Sure, you may know someone who hit a monster jackpot on a slot machine, or sat at a blackjack table for eight hours and took the casino for several thousand bucks. You may get lucky and have that happen to you. But in the long run, casinos are in business to take gamblers' money, and they do a good job of it.

Players can reduce the house edge - or even come out ahead once casino incentives are factored in - by playing certain games using the proper mathematical strategy. But it takes a lot of time, study and discipline to do it.

The only exception is in the poker rooms, where players compete against each other and the house just collects a percentage of the action. Good poker players can routinely leave the casino with extra money in their pockets. Be forewarned: It takes more than watching the pros on The Travel Channel or ESPN to get good enough to win on a regular basis.

Come to the casino only with money you can afford to lose. You are buying entertainment and a good time.

Slot machines

Slot machines are the most popular form of gambling, accounting for about 70 percent of casino revenue in 2007. It's for a good reason that they're called one-armed bandits.

There are two basic kinds of machines, "reel" machines (whether they're actually reels or video versions of them) and video poker. Plenty of myths are circulating around casinos as to how slot machines are programmed. It is NOT true that the casino can flip a switch to make the machines pay more or less. By state law, all machines must be programmed to take your money or pay off in a completely random manner. A casino will not put its license at risk by gaffing the machines.

It is also NOT true that playing with a slot-club card means you will win less. The only purpose of the card is to track your play so the casino can offer you free stuff.

It is NOT true that a machine that hasn't paid off in several hours, days or weeks is "due" to hit, or that a machine that just paid off is "hot" and likely to hit again. Every single spin is independent of all other spins.

Reel Slots

Reel slot machines are simple. Put in your money, hit the spin button and see what comes out. Some video-reel games have bonus rounds, which can be a lot of fun to play. Plus, you get to watch the credits rack up without having to risk your own money.

You can play reel slots in denominations from a penny to $5 or more. Some machines let the player choose whether to play pennies, nickels, quarters, halves or dollars. Many slot machines have multiple lines of action, but it costs additional coins to play them. The higher the denomination of the machine, the lower the house advantage on the game. In Atlantic City, nickel slots keep about 10 to 11 percent of the money wagered, and dollar slots keep about 5 to 6 percent.

Insider Tips:

Read the instructions on the face glass before you put your money into the machine. Make sure you're playing the denomination you want and the number of lines you need to be eligible for a bonus round.

Read the pay tables before you start to play, especially if you want to bet only one or two coins per spin. Some machines require extra coins to collect on some symbols. There's nothing more frustrating than seeing three 7s line up, and you get diddly-squat because you didn't bet enough coins.

If you want to play fewer than the maximum coins, look for machines where the payout is directly proportional to the number of coins played. For example, play a machine that offers 250 credits as the top payout for one coin played, 500 credits for two coins and 750 for three coins, rather than one that offers a bonus of 2,000 credits for three coins played. Otherwise, part of the money you play will contribute to that huge jackpot that you can never hit.

If you're looking to quit your job, play machines that have a life-changing progressive jackpot that runs in six or seven figures. The odds against hitting it are astronomical, but you can always dream. If your goal is to make your gambling money last as long as possible, avoid the progressive games and look for machines with smaller jackpots.

Sure, playing 20 lines on a penny machine with five coins on each line is a lot of fun. But if you're playing $1 per spin, your gambling budget will probably last longer if you play only one coin on a dollar machine. Remember, the higher the denomination of the game, the higher the overall payback.

Watch your machine and your surroundings. Now that most slot machines have ticket-in, ticket-out payment, your credits are easier for thieves to steal. It takes only a few seconds for someone to push the "cash out" button and walk away with your ticket. Pay attention to what is happening around you.

Video Poker

Many machine players prefer video poker, as the odds are usually better than reel slots and the game involves some level of skill. There are many different variations of video poker to choose from, and they are not all created equal.

In most games, the player is dealt five cards on the screen. You can hold any cards you choose or throw away the entire hand. The idea is to make the best poker hand possible. Each hand, such as a straight or a flush, gives the payout shown on the screen.

You can play video poker in all denominations from a nickel to $5, or even more. Some machines offer one line per hand, and others offer up to 100 different chances to win with the hand you hold.

