New Books Make Keno, Craps More Fun For Everyone

4 November 2004

By Howard Schwartz

Two new books for casino players with some fresh information to generate new approaches to beating the games have arrived at Gambler's Book Shop. The first is Victor Royer's Powerful Profits from Keno (320 pages, paperbound, $12.95; the second is Larry Edell's 101 Ways to Win at Craps! (247 pages, plastic spiralbound, $19.95).

Although new books on craps keno and craps are nothing new, each of these has new material for the 21st Century player. For example, the keno book, from page 161 on, focuses on the very popular video keno, with sections clearly explaining the difference between the "lounge" version (where you or a keno runner takes your bet to the keno writer) and the video version where you're on your own. There is special emphasis on the Game King video multi game machine (which uses on-screen menus allowing you to choose the value of your credits--and these can be as low as a penny a credit to $5 a credit, where there are anywhere from four to 100 credits as a maximum bet) and the Four Card Keno machine.

Royer explains in a relaxed, but detailed way, how the machines operate, what to expect, and prepares you in a most confident tone, with details on for instance, how important it is to know the pay tables and odds. He also covers Cleopatra Keno, Caveman Keno, Super Power Keno, Top-Bottom Keno, Super Way Keno, 3-6-9 Keno, 2-4-6 Keno, Spot Keno and Multi Card Keno.

For more detail, he discusses Core Numbers Strategy; Wheel Numbers Strategy; the Overlay Numbers Concept, then has a section dispelling myths and superstitions regarding the game.

The book's many charts and tables plus a 10-page index of subjects and concepts make this one of the best-priced and freshest books on the market for every level player. If you love regular keno or video keno, I'd have this one in my library for sure.

The craps book by Edell is special because it covers two areas of interest that players have been asking about more and more in recent years--tournament play (12 pages in the book) and dice control (18 pages in the book). The book's title, 101 Ways to Win at Craps! Refers to 101 sections or chapters--and Edell covers them well.

Interested in making odds-only bets or interested in learning how to make money using put bets or come bets? It's covered, along with betting the don't side; the multiple odds table; converting come bets; regressing or placing the six and eight; buying or laying the four or ten.

For those interested in other versions of the game, he covers crapless craps; chuck-a-luck; hazard; Klondike; electronic craps; sic bo and internet craps (one page devoted to each game). Included is a nice section on money management; followed by two dozen systems which include several regression plays; Martingales; Fibonacci; hedge bets; Oscar's Grind; D'Alembert; the Paroli; LaBouchere. A five-page index makes it easy to find a subject or system.