Casinos Books

I'm writing this review a year after buying this book.

Let me begin by saying, I have a hard time saving money unless I have a goal. In this case my goal was 4 trips to Vegas over a year's time. I not only made my savings goals, but then got to play with it. Brought my winnings back with me and ended up with over $3,000.00 in my special Jackpot savings account.

I owe this accomplishment to the book "Slotplay". The Money Management in this book gives one such a feeling of being in control. I will no longer go to Vegas saying that I will limit my losing to $xx.xx. I now say they will get no more then 15% of what I take to play with.

The book was easy to read and the concept easy to understand. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled amongst the wisdom.

I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone, especially the people tired of returning their winnings to the casinos.

Financially sound. Statistically correct. This woman really knows her stuff.

I cannot believe the good reviews this book has gotten. There is so little here that a serious slot player wouldn't have figured out for himself long ago. The only thing valuable is her discussion of "Times pay," and it is unnessarily vague and difficult to follow. She discusses 6 "times pay" payboards in the text, and my cards at the end numbered 3. They seemed to have been placed with the same care as the prizes in a Cracker Jack box. I felt ripped off. The book is repetitive, full of white space...in short a few ideas blown up to make a book to sell to unsuspecting buyers. It is a good thing Ms Cole does not program the slots in your favorite casino...you would be better off dropping your twelve bucks in the nearest Double Diamond machine.

How delightfully ironic, the thought of saving money at the same time I am planning my next trip to the casino. Ms. Cole has some great tips and she presents them clearly, spiced with a real sense of humor. I can't wait to take my new Slot Play concepts with me on my next encounter with the one armed bandits. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to Ms. Cole's next creative gem.

I have studied Computer Engineering, Mathematics and law; I also gamble for a living. That said, this is the most challenging gambling book I have ever read. The concepts in sequence tracking are a hundred times as difficult as card-counting (which are trivially easy for anyone who has done it).

The mathematics explaining why certain ideas work become progressively more complicated. By the time you are halfway through the 129 pages of the main book, each line of mathematical analysis requires concentrated effort to follow. I did not check for errors at that point, but I saw no fallacies in the first 70 pages.

Despite the difficulty of the material, these techniques look promising from a mathematical point of view. Unfortunately, there are fewer than 400 people in the U.S. with the mathematics and general gambling skills required to benefit from it. It is a fascinating book, but incomprehensible to most people.

If you are thinking about buying it, you should be able to 1. Easily count cards, and 2. have a good understanding of slug tracking. If you cannot master those first two areas, this book will be beyond you.

Publisher submitted early draft reviews and description:

DESCRIPTION:

The Art of Advanced Location Strategies for the Casino Game of Twenty-One! With a foreword by Michael Dalton. Cover art by Abigail Kamelhair. The winning blackjack technique known as Ace Prediction, Ace Tracking, Sequence Tracking or Key Carding remained the closely guarded secret of a handful of high-stakes professional blackjack players for more than 20 years. Ace prediction can be extremely profitable given the right conditions. Here it is folks -- the complete scoop on this mathematically valid and proven blackjack winning technique. Sequence trackers will find in this book the author's own formula for identifying the profitable games. The author begins the book by studying all known published references on the subject. Chapter 2 examines aspects of non-random shuffling. Chapter 3 is the author's own analysis of non-random shuffling using a statistical procedure provided by Ed Thorp. Chapter 4 tells how to identify and exploit weaknesses in casino shuffles. Chapter 5 offers practical advice on locating Aces in shuffled decks. Chapter 6 explains how to predict Aces during the game. Chapter 7 deals with the calculation of mathematical expectation using simple formulas. Chapter 8 gives advice on bet sizing, probability of ruin, return and risk. Finally, the tables at the end of the book will be useful for making your own analyses of shuffles. Intermixed in the author's exhaustive presentation are some exciting personal stories from the pits.

