Sportsbook & Gambling Information

Vegas gambling classes pay off, sort of

BY LARRY JOHNSTON
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Last week I gave you an introduction to gambling in Las Vegas. This week I'll give you the highlights of some of the more popular games. I share this information after having attended many, many classes for you on a recent trip out West. If you benefit from my advice, feel free to forward a portion of your winnings to my Swiss bank account.

Blackjack. The object of this game is to draw cards from a deck so they add up to 21 points. An ace counts as either 1 point or 11 points. Don't ask why. Face cards count as 10. The down side of this game is that the dealer (the house) draws last. This means that if you try to get close to 21 but go over, you lose.

If you keep track of the cards played, you increase your chances of winning. Smart people do well in this game. However, when casino owners' profits fall below 100 percent per hour, they blame the blackjack winners and bar them from further play. To be barred means you have already won a great deal of money.

This is one embarrassment I could endure.

Typical Blackjack house advantage: Fair.

Slot Machines. How to play: Insert coin, pull handle, puff on cigarette, drink. Repeat.

Typical slot machine house advantage: Large.

Poker. This is a fun game. It is the classic gambling game. Many people have made lots of money on it. Some even without cheating. I have no luck with this game. No matter how great my hand, someone has one better. Three queens? Someone will invariably have the fourth one and rakes in the pot. Hey! Wait! No wonder I have been losing all this time.

The only problem with casino poker is the house takes a percentage of each pot. The instructors and dealers are told to talk very fast when explaining this aspect of the game.

"Wetakeonepercent." Translated, it means if you and five partners play long enough, all the money will be in the dealer's lap and none on the table to play.

Typical poker house advantage: Large.

Craps. This is the game to play. You can win or lose and still have a great time. People who play craps scream and laugh and cry. It is not a quiet game. It can be a profitable game. Get a few lucky rolls in a row and you will double your money. People pat you on the back and you can be a hero to 20 strangers. This has always been a goal of mine.

Typical craps house advantage: Who cares?

Let me tell you about my luck at craps. I started with 20 chips. I put one down on the "pass" line. I rolled three 7s in a row and won a chip for each roll. I then rolled winning combinations no less than 20 times. The crowd surged each time I rolled. In no time I had 130 chips.

It was magic. Unfortunately, it was also during class and the chips were worthless, wooden imitations.

After class, I ran to a real craps table before my luck faded. I poured out the contents of my wallet. Over the next three hours, I won exactly two chips. I won't say how many I left behind.

The next day, I flew home coach. The in-flight meal? Chips. Of the potato variety