Casino Operations Management

Book Description

Complete guidance to the ins and outs of gaming operations

Management personnel need a thorough understanding of the business side of the casino industry to ensure profitsâand to avoid losses. It's a sure bet that Casino Operations Management, Second Edition will help current and future gaming management professionals better serve any casino.

Written by experts with over 65 years of combined experience in the field, this Second Edition offers all the critical skills and know-how to equip gaming and casino operators with the knowledge needed for the management office, cage operations, and table game and slot operations.

This updated edition features detailed coverage of:

Current high-roller marketing tactics and their effect on profitability
The effect of popular money management systems on casino profits
The initial development process of an Indian casino
Studies designed to identify the patronage motives of gamblers, including those of riverboat customers
Slot club design: player rating issues, point accumulation schemes, and more
Principles of casino floor design: managing table game and slot location
Studies designed to measure the profit contribution of popular slot promotions

Casino Operations Management, Second Edition uses simplified mathematics and statistics throughout, and provides readers with a thorough understanding of all aspects of the casino industry business. It is a must-have reference for students and casinos that develop managers internally.

Customer Reviews:

Great Overview.......2007-04-25

An invaluable primer on casino management. This book should be on the shelf of every executive in the gaming industry.

The Best of Its Genre.......2007-02-03

"Casino Operations Management" is the best book on the market now focusing on operational issues that confront casino managers. It is arguably "too much" for an undergraduate course, but the book is highly recommended for casino managers who want to strengthen their understanding of what makes a casino really tick. Those simply interested in in-depth knowledge of the industry's operational issues will also find the book helpful.

casino operations.......2006-06-30

Good overview of casino operations. It covers Indian gaming as well as Nevada and mentions where there are difference. I am the controller and I wish it had more accounting /finance.

Excelent operations overview.......2005-10-29

This book is a must read for everyone entering the casino business. It's a clear reference, and it shows derails some myths about gaming operations.

Great read.......2005-06-14

This books assumes you know nothing about Gaming Operations and goes from there, taking you on an in-depth exploration of the gaming industry, from it's beginnings through modern-day operations. This book was highly beneficial. I also read "The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives" from the UNLV International Gaming Institute, both of which I would strongly recommend. Well written and dives to the appropriate level of detail.

Average customer rating:

Sloppy, Fragmented and Unfocused
The Real McCoy.
It delivers on the title but in a less than thrilling way
Las Vegas history: from mob to corporate
Great book and great shipping time

Sharks in the Desert
John L. Smith
Manufacturer: Barricade Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Business | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Criminals | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Ethics | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Biographies | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

When the Mob Ran Vegas: Stories of Murder, Mayhem and Money
Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn
Las Vegas Babylon: True Tales of Glitter, Glamour, and Greed
Whale Hunt In The Desert: The Secret Las Vegas Of Superhost Steve Cyr
The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law Vs. the Mob

ASIN: 1569802742

Book Description

The story fo the evolution of the gambling racket from mobbed-up vice to corporate success story as told through the biographies of the men who made it happen.

Customer Reviews:

Sloppy, Fragmented and Unfocused.......2007-03-22

This is a book that appeals to no one. If you're not already familiar with Vegas history, it is not a good place to start. And if you already know something about Vegas, it will not teach you anything new.

In theory, the structure of this book seems like a good idea -- devote a chapter each on the movers and shakers who built Las Vegas. The problem is that they all influenced each other, so separating them results in an arbitrary, fragmented, sometimes difficult-to-follow, narrative. Even the chapters themselves tend to jump back and forth in time and place. Structurally, the book just doesn't work.

Then there's the problem of sketchy information. Smith doesn't go into great detail explaining the why's and how's of events, leaving the reader with a great longing to know more about the individual characters of these men and what makes them tick. If you're looking for some good dish on Vegas -- which is what the snappy title promises -- there are better choices.

Compounding the reader's frustration are the numerous typos, spelling, and grammatical errors. Smith either had no editor or edited this himself. It feels like a first draft in serious need of a major rewrite and fact checking. It's difficult to believe Smith makes a living as a journalist. He must have a good editor at the Review/Journal.

