Hi Frank,
I want to start by telling you how much I have enjoyed reading two of your books (Break the One-Armed Bandits and Guerilla Gambling). This Friday my wife and I will arrive in Vegas and I made copies of important excerpts for her to read so we can both be savvy regarding the slots. I am armed with more info now on roulette, blackjack and especially craps. I am so excited and can't wait to try what I have learned from your books.
My buddy gave me a crash course before last year's trip, but I didn't do so well and it was all confusing especially with all the noise and chatter. Now this year I hope will be better than last year. Last year we went with $3,000 and came home after 8 days with half of the money. I looked at it as the glass half full. We gambled for 8 days and averaged about 10 hours of gambling a day.
We didn't get much of a comp from the Stratosphere (free breakfast and a coffee mug). We got better comps from the Four Queens in less time gambling there. We are not alcoholics but drink occasionally at this point in our lives, but we go wild in Vegas. I figure just our alcohol consumption is worth a lot of money.
Because we have more fun and good fortune downtown we will be staying downtown this time.
I was surprised to read in your book that most people have no strategy or money management. We had both. Unfortunately our slot strategy was wrong based on your interview with the casino exec. But our strategy was very close to yours. I call my wife the banker and she is tighter than Fort Knox and won't let us dip into tomorrow's funds at any cost. Luckily we haven't had to test that rule.
If you would like to hear my story about how I lost all but $8 of my allotted $200 for the day in 45 minutes. My wife hit a few slots for a couple of hundred and I asked her for some money and she told me point blank NO. I should have stayed away from the tables like she told me. And when I went to bed at 11:30 p.m. I had close to $400. This was a depressing few hours thinking I had no money to gamble with and all I could was sit and drink and watch my wife have fun.
A new friend of mine whom I shoot with in a billiards league told me how he frequents the Mississippi casinos and plays craps and wins. He uses your techniques and he claims he always wins. He has his own regulation craps table and he has been preparing me for my Vegas trip this Friday. My wife and I went there in 2005 as I was competing in the APA national pool tournament.
It was her first time and essentially mine as I was there with my parents back in the mid-sixties. It took us half a day to learn that you must play max bets on the slots and we left Vegas after a week up $600 mostly from Wheel of Fortune. Wheel of Fortune stunk last year. Also last year for 6 months before our Vegas trip I practiced blackjack strategy and betting strategy and then was very angry as I proceeded to lose 50 out of 55 hands at various $5 tables. This year I will only look for single or double-deck play and use your ideas except for the card counting. My next book will be your card counting book, Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution!
Just so you know a little of my mentality on beating the casinos, my brothers and sister and I are all gifted athletes. My mother put a poster of Vince Lombardi on our bedroom door with the quote "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." That has been my motto and I hate to lose and am driven to win. I enjoy finding holes in the rules of any game and exploit them to beat my opponents.
I find billiards has taught me perfect shot alignment with arm and stance, how to make adjustment when needed and I have played in a lot of tournaments with tons of noise so I am prepared now for craps but within your guidelines.
My wife and I love Vegas! We have also looked out our room window at night and
gazing at all the wonderful neon lights and said this is the best. We are so excited.
Sorry, I did have a question. In your book, the chapter 'A day in the life of a Gambler' you mention that while at Binion's, Alan got the dice and the dealer yelled at him not to set the dice. So is this illegal in casinos? I have been training using the hard set and practicing my throw. I am bummed that I may not be able to set the dice. I do set them fairly fast.
Thanks for your wonderful books. Sorry for the rambling but your books inspired me.
Regards,
Gary
Thanks for your letter. Some quick responses:
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