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Foreword | |
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Introduction | |
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About This Book | |
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Conventions Used in This Book | |
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What You're Not to Read | |
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Foolish Assumptions | |
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How This Book Is Organized | |
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Icons Used in This Book | |
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Where to Go from Here | |
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Casino Gambling Basics: Everything You Need to Know to Start | |
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Casino Gambling 101: The Inside Scoop | |
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Entering the Casino: What You're Up Against | |
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Playing the Games: What's Your Poison? | |
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Gambling Near and Far: Where to Find Casinos | |
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Measuring Your Gambling IQ | |
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Taking a Quick Stroll Through the Casino | |
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(Casino) Knowledge Is Power | |
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Navigating the Casino Maze | |
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Meeting the Casino's Cast of Characters | |
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Maintaining a Safe and Secure Environment | |
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Probability, Odds, and a Bit of Luck: What You Need to Succeed | |
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Defining Luck: A Temporary Fluctuation | |
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Understanding the Role of Probability | |
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Examining How Casinos Operate and Make Money: House Edge | |
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Calculating the Odds in Casino Games | |
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Avoiding Myths, Magic, and Other Superstitions | |
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Managing Your Money in a Casino | |
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Setting a Budget and Sticking to It | |
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Looking at Casino Credit and Its Risks | |
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Knowing When Enough Is Enough | |
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Understanding Taxes and the Law | |
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Minding Your Gambling Manners | |
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Dressing (And Acting) the Part | |
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Playing Well with Others: Minding Your Table Manners | |
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Giving Gratuities to Dealers and Others | |
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Avoiding the Appearance of Cheating | |
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Conquering the Table Games | |
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Will Bluff for Food: Poker | |
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Uncovering the ABCs of Casino Poker | |
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Betting the Farm (Or Other Parcels of Real Estate) | |
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Checking Out the Most Popular Versions | |
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Avoiding Poker Pitfalls | |
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The Easiest Game to Beat: Blackjack | |
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Dealing Out Blackjack Basics | |
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Preparing to Play | |
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Betting Your Bottom Dollar | |
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Playing Your Hand | |
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Identifying Common Mistakes | |
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Rolling the Dice: Craps | |
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Setting the Craps Stage | |
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Walking through Craps, Step by Step | |
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Relying on Strategy to Place the Best Bets | |
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Avoiding "Sucker" Bets | |
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Spinning Wheel Goes Round n' Round: Roulette | |
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Getting the Spin on Roulette Basics | |
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Betting: The Inside (and Outside) Scoop | |
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Reciting Roulette Etiquette | |
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Improving Your Odds | |
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Avoiding Strategies That Don't Work | |
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Not Just For High Rollers: Baccarat | |
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Counting Down the Baccarat Basics | |
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Stepping into Baccarat | |
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Avoiding Baccarat Time Wasters | |
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Tackling the "Riskier" Table Games | |
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Cruising for Caribbean Stud Poker | |
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Betting in Circles with Let It Ride | |
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Picking Up on Pai Gow Poker | |
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Tripling Your Fun with Three Card Poker | |
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Avoiding the Riskiest Table Games | |
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Beyond the Tables: Slots, Video Poker, Sports Betting, and More | |
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Mastering the Machines: Slots | |
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Understanding How to Play the Slots | |
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Identifying Differences in Slot Machines | |
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Getting a Handle on Slots Odds | |
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Stretching Your Money at the Slots | |
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Honing Your Slot Etiquette | |
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Playing for Comps | |
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Scoring Big in Video Poker | |
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Poker? Slots? Characterizing Video Poker | |
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Playing the Game | |
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Putting Your Money on the Best Machines | |
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Playing Jacks or Better: The Best Bet for Beginners | |
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Investigating Other Video Poker Machines | |
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Striking the Mother Lode: Keno and Bingo | |
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Catching On to Keno Basics | |
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Improving Your Odds at Keno | |
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Figuring Out the ABCs of B-I-N-G-O | |
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Calling Forth Winning Bingo Strategies | |
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From the Cubs to the Bears: Sports Betting | |
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Defining Sports Betting: The Legal Kind, That Is | |
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Leveling the Betting Field with Lines and Point Spreads | |
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Placing Your Bet in a Sports Book | |
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Rounding Up Sports Betting Differences | |
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Understanding Handicapping Basics | |
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Relying on Strategic Handicapping | |
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More than Just the Derby: Betting on Horse Racing | |
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Identifying Different Racing Formats | |
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Betting in a Casino: Inside the Race Book | |
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Understanding and Reading the Sheets | |
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Placing Bets in the Race Book | |
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Getting a Hand on Horse Racing: Handicapping Basics | |
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Taking Casino Gambling to a Different Level | |
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Casino Gambling: Online and in the Comfort of Home | |
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Mapping the Legal Landscape | |
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Understanding How Online Casinos Work | |
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Locating the Best (and Safest) Online Casino Games | |
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Taking Advantage of Promos and Giveaways | |
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The Wild World of Tournaments | |
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Sizing Up Tournaments: Which One Is Right for You? | |
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Betting on the Most Lucrative Tournaments | |
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Entering a Tournament (And Knowing What to Expect) | |
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Strategizing to Eliminate the Competition | |
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The Part of Tens | |
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Ten Cool Places to Gamble | |
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Living Large in Las Vegas | |
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Landing on Boardwalk: Atlantic City | |
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Touring Tahoe and Reno | |
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Cruising the High Seas | |
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Rolling on the River (or Lake) | |
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Exploring Native American Casinos | |
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Collecting Chips in Connecticut | |
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Striking Gold in California | |
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Finding Hidden Treasures in the Caribbean | |
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Joining the Jet Set | |
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Ten (or So) Common Casino Gambling Mistakes to Avoid | |
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Gambling at All | |
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Failing to Keep Records | |
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Bouncing Around Like a Pinball | |
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Looking for Luck in All the Wrong Places | |
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Giving Up Too Easily | |
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Breaking the Law (Of Averages) | |
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Relying on Betting Systems | |
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Being Seduced | |
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Losing It Online | |
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Taking It to the Limit, One Too Many Times | |
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Overindulging | |
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Blaming Others | |
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Ten Ways to Score Comps | |
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Ask and Ye Shall Receive | |
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Impressing the Boss with Club Card Mileage | |
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Finding the Weakest Link | |
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Betting More When the Boss Is Looking | |
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Betting Less When the Boss Isn't Looking | |
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Making the Bathroom Your Second Home | |
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Looking Like You're Losing | |
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Greasing the Wheels | |
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Never Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth | |
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Behaving with Courtesy and Respect | |
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Appendixes | |
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Glossary | |
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Important Resources | |
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Books | |
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Magazines | |
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Web Sites | |
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Gamblers Anonymous | |
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Index | |