The Real McCoy........2007-03-05

This book gives you the real story behind the Vegas gaming legends. Nobody does justice to this topic like John L. Smith. His research is impeccable.

It delivers on the title but in a less than thrilling way.......2006-10-31

This book is a fun read if you are someone who is familiar with Las Vegas. The book indeed delivers on what the subtitle, "..The Founding Fathers and Current Kings of Las Vegas" states. Each chapter is more or less devoted to discussing a specific person and the impact they had on setting the stage for the evolution of Las Vegas. I imagine those of you who have never been infatuated with Las Vegas will want to pass on this one.

Based on some of the anecdotes, it seems amazing that some of the Vegas hotels are still open today. The mobsters and the so called "straight laced" owners who ran (or still run) the hotels come off as either extremely brilliant or totally incompetent. It is no wonder that most of the Strip hotels have all been swallowed up by one or two companies. The author also seems to question if some hotels are completely honest when it comes to gaming.

The problem I had with the book was perhaps I was expecting something more chronological and dramatic. Instead, the book is like a compilation of old newpaper columns that are all put together in one place(of course, maybe that is not a surprise since the author is a newspaper reporter). Much like other books of that nature, the reading becomes almost repetitive and seems easier to take over a long haul rather than a week or two of reading cover to cover. Also note that there are a few typos and errors that make it seem like someone did a spellcheck with a computer rather than really proofreading it.

If you can stick with this type of book, you will probably enjoy it. Now this is the first book about Las Vegas I have read so I can not compare it to anything but I've got to believe there is probably something a bit more compelling.

Las Vegas history: from mob to corporate.......2006-03-16

The complete saga of Las Vegas from its early roots with the mob to modern corporate times is presented in a lively history of the city's real rulers in SHARKS IN THE DESERT: THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND CURRENT KINGS OF LAS VEGAS. Many made their fortunes developing the casino business the city is most famous for today - but many myths have surrounded their activities - myths which columnist Smith dispels in an investigative history which tracked mobsters and their connections to the city's rich and monied.

Great book and great shipping time.......2006-02-17

I received this book almost right away. It's a very good summary of the people of Las Vegas written by someone who knows, John Smith.

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

Average customer rating:

Things you don't get to learn elsewhere
An engaging story
KELLY'S METHOD OF INVESTEMENT ALLOCATION
Fun and Informative
Against James Pragma's review

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street
William Poundstone
Manufacturer: Hill and Wang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Stocks | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
Hedgehogging
The Little Book That Beats the Market
Inside the House of Money: Top Hedge Fund Traders on Profiting in the Global Markets

ASIN: 0809045990
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Amazon.com

Fortune's Formula is a fascinating study of the connections between such seemingly unrelated topics as gambling, information theory, stock investing, and applied mathematics. The story involves the stunning brainpower of men such as MIT professor Claude Shannon, who single-handedly invented information theory, the science behind the Internet and all digital media; Ed Thorpe; and John Kelly of Bell Laboratories, who developed the "Kelly criterion," a now-legendary investment strategy for maximizing growth while controlling risk. Initially, Shannon and Thorpe took Kelly's theory to Las Vegas and applied it to roulette and blackjack. Later, they took it to Wall Street and cleaned up--Shannon made a personal fortune while Thorpe created the highly successful hedge firm Princeton-Newport Partners. They both discovered that Kelly's system was particularly effective when applied to arbitrage (minute price differences that result from market inefficiencies). As Poundstone ably demonstrates, the merits of Kelly's criterion are still hotly debated today.

Poundstone has a tendency to meander in his writing, but his asides are so revealing and interesting that they add, rather than detract, from the narrative. The book also includes a cast of fascinating and colorful characters as varied as Ivan Boesky, Warren Buffet, Rudolph Giuliani, and notorious mobsters such as Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. In explaining the lasting impact of the work done by Shannon, Thorpe, and Kelly, Poundstone even explains Kelly's system for those wishing to follow his formula, offering readers both theoretical and practical lessons. Whether viewed as a how-to guide or straight scientific and financial history, Fortune's Formula proves an entertaining and illuminating analysis of "the most successful gambling system of all time." --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

In 1956 two Bell Labs scientists discovered the scientific formula for getting rich. One was mathematician Claude Shannon, neurotic father of our digital age, whose genius is ranked with Einstein’s. The other was John L. Kelly Jr., a Texas-born, gun-toting physicist. Together they applied the science of information theory—the basis of computers and the Internet—to the problem of making as much money as possible, as fast as possible.