REVIEWS:

"David McDowell has written the best book of the new millennium on blackjack advantage play, by quite some distance. The book is a rare combination of creative innovation and intellectual rigour, qualities found in some of the more talented gambling authors but very rarely both together. In time I will believe it will be held up as a blackjack classic second only to Thorp's seminal "Beat The Dealer".

"The book covers the art of blackjack sequencing, a dark art that even very few gambling professionals truly understand, let alone have mastered. The basic method involves memorizing a string of cards hoping that their order will be partially maintained by the shuffle. Under optimal conditions, this can give you an advantage a card counter could only dream of. The method is both completely legal [and] very difficult to detect."

"Although writers like myself, David Morse and Arnold Snyder have hinted at the possibilities of sequencing, McDowell is the first writer to completely explain all of the fine detail required to predict aces successfully, and in a stroke render all other writings on the subject obsolete. Every piece of information you could possibly need to use this extremely powerful technique is contained within. There is no waffle, though the book also uses some entertaining stories by way of illustrating the techniques therein, and is surprisingly readable given the scientific and dry nature of the basic subject matter. The book is worth several hundred times its cover price, and is an essential purchase for the intelligent gambler, particulary those who like to travel, where ace prediction techniques can be used with devastating effect."
--- John May -- author of the books Baccarat for the Clueless and Get the Edge at Blackjack

"With his compelling Blackjack Ace Prediction, David McDowell, a relative unknown in the blackjack world, bursts onto the scene in impressive fashion. His scholarly approach to the subject, replete with enlightening illustrations and copious footnotes, is a joy to read. I have a feeling that the relatively small group of players already aware of the techniques that McDowell describes are not going to be happy that he has gone 'mainstream' with the information. This is a well-researched treatise, and I'm happy to recommend it to serious students of the game."
--- Don Schlesinger - author of the book Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros' Way

"Thorp didn't want to publish on Ace location, and my chapter on the subject is short for the same reason. Nevertheless, here it is, 160 pages in plain English, and worth its weight in flawless diamonds. Blackjack Ace Prediction is the fire from the dragon's mouth, bound to burn unsuspecting tables around the world. This book is a total must-have for the serious blackjack player."
--- Rob McGarvey - author of the book Aces and Faces Blackjack

"If you are interested in how to beat casinos by analyzing non-random shuffling, you will find David McDowell's Blackjack Ace Prediction an interesting and enjoyable read."
--- Ed Thorp - author of the best selling book Beat the Dealer.

"David McDowell's Blackjack Ace Prediction is the most authoritative book on the subject. Many will consider his work as the final chapter in advantageous blackjack play - as the cat has finally been let out of the bag."
--- Michael Dalton - author of the Encyclopedia of Casino Twenty-One and editor of the Blackjack Review Network

"Blackjack Ace Prediction offers a scholarly treatment of the subject with pragmatic potential for increasing profits for the serious blackjack player. David McDowell, the author, and Michael Dalton, the publisher are to be congratulated for this important addition to our knowledge of blackjack."
--- Lance Humble - senior author of The World's Greatest Blackjack Book

"Blackjack Ace Prediction is a winner. It will, no doubt, prove to be the best work on ace tracking published to date."
--- Steve Forte - author of the book Read the Dealer and the Gambling Protection Series videos

"Does shuffling a deck of cards put them into random order? Not exactly. This book explains how to follow particular cards through the shuffle to have a much-better-than-guessing chance of predicting when they will be dealt. This skill is particularly valuable when used to predict aces at blackjack. David McDowell discusses the work that has already been done on ace prediction by other people, and makes his own contributions to the topic. All in all, an interesting work."
--- Stanford Wong - author of the book Professional Blackjack

"McDowell's book is well researched and represents a wonderful compendium of all the important work relating to non-random shuffling and its effects on the game of blackjack. Probably the best book on Ace prediction today, and an interesting read to boot."
--- Robert Hannum, Ph.D. - Dept. of Statistics & Operations Technology, University of Denver