Insider Tips:

Be sure to read the pay tables before you play a video-poker machine. The best game widely available in Atlantic City is Jacks or Better, or classic Draw Poker, that pays 9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush with one coin played. If you use a perfect strategy, the house edge on this game is less than 1/2 percent. Even if you don't know what you're doing, your money will last longer than the same game that pays 6 coins for a full house and 5 for a flush.

If you want to get serious about video poker, you have to learn the proper strategy for the game you're playing, and there are dozens of different video-poker variations. The strategy cards are available at several gambling Web sites. If you want to get really good at it, you can buy a software package for practice on your home computer. You play at home, and the program alerts you every time you make a strategy mistake.

Other Machine Games

Some slot machines offer video versions of table games or other casino favorites. It is possible to play blackjack, Let It Ride and keno on a slot machine.

The blackjack games usually have a higher house advantage than if you sat down at a table. But the upside is you can play for 50 cents or $1 a hand instead of having to put up $10.

Video keno has a house edge of about 8 to 15 percent, much lower than the 25 to 30 percent the live game takes. But you play several games a minute instead of one game every several minutes, so you lose your money faster.

TABLE GAMES

You can't beat the excitement of walking up to a table, placing your money on the felt and holding a stack of chips in your hand. Table games are also a social experience, with several people trying to beat the house at the same time, and often rooting for each other.

Because playing a table game usually involves others, it is polite to know what you're doing before you join the fun. Know the basic rules of the game before you sit down and give the dealer your money. Never hand cash to the dealer. Lay the bills down on the felt, and the dealer will show them to the eye in the sky and slide the proper amount of chips in your direction. It is also appropriate to tip the dealer, especially if you win. You can place a chip or two next to your bet, and if you win it, the dealer collects both it and the winnings. Or you can just give the dealer the chips and indicate it's a tip.

One more thing to note on almost all table games. Progressive betting systems DO NOT WORK. Anyone who tells you to place a bet, double it if you lose, double it again if you lose again and double it if you lose again is either a fool or a con artist. The casinos make a lot of money on these systems, because one long losing streak can wipe out your entire bankroll.

Blackjack (21)

Blackjack is the most popular table game, as it offers the best odds for players who know how to play. The basics of the game are easy to learn, but perfecting play takes some study. If you play the basic strategy perfectly, the house advantage on the game in Atlantic City is about 1/2 percent.

Players put their bets in circles on the felt, and the dealer delivers two cards to every player and two to him/herself. Both of the player's cards are dealt face-up, but one of the dealer's cards is face-down.

The object of the game is to draw a higher hand than the dealer without going over 21. Numbered cards count as their face value, face cards count as 10, and aces can be either 11 or 1, as the player wishes.

Once the cards are dealt, do not touch them or your chips.

If you want to "hit," or draw another card, signal your intention by scratching or tapping the felt with your hand. If you want to "stand," not take any more cards, signal by waving your hand back and forth, palm down, over your cards. You may draw as many or as few cards as you want. If your total is more than 21, you "break," and the dealer takes your cards and chips. After all players have made their decisions, the dealer turns over the face-down "hole" card and plays his or her hand. The dealer must "hit" on anything 16 or lower and "stand" on anything 17 or higher. After the dealer has played, winning bets are paid even money and losers' chips are taken. Those who have the same total as the dealer "push," and keep their original bet. If the dealer "breaks," all players remaining in the hand are winners.

If you're dealt a "natural" blackjack, an ace with a 10 or face card, you get paid on a 3-to-2 basis. For example, if you bet $10 on the hand you'll win $15. That is, unless the dealer also has a natural blackjack, in which case it's a "push". If the dealer has an ace showing, players are offered "insurance." Place an amount up to half your original bet in front of your cards. If the dealer has a 10 or face card beneath the ace, that bet gets paid 2-to-1.

Players have two additional options, not available to the dealer. If you are dealt two cards of the same value (e.g. two 8s), you may "split" them into two hands by placing an additional bet next to your hand. These will then form two separate hands. If you split aces, you are allowed to draw only one card. All other cards are played like a regular hand, but you may split again if the next card is the same value as the first.

You also have the option to "double down" on any two cards. Do so by placing another bet equal to or less than your original next to your chips. You will receive one card to make your final hand.

Abbreviated Basic Strategy:

If you have a hand of 17 or higher, stand.

If you have less than 17, and the dealer shows a 7 through ace, take another card.