Shannon and MIT mathematician Edward O. Thorp took the “Kelly formula” to Las Vegas. It worked. They realized that there was even more money to be made in the stock market. Thorp used the Kelly system with his phenomenonally successful hedge fund, Princeton-Newport Partners. Shannon became a successful investor, too, topping even Warren Buffett’s rate of return. Fortune’s Formula traces how the Kelly formula sparked controversy even as it made fortunes at racetracks, casinos, and trading desks. It reveals the dark side of this alluring scheme, which is founded on exploiting an insider’s edge.

Shannon believed it was possible for a smart investor to beat the market—and Fortune’s Formula will convince you that he was right.

Customer Reviews:

Things you don't get to learn elsewhere.......2007-09-02

Someone recommended this book to me as an investment book. At the time I was not sure how gambling and quantitative approach to investment are related. But this book, through its illustration of Kelly's criteria provides a new way to think about investment strategy. I learned all the moot theories in school - Mean portfolio optimization, diversification, efficient market theory, etc. But thinking of information theory, Kelly's criteria and ever present arbitrage can give one quite an edge.
The book interweaves mathematics, history and stories quite well and is a very good read. Imagine an investment book that reads almost like a fiction novel :)
The material is very well researched and it contains history of gambling, and investment and how information theory evolved. The book also gives a view into how a powerful school of thought can eclipse other schools of thought. in this case, Samuelson, et all from MIT refute geometric returns from Kelly's criteria even though working proof is present and the alpha factor in returns is not a myth.
I am glad the person recommended this book to me.

An engaging story.......2007-09-01

Wow, I loved this book. A well written and easy to read history of the evolution of investment theory. Starting with off track betting at the beginning of the century and ending with the collapse of Long Term Capital Management, this is an engaging story.

I was particularly interested in the application of betting theory to investing. The fact that some investment strategies actually include a point of zero value was very informative.

A great read.

KELLY'S METHOD OF INVESTEMENT ALLOCATION.......2007-07-21

KELLY, a Texan mathematician died at 41 but left behind a wonderful method/conceptual framework applicable to investments as well as casino gambling. It is a fascinating book and the mathematics professors provide a wonderful drama. The author has made complicated math/statistics concepts real simple even for those who don't like maths.

Fun and Informative.......2007-07-19

Yes, perhaps the book's title is a bit misleading. Those who gave bad reviews to the book may have been looking for a get rich quick formula to beat the market or the casinos. The book focuses on the Kelly criterion and also gives quite a bit of attention to the efficient market hypothesis. The strength of the book is in its portrayals of the characters involved in the stories behind the Kelly Criterion and Efficient Market Theory.

Admittedly, at times it was a stretch to connect some of the players in this drama to the Kelly Criterion or the Efficient Market Hypothesis. Rudy Guiliani is one of several people in the book who are quite tangential to the main story line. However, I found this not to be a weakness of the book. Indeed, it enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Those who are looking for a hard core mathematical examination of some of the topics of the book will be disappointed. As will those who are looking for a quick how-to in applying some of the theories. However, the vast majority of people will enjoy getting an inside look at some of the personalities involved in the development of these concepts and will love seeing how some of the theories held up in the "real world".

Against James Pragma's review.......2007-06-11

James pragma's review below is so bad that i felt the need to write my own review. let me clarify some of what James gets wrong, and also clarify what the book is actually about.

James obviously misunderstood the book (and that is not the writer's fault in this case). Poundstone clarifies the Kelly betting system which was originally applied to card-counting but has uses beyond it. the central example and climax of the book is how the kelly betting system and the controversy surrounding it in light of efficient markets theory can help us explain the tragic blow up of a powerhouse hedge fund. the book is about risk, how to manage risk and avoid ruin. that has nothing to do with card counting as a system to get an advantage over the house (Which everybody knows about), the point is that Kelly invented a way to maximize long-term reward and minimize risk. but did he? that's the question.

