the most powerful man in Nevada.

Among serious poker players, this book is a total joke.

Its incomplete or wrong on all aspects of the game, bar none.

The good news is that Lee Jones, Lou Krieger, and Roy West have written excellent beginners books on poker, available here on Amazon.com.

This book serves a specific purpose: to give you some kind of transition guide from your home games to the games in the casino. IT IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS. Nor is it the only book on poker that you should read before making the jump. But, if you are serious about winning, it is a must. This is because there are few books out there that address the fact that losing is a reality. Many of the acknowledged experts claim that, in theory, they always play winning poker. Well, next time you lose at a session, try going to the bar and ordering a drink with empty pockets. No, really, tell the bar-tender that you will pay (and tip) in theory. This book stresses money management and a disciplined, logical approach to playing while you learn the ins and outs of the casino style of play. Take it from an experienced gambler and casino poker player, you will not find all you need to know if you read all of the books combined, let alone one. You must play- and buy the other good books too. And this siily problem that people are having with the practice of taking chips off of the table. What a waste to wine about such trivial things. Just set the chips to the side or ask for a color change. We casino players love to play in Gardena because there are so many people there who don't focus on what's important at a poker table. Buy Mr. Patrick's book and learn some important concepts concerning the reason to play poker: to win.

I completely disagree with the negative comments from previous reviewers. Patrick stresses discipline and money management. One reviewer says "you can't take your money off the table" This is a petty comment if I ever heard it. So you ask for a color change--big deal! The main thing Patrick stresses is 1)don't chase, at the first sign of strength from the other player, get the hell out! 2)be aggressive when you need to, get out when you need to. He outlines knowledge of the game, money management, bankroll and discipline and also talks about tells and logic. Most players don't know when to quit when they are winning and likewise when they are losing. Patrick gives good insight into that, also. If you are a professional or a high-stakes player that remembers every card on the table, is an expert on odds and has a bankroll of a couple of thousand, maybe this book is not for you (but it probably is). If, however, you love the game so much you just don't want to quit it but you have been having too many losing sessions, this book is DEFINITELY for you! As I look back on my poker sessions, the times I have lost big are the times I forgot about Patrick's advise and started chasing and hoping! I would much rather win a few bucks each session. As for you poker snobs who think Patrick doesn't have anything to say, keep on hoping!

Not only is this book awful for it's smarmy tone, it also contains misinformation in certain areas. Get John May's book instead (ISBN: 0818406046).

I am a borderline bibliophile, and in the rare cases when I get rid of books (usually because of duplicate copies), I donate them to the local library. This is the only book I have thrown away, because I did not want to be responsible for someone borrowing it from the library and taking it's information as true.

John Patrick continues his misleading statements and his misuse of the word Win. This book does not overcome basic mathematics and the player disadvantage built into the game. Save your money and don't buy it; better yet, save even more money and don't play Baccarat.

Let's face it. Casinos are tough to beat. Yet every book makes it sound so easy. They go into some strategy, tell a few stories about episodes at the tables all while giving the reader false confidence that costs real money. These books rarely delve into the most grossly under-represented aspect of gambling: the loss. Not the case when it comes to books written by John Patrick. Patrick addresses losses for what they are: a sad reality. Truth is that losing and losing sessions are one half of the game. How will you handle that loss? The seasoned gambler knows that all of the table games are tough to beat. This tough player knows that the "secret" to winning is catching the streak. How does the veteran do this? How can you do it? Get this book and learn the fundamentals. The rest is up to you.

"Playing Roulette As A Business", basically outlines a negative betting progression, similar to martingale type systems. The Author Claims, that his specific wheel number's, when bet in his recommended manner, will outperform actual probability, due to thier positon's on the wheel. If indeed, these numbers did hit as often as the author suggest's, you would not need a betting progression to gain an edge. "If" this were the case, these magic numbers could be printed and sold on an index card, and there would be no need to waste an entire book on the subject. That is what this book is an "Entire Waste"!

I was very excited at the prospect of this innovative system and
did very well at first. I had around a dozen winning sessions that averaged a $50-100 profit. The only downside was it took
FOREVER to make $$$. At least one hour to make $50 and 2+ to make
$100. A few times the wheel wasn't going my way and I got out
after breaking even. No losing sessions! I thought I had struck
gold and had crazy ideas about quitting my job, moving to Vegas,
and becoming a professional. A dream come true.

A few months later I went back to Vegas with a substantial bankroll to see if playing roulette full time would actually work. Total disaster. I should have known it was too good to be
true. No winning sessions, my numbers and the 0/00 were far and
in between. Either I was getting hammered or it took a few hours
just to break even. Many times I would check the electronic counter before playing, the numbers were hitting fairly often but as soon as I sit down- 8 losses in a row. It seemed like there was something funny going on but the luck I had
early on just disappeared. It could also be that every dealer has
a unique method of spinning the ball and it tends to land in certain areas more than others. Some dealers claim the ability to
have the ball land in an area of their choosing. Perhaps a good reason to be courteous and tip them.