If you have less than 17, and the dealer shows a 2 through 6, stand.

Double down when you are dealt a 10 or 11, unless the dealer is showing an ace.

Always split aces and 8s.

Never split faces and 10s.

Never take insurance (unless you are a card counter and you know the bet is in your favor).

Insider Tips:

Avoid the single-deck games where you hold the cards in your hand. Sure, it's fun and it feels like you're in Las Vegas, but the odds stink. In these games, a natural blackjack pays 6-to-5 instead of the usual 3-to-2. That means for a $10 bet, you get only $12 for a natural blackjack instead of $15. Those $3 differences add up quickly in a gambling session of few hours.

Some casinos recently changed their blackjack rules so that the dealer draws another card on a "soft 17," or an ace and a 6, instead of standing pat on all 17s. This change adds half a percent to the house advantage on the game, meaning players lose their money faster. Smart players should avoid blackjack tables with this rule.

You can buy a basic strategy card from some casino gift shops, or get them free or for a small price on the Internet. It is legal to take one to the table and consult it while playing.

The way other people play their hands will have no effect on your long-term results, no matter what other players may tell you. In a given hand, the person before you may make a wrong move and take the card you need to draw to 21 or the card the dealer needs to break. But these bad plays will help you as often as they hurt you. In the long run, only your own decisions determine your results.

Sometimes the casino will offer a side bet for as little as a dollar, paying off if you draw a certain combination of cards. The vast majority of these are sucker bets, and a big money-maker for the house. Don't play them.

Don't tell others at the table how to play their hands. Even though a lot of people in Atlantic City do this, it's considered very rude. If someone tells you how to play your hand, politely answer that it's your money on the table, not theirs, and you'll play it however you want. But if you don't know what to do, feel free to ask your fellow players for help. You may get two or three different answers.

Craps (dice)

If you hear a lot of whooping and hollering coming from a corner of the casino, odds are it's at the craps table. Craps is an exciting, fast-paced game, and people let their emotions and their superstitions run wild.

The game is not as complicated as it looks, even if beginners are confused as they watch bettors and dealers call out unfamiliar terms and throw chips all over the place. In fact, you're probably better off not knowing most of the intricacies, as they will cost you more money.

Players stand around a big oval table and take turns shooting the dice. The basic game is divided into rounds.

Before a round begins, the dealers have a black puck on the table with the word "off" written on it. This is the time to place your "pass" bet with the shooter or your "don't pass" bet against the shooter.

The shooter then throws the dice what is called a come-out roll. If a 7 or 11 comes up, the pass line wins and everyone who bet it gets paid and don't-pass bettors watch the dealers take their chips. If a 2 or 3 appears, the don't pass wins and the pass-line bettors lose their chips. If a 12 shows up, the pass line loses and the don't pass line is a push.

If any other number appears on the come-out roll, it is established as the "point." The dealers turn the black puck over to its white opposite, reading "on," and place it on the proper number on the felt layout. Now is the time to lay your odds bet. More on that in a moment.

The shooter keeps rolling the dice until either the "point" number reappears - meaning the pass line wins - or rolls a 7 ("seven out") - meaning the don't pass line wins. If the shooter "sevens out," the dice pass to the next player. If the shooter made the point, he or she rolls again.

Laying odds is a good thing, and experienced dice players bet as much as the casino allows, assuming they have the bankroll to play the maximum. It is one of the few bets in the casino where the house has no statistical edge, and the payout is according to the actual odds. After the point is established, place your odds chips behind your initial bet. For pass-line bettors, making a point of 6 or 8 pays 6-to-5, making a point of 9 or 5 pays 3-to-2, and making a point of 4 or 10 pays 2-to-1.

The Come and Don't Come bets are like a round within a round. Place your chips on the felt in the "come" box, and you win if a 7 or 11 shows up on the next roll, lose if a 2, 3 or 12 comes out and anything else is the point. The opposite is true for Don't Come. You can place odds on "come" bets like you do on the pass line. Just put the money on top of your chips after the point is determined. Don't worry if you have several of these bets going at once; the dealers will keep track of them for you.

The "place" bets are at the top of the layout closest to the dealers. Ask the dealer to place the numbers you want. You get paid every time that number shows up, and lose when the shooter sevens out.

There are "hardways" and proposition (one-roll) bets in the center of the layout. Smart craps players avoid them.

