• Factoid: Twenty-five years ago 2 states had legalized gambling and 48 did not. Now 48 do and only 2 do not (Hawaii and Utah.)
• Factoid: Nevada gambling revenue was $1 billion in 1975 ...$10 billion in 2004 and is projected to be $15 billion in 2009.

Games are played for entertainment. And this is how you should treat the money you risk in Las Vegas in hopes of hitting “The Big One.” Play for fun and the “possibility” that you might win. NEVER take Las Vegas gambling seriously. Gambling laws in Nevada. Las Vegas gambling was legalized in 1931. Las Vegas Comp Cards. Las Vegas Comps, which is short for complimentary is a way Las Vegas casinos rewards it's frequent gamblers by offering them free complimentary rooms, buffet passes, show tickets, and so on. Earning comps is a way of getting free stuff for your casino dollar. To earn comps, you must have the most valuable card in any Las. The top 12 mistakes people make when gambling in Las Vegas. By Rob Kachelriess. Published on 7/9/2014 at 11:00 PM. There are tons of reasons to visit Las Vegas. When the money runs out, walk away from the table or slot machine until the next budgeted gambling session and enjoy the many free things to do in Las Vegas. This rule goes for winning, too.

'Las Vegas was built for people who are really bad at math....' ...Penn Jillette (Penn & Teller, now at the Rio!)

'There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it and when he can.' ...Samuel Clemens, also known as 'Mark Twain' (1835-1910)

In the last decade, entertainment, shopping and fine dining have replaced gambling as the top attraction for visitors to Las Vegas. Many hotels get more than half of their revenue from non-gambling sources.

Although tourists no longer list gambling as the primary reason for their visit, almost all are willing to risk an average of $500 each trying to hit that elusive jackpot.

Nationwide, casino gambling is a $50 billion business. And 20 percent of that amount comes from just one state ...Nevada. One third of all Nevada general tax revenue comes from state gambling taxes.

The state of Nevada and casinos like to call it “gaming” since ”gambling” has such an negative ring to it. We agree. “Gaming” is a better word for the games of chance legally offered in Las Vegas. Games are played for entertainment. And this is how you should treat the money you risk in Las Vegas in hopes of hitting “The Big One.” Play for fun and the “possibility” that you might win. NEVER take Las Vegas gambling seriously.

Gambling laws in Nevada

Las Vegas gambling was legalized in 1931. The Nevada Gaming Commission and Control Board develops and administers all gaming regulations. Their website can make interesting reading. Casinos with more than 15 slot machines pay an annual tax of $250 on each one. There is also an additional monthly tax of up to 6.75% on gross gaming revenue ...a percentage that is the lowest in the U.S.

Anyone working as a gaming employee must be registered with the state and have a valid gaming work permit. This includes all casino workers except bartenders and cocktail waitresses.

You must be 21 to enter a casino, gamble ...or purchase or consume alcoholic beverages. If you look young carry a state-issued ID with photograph such as a driver’s license. Children are permitted in the casino public walkways but are not allowed to be near slot machines or gaming tables. You are allowed to carry open alcoholic beverage containers on the street, but not in a vehicle.

Taxes on gambling winnings

There are some things you should know if you are lucky enough to win. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires all casinos in certain instances to withhold federal taxes if you win over a certain amount. The percentage withheld ranges between 25 and 30 percent depending on how you won. Here is how it works.

If you had gambling winnings, the casino is required by the IRS Information Reporting rules to withhold 28% as income tax if you do not provide a documented TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number, that is, your Social Security Number.) We have heard of cases where it is withheld no matter what. The withholding tax is 30% if a foreign gambler. The tax rate is 25 percent if the amount is over $5,000 (except for non-resident aliens.)

When your winnings exceed a specified threshold and/or tax is withheld, the casino will give you an IRS Form W-2G showing the amount you won and the amount of tax withheld. Report (and take credit for the tax you paid) on your IRS Form 1040 tax return at the end of the year. (Only use Form 1040 if you had gambling winnings; you cannot use any other form.)

Generally, gambling winnings are reportable to the IRS if the amount paid is (a) $600 or more and (b) at least 300 times the amount of the wager. This requirement primarily applies to lotteries, sweepstakes and other big winnings from small bets. It does not apply to winnings from bingo, keno, and slot machines.

Casinos report gambling winnings for these games to the IRS when a player wins $1,200 or more from a bingo game or slot machine or if the proceeds are $1,500 or more from a keno game. When you exceed these amounts, the casino may withhold taxes and will provide you with IRS Form W-2G. They keep the original and give you two copies of the form. (If state income tax withholding is required on gambling winnings in your state, additional taxes may be withheld.)

The rules are different for table games (such as blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette or other spinning wheel games.) Since Nevada casinos do not know the amount you started with, they are not able to determine how much you won (...your taxable gain.) As a result, federal law provides that there is no withholding or even reporting of table game wins to the IRS. It therefore follows that table game winners probably do not report their gambling profits to the IRS.

