| Foreword | xxi |
| Introduction | 1 |
| About This Book | 2 |
| Conventions Used in This Book | 2 |
| What You're Not to Read | 3 |
| Foolish Assumptions | 3 |
| How This Book Is Organized | 3 |
| Icons Used in This Book | 5 |
| Where to Go from Here | 6 |
| Part I | Casino Gambling Basics: Everything You Need to Know to Start | 7 |
| Chapter 1 | Casino Gambling 101: The Inside Scoop | 9 |
| Entering the Casino: What You're Up Against | 10 |
| Playing the Games: What's Your Poison? | 12 |
| Gambling Near and Far: Where to Find Casinos | 17 |
| Measuring Your Gambling IQ | 21 |
| Chapter 2 | Taking a Quick Stroll Through the Casino | 25 |
| (Casino) Knowledge Is Power | 26 |
| Navigating the Casino Maze | 26 |
| Meeting the Casino's Cast of Characters | 31 |
| Maintaining a Safe and Secure Environment | 36 |
| Chapter 3 | Probability, Odds, and a Bit of Luck: What You Need to Succeed | 39 |
| Defining Luck: A Temporary Fluctuation | 39 |
| Understanding the Role of Probability | 40 |
| Examining How Casinos Operate and Make Money: House Edge | 42 |
| Calculating the Odds in Casino Games | 45 |
| Avoiding Myths, Magic, and Other Superstitions | 47 |
| Chapter 4 | Managing Your Money in a Casino | 53 |
| Setting a Budget and Sticking to It | 54 |
| Looking at Casino Credit and Its Risks | 58 |
| Knowing When Enough Is Enough | 61 |
| Understanding Taxes and the Law | 65 |
| Chapter 5 | Minding Your Gambling Manners | 69 |
| Dressing (And Acting) the Part | 70 |
| Playing Well with Others: Minding Your Table Manners | 73 |
| Giving Gratuities to Dealers and Others | 75 |
| Avoiding the Appearance of Cheating | 80 |
| Part II | Conquering the Table Games | 83 |
| Chapter 6 | Will Bluff for Food: Poker | 85 |
| Uncovering the ABCs of Casino Poker | 86 |
| Betting the Farm (Or Other Parcels of Real Estate) | 91 |
| Checking Out the Most Popular Versions | 95 |
| Avoiding Poker Pitfalls | 103 |
| Chapter 7 | The Easiest Game to Beat: Blackjack | 109 |
| Dealing Out Blackjack Basics | 110 |
| Preparing to Play | 111 |
| Betting Your Bottom Dollar | 115 |
| Playing Your Hand | 116 |
| Identifying Common Mistakes | 124 |
| Chapter 8 | Rolling the Dice: Craps | 127 |
| Setting the Craps Stage | 127 |
| Walking through Craps, Step by Step | 133 |
| Relying on Strategy to Place the Best Bets | 135 |
| Avoiding "Sucker" Bets | 142 |
| Chapter 9 | Spinning Wheel Goes Round n' Round: Roulette | 147 |
| Getting the Spin on Roulette Basics | 148 |
| Betting: The Inside (and Outside) Scoop | 153 |
| Reciting Roulette Etiquette | 156 |
| Improving Your Odds | 157 |
| Avoiding Strategies That Don't Work | 159 |
| Chapter 10 | Not Just For High Rollers: Baccarat | 161 |
| Counting Down the Baccarat Basics | 162 |
| Stepping into Baccarat | 167 |
| Avoiding Baccarat Time Wasters | 172 |
| Chapter 11 | Tackling the "Riskier" Table Games | 173 |
| Cruising for Caribbean Stud Poker | 174 |
| Betting in Circles with Let It Ride | 177 |
| Picking Up on Pai Gow Poker | 181 |
| Tripling Your Fun with Three Card Poker | 184 |
| Avoiding the Riskiest Table Games | 187 |
| Part III | Beyond the Tables: Slots, Video Poker, Sports Betting, and More | 191 |
| Chapter 12 | Mastering the Machines: Slots | 193 |
| Understanding How to Play the Slots | 194 |
| Identifying Differences in Slot Machines | 198 |
| Getting a Handle on Slots Odds | 202 |
| Stretching Your Money at the Slots | 203 |
| Honing Your Slot Etiquette | 207 |
| Playing for Comps | 208 |