And this system is NOT a relaxing way to gamble. Losing 7 in a row, pressing it up to $300, hoping the dreaded 8th loss doesn't
happen is very stressfull indeed. Fortunately, there was never 9
losses in a row but I'm never going through that hell again. Not
to mention the pitboss eyeballing you and the cocktail waitresses
ignoring you because you're spending ALOT more time at the table
than your average player who gets knocked out in no time.

I love the system in this book, and use it whenever I'm in Vegas or Reno. You can remember the system easily, and the simplicity of it turns a dangerous losing game into a relaxing and fun game. Half the fun of the system is watching other people come and go, dropping hundreds of dollars, while you stay for hours and enjoy free drinks. The system delivers on at least one of its goals, which is to avoid losing money. You cover slightly less than half the wheel, your bet wins slightly more than even money, you win when zero or double-zero come up (an important part of enjoying the game), and the argument about the consecutive nature of the numbers has validity if you consider that the wheel and the ball are not perfect, so the numbers that come up over time are not perfectly random.

I browsed through this book at the local bookstore. All I can say is don't take any pointers from this guy. He says before placing bets on "any craps", you should wait until the die hasn't produced craps for atleast 18 rolls???? He says after this the probability of any craps showing is 88 %. What is this all about? The truth is the odds of rolling craps is the same (11 %) regardless of how many times it's been rolled in the past. If you already own this book, I suggest you take your loss and throw it away.

This is the first review I have written on Amazon. I felt compelled to write this to keep unsuspecting people from purchasing this book. I do not know the author, I am not an author, and I have no interests in whether this book does well or not. I am simply giving my opinion.

Simply put, my problem with this book is that it is full of incorrect statements and poor advice which completely ignores probability theory. For example, on roulette, Mr. Svoboda actually says, "The house will always have a 5.26% edge, but you can increase your winning probabilities by playing it smart." What?!? When I read that, I knew he had a very weak grasp of probability theory. It is impossible to change the odds in roulette; they are fixed. You are always at a 5.26% disadvantage, no matter what your betting strategy is. Period. I suggest you run away from any book that asserts otherwise.

The surprising thing is that in several parts of the book, Mr. Svoboda agrees that the casino has an advantage over the player in the long run. However, to overcome this, he recommends that players play in the short run! I couldn't believe that an engineer, and someone who supposedly understands mathematics and probability, would actually write such completely incorrect information. True, in the short run you may win, but odds are that you will lose. The percentage disadvantage you face does not change.

Over and over, Mr. Svoboda asserts that his strategies increase your chances of winning. How can you increase your chances of winning if the odds against you are fixed? For example, after several pages of detailed and complex tables and charts, Mr. Svoboda admits that his craps betting strategy gives the house a 2% advantage. Yet he still advocates following his strategy, saying that you just need to know when to walk away when ahead. What he fails to mention is that you will be behind more often than you will be ahead.

In games of chance and independent trials (such as craps, roulette and keno, to name a few), the house has a fixed percentage advantage over the player. This is a proven mathematical fact. There are no betting systems or strategies whish can change this percentage advantage. The only thing a player may do is bet slowly and bet the minimums in order to decrease the rate at which he loses. Gambling at these types of games should be viewed as paying for entertainment, not investing, as Mr. Svoboda suggests.

Casinos love people with systems. Why do you think companies choose to spend $1 billion to build a new casino? Because they know that system betters will come in and lose more than that. Casinos exist because they make money for their owners. I had thought that with the advanced level of gaming theory available today, that books which advocated incorrect probability theory would become a thing of the past. Then I read Mr. Svoboda's book and realized I was wrong.

On the plus side, the book does clearly state the rules of the games and the odds of winning. It has very pretty and colorful charts and tables. As a rule book, it is very good. However, as a strategy guide, you are much better off ignoring this book. Mr. Svoboda's assertion that "this book will help you learn how to level the playing field...and gain a return on your investment" is false. This book does not tell you how to even the odds against the house. The only return on investment you will get by following the advice in this book is negative.

Beating The Casinos At Their Own Game is a book you should consider if you'd like some help playing at the casinos. It's a well, written and nicely illustrated 278-page gambling guide with instructions for most of the games you'll find at any casino. The author, Peter Svoboda, knows his math because he has the credentials: a degree in both mechanical and civil engineering.

You'll find casino basics in chapters 1 and 2 including some history, odds of winning and losing, what the casinos do to get you there, the house advantage, advice on managing your money and when to quit. And if you have a gambling problem, Peter will direct you to the right place. Chapters 3 through 13 list rules of the ten most popular casino games, with playing strategies and some betting systems you can try. The illustrations will help you learn the games and the math listed will explain the odds and probabilities of winning.

Peter includes some known strategies for Craps, Roulette and Baccarat. So, if you're inexperienced at any of these games, you can take an expert with you to the casino. Peter also presents some of his own winning systems.

If you've never been to a casino, but think you might want to try some of the games offered, I'd recommend studying this book before you enter. It has all the basic playing information you'll need to improve your chances of winning...