James Pragma's review is nonsense. he failed to understand the book. in addition to what i say about, Poundstone gives us the history of math, information theory and gambling as it relates to the core story i mention above. it was a fun, informative book.

Managing Casinos: A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Management Personnel and Aspiring Managers

Average customer rating:

The Business of Gaming: Economic and Management Issues

Managing Casinos: A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Management Personnel and Aspiring Managers
Ruben Martinez
Manufacturer: Barricade Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Sports & Entertainment | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Casino Operations Management
The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives
Casino Accounting and Financial Management
Jackpot! Harrah's Winning Secrets for Customer Loyalty
Introduction to Casino and Gaming Operations (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 1569800456

Customer Reviews:

The Business of Gaming: Economic and Management Issues.......2002-09-25

i whant to read it, please help me

The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Book

The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives
Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration International Gaming Institute
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Hospitality, Travel & Tourism | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Sports & Entertainment | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Reference | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Finance | New & Used Textbooks | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Casino Operations Management
Casino Accounting and Financial Management
Casino Dictionary: Gaming and Business Terms
Introduction to Casino and Gaming Operations (2nd Edition)
Casino Surveillance and Security: 150 Things You Should Know

ASIN: 0471129275

Book Description

An authoritative introduction to the world of professional gaming and casino management, from the authorities on the subject, the faculty of the UNLV International Gaming Institute: Vincent H. Eade, Director David J. Christianson, Dean William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration

Contributing faculty members: Frank D. Borsenik Leslie E. Cummings Robert J. Martin John T. Bowen Bernhardt Fried Andrew Nazarechuk Pearl Brewer Zheng Gu John M. Stefanelli Anthony N. Cabot Jim Kilby

This is the book for anyone interested in pursuing or advancing a career in the gaming or casino industry, the ideal reference for hospitality students as well as professionals. Completely up-to-date and reflecting current academic and technological trends in the field, as well as the legislative developments permitting gambling casinos in almost every state, The Gaming Industry:

Covers the historical background and regulatory aspects of gaming
Explores all facets of casino operationsâfrom food and beverages to cage operations, auditing, marketing, and reporting
Examines the mathematics and utility analysis of gaming, including all newly introduced technologies and related practices for gaming and casino operations
And much more...

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Book.......2005-06-14

I read this book, along with "Casino Operations Management" by Kilby, Fox, and Lucas. Both books were EXTREMELY helpful. They both start by assuming you know nothing about the gaming industry. They then show you the history and the evolution of the industry and then take you under the covers to show you the hows and whys of casino management and its decisions. I would HIGHLY recommend both books to anyone looking to gain insight into this fascinating industry.

The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic, Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

tough to review a book like this
Excellent Resource!
Disappointing and Often Uninsightful
Very Hard to Find Info
Kubeiagenesis

The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic, Revised Edition
Richard A. Epstein
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street
The Mathematics of Games and Gambling (New Mathematical Library)
Taking Chances: Winning with Probability
Calculated Bets
Gambling Theory and Other Topics

ASIN: 012240761X

Book Description

[Man] invented a concept that has since been variously viewed as a vice, a crime, a business, a pleasure, a type of magic, a disease, a folly, a weakness, a form of sexual substitution, an expression of the human instinct. He invented gambling.
Richard Epstein's classic book on gambling and its mathematical analysis covers the full range of games from penny matching, to blackjack and other casino games, to the stock market (including Black-Scholes analysis). He even considers what light statistical inference can shed on the study of paranormal phenomena. Epstein is witty and insightful, a pleasure to dip into and read and rewarding to study.

Customer Reviews:

tough to review a book like this.......2007-08-10

From the number of stars above, you know I really liked this book. It is difficult to review such a book because you have to think about the intended audience. I think the intended audience is me; someone who is mathematically literate, who is looking over probability and statistical thinking applied to games of chance, or who might be otherwise modestly interested in such. The intended audience is probably not a professional probabilist. The intended audience is definitely not your average gambler. As such, the specialist and the average person may not be well served by this book. But, for the scientist, engineer or recreational mathematician who might be reviewing material on combinatorics, probability and statistics, or interested in applying it to different "games" (like markets), this book is a work of beauty. The author is witty, informative and he picks lively subject: I was never bored. A most entertaining way to review probability in general, and the mathematics of gambling. There are other books on the mathematics of gambling games which treat the subject differently, or in greater detail, but for a medium-light read on the subject: one that includes actual mathematics, without drowning in detail and formalism, it's hard to beat Epstein's book.

