We spend so much time in front of screens and devices that sometimes we forget that other sources of entertainment and information are out there. For centuries, books have been the primary source of knowledge if we want to learn and accumulate wisdom.
Anyone spending time on this website knows that books still have a real allure, whether in paper, eBook, or audio format. We may have entered the era of smartphones, AI, the internet, and self-driving cars, but some technologies simply don’t ever go out of fashion.
Books allow us to develop an in-depth relationship with what we are trying to understand and present information in ways we can digest and quickly assimilate. Fiction also has the ability to transport us somewhere else and develop our empathy.
In an age of increasing division and disinformation, books can offer a reliable and reassuring alternative to the information and misinformation overload we often experience.
Rather than dive directly into how-to books, I am going to suggest an alternative approach to books about gaming and improving gaming skills, and that is, first of all, to take a step back.
It is all too easy to dive headlong into strategy and tips, but sometimes, we need to open our minds to allow us to think more broadly about the subject at hand.
Just as many of us learn more from historical fiction than we do from dry history books, I am going to suggest some of the best books to teach us about gaming skills can be found on the fiction and fictionalised sections of the bookshelves.
Bringing Down The House by Ben Mezrich
Bringing Down The House: How Six Students Took Vegas for Millions tells a true life story that is so fantastical it is almost unbelievable. As the publishing blurb says, “real-life rarely offers stories that are quite as satisfying as fiction”, but this one delivers.
This shares the true story of a group of smart young mathematicians and physicists who won millions of dollars from Las Vegas casinos.
While no one is suggesting that you do the same, it does give you a fascinating insight into what it takes to pull off the most elaborate and daring scam. Because, just to be clear, this was a scam.
Or was it? Cheating in casinos is illegal; however, card counting (where you make a record of what cards have been dealt) is not.
Card counting allows players to predict which cards remain in the deck and, therefore, what will be played. Unsurprisingly, casinos dislike card counters and do everything they can to keep them off their premises. However, this bunch of brilliants had other ideas.
Mezreich’s book gives a great insight into a closed, corrupt, and utterly excessive world.
It probably will not make you any better at gaming, but it might teach you a thing or two about the value of friendship, money, and self. It is undoubtedly an insight into wrongdoings and building character.
Beating the Casinos at Their Own Game by Peter Svoboda
Beating the Casinos at Their Own Game is a more conventional book for improving gaming skills. This is great for beginners and features colourful illustrations to draw you onto the casino floor.
Whether you are looking to play at land-based or online casinos or maybe just set up a game with friends at home, this book covers the basics. It is an uncomplicated guide that teaches from the foundation up and covers most casino games.
The author gives excellent advice on honing your skills to help you play better and understand more.
When you feel ready to hit the online sites, Casino.org looks for NZ casinos and is your guide to finding the best places to play. With a trusted book and a trusted guide, you could be onto a winner!
Casino Secrets: How to Win More Money – And Keep It! By Victor H Royer
If you want even more in-depth knowledge, you could do worse than delve into the pages of this book. The title of the book is compelling, and the author wants to help readers complete their quest to bank as much money as possible.
The book covers all kinds of games, including Blackjack, slots, craps, roulette, 20-Card-Keno, and poker. Whether you choose to play video versions or live-dealer games, this book is stuffed full of strategies you can deploy when playing casino games.
Unlike many gaming guides, it has a great section on slots. While these games are purely chance-based, there are still ideas on how you can get the most out of your time playing.
The Smart Money by Michael Konik
The Smart Money; How The World’s Best Sports Bettors Bookies Our of Millions, has a similar ring to the title as Bringing Down The House. Only this time, the focus is on sports betting.
Professional journalist Michael Konik landed an interview with Rick “Big Daddy” Matthews – an expert blackjack and poker player.
Matthews was rumoured to be the world’s best sports bettor and the mastermind behind a shadowy group of gamblers, the “Brain Trust.”
They were infamous for using their expertise to beat the odds set by the Vegas casinos, and Matthews was known for doing anything to get an edge. Described as a snake and a conniver but also brilliant, cunning, and charming, he invited the journalist to “make a little money” during the football season.
Konik took him up on the offer, and the book takes readers behind the US’s most successful sports betting operation.
You do not need to rely on myths or rumours about the group; this book reveals how they got rich by beating the odds and creating a multimillion-dollar offshore betting circuit. Konik claimed the biggest bet he had ever entertained before meeting Matthews was a $200 wager.
The book details the betrayals and excesses, paranoia and horse-trading that are the everyday perks and perils of this lifestyle.
With millions of dollars riding on the outcome of a single events, tensions can run high. Konik even describes a $ 1 million wager on a single football game as a “normal” part of doing the business.
Risk and reward
It might be normal to him after encountering this crew, but most of us would still find this unbelievably risky. It could be a good time to revert to some comforting fiction. How about Casino Royale or The Great Gatsby?