You not only pay taxes on gambling profits, but you can also claim gambling losses as an itemized deduction as well. But you must keep some kind of documentation (such as a diary or tickets) to substantiate the amount and nature of the losses. In any event, you cannot claim gambling losses that exceed your winnings.

Managing your money

Greed is the downfall of most players. The odds that you will win if you play long enough is statistically wrong ...as is; having doubled your money, you next try to quadruple the winnings (and end up losing it all.) Both concepts have built a lot of nice hotel-casinos in Las Vegas.

My system for managing gambling money is simple. I budget $100 a day which, according to statistics, is about average for Las Vegas visitors. If I am on a five day vacation, I put $100 in each of five dated envelopes ...a total of $500. I ration the money throughout the day and stop when I lose my hundred and do other things. I might stop when I double my allotment. In any event at the end of the day, I either am ahead or behind. If I am ahead, I put whatever portion of the $100 I have left (hopefully it is more than $100) back in the same dated envelope and place it in the room safe that hotels provide. Tomorrow I play with the money in following day’s envelope. The most you can lose is $100 on any given day ...or $500 for your trip. I am happy if I break even ...and you should be too. Once in a while I go home with “their” money. In recent years I have done better. I will tell you how later.

The bad news: There are no casino games or bets where the house does not have a clear advantage. The odds either favor the house ...or they get a commission. And if you are not familiar with basic information about the games you play or bets you make, you are just about a guaranteed loser. In short, casino owners are in business to make a profit. They did not build all those gorgeous hotels by giving away money.

The good news: The reality is that if you are lucky you can win ...and the drinks are free. But statistically the chances are against winning. So the cardinal rule is, over the long haul, whether playing the slots, table games, betting on sports or risking money on anything; you will probably lose. But some bets are better than others.

It is beyond the scope of this website to provide in depth strategy on how to gamble and win in Las Vegas. Many books have been written on the subject and - trust me - none work over the long haul ...or are illegal.

We will, however, cover the most popular games and things you should know as a beginner to have fun and minimize your loss ...and maybe make a few bucks.

Let the games begin

Blackjack (21) is either dealt by hand with one or two decks. Multiple Deck 21 is dealt from a box called “the shoe.” Everyone in Blackjack plays against the dealer. Roulette consists of a spinning wheel marked with numbers 1 through 36 (18 red, 18 black) and American Roulette has a green 0 and 00 ..a total of 38 possibilities. You win if your number, combination of numbers or color comes up. To play Keno, you select a minimum of 4 but no more than 10 numbers on a ticket between 1 and 80. Twenty of the 80 numbered balls are drawn and you win if all your selected numbers are chosen. Craps is a complicated dice game which we do not recommend for first-timers. There are many other table games (and variations) as well. More and more people are playing poker these days and we will also have a little to say about that later.

By far, however, the most prevalent pastime in Las Vegas is playing the slot machines ...and video poker. We will cover the games of chance and sports betting in this chapter ...which you should play, where you should play and the odds of winning.

NEXT PAGE: 10.2 SLOT MACHINES ...AND VIDEO POKER... ⇨

Whether you are a seasoned Las Vegas gambler or gambling just for fun, one thing every gambler wants is to win money and walk away with more money than they walked in with. On the other hand, the ultimate goal of every Las Vegas casino is to make money.

Casinos are designed to operate under the basic understanding that, over the long term, the house will come out ahead. This is achieved if the casinos take in as much as possible and pay out as little as possible. We have all heard the saying, 'the house always wins'.

Fact: You should know that Las Vegas casinos has the mathematical advantage in every game. No matter what game you play blackjack, roulette, slots, craps, Texas Hold em, Baccarat or any other casino game. Games of chance are based on random outcomes and always favor the casino.

Our goal in this section of the lasvegashowto.com is to acquaint you with the rules and regulations for each game, which in turn will make for a better gaming experience. Just remember the golden rule, 'Only bet what you're prepared to lose!'

How to play Blackjack

Know the basic strategy as we show you how to play Blackjack. Blackjack is one of the most popular Las Vegas casino games with a small house advantage.

How to play Roulette

Learn the many combination of bets one can make on a roulette wheel. Understand that Roulette is a game of pure chance with an overwhelming built-in house advantage.

How to play Slots

Considered Las Vegas casinos 'bread and butter'. Learn how to play slot machines, and which machines to play and your odds of winning big.

How to play Texas Hold'Em

Whether you are new to Texas Hold'Em or a true Vegas poker aficionado, we have something for everyone. Learn Texas Hold'Em rules and let's show you how to get the best five card high hand.

How to play Craps

All that hollering, excitement and high-fives you hear and see on a casino floor is most likely coming from a craps table. Do not let the game of craps intimidate you. Let us show you how to play the game of craps and understand the rules.

How to play Baccarat

Learn to play Baccarat, one of the easiest Las Vegas casino games to learn and play. Let us help you win big by showing you the fixed rules governing the drawing of additional cards.

How to play Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker combines the elements of the ancient Chinese game of Pai Gow and the American game of poker. Learn Pai Gow Poker rules and let's show you how to beat both of the Banker's two hands.

