If you want to be zen about it, intelligence is the lack of stupidity. This is especially true when gambling. The sensations the casinos send your way--the sounds, the lights, the scantily clad cocktail waitresses, are all designed to get you excited and to make you reckless. Excitement's okay; recklessness is not.
I'm going to start this online gambling guide and blog by writing several articles designed to teach you how to stay in control. I want you to be deliberate and make conscious decisions when you gamble. That's the best way to maximize your enjoyment in the casino, whether you're playing online or in Vegas.
First thing you need to know, and don't ever forget this, is that the casino has a mathematical advantage that, in the long run, cannot be overcome. Anyone on the internet who's trying to sell you a surefire system on how to become a professional gambler playing roulette is a charlatan. There are some games where you can gain a small mathematical advantage over the house (blackjack if you're counting cards, video poker if you play perfectly on the right machine, poker if you're playing with players who aren't as good as you, and sports betting if you're a lot smarter than I am.)
But in the short run, you CAN win. Many people walk away from the casinos winners. In fact, if they didn't, the casinos wouldn't be there. (Hey--that's almost a paradox, ain't it?) If you play smart, you'll win more often than people who play stupid, and that's a fact too. The information on this site is going to help you maximize the entertainment you get for your gambling dollars, and it's going to do that by helping you make wise decisions about which games to play and how to play them.
There will be individual posts on almost every kind of casino gambling game imagineable here: blackjack, slots, video poker, craps, baccarat, roulette, caribbean stud, let it ride, pai gow poker, poker, sports betting, keno, bingo, sic bo, and even casino war. I'll be writing posts with basic how to information for each game, and I'll also be writing posts with strategy information for each game. Other topics covered on this site will include money management, odds and probabilities, comps, freebies, and casino bonuses, and even recommended books.
I want this blog and guide to be truly comprehensive and useful. I want you to make good decisions based on the information found here, and I want you to win more often than the average gambler.