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Is anything really simple when it comes to card counting? Sure. It's simple to think you know what you are doing when you don't, and it's simple to lose your money. And that's just the beginning, because beating blackjack at your favorite casino is never a simple task. It is, however, likely to be more fun than you've ever had in a casino!

When I was 17 years old I got a copy of Gambling Times, and decided I should start playing blackjack in casinos. There were all kinds of books offered about how to beat blackjack and I already knew how to play (I thought), so why not. It was a tough road, but by the time I was in college I knew more about blackjack than most casino personnel. The cloak and dagger, hiding from the pit boss, and pulling the wool over the dealers' eyes part was so much fun!

And now, with the internet, you don't need a bunch of books. You can learn how to beat blackjack with a simple plus minus count for free! The count is simple, but your success will hinge on how well you know how to play blackjack.

If you know the game, you know you need to play perfect basic strategy to start with. It's a long learning process, but well worth it. The average player loses about 1.5 percent of their average bet over their lifetime at blackjack. So, depending on the speed of the game, they probably lose $15 an hour. Would you take five hours out of your life to learn basic strategy to get that number down to just $5? It's a skill you'll always have!

Then, the fun part starts. Would you be willing to step up your practice sessions to include a little simple math (can you add, subtract, and divide by six?) and memory skills to turn the tables and actually win $15 an hour playing blackjack? Would you work harder if you knew you could make a even more? I did, I have, and I've never had a losing year at the casinos.

I will admit that the first month I employed my new skills (after many, many hours of practice) I only made $1.98 an hour, but I did win. And, I've never looked back, never had a losing month! And, the casinos give me free rooms, free meals, and even free slot play to reward me for playing at their places. Sweet!

So, learn to play, learn to count, and practice, practice, practice, until you are perfect. Then, you'll have more fun than you ever thought possible in your favorite casinos!

Is Anything Simple about Card Counting? originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 at 15:56:19.

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I mentioned recently that Fitzgerald's casino in Downtown Las Vegas was going through a major refurbishing and a name change to The D. Well, fortunes are looking up for the new owners!

I have to admit that on my last trip I stayed down the avenue at the Golden Nugget. But it appears I missed out on $27 room rates Sunday through Thursday. Bummer!

My friend Emma did stay at The D and found the rooms to be clean and nicely furnished, especially for the price. Apparently the room fees included a free breakfast. That's a nice extra.

What we both experienced was a very large crowd in the downtown area Friday and Saturday night. Unlike years ago, Downtown Vegas is now a happening place on weekends. There are live bands, kiosks with souvenirs, margaritas, and lots of twenty-somethings.

Unfortunately, that also means that inside the casinos the music is loud (very) because a heady crowd of young gamblers are there to party. It's kind of like Spring Break with no beach. That's good for the small casinos that need the play.

As a more sedate gambler, I could do without the dancing girls on platforms, but of course I've seen the same thing in a pit outside the poker room at Caesars on the Strip. So, as Emma mentioned, it's not likely to be our first choice to play craps since it's impossible to hear the call of the dice.

One of the things I love about craps is the occasional stick-person who has a personality that completely transforms the game into Craps Land where the calls are colorful, the jokes flow, and the dice run hot. That's a gambler's heaven.

Heck, even choppy dice are tolerable with a good craps crew! So, don't be afraid of the new D. Just be ready to party more than gamble.

Trip Report - The D in Las Vegas originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at 16:05:07.

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"Nick the Greek" said, "the only thing better than betting and winning, is betting and losing." Well, I hate to lose, so I say the only thing better than betting and winning, is getting a bunch of freebies. If you haven't joined a player's club or slot club, you won't be able to take advantage of all the deals out there right now, so join the fun!

I spend more time in Nevada than in casinos on the east coast, so I'm used to getting all my drinks for free. Sometimes I even get a bottle of apple or orange juice for later. And since the drinks are free, I don't mind tipping the cocktail servers because they deal with crazy gamblers all night. That can't be easy.

Drinking alcohol and gambling is like those rear view mirrors with the sticker that says "objects in mirror may appear larger than actual size," your bankroll may appear larger than it is if you drink, so be careful with those free cocktails. Beyond the drinks though, it's always nice to grab some freebies. Look for clubs that offer double points or even 5x points on certain days. The South Point Casino in Vegas has a 5x slots points and 2x video poker points day on the 28th of May. They also have $49 room rates and $59 2-night packages. You can probably pay for that with your points if you put in the hours! At the South Point, 1000 points are worth $3 and every $1 in action gets 1 point.

At Station Casinos like Fiesta and Boulder, 1000 points are worth $1, but you get 3 points for every $1 in action. Several of the Station casinos have room rates as low as $39 a night, and points can be used for cash back, food, movies, bowling, etc.

At Coast Casinos like the Orleans and Gold Coast have room rates right now from $26 per night. With the Coast's B Connected club, earn 25,000 points and then you get 2x points all the time!

The Aquarius offers loyal players double points and energetic players can increase their points to 3x and even 4x.

The Riverside offers Bonus Points for cash. Every $5 coin-in earns you 1 point. Every 1000 points receives $10 cash, and room deals (often free) are offered to all club members.

The Colorado Belle and Edgewater offer $5 in slot play to new club members and an incentive of up to $250 for 48 hours. Earn 1000 points and receive $25.

The Avi casino has 2x points every Thursday.

The Tropicana and River Palms have 5x points on video poker and 15x points on slots for new members.

The Pioneer offers 5x points for new members and 3x points on special days.

At Harrah's, you can see Sheryl Crow in concert for $179 with a 2-night stay package for two guests.

Don't settle for just a free drink. Go out and get some real freebies!

Where's My Free Drink? originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Saturday, May 19th, 2012 at 18:58:24.

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