Excellent Resource!.......2006-09-07

The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic is a superbly written book comtaining much knowledge about gambling and assessing the odds for specific games. Epstein begins with an overview of statistics and gambling, followed by chapters on specific items, like dic and coins, and specific games, like blackjack, bridge, and even chess. One caveat: you need more than a rudimentary knowledge of statistics to fully appreciate this book. Also, the book was written in the 1970's before poker (in general) and hold 'em (in specific) became popular. If you are buying The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic to analyze poker, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

Disappointing and Often Uninsightful.......2004-03-13

Some parts are interesting, and the writing can be entertaining, but the book is short on insight and clarity and long on tedious tables and uninterpreted computations.

Buy this if you already know probability and would like to see -some- applications and cute games.

Don't buy it if you want insight into particular games; especially, the blackjack and bridge sections (and meager poker section) have virtually no value.

I am a graduate student in mathematics, and enjoy probability theory and games: I should be the ideal audience.
The math is no problem for me, but much is boring, and much time is spent writing huge tables without giving much insight.

Research articles in statistics are easier to read, and far more informative.

The math background is awful: if you don't already know it, don't learn it here.
[Instead, see "The Cartoon Guide to Statistics", or Feller's "Intro to Probability"]
The writing is willfully obscure and florid (though, admittedly,
entertaining): gymkhana, panjandrum, kubiagenesis?

My main objection is the lack of insight: the author does (mostly) correct computations and statements but seldom shows much depth of understanding and rarely conveys any to the reader.

Rather than answering questions or giving examples that convey the meaning of the theory, how it lets you understand questions, Epstein does many unillustrative examples.

This book won't teach you to understand games and gambling, which it could do, and should do.

At best, it provides a basis from which you can (after too much work) begin to understand games. This is not because the subject is that hard (at least not what Epstein covers) -- it's because the material is undigested and Epstein is a poor expositor.

If you want to get something out of this book, be prepared to do the work that Epstein hasn't, and to look at more modern and insightful references.

Here's an example: how many times do you need to shuffle a deck before it's essentially random? Very natural question, of big interest in gambling. Epstein gives a very slick argument, one of the gems of the book (measure entropy of a shuffle) that you need at least 5 shuffles -- but beyond that just writes some equations for 2 shuffles of a 4-card deck and says that a computer would help, and instead tabulates that 18 perfect shuffles of a 58-card deck return it to the original state.

The rest of the book is like this: some question begging for study, perhaps an insight, and then irrelevant and pedantic computations and tables.

There are gems in here (it's a grab-bag), and the writing is often amusing, but it's a frustrating read: it could be so much better.

Very Hard to Find Info.......2003-11-16

Don't read this book if you're a poker player who knows how to divide your outs by number of unseen cards but never took any serious math courses. This is a serious mathematical treatment of gambling.

If you want a more rigorous treatment of the general statistical theory involved in gambling (in general, not just for poker) then this is a book you MUST read. Are you a full or part-time mathematician? Are you someone who took some math courses and is interested in learning about how to mathematically describe different games that involve gambling? Are you wanting to write a computer program to simulate statistical games based on solid mathematics and understand your program? This book is something you don't want to overlook if you answered "yes" to any of those questions. If you answered with a resounding "no" to all of them and are just interested in a particular game and aren't mathematically inclined then you want to look elsewhere.

Kubeiagenesis.......2003-02-01

To the reader who was frustrated by the title of Chapter one, 'Kubeiagenesis', and could not find a definition.

-genesis, is first defined as a suffix, meaning 'origin'.
Kubeia comes from The New Testament Greek Lexicon.

Kubeia (koo-bi'-ah). Definition 1. dice playing 2. metaphor for the deception of men, because dice players sometimes cheated and defrauded their fellow players.