I found nothing in this book that would help me, a newcomer to betting on horses, make an intelligent decision at the track. I'd prefer to give it less than a star. I will continue to search for a good book that will give me the information I need.

A fun read with little or no information about the gaming aspects of this exciting sport. Railbirds and lifetime fans will learn quite a bit about the sport and the athletes (both equine and human), while being shortchanged on the wagering aspects of the game. Look elsewhere if your interest lies in the wagering aspects of horseracing.

This is a great guide for all the new fans , as well a back to basics refresher manual for the oldtimers. It is quite comprehensive starting from first step up to including methods or systems for selection of winning horses. Just one system in the book may pay for it, with the first bet.

Geoff, very bad form to give your own book a good rating. Worse still to attack someone who spent money on it.

The book is supposed to be about Internet gambling, yet you only mention seven casino sites and even then only in passing. (pgs 72, 73) You also say that they "pass muster with the watchdogs" but one of those seven is Golden Palace - very well know by the 'watchdogs' as having seized thousands of dollars of players monies with no recourse.

About a third of the book is devoted to British horse and dog racing sites. Not very useful to the majority of gamblers on the Internet who are looking for casinos.

There is nothing - nothing - in the book that cannot be had for free on the Internet at any number of sites. Just because I wasted my money on it doesn't mean that others have to suffer the same fate.

And, if the book has been so well received in the gambling community, then why aren't there any positive reviews? (other than your own, of course). I could have written the book in a weekend, as I'm sure you did also. It is not completely without merit, but for anyone who is serious about learning Internet gambling, they would do better elsewhere. You should try again and put more thought/effort into it. There is a need for one other decent book besides Bill Haywood's offering.

A very short, out-of-date and overpriced book that offers little information. It lists a number of sites and screenshots and that's about it. Very oriented to a British audience.

I'm the author and I was a little surprised by the negative comments of Kevin Deane, so I checked him out to try to find an explanation. His comments are bizarre, as if he hasn't really read the book. The sites are the most up-to-date available for a book, so I don't understand the previous comments. There are very extensive chapters on gambling skills, consumer safety, and handicapping, among many other topics -- not just a few sites and screen shots . It's interesting that Kevin Deane is a widely known "peacenick / activist" who frequently travels internationally, so it's pretty odd he would fault an international perspective in this book. The book has been well received in the gambling community itself, judging from comments online about it.

Dreadful advice coupled with lousy pop psychology and too much fluff. The author crams 10 games into one tiny book and gives them all short shrift. This book will wind up costing you far more than the cover price.

After reading this book I didn't get even one thing out of it. there are much better books out there try the others.

After watching the recent movie "Rounders" I was inspired to take up and learn poker. This book gives full rules, how-to-play instructions, and good strategy for ten different games. It also includes general definitions and poker information, a glossary of terms, and insight into bluffing and psychological aspects of the game. After an hour of reading up on Texas Hold'em I ended up tripling my profit on my first home six hour session.

This won't help you land a job one bit. A host job? He says he can help you get a host job? You're better off saving the $20 you spent on this book and sticking it on 17 black and letting it ride 5 times. Than the casino would owe you so much money, you won't need a job!

This book has some useful information on subjects like training, job interviews and etiquette. The majority of the book, however, is padded with anecdotes about things that have happened to the author or other casino workers on the job. For the most part, the book was not helpful and I have found better information on the net.

How to Get a Casino Job is a useful book on breaking in to the casino business. It covers the entrance requirements, schools and starting casinos in different places, including cruise ships. Its only weakness is a lack of information on the day to day aspects of casino work (after you get the job). If you want to get a casino job you should probably buy this book.

Imagine a crime book without any compelling characters, snappy dialogue, or surprising plot twists and you should get a pretty good picture of 'Kill the Boss'. Dry, detached, and plodding, this 125-page novel drags on in a monotonous tone that really got on my nerves. I ended up forcing myself to finish the book.

This crime novel has quite a reputation among hardboiled aficianados, but I'm not sure I see why. We follow Fell, a gambling boss, as he checks himself out of a mental sanitarium, regains the power he was in danger of losing, and then goes over the top into manic psychosis. Kill is well-written and believable, but it's not very entertaining, or even very interesting. Part of the problem, I think, is the cold, clinical tone -- it feels more like a psychiatric case study than a novel. The other part of the problem is that there's no one to root for in the book: we never care about Fell, so ultimately we don't care what happens to him. That could have been dealt with if the book was more racy/lurid -- one would read on just to have one's sensibilities shocked -- but this is so quiet, it only manages to inspire indifference. Don't bother hunting this one down, and don't believe the hype.

I beg to differ with the other reviewers. The book is clinical, that part is true, but I definitely wouldn't call it cold, or monotonous for that matter. More like minimalist.

The novel is intelligent, poignant and, in it's own way, moving. What Rabe does is to acknowledge the hard-boiled cliches that are expected of him, strip most of them away, as they would have otherwise stood in the way of him telling the story, and then use what is left of the gangster novel/roman noir vernacular to communicate directly with the reader in the clearest and most succint way imaginable. That way lies transcendence.