This amazing primer and guide will get you started on your road to Blackjack success.

Blackjack basic strategy is based on the mathematics of the game. It has been tested and refined through computer simulations. When it is followed correctly it reduces the house edge to the minimum, which is usually about one-half of a percent. Minor adjustments are made to basic strategy depending on certain rule variations that the different casinos can chose to use. For example some casinos will allow you to double down after splitting (DOS) and some do not allow it. There are also some changes made to basic strategy for single and multiple deck games.

At Blackjack Basic Strategy

We love the Wizard of Odds, and just found out about this book that makes Casino Strategy a little more interesting than just speculation. Plenty of gambling books explain how to play the games; that's Gambling 101. Gambling 102 takes you to the next stage, where you're playing the games in the best manner for the least amount of effort. Within these pages, gambling's Wizard of Odds provides the best strategies possible along with the easiest learning curve for all the casino games, from baccarat to video poker, from sic bo to sports betting.

At Gambling 102: The Best Strategies for All Casino Games

If you are looking for a casino used slot machine, look no further. These are genuine Pachislo skill stop slot machines that were used in international casinos are perfect for your home casino. Skill Stop Slot Machines get their name because you control when each reel stops which also adds an element of skill to the game.

We love the Vegas slot machine above, and we think there may be a little slot machine in our home casino soon.

At Used Slot Machines-Slot Machines for Sale

There's a really interesting article over at CNN. Seems like luck and money is running out in Las Vegas, and this means more than just cheap rooms.

A search online turns up rooms at Fitzgeralds Casino and Hotel for as low as $26 -- a sure sign the recession is taking a toll on Las Vegas and rates are being slashed to attract visitors.

Judy Bagley, a casino cashier who traded chips for cash and vice versa, found out about recession's toll another way.

"My supervisor came and said I had to close the booth and she was going to count me out and I was to go and meet with the manager and director," Bagley told CNN. "When I went up there they said my services were no longer needed and my job was being eliminated."

So three months ago, after more than 28 years at Fitzgeralds, she was out of work.

"It felt like I was more or less stabbed in the back after all the years I had been there," Bagley said. "I'd been very loyal to the company and never called in sick and I have very little discipline [issues] and it felt like betrayal."

At King: Luck running low in Las Vegas - CNN.com

Pennsylvania is in for a treat because nearly 14 years after a century of steelmaking ended in south Bethlehem, PA, gambling will step into the void left by the death of Bethlehem Steel. At 9 a.m. today, Bethlehem will become Pennsylvania's eighth casino town.

The $743 million gambling hall in the former Bethlehem Steel ore field at the south end of the Minsi Trail Bridge features four restaurants and two lounges.

At A new era to begin at the old Steel site

In a move that shows the US Congress aren’t all misguided and shooting in the dark, a new bill that would overturn the 3-yr old ban on Internet gambling was introduced last Wed.

The new bill, titled “Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection & Enforcement Act” would allow the US Treasury to regulate the industry instead of the current practice.

As representative Frank puts it “The government should not interfere with people’s liberties.” Well said.

For those that disagree, consider this - if we’re going to ban online gambling, shouldn’t we ban other forms of gambling as well?

Via Gizmos for Geeks

That's right - the numbers are still slipping, but we predict a Summer and Fall turn around.

Numbers from the Nevada Gaming Control Board released on Thursday show that the recession's hold on Las Vegas could be loosening.

Although gaming win on the Strip fell 12 percent year over year, there was an uptick in revenue when compared to February 2009.

For Las Vegas, March revenue came in at $456.1 million -- up 6.7 percent from $427.4 million in February. In February, year-over-year Las Vegas casino win dipped 23 percent.

At Nevada Gaming Revenue Slips 11.6% in March

Looks like it's a go!

Shares of MGM Mirage skyrocketed Thursday, gaining as much as 50% after the company cut a deal with a joint-venture partner -- and its lenders -- that will apparently ensure the completion of its massive CityCenter project.

