Gambling Books

As a resident of the Gulf Coast and frequent visitor to the Mississippi casinos, I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Rickman's book. The story is well-written and I found the details of the "behind-the-scenes" operations of the casino business exciting and informative. Also, the threat of the hurricane was very real and brought back recent memories. I'm looking forward to Ms. Rickman's next book!

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Joker's Love Tune." The characters are believable, the story is fast-paced, and the dialogue is intelligent. Abby, the chief character, is very appealing. She's a strong, independent woman, but one who has not lost her femininity. From the beginning it's obvious that she and Sam are perfect for each other, but the two of them have to overcome the shadows of their pasts before they can believe in love again. The book has an unusual setting in the casino world of the Gulf Coast, and it builds to an exciting thriller-like climax. I hope to see more books from this new author.

Great Christmas gift for family or friend! As a Southerner, I found the Mississippi Coast as backdrop to this light romance/mystery both refreshing and enlightening. Not to give away the mystery, you'll find great fun in the mix of good ole boys and the world of gambling. The melding of the "Old South" with Mississippi's greatest new revenue is an odd, albeit, real marriage. If you like the potential of intrigue, "clean" romance and great scenery, peppered with a great hurricane segment, then this book's for you. It's clear that Sidney Rickman knows her subject. Those of you who know the South or gambling will find authenticity in her descriptions and events.

I'm not suggesting that you don't read this book, only that you don't follow Mr. Moore's play-of-the-hand advice without doing further research. His opinions re splitting aces and eights as well as insuring blackjacks are bad counsel.

I bought this book a few months ago, and keep coming back to it. Very well written, with lots of info. on discipline, keeping your emotions in check, winning expectations, etc., which is very important to getting out of the casino with money. I like the authors progression, which although I don't believe gives you a mathematical advantage over the house, it does bring you closer to it. I don't agree with all the advice, but overall there is a lot of material here. And if it works for him after playing 20,000 hands, then he may be on to something.

I've tried counting, and agree with the author that suffering through the huge swings in your bankroll isn't very practical for the recreational gambler that bets in $5/$10 units. Plus it can take an awefully long time for the law of averages to even things out. I know the critics of progressions/regressions say they don't work, but if you can have fun with them and make some money, why not use them? An excellent, easy to read book. Try it, or modify his methods and see what happens. I've been having good results so far.

Bought this book this past spring. Have been playing blackjack for over 9 years now. Have tried it all, positive and negative progressions, card counting etc., and let me tell you that this is the best thing I have ever used or seen in print. Mr. Moore has a strategy that is both easy to use and does win most of the time.
I read the book 5 times and took a great deal of notes. Then I practiced about 2 to 3 hours every single day for 7 weeks. Finally I went to Las Vegas for a 6 day trip. I played 20 sessions in a little over 15 hours of total play. I won 70% of my sessions and 700 dollars profit. I then used it again in Tunica a few weeks ago. This time I played for a little over 34 hours and won 1855 dollars. So this thing can and does work. You must read and apply what it is that he teaches in the book. Expect to win only about 30 to 40 dollars an hour placing 10 dollar bets. If you go in knowing that this is what you can expect to win, then you are well on your way to being a very good blackjack player. No card counting involved and a strong basic strategy is included in the book. Just a great manual.
If you have any questions you can also email Mr. Moore at the books website and he will give you a prompt reply as he has done for me many times. Get this book and use what it teaches you.

In The Most Powerful Blackjack Manual, Blackjack expert Jay More draws upon his more than twenty-five years of experience in the gaming industry to write the perfect "how to" manual for aspiring Blackjack players. Blackjack has long been one of the most popular Casino games and now ordinary players can know what the professionals know -- and enhance their chances for winning at the table. A virtually complete instructional guide and reference, The Most Powerful Blackjack Manual is a "must read" for anyone seeking to make their fortune and have a really memorable time whether its a trip to Las Vegas or their nearest Indian Casino!

ilikethereviewu

This one is ok, not one of the best, but not the worst either. It did have some decent tips and strategies for spotting an overlay and has been somewhat of a help to me in my handicapping.

ilikethereviewu

I thought the book was pretty good. Some good straightforward advice that is good to take with you to the track. No systems or guarantees, just common sense. The only drawback is that the analysis is using older formats of the Racing Form that doesn't include Beyers, and other newer things. The insight from the Mig, PG Johnson etc. was helpful.