How to play Let It Ride

Make your bets and if you've got a good hand, just Let It Ride. Let us show you how to play the game of Let It Ride Poker and how to get the best possible poker hand by using your three cards and two cards.

How to play 3 Card Poker

Three exciting ways to play! Learn to play Three Card Poker, the new Las Vegas casino table games. Let us help you master this exciting variation to Poker and simply beat the dealers hand and get paid.

Las Vegas Comp Cards

Las Vegas Comps, which is short for complimentary is a way Las Vegas casinos rewards it's frequent gamblers by offering them free complimentary rooms, buffet passes, show tickets, and so on.

Earning comps is a way of getting free stuff for your casino dollar. To earn comps, you must have the most valuable card in any Las Vegas casino which is a 'Players Club Card'. Here are more information about comp cards. Never drop a single coin into a machine if you don't have your player's club card inserted in the machines card reader. The Vegas comp card is free and will allow you to earn comps you can use towards free shows, free rooms, free food and in some cases a cash rebate.

But you can’t get any of these freebies if you don’t have a players club card. Next time you visit any Vegas casino, walk straight to the players club window and sign up for a free card. Here is a list of participating casinos: Some casinos might give you some freebies right away just for signing up.

It is important to know the house advantage for each game. House advantages also vary by region, casino and game. Today if you ask any Vegas gambler where is the best place to play, they will most likely say, downtown or off the strip. The reason is because people believe the games with the best odds in Vegas can be found the further away you go from the Vegas strip. This actually not a proven fact.

1The D Las Vegas
2The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod
3Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
4Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Resort
5The Venetian & The Palazzo
6The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
7Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
8Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa
9Bellagio Las Vegas
10M Resort Spa Casino

On the Las Vegas strip, given the common rules, the approximate house advantage for each game are as follows:

Las Vegas Casino House Advantage and Expected Loss

Las Vegas How To Gamble Make

House Advantage	For Every $100 bet, the player can expect to lose
Baccarat
Player/Banker	1.1%-1.2%	$1.10 - $1.20
Tie	14.4%	$14.40
Blackjack
Natural pays 3 to 2	0.5%-1.5%	50c - $1.50
Natural pays 6 to 5	2.0%-3.0%	2.00 - $3.00
Craps
Pass/Don't Pass	1.4%	$1.40
Prop Bets	10%-16.7%	$10 - $16.70
Keno and Sports
Keno 1-15 Spots	25%-30%	$25 -$30
Video Keno	8%-15%	$8 -$15
Sports Betting (Bet $11/Win $10)	4.5%	$4.50
Roulette
Single Zero	2.7%	$2.70
Double Zero	5.3%	$5.30
Slot Machines / Reels
Nickel Slots	7%-12%	$7 - $12
Quarter Slots	5%-10%	$5 -$10
Dollar Slots	2.5%-6%	$2.50 -$6
Video Poker
Video Poker	0.5%-5%	50c - $5

source: American Gaming Association

Now you see why casinos consider slot machines their 'bread and butter'.

Look for games with a small house advantage. For the player, the best games to play are Blackjack, Craps and Baccarat. These are the games where the house advantage are most reduced, meaning in the short run you can beat them.

The minimum age for gambling in Nevada is 21 and the law is strictly enforced. Casinos can be fined heavily by the state or have their license revoked for allowing anyone under 21 to gamble or loiter in gaming areas.

Adults cannot play slot machines with kids looking over their shoulder, nor can they park infants in strollers besides slot machines or gaming tables.

Security guards will inform violators of the state law one time and escort them from the premises for repeatedly ignoring warnings.

If you win a jackpot of $1,200 or more in any Las Vegas casino, the casino will ask to see your social security card and have you fill out a W2G form for the IRS.

Responsible Gaming

This website encourages you to play responsibly by betting within your limits and by recognizing that over time the house will come out ahead.

To view a full copy of the American Gaming Association Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming, visit the AGA website at www.americangaming.org.

If you wish to view the AGA’s win-loss brochure, “The Guide to House Advantage”, visit www.americangaming.org

Copies of the brochure “When the Fun Stops – Understanding Compulsive Gambling” are available at most Casino Cages, and Players Club Desk.

Warning Signs of Problem Gaming:

• Gambling to escape worry
• Gambling to get money to solve financial difficulties
• Feeling unable to stop playing, regardless of winning or losing
• Often gambling until your last dollar is gone
• Neglecting your family because of gambling

Las Vegas How Old To Gamble

If you feel you need help, please call the following 24-hour confidential national hotline:

Nevada Council on Problem Gambling 1-800-522-4700

Did you know ...
The King of Hearts is the only king in a deck of cards without a mustache.
The King of Hearts is also referred to as the 'suicide king' (who earned this name because it looks like he's stabbing himself in the head with a sword)

Las Vegas How To Gamble Get

Did you know ...
The opposite sides of a die (dice) will always add up to seven.
If you take a look, you'll see that one and six are on opposite sides of the cube (1+6=7), as are two and five (2+5=7), and three and four (3+4=7).