After the close of trading Wednesday, MGM Mirage (MGM:MGM 7.97, -0.41, -4.9%) and Dubai World, co-owners of CityCenter, ended more than a month of turmoil and infighting with a pact under which they will fund their remaining contributions to CityCenter via letters of credit, while current lenders will fully fund a $1.8 billion senior secured credit facility.

Furthermore, Dubai World said it will dismiss a lawsuit it filed last month against MGM Mirage, which charged that the casino giant was mismanaging the project.

"CityCenter is now fully funded and on track to open in December 2009," the two companies said in a joint statement.

At MGM Mirage shares soar on CityCenter pact - MarketWatch

Las Vegas Sands plans to put the Sands Macao (left) up for about US$1.3 billion (S$1.95 billion) after failing to sell its luxury shopping centres in the southern Chinese territory. This is more bad news for the already troubled Las Vegas Sands corporation.

At Sands to sell Macau casino

Ouch - blame it the recession? Maybe blame this one on stiff competition from neighboring Pennsylvania slots and other factors.

Atlantic City topped itself for all the wrong reasons yesterday, and posted a monthly revenue decrease that outdid its record 19.2 percent drop in February compared with the same month a year ago.

The seaside resort's 11 casinos reported a 19.4 percent decrease in March, the largest year-over-year decline in Atlantic City gambling's 31-year history, according to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.

The casinos took in $318.4 million in March, compared with $395 million a year earlier.

At N.J. casinos post biggest monthly revenue drop | Philadelphia Inquirer | 04/10/2009

Yep - Carlos Santana is getting his own Vegas show. Finally something a bit less revolting than Celine Dion.

Perpetually mustachioed guitar god Carlos Santana has signed a multi-year deal to launch a Las Vegas residency on May 27 -- and that the show, entitled Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits, will make him the "first rock and roll resident" to come to the Strip (suck it, Celine Dion!).

At Carlos Santana: Oye Como Vegas!

Given we're headed to Vegas today, we thought we'd remind ourself how addictive those amazing slot machines can be. Video slot machines have come to be known as the "crack cocaine" of the gambling industry, and we agree somewhat. Click on through for the full read, but know your limits and only bring what you're willing to lose.

The mechanical wheels of spinning fruit used in the old one-armed bandits have gone the way of the typewriter. Modern-day slot machines are computerized sound-and-light shows so skillfully designed to keep players glued to their seats that some have been known to wear adult diapers to avoid bathroom breaks.

As state Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill promotes the idea of licensing three slot parlors in Massachusetts, some mental health and gambling specialists warn that the newer machines deliver such potent gambling highs that they can be particularly addictive.

At Critics see video slots as a particularly addictive form of gambling

A great article that shows with a little dialing down of the amenities, you can still make money from slots and entertain some people. We think Massachusetts should look into something similar.

It's a little past 6 o'clock on a vanilla Monday night in March and Philadelphia Park is slammed. There are men in sweat suits, women with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, senior citizens with canes - all hoping the numbers and symbols on the screens in front of them match up just right.

They haven't come for the $3.50 hot dog at Grab-N-Go. They're not here to shop at the only store on the premises, a gift shop selling candy, cigarettes, and hats.

Read more at The Boston Globe

How about some good news? Wait - how about some great news? A woman playing a slot machine at a casino in Florence, OR won $5 million last Friday night. That's right - pull the lever - $5 million bucks.

The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, had been playing the Penny Wheel of Fortune machine at Three Rivers Casino and Hotel.

According to the casino, the woman initially thought she won $60 or possibly $600 when three Wheel of Fortune symbols lined up. The machine indicated she should call an attendant.

A casino spokesman said the woman had been in the casino for less than an hour and won the $5 million using a $4 bet.

Full Read at Ore. Woman Wins $5 Million On Slot Machine

Looks like Colorado has some casino jobs, but are they even a safe bet in these tough economic times. Let's hope so. The big thing with any downturn is being flexible in the work you can find and going for it. Let's hope some of these unemployed get these jobs, and find them interesting.

Sometimes the best way to roll with the punches is to roll the dice.