"David McDowell provides an interesting example of how the game of blackjack can still be exploited by the knowledgeable player. He does an excellent job integrating statistical inference with advantage play theory, and interesting gaming stories. This book is a must read for any player interested in assaulting the casinos by locating and tracking those valuable aces."
--- Bill Zender - author of the book Card Counting for the Casino Executive

"[Blackjack Ace Prediction] is the most comprehensive work on the subject I have ever read. As an advantage player and gaming risk consultant I have an extensive advantage play library. I have one shelf with books that, in my opinion, are the very best at covering their chosen subject - I have made room for one more. I don't think this book will do too much damage to AP's - it is brilliant, but like Grosjeans book and Arnold's Cookbook, you have to read it - casino people are unlikely to put in the effort; that's why they're casino people."
--- Michael Barnett - Surveillance Technology, Perth, Western Australia

Blackjack Ace Prediction by David McDowell is NOT what it's cracked up to be. Not by a long shot. It promises to reveal a surefire method for beating casino blackjack by using the powerful underground technique of Ace sequencing. It promises to do that -- but it never quite delivers. The flavor is there. The aroma is there. The smoke is certainly there. But the beef is nowhere to be found. Blackjack Ace Prediction by David McDowell will NOT get the money. In fact, utilizing the Ace sequencing system presented in the book, you'd be lucky to be playing even with the house. The problem is in McDowell's fuzzy math. His basic approach is sound, and Ace sequencing when done properly DOES work. But McDowell does not really know how to properly do it. And the math he provides to back up his inflated claims is riddled with logic holes big enough to drive a Hummer through. He makes many fundamental logic errors in his probability calculations that reveal he does not have a grasp of the basic math of advantage play. He has clearly bitten off far more than he can chew. The real mystery for me is why this book has apparently been glowingly endorsed by some of the most renowned names in blackjack, such as Ed Thorp, Stanford Wong, and Don Schlesinger. People of this caliber not only know the relevant math, in some cases they actually WROTE it, which makes their endorsements of Blackjack Ace Prediction all the more incomprehensible. Go figure.

I'm going to miss "Las Vegas". While more than a bit fanciful, the characters were interesting, the stories amusing, and the visuals were great. The only thing missing from that trifecta in "Sleight of Hand" were the visuals, and fans of the show will automatically provide those in their minds. Not relevant to this book, but I think that canceling the show without resolving those season-ending cliffhangers was an insult to the fans who supported the show through its five seasons.

Nothing great...if you like the show/characters...this will carry you through a couple days at the beach!

I love the "Las Vegas" show! The books published between seasons was a great idea. Keeps the momentum going until the new season starts. The book arrived in good condition. It also arrived quickly. Price was right.

Too bad the Network screwed things up and cancelled the show! I will be sure to give them the same support they gave to show - "NONE"!!!

Excellent book for experienced and novice dealers. Explains all of the procedures for dealing and supervising blackjack in a casino.

It explains the concept of black jack in a simpler form rather than manuals given by a specific casino. Although some of the procedures are different, the book helps you to become a better dealer and player. He makes learning the process easy. If you're attempting to enter a black jack class in the near future, you can get a heads up on the options that most casinos provide to the players. He also provides you with practice tests and an evaluation sheet that could be helpful with your auditions. It's worth buying for a reasonable price.

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!

This is not only Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel but one of his best. It is richly textured, well written, clearly defines the Bond character and has survived not only as good literature but as a great period piece of the 50s. It also gives us a glimpse of the often unseen smoke filled cocktailed night life found in Europe's plush casinos of that era. Clearly, James Bond is a worldly character that lives and breaths in this unseen world described by Ian Fleming in this novel. James Bond can easily adapt to any locale or situation, size it up and endure. He is both innovative and resourceful and he must rely on his talents and instincts to survive. This is a very good Bond novel. The blatantly mod movie edition with a cover designed from the movie poster of the 1967 version of CASINO ROYALE is a bit deceiving to say the least from Ian Fleming's brilliant prose contained between the covers.

