Ok so this isn't very educational...

I don't really know why it is so taboo to teach you a secret method to beat a casino (i.e. take the casino's money and put it into your pocket). After all, it is them against us, no? And how may casino owners are gonna wind up being Guide readers anyway?

So if you already know this method, which was taught to me by a Japanese gambling-addicted mathematician, please excuse the recursion. If you don't, believe me, every time I used it I beat the house.

Prerequisites

a) learn blackjack (don't panic, this is a simple game of accumulating cards until you get to an optimal card value of 21). b) find a casino. c) go there. d) bring $100 (or local equivalent). e) when you gamble, no alcohol consumption please, your money is at stake!

Method

Assuming that you sat down at a $10 dollar table (a table where each bet is a minimum of $10), here are the basic rules. You need discipline. Under no circumstances may you deviate from these rules. If you lose because you deviated for one second from these rules, don't fault me. First, bet $10. You will be dealt 2 cards. Ask for more cards until with your last card you reach 17 to 21. If you reach exactly 17, never ask for another card. Even if your sixth sense tells you that your next card might get you closer to 21, never ask for another card of you are on 17. If you win, bet $10 again. After each time you win bet $10. If you lose immediately after that last loss, bet $20. If you lose again immediately after those 2 consecutive losses bet $30. If you lose again after those 3 consecutive losses bet $60. If you lose again go home (now you can start drinking). Last rule is quit after you have earned $400.

Mathematical Logic

You are only playing against the dealer. He/she must follow the international house rule, which is that the dealer never takes another card if he/she is above 17. By matching your rules with the dealer's, your odds of winning now become 50/50.

By betting $10 each time you win, then on the 50% of the time that you will be winning, you will slowly gain more chips/money. By betting $20 on your first loss, if you win now you gain your lost money back. The same is true if you lose immediately after that loss. Then you bet $30, which will cover your $10 + $20 = $30 loss. If you lose again immediately thereafter, then you bet $60 ( = $10 + $20 + $30). If you break a losing streak (by winning) don't forget to bet $10 again. The logic is that if your chances of winning are 50/50, then your chances of losing 5 times in a row are low. Not that losing has never happened to anyone I know, but on the whole the casinos don't like people who use this method because it works. I recommend that upon reaching $400 earnings, you quit for the day, this magic number has worked most often, for me. You can always come back and take the casino's money again tomorrow.

Additions

It has been pointed out that by some casino rules, breaking even with the dealer at 17 means that you lose. While I have played Vegas and in this situation the ante just rose, i.e. a tie since the dealer did not win, the odds are in your favor in both situations. Losing 4 or 5 times in a row is not very likely, whether the dealer beats you on a tie at 17 or not.