That's Jerry Goldsmith's attitude. The Colorado man lost his engineering job of 29 years -- and the six-figure salary that went with it -- and is now applying for a casino job dealing craps, blackjack, roulette and poker.

Full Read at Unemployed place their bets on casino jobs - CNN.com

How about a 2 foot - 6lb burrito? Wowser.

Even in a recession, bigger is still apparently better. Either that or someone at the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas just really likes burritos. The hotel's NASCAR Cafe has begun selling a two-foot, six-pound burrito called "The Bomb." The reward for finishing the monstrous meal? "Free unlimited rides on a roller coaster that runs in both forward and reverse." Oh and a t-shirt saying, they "Conquered the Bomb."

Say what? How about letting the winner recuperate from a near-death food coma in a penthouse suite? Roller-coaster rides. Jeez.

Read at NASCAR Cafe in Vegas Selling 2-foot, 6-pound Burrito

This is bad news, and really bad news for Donald Trump. It seems the group behind the Trump Casino decided to go for bankruptcy, and Trump was so mad about the move - he quit his own casino.

Well, no bailouts, with the Donald Trump Entertainment Resorts filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, rather than seeking any sort of a bailout, and actually having very little to do with the Donald himself.

Not only did Donald Trump oppose the bankruptcy move and quit the company last week ahead of it, he owns only a quarter of the casino operator, unlike the Trump Organization, which he does control.

Full read at FOXNews.com

This looks like a great read on how to not lose your shirt. The legendary Arnold Snyder, one of the most successful professional gamblers ever, shares one of the most valuable secrets of today's pro gamblers: you can make a lot of money gambling online! You don't need any special skills, mathematical abilities, super memory, difficult "systems" or even a big bankroll-all you need is the information in this book to get started. The big money, and the easy money, is in the online casinos and poker rooms! With Arnold Snyder's easy "Loot and Scoot" method of play, you can take as little as $500 to $1,000 and multiply it many times over with little risk of losing. There has never been a gambling opportunity as rich as the opportunity that exists online today.

At How To Beat Internet Casinos and Poker Rooms

Are you going to eat tonight, or got the Casino? Answer. Eat. Revenue plunged at Arizona's 22 Indian casinos during the fourth quarter, as the worsening recession kept gamblers away from the tribes' gaming tables and slot machines. Based on fees paid to the state, the casinos' combined revenue was down 16 percent, marking the biggest quarterly drop since Arizona Indian gaming was legalized in 1993.

Read more at Revenue tumbles at Arizona casinos

Looks like Atlantic City's oldest casino hotel, Resorts Casino Hotel, now risks foreclosure, highlighting how New Jersey's flailing gambling industry.

On Thursday, Column Financial, a commercial lending subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group, filed a petition with the New Jersey Casino Control Commission seeking to begin foreclosure proceedings against the property, or take ownership of it. According to the petition, the casino hasn't paid its mortgage since October.

The state, which licenses and regulates casinos, must approve the lenders' efforts to foreclose on the property. State regulators will review the petition and put it on the agenda for a future meeting, said New Jersey Casino Control Commission spokesman Daniel Heneghan.

Read Resorts Atlantic City Faces Foreclosure Threat

Not only did he lose $120 million dollars, he also had a very specific list of demands at the hotels he stayed at when losing all that dough.

Fiji water, grouped in bottles of three. Golden raisins and warmed mixed nuts. Aramis cologne and badger hair shaving brush. Lint-free towels. Dom Perignon Rose champagne and Kurosawa Sake in the fridge. And never, under any circumstances, approach him from behind...

Siddiqui also was quite particular about his body. Hotel employees had a long shopping list at Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Macy's, and, yes, Target and Wal-Mart, if need be, to purchase a Philips Norelco Bodygroom shaver with a fog-free shaving mirror, a Sonicare Elite 7500 Series toothbrush, Clinique facial scrub for men, knuckle Band-Aids, original ChapStick, Crest mint gel toothpaste with tartar protection and Trojan Magnum condoms..."Porn" had to be available in the bedroom...

