The casino business is a cat-and-mouse game. Going all the way back to the 1950s, the casino provides a game, and then intelligent and/or observant players devise ways to beat it. Just about every game has been taken advantage of and then the rules of the game or dealing procedures are adjusted to catch up.
From counting cards in blackjack to sliding dice in craps to placing late bets in roulette, casinos try and adjust their rules and procedures as fast as they can to signs that a game has been compromised. Most of the time these signs are financial. The Casino will notice that their win percentage decreases on a game, attempt to figure out why, and then make the necessary adjustment to fix the problem.
Nowadays, with so many different casinos, variations of games, and disparity in dealer quality, there are many games and situations that an astute player can take advantage of. There is even a whole category to describe this type of player. The term “Advantage Player” was created to describe a player that follows all of the rules of the game, but somehow finds a way to get an advantage over the house.
The following three books are must-reads if you'd like to attempt to be a full-time gambler and win on a consistent basis. The only way to win on a consistent basis is to have an advantage over the house. It's impossible to beat a game over the long haul with a mathematical disadvantage.
Advanced Advantage Play by Elliott Jacobson, Ph.D.
This book is listed first because it has the widest variety of information and is the most affordable on the topic of beating lots of games. It is subtitled, Beating and Safeguarding Modern Casino Table Games, Side Bets, and Promotions. It has almost 500 pages of advantage play techniques covering almost every game currently playable in a casino.
The book provides basic house advantage statistics, how much the house advantage can be swung on a game based on what you can do during play, ways to beat casino promotions, and details of blackjack side bets and their weaknesses.
This one is a must-read, even if you are just a casual gambler, as there can be opportunities that just pop up while you are playing. This may not make you a lifetime winner but can help you during a session or short casino visit.
Video Poker For The Intelligent Beginner by Bob Dancer
As is obvious by the title, this book focuses on video poker only. And believe it or not, with solid play, the casinos can be beaten in video poker. Many casinos have caught up on this one, but many have not. When you include comps, prizes, drawings, point multipliers, and optimal play on specific video poker machines, you can play video poker at an advantage over the house.
With 256 pages of information, you'll learn how to spot the best games and play the perfect strategy against them. It also touches on tournament play, the team plays to beat progressive machines, promotions to look for, and more.
If you like video poker and have the time to learn all the strategies presented in this book, you can play it basically for free or at a profit over the long term.
Blackjack Bluebook II by Fred Renzey
There are dozens and dozens of blackjack counting books. Starting in 1962 with Edward Thorp's Beat the Dealer, there's been a constant stream of methods and opinions on the best way to count cards playing blackjack. Fred Renzey's newest edition for 2017 brings everything together in a modern way.
You'll get 225 pages of instruction on how to play perfect blackjack with three different card counting strategies, as well as dealing with newer issues such as 6-5 blackjack, alternatives to taking even money when you have a blackjack and the dealer shows an Ace and profitable “outside the box” strategies available in some casinos.
If you are a blackjack enthusiast or want to start playing blackjack with the best chance of winning long-term, this book is a great way to start.
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