Translated to english in Ephesians as both 'sleight' (KJV) and 'trickery' (NAS).

Clearly, Kubeiagenesis is meant to be the origin of sleight, trickery, and deception.

That it is the first word of the text may be to inform the reader that what follows may be nonintuitive -- but is well defined, documented, and referenced. You may find yourself reading several of the referenced texts before completing the book if you are going to absorb it all.

Book Description

The inside story of the gaming company that hit the jackpot playing by its own rules
Robert L. Shook, a New York Times bestselling author, delves into the business behind one of the world's foremost gaming and entertainment companies, Harrah's. Since Bill Harrah took over a small card game business in 1937, Harrah's has become a top casino, dominating Nevada and beyond. The first gaming company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Harrah's is a $4 billion-dollar business driven by smart marketing and smarter leadership. This book is the first to examine Harrah's and its leader, a man who dominated an industry and amassed a staggering fortune while refusing to deal with mobsters and corrupt politicians. Though Bill Harrah died in 1978 and the company has since been sold, Harrah's has retained its sense of history and remained an industry leader. Following the company's growth, Shook uncovers rich business lessons about marketing and customer loyalty, increasing market share in fiercely competitive industries, and maintaining a sense of integrity in a cutthroat business world. This is a compelling and intriguing story of a company that gambled and won, and it offers business readers an opportunity to benefit from the hard-won lessons of a paragon of the entertainment industry.
Robert L. Shook (Columbus, OH) is a seasoned business journalist and the ghostwriter behind several New York Times bestsellers. He is the founder and former CEO of Shook Associates and the American Executive Life Insurance Company. He is the author or coauthor of thirty-five books, including The IBM Way, Mary Kay on People Management, and Mary Kay's You Can Have It All.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and easy read on Harrah's and the industry!.......2006-11-29

This book tells in an easy, readable fashion the story of Harrah's from the humble beginnings of a small parlor in Reno to the multibillion dollar behemoth it is today. Although the primary focus is on Harrah's, of course, the book covers the growth of the industry in the US overall from the early days, through the mob years in Vegas and the entertainment explosion that happened, to the proliferation of boats, reservation gambling and other gambling alternatives such as the lotteries through many US states.

This is a great book to read for reminders on the basics of "getting it right" when it comes to customer service, treating employees right, thinking strategically and executing on a vision. It is amazing what Harrah's has done in the area of parlaying customer information into long term, profitable relationships!

I have read many business books, this is my most favorite in recent months, for sure.

Read on, and watch out for that river card :)

Motivate yourself.......2003-02-08

Great book -- the lessons taught are for all service based organizations. Learn how to create customer loyalty and enjoy your business more. Must read!!

best marketing book I ever read.......2003-01-16

I have read other books by Robert L. Shook, and he is an accomplished writer of business books. He's at his best with Jackpot. This book is both informative and entertaining. Shook takes his reader behind the scenes at Harrah's, a gaming company with 26 casinos and reveals how the company is able to compete so successfully against billion-dollar properties in the Las Vegas market. Harrah's secret, as the subtitle states is how it wins customer loyalty and does it better than its competition. This is an excellent book for any business reader engaged in a highly competitive industry, and, in particular, goes head to head with the big boys. Shook's writing style is superb--he interwines anecdotal material that makes for a fascnating read. True, this is a business book, but at times, it's such a page-turner, you feel you're reading a novel.

This book is a "winner!".......2003-01-14

This book is about an outstanding culture that is culminated from the founder's passion, integrity and leadership.

Jackpot provides cutting-edge lessons and ideas that are being exposed for the first time in topics such as: marketing and customer loyalty, building market share, and preserving high integrity.

Harrah's placed its chips on integrity and serving the customer. It's no wonder they are so successful.

"very FUNNY book".......2003-01-08

This book is a riot! I could not put it down. One of the funniest books on gambling I have ever read.(and I've read 100 books on Vegas/Gambling.Go straight to page 43 first- "there is no underworld presence today in Las Vegas"- this author really knows how to write satire.The book is just filled with one funny story after another about how everything now in gambling is on the up & up.Robert Shook is more humerous than that Connecticut Senator whose trying to protect children from the entertainment industry.Another fun thing to do with his book- circle the word "lawyer" and then underline all the Federal & State laws that his book exposes.God Bless America! We should all feel blessed to have a comedy writer like Robert.

