John Gollehon doesn't promise
to make you rich, but his latest book, "Budget Gambling:
How to Bet Little and Win Big," does offer some new strategies
to help you enjoy gaming and at the same time improve your chances
of winning.
The author of 12 books on gaming,
ranging from casino games to sports betting, Gollehon has come
up with a fresh idea and what he calls "a new to play."
It's all based on what Gollehon claims is a "low risk, high
reward" concept. His theory, simply, is that you can win
big without betting big. Best of all, the 12 chapters of the
soft-cover book deal not only with casino table games and slot
machines, but with horse racing. One seldom sees a book that
handles the two diverse gaming subjects so well.
The information is straightforward
and easily readable. The author doesn't overwhelm the reader
with technical or mathematical details. For example, he explains
the rules of each casino game in great detail, complete with
anecdotes and illustrations, then follows with a description
of his strategies. The blackjack chapter even contains the finer
points of learning to count cards without memorizing. This is
one of Gollehon's tried and true methods that he has perfected
over many years of gaming.
The chapter on roulette looks
extensively at "clocking the dealer,'' which is a method
to determine whether or not the dealer can consistently land
the ball in a particular section of the wheel based on how and
where he releases it. The belief that some dealers can and do
exercise a certain amount of control over where the ball lands
is held by more than a few professional players. Even if you're
not a roulette player, it's an interesting read.
Other chapters focus on how to
avoid low-paying slot machines, finding the best payouts on video
poker machines; simplifying craps by making only three bets,
and how to win at the track without using a racing form. Even
non-horse-racing fans will find some interesting and profitable
pointers in the latter chapter. In fact, the explanation of the
rules of horse racing could serve to make some new fans. Both
novice and veteran horse players are likely to benefit from Gollehon's
budget method wherein the gambler starts with a $1 exacta wheel
and progresses to a $2 trifecta if he or she wins.
Now, what happens after you read
the book, then go to the casino or track and forget some of its
finer points? Not to worry. An added bonus is that the book contains
wallet-size game cards with Gollehon's strategies for blackjack,
roulette, video poker, craps and horse racing. There is also
a card for his four-color strategy, which combines the advantages
of optimum betting with a mathematically proven betting progression.
A recurring theme throughout
the book is that the three important betting disciplines - confidence,
patience and caution - are the hallmark of successful players.
The $14.99 book is available
at bookstores or from Gollehon Press, Inc., 6157 28th St., Grand
Rapids, MI 49546.