| Chapter 13 | Scoring Big in Video Poker | 211 |
| Poker? Slots? Characterizing Video Poker | 211 |
| Playing the Game | 214 |
| Putting Your Money on the Best Machines | 216 |
| Playing Jacks or Better: The Best Bet for Beginners | 218 |
| Investigating Other Video Poker Machines | 224 |
| Chapter 14 | Striking the Mother Lode: Keno and Bingo | 229 |
| Catching On to Keno Basics | 230 |
| Improving Your Odds at Keno | 237 |
| Figuring Out the ABCs of B-I-N-G-O | 238 |
| Calling Forth Winning Bingo Strategies | 242 |
| Chapter 15 | From the Cubs to the Bears: Sports Betting | 245 |
| Defining Sports Betting: The Legal Kind, That Is | 246 |
| Leveling the Betting Field with Lines and Point Spreads | 248 |
| Placing Your Bet in a Sports Book | 254 |
| Rounding Up Sports Betting Differences | 257 |
| Understanding Handicapping Basics | 259 |
| Relying on Strategic Handicapping | 260 |
| Chapter 16 | More than Just the Derby: Betting on Horse Racing | 263 |
| Identifying Different Racing Formats | 263 |
| Betting in a Casino: Inside the Race Book | 265 |
| Understanding and Reading the Sheets | 266 |
| Placing Bets in the Race Book | 267 |
| Getting a Hand on Horse Racing: Handicapping Basics | 271 |
| Part IV | Taking Casino Gambling to a Different Level | 279 |
| Chapter 17 | Casino Gambling: Online and in the Comfort of Home | 281 |
| Mapping the Legal Landscape | 281 |
| Understanding How Online Casinos Work | 282 |
| Locating the Best (and Safest) Online Casino Games | 286 |
| Taking Advantage of Promos and Giveaways | 291 |
| Chapter 18 | The Wild World of Tournaments | 293 |
| Sizing Up Tournaments: Which One Is Right for You? | 294 |
| Betting on the Most Lucrative Tournaments | 295 |
| Entering a Tournament (And Knowing What to Expect) | 297 |
| Strategizing to Eliminate the Competition | 299 |
| Part V | The Part of Tens | 307 |
| Chapter 19 | Ten Cool Places to Gamble | 309 |
| Living Large in Las Vegas | 310 |
| Landing on Boardwalk: Atlantic City | 310 |
| Touring Tahoe and Reno | 311 |
| Cruising the High Seas | 311 |
| Rolling on the River (or Lake) | 312 |
| Exploring Native American Casinos | 313 |
| Collecting Chips in Connecticut | 313 |
| Striking Gold in California | 314 |
| Finding Hidden Treasures in the Caribbean | 315 |
| Joining the Jet Set | 315 |
| Chapter 20 | Ten (or So) Common Casino Gambling Mistakes to Avoid | 317 |
| Gambling at All | 317 |
| Failing to Keep Records | 318 |
| Bouncing Around Like a Pinball | 318 |
| Looking for Luck in All the Wrong Places | 318 |
| Giving Up Too Easily | 319 |
| Breaking the Law (Of Averages) | 319 |
| Relying on Betting Systems | 320 |
| Being Seduced | 320 |
| Losing It Online | 320 |
| Taking It to the Limit, One Too Many Times | 321 |
| Overindulging | 321 |
| Blaming Others | 322 |
| Chapter 21 | Ten Ways to Score Comps | 323 |
| Ask and Ye Shall Receive | 324 |
| Impressing the Boss with Club Card Mileage | 324 |
| Finding the Weakest Link | 325 |
| Betting More When the Boss Is Looking | 325 |
| Betting Less When the Boss Isn't Looking | 326 |
| Making the Bathroom Your Second Home | 326 |
| Looking Like You're Losing | 326 |
| Greasing the Wheels | 326 |
| Never Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth | 327 |
| Behaving with Courtesy and Respect | 327 |
| Part VI | Appendixes | 329 |
| Appendix A | Glossary | 331 |
| Appendix B | Important Resources | 339 |
| Books | 339 |
| Magazines | 340 |
| Web Sites | 340 |
| Gamblers Anonymous | 342 |
| Index | 343 |