Via Gizmodo and full read at Mercury News

MGM Mirage is cutting costs and cutting areas of the new City Center project. It will trim out a 400 room Harmon Hotel and Spa, and cancel 200 residential units it had planned to build in the same area. The changes will only save $200 million and not the $400 million originally stated. The companies said the rest of City Center -- which includes a 4,000-room hotel and casino, a Mandarin Oriental hotel, two condo towers, a condo-hotel and a retail complex -- will open as planned in late 2009.

Read MGM Mirage Limits Las Vegas Project

Since we're based in Boston we've been following the madness which is getting a Casino or three in Massachusetts. The current climate doesn't look good, but the latest developments are another shot across the bow of proposals for casinos this month. After that - expect another long - long - wait to get any more news. But - you never know and if you want to follow - Boston.com has a complete section of ongoing coverage collection for you to follow.

Casino gambling is on the table in Massachusetts. Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a plan to allow three casino resorts in the state following the federal recognition of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe.

At Gambling in Massachusetts - Boston.com

That's right - it's snowing in the city of sin. We want to wish everyone in Vegas a very fun and snow filled holiday!

The rare winter storm brought the Nevada city to a halt, forcing cancellations to flights and closing major highways.
But as several inches of snow carpeted the normally warm ground and lay heavy on the broad fronds of palm trees, tourists rushed outside to record the event with souvenir photographs. With temperatures far below their normal level, the city's new most popular attraction appeared to be posing beneath the "Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas" sign blanketed in snow.

Read Las Vegas gets heaviest snow fall in 30 years

This one has it all! The American Casino Guide taps into the huge casino-goers market by providing the money-saving, detailed information that is sought by the seasoned casino veteran as well as the first-time visitor. The guide is jam-packed with detailed information on every casino/resort, riverboat and Indian casino in the U.S.

Included are informative stories on all casino games including blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, slots and video poker machines - plus - detailed reports on which casinos offer the best games in every major gaming jurisdiction in the U.S.

The guide also comes with plenty of tips on how to get the most for your money when visiting a casino by taking advantage of casino promotions, slot clubs and funbooks. It even discloses the actual slot machine payback percentages for every state's casinos! A must for anyone planning a visit to a casino!

At American Casino Guide: 2008 Edition

We're always looking for a way to get some $$$ part time and not lose our shirt. Blackjack Blueprint has high reviews and good praise from many of our readers.

From the first turn of the card to getting out of a foreign country with a suitcase full of cash, BLACKJACK BLUEPRINT is the most comprehensive book ever written on learning to play blackjack for profit. This book covers everything from basic strategy to counting cards, from maximizing potential going solo to playing on a blackjack team. Casino comps, tournaments, location play, shuffle tracking, playing in disguise, outwitting the eye in the sky, and other advantage-play techniques--it's all here. Best of all, the techniques you learn in BLACKJACK BLUEPRINT can be used part-time as a money-making hobby, just as author Rick Blaine has used them for years while pursuing a career in finance.

At Blackjack Blueprint: How to Play Like a Pro... Part-Time

This show is amazing. We've watched just about every episode, and each one is pretty solid. The best episodes are the ones featuring elaborate gadgets, fake coins, and other breaking vegas stuff. It's currently on the History Channel again, so TIVO or set your PVR to get it. The picture above shows one of the shows - Dice Dominator. This show has to be seen to be believed - but in a nutshell, they learn to throw dice in craps so precisely they can make the dice show whatever they want when they land. Amazing.

Breaking Vegas is a television series that premiered on The History Channel in the United States in the Spring of 2004. The series covers the great lengths people have gone to make money, often illegally, from casinos. It premiered in Pakistan on January 19, 2006 and was renamed Decoding Casinos in India on May 9, 2006. In the Spring of 2007,[citation needed] it aired on The History Channel and The Discovery Channel in Canada.

At Breaking Vegas

Looking to run your own casino or get a job running one? This book tells you how to get the skills you'll need to run a casino.

Written by experts with over 65 years of combined experience in the field, this Second Edition offers all the critical skills and know-how to equip gaming and casino operators with the knowledge needed for the management office, cage operations, and table game and slot operations.

At Casino Operations Management