Insider Tips:

The house edge on the "pass" or "come" bet is 1.41 percent. The "don't pass" or "don't come" is slightly better, with a 1.36 percent house edge, but for some reason, few players bet that line.

The only other bet worth playing is placing the 6 or 8, with a 1.52 percent house edge.

Avoid all other bets on the layout, especially in the middle. The house edge on these ranges from 4 percent to a whopping 16.67 percent for the "any seven" proposition bet.

If you're a woman and want to learn the game, just walk up to the table and stand next to an older gentleman. Most of them will be more than happy to show you the ropes. Dice players have a superstition that a woman throwing the dice for the first time is especially lucky.

If you are the shooter and have a good roll, don't be surprised if another player tosses you a chip. It's kind of like a tip people give a dealer when they win. Accept it graciously.

The way you place the dice on the felt before throwing them, line them up, blow on them or whatever has no effect on what number you'll roll. Some dice players claim to be "controlled shooters," with a technique to throw more numbers and fewer sevens. The jury is still out on this one, but even if it's possible, very few craps players have the skill to pull it off. If you want to give it a shot, the class teaching the technique is offered in the Atlantic City area a few times a year.

Roulette:

Roulette is a popular game with Atlantic City players, even though it offers worse odds than blackjack and craps. Maybe it's the thrill of a bigger payoff for a single- or double-number bet.

The wheel is made up of 38 slots, with numbers 1 through 36 and a 0 and 00. Half the numbers are red, half are black and the zeros are green. Players place their bets, and the dealer spins a little white ball around the rim of the wheel. You may continue to place wagers until the dealer calls "No more bets," and the slot that the ball lands in is declared the winner. Do not touch your chips until all winners are paid and the dealer removes the marker from the winning number.

Players can bet on a single number, place their chips between two numbers for a double-number bet, at the beginning of a row for a three-number bet, on the corners of four numbers, etc. If more than one person makes the same bet, the chips are stacked up in a tower. If your single number comes up, you get paid 35-to-1. If your double number comes up, you get 17 chips for each one you bet. The payout for a row of three is 11-to-one and a four-number "corner" bet pays 8-to-one. With one exception, the house advantage on each of these bets is 5.26 percent. Players can also make a five-number bet on the 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, for a 6-to-1 payoff, but the house edge on this is 7.89 percent.

In Atlantic City, the "outside" even-money bets are a better deal for the player. You can bet that the number will be red or black, odd or even, or 1-18 or 19-36. You get paid even money if you win. If the 0 or 00 shows up, you get half your bet back, making the house edge on these plays a tolerable 2.63 percent. This feature is not available in other gaming jurisdictions, so be careful making these bets when you travel.

You can also bet one of three rows of numbers will come out, and get paid 2-to-1 if you win. But if the ball lands in one of the zeros, you lose your entire bet.

Roulette is different from other table games, in that it has unique chips so the dealers can keep track of the numerous bets that are placed on a busy table. When you sit down and hand over your money (or regular casino chips), the dealer will offer you a stack of colored chips in return. Up to six players on a game receive different colored chips, that are good only at that table. You decide how much each of these chips will be worth, and the dealer marks a stack of your color with a disc to indicate your choice. You may play regular casino chips, but in this case, you are responsible for keeping track of your own bets.

Be sure to cash out all of these specially colored chips when you leave the table. They are worthless anywhere else in the casino.

Insider Tips:

There is no way to beat a roulette wheel. Anyone who tries to sell you a system to beat this game is a scam artist. Don't give them your money.

In a nutshell, here's the way it works. The odds against hitting any single number are 37-to-1 (37 numbers that can come out besides the one you bet). But if your number comes out, the house pays you 35-to-one. Those extra two chips are the casino's profit. The same is true for all other bets. Those two zeros make the even-money bets less than a break-even game for the player.

Some Atlantic City casinos offer a single-zero roulette wheel, usually only at tables with a higher minimum bet. The house edge on these is 2.7 percent.

A lot of gamblers will tell you otherwise, but each spin of the wheel is an independent event. The little white ball circling the rim of the roulette wheel does not know or care if it landed in a red or black, even or odd slot on the previous spin. Yes, there are streaks, but you only recognize them once they're over. You cannot predict the result of upcoming spins by knowing what happened in the past.