Even though this book was not written by Harold Robbins, it is still an enjoyable story. The book is an interesting read but the Publisher needs to hire a proofreader who knows how to spell. If not for numerous typos, I would have given the book a 4 rather than a 3.

The story is familiar. We root for the street-smart hero, who we learn early on is the illegitimate son of Howard Hughes. The kid grows up tough with the grit and guts to confront power brokers and move up the ladder of high living. Explicit bedroom scenes pepper the fast-moving narrative. And the bad things our hero does are only for well-deserved revenge. The true stories that legends are made of, such as Bugsy Siegel and the Flamingo, give the tale a ring of authenticity. When there's lots money around, there's also lots of cheating, and I was fascinated by the many scams and cons from slot machines to high-stakes Baccarat. The constant tension drove the plot, cumulating in a card game in the finale that had me holding my breath.

The book's 383 pages are easy reading and I gulped it down in two sittings. I found it a pleasure to just relax and follow the story. No deep thinking is required. And I didn't learn anything new. It was just pure pleasure. Which is what reading for entertainment is all about.

Took this book on a cruise and it was a perfect quick and easy read. This book kept me interested from beginning to end and was very believable and certainly entertaining. You feel like the characters are alive and you are following them through all their adventures. Being a big fan of Vegas, this book takes you back to it's beginning, with all the faults and dangers that the Commission works so hard to eliminate today. "Sin City" is just that; then and still today - I would recommend this book to anyone that gambles or goes to Vegas and likes a story that has some teeth to it, spicy sex, and provides insight into the cheating side of gambling too. You won't be disappointed!

Twenty-two years old Las Vegas waitress Betty Riordan receives her fifteen minutes of "fame" when an ancient Howard Hughes has sex with her. Betty gives birth to a boy she names Howard Hughes, Jr. Three months after that Betty with her infant in tow tries to visit the father of her child. However, the Hughes entourage simply hands her cash to leave town with the renamed baby, Zack Riordan.

Zack returns to Vegas at twelve where he thinks the Strip must be home to God. He earns a minor living distributing sheets for the low life casinos. However, when Betty, as he calls his mother, is killed, Zack leaves town. He returns several years later and becomes a student of the gambling experts who know every cheating trick possible. His advanced degree in cheating leads to his appointment as security manager at Vegas' Glitter Gulch until the owner's daughter Morgan fires him. In retaliation he rapes her and flees to Asia before eventually returning to SIN CITY only to learn he sired a child with Morgan.

Five years have passed since Harold Robbins died and he still is cranking out tales as a prolific ghostwriter. The latest Robbins tale, SIN CITY, is perhaps "his" best novel in many years including when the author lived. Sort of written as a biographical fiction, the reader sees Las Vegas as a siren of the desert luring wannabes and cheats to its glittery idols. Fans of the author and his living retinue will enjoy SIN CITY by far the best of the posthumous career.

Harriet Klausner

There are many textbooks on college-level mathematical probability, but a smaller number of what I call "textbooks lite" aimed at a reader who is willing to work to learn some interesting parts of a subject. This wonderful book teaches the basic calculations in mathematical probability, but with a combination of breadth and concreteness unrivaled by any other book I know. The book consists of short sections, each giving verbal discussion of problems involving probability, games of chance and related material, and deriving solutions using only arithmetic and occasional elementary combinatorics and algebra. It covers an impressive breadth of topics: lotteries, dice and card games, casino games, TV show games, racetrack betting, some game theory (Prisoners Dilemma, Hawk-Dove games, Male-Female reproductive strategies), combined with the basic laws of probability and the familiar birthday and coupon collector's problems. Part of the content is distinctly British rather than American (cricket and snooker; premium bonds; the particular TV shows). In addition to familiar types of elementary probability calculations such as the craps example, there are more elaborate stories and calculations involving strategies as games progress. I particularly like the chapter giving a gentle yet entertaining introduction to two-person game theory.

