Winning Games for players

Even with new games appearing regularly at casinos, there is a very limited number of games that can be consistently won by a serious player. If you want to be a professional or a semi-pro, or if you want to make gambling your number-one hobby, these are the games to play: blackjack, poker, video poker, casino tournaments, horse racing, and Sports betting. In each case, skill - not luck - will be the deciding factor. You shouldn't go out and start to play, thinking you can beat the house or other players because of your experience at Friday night games in your hometown. To become even a moderately skilled gambler requires a lot of research, a great deal of studying, and loads of practice.

Blackjack:

You have to know basic strategy for single-, double-, and multideck games. Card counting is a must. You should also pay attention to the little extra things, such as knowing about deck penetration and side counts. You'll want to use good money management skills, and, most of all, you'll have to develop an act to prevent yourself from being barred.

Horse racing:

To make money at horse racing, you must have lots of experience in handicapping races. You need to know which items are dominant, which must be weighted, and what must be considered when reviewing an upcoming race. You also need to learn to pass up races that you feel might be too close to call. Furthermore, you'll always have to overcome the house edge of 17 to 20 percent, which can be a very difficult task.

Poker:

In poker, you are always playing against your fellow players. It's often been said that poker is 50 percent skill and 50 percent luck, and it's difficult to tell which is which when you are playing. You can play poker almost anywhere: in casinos, in card rooms, even at home. When you first begin to play, I recommend that you specialize in one game, such as Texas hold 'em, five- or seven-card stud, or draw poker. Learning odds is very important in poker, as is learning to read other players. Remember, when it comes to bluffing, you have to know when, who, how, and a lot more.

Video Poker:

When playing video machines, you're going one-on-one against the house. Unlike with "live" poker, you don't have to worry about other players. In video poker, you only have one draw. Thus, the strategy is a little different from that of live poker; but it can be easily learned. Knowing the right machines to play is the most important factor. The machines can be beaten, meaning that the return can be 100 percent or better. The real problem with this game is that over the long run, the return is limited to just a few dollars per hour.

Sports betting:

At present, Nevada is the only US state that legally accepts sports wagers. Of course, there is a lot of illegal betting that takes place with bookies, friends, coworkers, and on the Internet. How long it will last on the Internet remains to be seen, however, because of pending federal legislation. For now, though, if you want to make a formal bet on baseball, basketball, boxing, football, or hockey, your choices are the Internet or in Nevada only. As with horse racing, in sports betting you need to know a lot about teams, specific players, home field advantage, and much more. Note that most professional gamblers make their living by betting on sports.