Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

8
About Casino Gambling
What? You didn’t come to Las Vegas
for the Liberace Museum? We are
shocked. Shocked.
Yes, there are gambling opportunities
in Vegas. We’ve noticed this. You
will too. The tip-off will be the slot
machines in the airport as soon as you
step off the plane. Or the slot machines
in the convenience stores as soon as
you drive across the state line. Let’s
not kid ourselves, gambling is what
Vegas is about. The bright lights, the
shows, the showgirls, the food—it’s all
there just to lure you in and make you
open your wallet. (The free drinks certainly
help ease the latter as well.)
You can disappoint them if you
want, but what would be the point?
This is Las Vegas. You don’t have to be
a high roller. You would not believe
how much fun you can have with a
nickel slot machine. You won’t get
rich, but neither will most of those
guys playing the $5 slots, either.
Of course, that’s not going to stop
anyone from trying. Almost everyone
plays in Vegas with the hopes of winning
The Big One. That only a few
ever do win doesn’t stop them from
trying again and again and again.
That’s how the casinos make their
money, by the way.
It’s not that the odds are stacked so
incredibly high in their favor—
though the odds are in their favor, and
don’t ever think otherwise. Rather, it’s
that if there is one constant in this
world, it’s human greed. Look around
in any casino, and you’ll see countless
souls who, having doubled their winnings,
are now trying to quadruple
them, and are losing it all and then
trying to recoup their initial bankroll
and losing still more in the process.
See that chandelier up there? Enjoy
it—you paid for it.
Which is not meant to dissuade you
from gambling. Just be sure to look at
it as recreation and entertainment, not
as an investment or moneymaking
opportunity. Spend only as much as
you can afford to lose and not a penny
more. It doesn’t matter if that’s $10 or
$100,000. You can have just as good a
time with either. (Though if you can
afford to lose $100,000, we would like
to meet you.)
Remember also that there is no system
that’s sure to help you win. We all
have our own systems and our own
ideas. Reading books and listening to
others at the tables will help you pick
up some tips, but if there were a surefire
way to win, the casinos would
have taken care of it (and we will leave
you to imagine just what that might
entail). Try to have the courage to
walk away when your bankroll is up,
not down. Remember, your children’s
college fund is just that, and not a
gambling-budget supplement.
The first part of this chapter is a
contribution from James Randi, a
master magician, who looks at the
four major fallacies people bring with
them to the gaming tables in Las
Vegas; it’s fascinating, and we thank
him for this contribution.
The second part tells you the basics
of betting. Knowing how to play the
games not only improves your odds but
also makes playing more enjoyable. In