While the book is mainly written on probability in games, which has already been covered in many books, the author coveres the basics of probability and coin tossing very nicely. He also covers the theory of dices thoroughly and approaches "Games with few choices" (Game Theory) with great enthusiasm. Finally the chapter "Probability for Lawyers" with it's terms such as the prosecutors fallacy and the defence attorne's fallacy are a must read for every person interested in the fascinating subject of probabiliy. PS: second edition covers now Bayes's theorem (previous readers criticised the author of missing this important theory in the first issue)

This is a very practical book on probability using common games (cards, dice, coin-toss, etc.) as examples. Explanations are thorough without being too technical. The appendices go into more mathematical detail for those so inclined. The author is British so everything has that slant (money in pounds and pence, Grand National, and so on), but that's not a problem. There's a lot of information packed into the 330 pages of this paperback since the type is fairly small.

An excellent account of probability theory. Whilst definitely geared towards gambling it also sheds new light on some fundamental probability topics.

The text sometimes does get a little numerical - at the expense of the theoretical - but this is not necessarily a bad thing.

The only question I have about the book is why is there no mention of Bayes? Surely a fundamental contributor to probability theory.

I read this book years ago and it captivated me. I have always thought that this would be a great movie with a young Michael caine In the lead role. I cannot vouch that this is a truue story (I have heard conflicting reports that Norman Leigh never Existed - his system doesn't work etc etc) However its a great read even if its a work of fiction. The Book ends with the "hero" about to depart for Vegas, I have wondered what happened Ever Since. Sounds like time for "Thirteen Against the Mobs bank!"

While the tale of a team of gamblers taking down a famous casino in Monte Carlo is an engaging story, here's the problem: The gambling system described is simply not possible.

When I read the book, I had my father write a program to simulate 100,000 spins of a roulette wheel, using each of the gambler's moves (the outcome of the spin affects each team member differently).

It took about 5 seconds on this massive computer (at Abbott Laboratories) to re-create 100,000 spins. Results weren't even close to making money. We ran it again, several times, same outcome.

I then had him invert the program, that is reverse the logic revealed by Leigh's system. Maybe, I figured, the author was altering his strategy to hide the real method.

Back to the computer, back to the same results - nothing that amounts to winning money.

Cash in on good readaing from a fun older book, but don't get your hopes up to make a living off a the author's gaming system.

I read this book as a teenager and enjoyed it immensely. Since then, I've often wondered if it was true. I recently decided to write a simulation program that plays the system exactly as laid out in the book. What did I find? Email me at jwoodger@sympatico.ca, if you're interested.

I read the book in less than two days....truly was hard to put down....if you are just picking up a book to browse through and try and pick up a system, then you don't want the book...the system is explained throughout...no charts or graphs or any other BS....I found it to be a great read and have used a part of the system(mostly red/black and high/low) 5 times in the casinos(hardly enough to prove anything)but have walked away with $100+ each time...Now I don't have the capital to get a "Mushroom" as they call it, but if you can consistently walk away from the casino with $100-$200 for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of play...isn't that worth it.....Not quite as profitable as the European wheel, but it can still turn a profit with patience....BUY IT, READ IT AND ENJOY IT!

The fascinating account of how Norman Leigh took a team to break the bank at Nice using his roulette system. Dryly funny, it offers an insight into how gambling affects and alters personalties. It also illustrates a winning roulette system for those with the exceptional discipline, stamina and bankroll required to play it.

Costa's system really works. After reading this book, I went to the casino, tried it out and came home a winner. In addition, the book was easy to read and very entertaining. I highly recommend it!!

