Gambling provides one of the greatest adrenaline rushes a human can get without playing professional sport or jumping out of a plane with a parachute on their back. But walking into a casino can be daunting, especially if you are unsure of what to do amid the bright lights and sound of one-armed bandits calling out for more hopeful bettors convinced they have a “system” that can make them rich.
More often than not, those systems have flaws. But some don’t, and it’s that moment when you discover somebody hit the jackpot that you wish you knew their secret.
Well, now you can. Several gambling experts have shared their experiences by writing books to improve your gambling skills that could help you win a life-changing amount of money at your local casino.
How to Become a Real Gambler?
Since the first casino opened, gamblers have been trying to beat them by coming up with individual systems. It could be family birthdays, or it could be the use of lucky numbers. But we will highlight five books that will boost your gambling skills by sharing experiences of each of the writers who have had their fair share of success in casinos.
In our selection of gambling books, you will learn how to increase gambling skills and, importantly, avoid many problems and become a real gambler.
So, if you are familiar with how casinos operate or you’ve never been to one, let us take you on a journey with those whose names are synonymous with successful gambling. So you will have the confidence to walk into a casino and enjoy your experience and hopefully walk out with more money in your wallet than what you had before you walked in.
It’s all very well coming up with a system, but nobody is going to buy into it until they have seen how successful it is.
O’Thorp, a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame, tried his method on a tour of casinos in Nevada and California, and in one weekend in the 1960s, he won $11,000. Casinos became wise to his card counting antics, and his presence at blackjack tables was not welcomed, which led the bestselling author to go undercover in his attempt to verify his systems.
O’Thorp’s book introduces the reader to blackjack and breaks down the rules in a way that gives the uninitiated the confidence to play the game with confidence. Throughout his book – considered the blackjack bible – O’Thorp shares the strategies that served him well, and the illustrations can help the reader visualize success. This book is not just for the rookie, but it’s also for the experienced player looking for that final nugget of advice to help them “beat the bookie.”
2. Kevin Blackwood – “Casino Gambling for Dummies”
It seems that whatever section of a bookstore you happen to be, there is a book, especially “for dummies” available to buy. The series of books break down a certain subject using diagrams to help the reader familiarize themselves with what the book is trying to simplify. Of course, there is a “Casino Gambling for Dummies” book that allows the reader to learn how to bet in a casino in a manner that is easy to understand. The author of this helpful guide is Kevin Blackwood, a professional blackjack player. He has written the book using his knowledge of playing blackjack to put into words how he became a gambling aficionado.
This is his latest book in a series that includes “The Counter” and “Play Blackjack Like the Pros.”
What Kevin doesn’t know about blackjack, isn’t worth knowing.
Blackwood rose to fame by qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2005 World Series of Blackjack. He donated the check for $12,500 from that tournament to the international Christian relief organization World Vision. And Blackwood’s generosity is once again evident in this book as he wants first-time players to be successful just as frequent blackjack players.
Blackwood’s blackjack expertise has seen him ejected from casinos over 200 times as he perfected his card counting technique to the dislike of casino managers. The book is full of tips that will help negotiate newbies to what they can expect to face on their first visit to a casino. At the same time, more experienced players can also benefit from the book by amalgamating their own techniques with those Blackwood has enjoyed success with, including his Hi-Opt Strategy. By the end of reading this book, you should feel comfortable about being in a casino, which is exactly how the author wants the reader to feel.
3. John Grochowski – “The Video Poker Answer Book”
Have you ever been to a casino where you are faced with a situation in which you wished you could get advice from somebody next to you? Well, that’s what John Grochowski’s “The Video Poker Answer Book” is all about. By reading this, you will have the knowledge needed to handle those situations with confidence. Grochowski, who famously won $125,000 as a contestant on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” in 2000, is regarded as one of America’s most knowledgeable gambling experts. It’s easy to understand why. He was a trailblazer in the industry, and in the mid-1990s, he was invited by the Chicago Sun-Times to pen a weekly column. Now it can be read in newspapers across the country.