Ignore the flashy boards at each table showing what numbers came out in the previous dozen or so spins. They are big money makers - for the casino.

Baccarat

Think James Bond. Think men in tuxes and women in gowns sipping martinis and flutes of champagne in a lush, private section of the casino while the masses peer in with envy.

Baccarat is considered a game for high rollers, and is especially popular with Asian gamblers. But it is very easy to play.

For the low-rollers, mini Baccarat tables are found in the main area of the casino.

In the high-limit games, players take turns dealing, and the shoe of cards is passed around the table. In mini-baccarat, the dealer is the only one to handle the cards, but the game is the same.

Each card has a point value. Aces are 1, face cards and 10s are 0 and other cards are the number printed on them.

Players bet on either "player," "banker" or "tie." The dealer takes two cards and gives two cards to the player.

The score is the total of the two cards, disregarding the "tens" column. So if a player draws two eights, that equals 16 and the score is 6. Scores range from 0 to 9.

If either the player or the banker has a total of 8 or 9, the game is over.

If the player has a total of 5 or less, another card is drawn. Otherwise, the player's hand stays. If the player stands, the banker draws a card with a total of 5 or less. If the player has to take a card, a chart determines whether the banker stands pat or takes another card.

The hand with the higher total is the winner. Winning bets on the player pay even money, winning bets on the banker pay even money, with a 5 percent commission taken out for the house at the end of each shoe or when the player leaves the game. In case of a tie, those who bet "tie" are paid 8-to-1, while player and banker bets are a push.

Insider Tips:

When playing baccarat, whether in the high-limit room or mini-baccarat, place your bets on the banker. The house edge on this bet is 1.06 percent, compared with a 1.24 percent edge for the player bet.

Never bet the tie. The payoff is larger, but the house edge on this wager is 14.36 percent, or worse than the slot machines.

Big Six (Money Wheel)

The Big Six, often called the "money wheel" because of the bills encased on the wheel and the layout, is the easiest table game in the casino to learn, and the only one you can usually play for a buck or two per spin. But you pay for the pleasure with a huge house advantage.

The giant wheel has 54 slots with 23 pictures of George Washington (1), 15 portraits of Thomas Jefferson (2), eight of Abe Lincoln (5), four mug shots of Alexander Hamilton (10), two Andrew Jacksons (20) and one each of the joker and the casino logo (45). Players place their bets on one of the numbers, and the dealer gives the wheel a whirl. Whatever the peg lands in is the winner, and whoever bet that bill gets paid off accordingly. So betting George pays even money, betting Jefferson pays 2-to-one, Lincoln pays 5-to-1 and so on up to the casino logo and the joker paying 45-to-1.

In Atlantic City, the best bet on this game is the 5, on good old Honest Abe. The house edge on that wager is 11.1 percent. The next best bet is to go for the opposites. The 1 and the joker and logo symbol each have a 14.8 percent house edge. Betting on 20 gives you the worst odds, with a whopping 22.2 percent house advantage.

This game is OK if you have an hour to kill and only about 20 bucks in your pocket. Play it slow, only one or two bets per spin, and a $20 bill can last you a while on a $1 minimum table. Otherwise, you're better off heading to the slot machines.

Insider Tips:

The dealers get bored on this game real fast. If you find a wheel with a thick peg that slows it down quickly, you may want to watch a few spins and see if the dealer gives it a nonchalant push with the same amount of strength each time. In that case, you might notice a pattern and find that the big numbers seem more likely to come up than if the spin was truly random. Of course, the dealer can give the wheel an extra shove at any time and the pattern is ruined.

If you go to Las Vegas, you'll notice almost no one plays this game, and the dealer is just standing there looking pretty. That's because the logo and joker pay off at only 40-to-1 instead of 45-to-1, and they have only seven 5s on the wheel instead of eight. Those changes make the odds even crappier than they are in Atlantic City.

Other Table Games

There are plenty of other table games in the casino, and some of them come and go with great frequency. These include Pai Gow, Let it Ride, Carribean Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold 'Em and many more. The house advantage on most of these games is from 1 1/2 to 5 percent.

You can pick up the rules for any game at the security booth or the cashier's cage on the casino floor.

Is something on this page incorrect or out of date? Please e-mail us with corrections, additions or changes. Note: Your message will go to The Press of Atlantic City, not to any groups or organizations listed. Email:cwray@pressofac.com