Casino Royale is the first book of the adventures of James Bond. In some ways, the James Bond from the pages of Ian Fleming's novels is very different.
Colder, more ruthless, more direct. No high-tech weapons, no lasers in the watch, no flame throwers in the car, just a few guns, a cool head and a distrustful nature.
The story is rough, the word usage not as smooth as some authors and the view point of the novel seems to shift from first person to third person every once and awhile. Ian Flaming also liked to paint a dark picture of human nature. The first paragraph is a dead give away.
The saving grace is the fact that Mr. Fleming KNEW what he was writing about. Codes, foreign spies and military intelligence were in his blood. In some ways the book version of James Bond will always be more realistic, more dangerous, more cruel than any actor playing him on the big screen.

There are always things operators should know. This book it's not a "must" , but I found it helpful in few cases.

Well writting & very informative. Easy to understand, also for people not working in the casino branch

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.

Don't believe the hype about this book. The cover blurbs would have you believe that Kit Miller, a working-class hero, somehow penetrated the ruthless security of Nevada casinos to tell the stories of those down-trodden by the evil gambling empires. In reality, Kit Miller comes from a wealthy family, and she had little difficulty gaining access to the casinos. To her credit, Miller sets aside her liberal political heritage, and presents her subjects' stories in a highly readable manner, free of ideological slant. Her subjects are no more exploited than any other working persons, and their employers are no more evil than those outside the gaming industry. This is, however, a well-done book, and although Miller's main credit is as the photographer, she is a deft writer. It's just not the book you might expect from reading the ham-handed back-cover blurb.

As a former casino worker I can attest to the veracity of this wonderful book. I also know what a difficult task it had to have been for the photographer to gain access inside the glitter. Casino workers are an increasing portion of the working class in the United States, but are nearly invisible. This book vividly portrays their work and lives, and makes clear that the job is not the totality of a working person's life and with other opportunities in a more just societies these same people might be scientists and professors, writers and film directors, senators and govenors.

If you are a Hegwood fan, come on, read this book. It is a bit slower moving than his other novels, but the usual Hegwood cast of characters is here. This time at a Casino music spectacular. And the insurance companies get stung. And there is some pretty good misdirection. And the untangling of the plot will grab you. And ,yes, you can figure it out - almost- but I will not spoil the fun. Guess what I like about Hegwood is that there are clues to the solution ,and so far he seems to play fair in letting his readers speculate about the conclusion.

Casino employee Johnnie Koscko leaves Vegas with enough of a stake to return home to Biloxi, Mississippi to buy the Jackpot Bay Casino. Johnnie envisions the area becoming part of the European high roller jet set. In fact his first plane load of the Monte Carlo crowd is coming to Biloxi in a few days to gamble at Johnnie's casino and to listen to the rock sound of the very popular Snow Mountain.

However, as usual for Johnny just when he seems paused for success he rolls craps. The casino insurance carrier is concerned over missing revenue. They send private investigator Jack Delmas to force Johnny to hire security auditor Tara Stocklin. Even with Jack and Tara involved, Johnny seems to be holding the "Deadman's Hand" as murder and robbery follow.

Readers who try a Jack Delmas novel will believe they hit the jackpot, as he is a strong character who consistently provides the audience with a quiet intelligent outlook as he tries to do the right thing though not always successful. However, the rest of the key cast members such as Johnny and Tara, etc. come across as worthless sharks with nothing much to redeem them so that they appear more a caricatures than people. Still the exciting story line of JACKPOT BAY is an engaging look behind the scene at the Gulf Coast gambling spots. For those who don't know Jack, he is worth the time to read about even in this novel, but especially in his previous appearances like MASSACRE ISLAND.

Harriet Klausner