Shortly after he wrote his first newspaper column, he wrote, “Cruising the Casino with a Syndicated Gambling Columnist.” As the industry has evolved towards a new digital world, so too has Grochowski.
In 2004, his “Video Poker Answer Book” is regarded as one of the best books ever written on video poker.
What makes the book so fascinating is the format in which the book is written. Grochowski has adapted a question and answer style, which allows the reader to find the answer they want much quicker than reading the book from start to finish. Grochowski’s strength is his ability to answer any conceivable question in a manner that is straight to the point.
It breaks down the basics of video poker and moves the reader into the finer details by exploring various video poker strategies and analyses used for each pay tables for each game from “Jacks or better” to “Joker’s Wild.” If you enjoy this book, you might be interested in the author’s other books about Craps and slot machines. If his name sounds familiar, you may recognize it from his work on various Chicago radio stations sharing his gambling wisdom with others, just as he has done so in this book.
4. Stanford Wong – “Blackjack Secrets”
Confidence is a key part of gambling, especially if you are bluffing and trying to convince the dealer and others that you have a good hand. The author of our next book Stanford Wong showed confidence is a commodity he has an abundance of years before writing “Blackjack Secrets” when he decided to swap his teaching duties in San Francisco to become a gambling guru.
Wong, who was born John Ferguson, built his success in applying technology to his technique.
His system has been honed on his own software package – Blackjack Count Analyzer. You know you have made it to the top of your chosen profession when you have bestowed the greatest honor on offer, and that happened to Wong, who was inducted to the Blackjack Hall of Fame, which has a membership of just 13.
Wong describes himself as someone who works in investments – short term ones at that – which last no more than a minute. He expects his money to grow even if it means increasing the risk element. Wong makes it clear in his book that card counting is not illegal – it’s just part of playing blackjack.
Blackjack is one of the most popular games in the world.
All you need is a pack of cards and a thirst for fun and excitement. Wong has been around enough casinos to know what makes a system work for some but not for others, and he highlights this in his book. He also explains what it takes to be classed as a card counter with arithmetic skills and a good memory key attributes. Memory can be improved by studying the tables included in Blackjack Secrets and recounting them under the pressure a casino puts a gambler under.
One of the biggest advantages of Blackjack Secrets is the author’s ability to educate the reader on making better choices. Wong also gives insight into what it’s like being dealing blackjack for a casino where their pay is not dependent on how much the gambler wins or loses. As card counting is at the heart of Wong’s “secrets,” the author shares tips on improving these skills without giving the casino any indication of what you are doing. The sooner you can count cards without moving your lips or making it obvious, you too could enjoy Wong’s “Blackjack Secrets.”
5. Bill Burton – “1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets”
If you like your books broken up into easily readable chunks, “1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets” is the book for you if you desire to beat the casinos.
Did you know there were ways to find out if a slot machine will pay up?
Well, Bill Burton lifts the lid on what casinos don’t want you to know. The author is a casino expert with several books written, including “Get The Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold ‘Em” published in 2002, well ahead of its time.
His gambling secrets book is regarded as the essential read for any gambler about to make their first visit to a casino. Gamblers who have read the book admit their money lasted longer because of the tips they picked up from Burton, who caught the gambling bug after his first casino visit in 1980. The excitement got his pulses racing, and after that, he devoted much of his time to find out the secrets casinos kept. This book is aimed at helping gamblers in all areas of the experience spectrum.
Unlike the other books highlighted in this article, Burton’s book covers all games that can be played in your local casino. He advises gamblers what they should stay clear of and why as well as making your chips last longer than it perhaps would if Burton’s book had not been read. This book also includes and explains:
the best and worst bets that can be made within the walls of a casino
the trade tricks from card counting to dice setting.
Burton has spent years studying what goes on in a casino, but it will take you a matter of days to read the book and get an insight into the brilliant mind of Bill Burton.