I always had a good time at the Poker machines; but in the past not only have I NOT won, I've never been able to make my budgeted funds last as long as I'd like them to. What fun it was to take Carol's tips to the casino and try them out. Not only did I play longer, I took home all of my money, and some of "theirs" too. Even if that might not happen every single time, these new techniques just make the trips to the casino a lot more fun. Woo-hoo!

If you've NEVER played video poker, this is a great starting place for tips and very basic strategy. Some of the statements the author makes are along the lines of; "I've heard that machines can be programmed to give better hands to lower bets." These make for interesting anecdotes, but not much in terms of substance. However, the author provides good information for introductory strategy that will definitely save the novice player money. In a book of this nature, I think it is essential that there be information on which machines are statistically full-pay machines and which are not. For instance, if a jacks or better machine pays 9 to 1 for a full house and 6 to 1 for a flush, perfect play over the long run will yield close to full paybacks, while a machine that pays 8 and 5 to 1 respectively, is only a 94% payback machine. This information is critical if you want to play for very long, but isn't found in this book.

I have read Ms. Costa's new video poker book and found it quite interesting. After reading her tips and tricks on playing video poker, I thought why not give it a shot. I live in Las Vegas so what better place to try it out. I must say I was optimistic when she described some of the little tricks other avid gamblers do especially when it came to holding three cards for about 30 seconds and the majority of the time the fourth one will come up. I can't tell you how many times I have tried this tip and actually got the fourth card. This is amazing and especially helpful when you get those four aces with a kicker. I have been leaving the casino with their money. My husband laughed the first time I did it and told me it would never work and just looked at me when the four of a kind appeared on the screen. Now I notice that he is doing it with success. I also try and get the noisest machine on the line and the ones closest to the door. Now, if I can only take Ms. Costa's advise and know when to leave a machine and take my $$$ with me. Thumbs up on this book.

This was my very first craps book and it taught me how to play. It does have 11 craps strategies in it but they are not real "systems" just methods of play. Now looking back it is pretty basic but when I didn't know how to play they all looked advanced to me! If you don't know how to play or you are a beginner, this is a great book for you but if you already know all the odds and some systems you won't like this. It will make a great gift for someone who doesnt know how to play though.

This book does suggest 11 different strategies, but doesn't really explain well how to successfully win on all them. Most strategies are built on the previous ones. It's very good for giving you an overview of what strategies you can play in Craps, but doesn't really tell you how to make it profitable. This book is great for a beginner. If you are familiar with craps already, you might want to pass. Good explanation of Place and Odds betting.

The basic intermediate plays were all laid out in an easy to read disciplined format. All eleven strategies were extensively described and I read the exact proceedures for where, when and how to place all eleven bets! A GREAT book!

I am a very serious poker player and I play several times a week. I've read most of the poker literature. This book is one of the best. It looks at 77 concepts and analyzes the play of various types of hands based on these concepts. I thought the book was thorough, well written and intellectually challenging. If you play poker this belongs right up there with Sklansky's best work. Renzey obviously knows the various games and he has a marvelous way of teaching his points. But this is not a beginner's book.

The title sounded like a cheesy "get rich quick" magic formula, but I found the book to be full of down-to-earth, informative poker logic. The "77 ways" simply takes one poker strategy scenario at a time, and explains its underlying purpose in detail. It does this with general poker concepts first, like the subjects of check-raising or pot odds, then follows the same format with four different casino poker games.
Each strategy point involves only two or three pages accompanied by an illustrated hand to show its use. This made it easy to study and digest just one concept for 10 minutes, then put the book down for another time. It is also very easy to go back and refer to a particular concept after you've played a session.
I thought the strategy explanations were clear and educational, particularly in the two high-low split games of Omaha-8-or-better and 7 Card Stud-8-or-better. The other two games covered in the book were straight 7 Stud and Texas Hold'em.
This was definitely a thinking man's book that teaches you what you're trying to make happen when you play poker.

I would not recommend this book for beginners, but for those players who have moved into mid or upper limits it is a solid piece. Some of the concepts are basic because he has to make the book appealing to a wide audience but I found the hidden gems of information useful. The organization of the book, a series of 77 concepts, is excellent. There are no references to low limit games, which is refreshing. The author makes a point of avoiding discussion on low limit because, and I agree with him, low limit has too many exceptions to the rules of normal conduct. For poker players like myself who wish to dabble outside the realm of Hold'em, the pointers on Razz, Studd and PLO are very good.

Mike Jacobs gets a lot of advice in THE ART OF LOSING, and most of it is good. Some of it is from his would-be girlfriend, a Danish filmmaker who knits scarves and hats to remind her distant relatives that it's cold outside. Some of it is from his wealthy parents who caution him about the lure of money. And some of it is from tough guys who work for bookies and have no compunction about slamming Mike's hand in a door should he not be able to pay off his bets. It's all good advice, but he doesn't listen to very much of it.

Mike makes films, a process that is a gamble all its own. ("Films," you understand. Not "movies," never "movies.") The failure of his third film is the catalyst for the tale, and is instructive in and of itself. It is a documentary called The Daisy Chain (Mike never explains the significance of the title) that takes place in Bellevue, the psychiatric hospital in Manhattan. Mike spends a year of his life and every scrap of money that he can get his hands on to make the film --- cutting corners by having the psychiatric patients who are the subject of the documentary handle the camera work, for example.

The Daisy Chain premieres in New York, but only a few people show up. Certainly not enough to make the production company any profit, certainly not enough to get the film to a wider audience in arthouse theaters across the country, certainly not enough to sell the film to the cable networks, and certainly not enough to compensate Mike for the year he took out of his life to make the film.

So, you're an impoverished New York filmmaker, in between films, and you need money fast --- not just to make your next film but to make your next meal; not just to stave off the "starving artist" cliché but starvation itself. What can you do? What should you do?

What Mike Jacobs does is play the ponies. The novel opens up at Aqueduct, where Mike and his producer Sebby Laslo have a line on a sure thing, a 50-to-1 shot that will pay off huge if it can just manage to overcome its little problem of an injured tendon. The horse finishes last, consistent with Mike's own track record. But Sebby knows a jockey, and the jockey knows horses, so there might be a way after all to turn the tables on the odds and walk away with enough money for Mike to lift himself out of poverty without compromising his artistic integrity or begging his parents.

This requires Mike to ignore a lot of the advice he receives --- even though it's well-meaning, correct and meant to save his life. Author Keith Dixon sets up the first half of the book with any number of escape routes, ways that Mike can save himself by pulling out of his self-destructive spiral. And then, one by one, Dixon closes the routes, locks off the tunnels and artfully seals Mike's fate gradually.

THE ART OF LOSING benefits from more than the deft plotting and its cynical, paranoid tone. Dixon gives Mike a cinematic eye for details, describing even the most minute experiences --- visiting the eye doctor, getting a shaving cut --- in a vivid, forceful way. Dixon's dark take on art, the track and the lengths to which people will go for money is stark and engrossing --- and it just might help you listen to some of the advice you get everyday.

--- Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds,

not quite what i expected. but the writing is solid and the author has talent. i found some of the situations and the way people acted hugely implausible but still enjoyed the book. it's a noir. very dark and thank God the author didn't opt for a cute and happy ending. it's a nice distance from the "new" kind of crime novel that has to be cute and funny. If you like this you'd like Con Ed another very good crime book that is very much along the same vein as this one. it's good to see this kind of book getting some success. this writer had talent and the book just breezes along. can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

I started reading this book expecting a fun and sharply written crime-caper. After all, the advertised plot revolves around a documentary filmmaker (Mike Jacobs) based in NYC (which is beautifully rendered), who seeks fast money by placing bets on what appear to be fixed horse races. This plan, of course, is quickly complicated.

What I didn't expect, and greatly enjoyed, were the deeper levels of the story - themes of memory, conscience, and redemption. Yet while the book is thought-provoking, Dixon avoids cliches, and he avoids bogging down the story with exposition. The tale cracks along. "The Art of Losing" would make an excellent movie - especially if it was directed in such a way that the story retained it's subtlety.

Highly recommended.