Book Description

Governing Fortune: Casino Gambling in America provides the background needed for citizens and policymakers to make informed decisions about gambling in America.

Edward A. Morse and Ernest P. Goss draw on their legal and economic experience to offer important insights to those wrestling with the policy dilemmas presented by legalized gambling. Rather than a polemic against gambling or an apology for it, Governing Fortune is an acute analysis of the industry, designed to help policymakers and interested citizens make informed choices.

Distinguishing Features

Evenhanded treatment of pro and con arguments for casino gambling.
Lucid and understandable explanation of the legal framework for regulating gambling, including both state and federal sources.
Comprehensive information on contemporary developments in gambling, including Internet gambling and problem gambling behaviors.

Governing Fortune is an essential guide, offering sound and reliable information on the complex of factors involved in any calculation of the social costs of legalized gambling.

Whale Hunt In The Desert: The Secret Las Vegas Of Superhost Steve Cyr
Average customer rating:

A Whale of a Book

Captivating

As close as I'll ever get to being a high-roller

Boreing

No free comps

Whale Hunt In The Desert: The Secret Las Vegas Of Superhost Steve Cyr
Deke Castleman
Manufacturer: Huntington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Gambling | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Sharks in the Desert

Super Casino: Inside the "New" Las Vegas

Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn

Las Vegas Babylon: True Tales of Glitter, Glamour, and Greed

When the Mob Ran Vegas: Stories of Murder, Mayhem and Money

ASIN: 0929712919

Product Description

In pre-1990s Las Vegas, casino marketing executives were all cut from the same cloth; sharply-dressed and smooth-talking with street-savvy. They rose through the ranks of operations--dealer, floorman, pit boss, shift boss and casino manager. When it was time to leave the trenches, they went "upstairs" into the executive offices, where they hosted a handful of established players according to the unwritten rules of old-school Vegas. Then Steve Cyr showed up.

Customer Reviews:

A Whale of a Book.......2007-09-11

Take a spectacular author writing about a spectacular person and you end up with a spectacular book!! This is an incredible read...it is by far the best book on high rollers and their hosts ever written. It is an "insider" view of Vegas that is both fascinating and revealing: a high octane blast of Superhost Steve Cyr and his multi-million dollar casino "whales" (high limit players) that will keep you turning pages faster than a blackjack pro can deal cards. If you want a glimpse of how a top casino host operates, the kinds of comps and treatment afforded high rollers, and the lifestyle and gambling habits of the truly wealthy...this book is for you. It's the next best thing to a seven figure credit line! Enjoy.

Captivating.......2007-08-31

Whale Hunt In The Desert is first and foremost a great story. Learning how the highest of the high rollers are lured into one casino versus another with outrageous comps, and how much they bet and (usually) lose once they start gambling, is fascinating in its own right. But, more than that, it's the story of the barely moral actions and ploys of top casino host Steve Cyr.

The author is a skilled, insightful storyteller, whose wit and sense of humor come through. A nice change of pace are the occasional, well placed asides on topics such as compulsive gambling and greed.

Though the book is primarily a chronological account, you can flip to virtually any page and start reading and things will make sense. This is a great book to read either cover to cover, or to bring to the pool or on a flight and read a small section at a time.

As close as I'll ever get to being a high-roller.......2006-09-03

Although the last few chapters are clunky, the rest of the book is so good that I really didn't care! What a fabulous glimpse into the good, the bad, and the truly ugly sides of the cream-of-the-crop gamblers and their relationship with the casinos who host them.

I just was fascinated to peek behind the curtain (or in this case, above the ordinary hotel rooms and inside the high-roller gaming areas).

The next time I'm in Vegas, I'll be doing a lot more than looking for a "fun" slot machine or table game to try out ... I"ll be whale watching!

Boreing.......2006-01-23

This is a book about an egotistical, self promoter. If you want to read about how great Cyr believes he is buy this book. You would think this guy was working on the cure for cancer rather than getting people that already want to come to the casino to actually come to the casino.
No new stuff here.

No free comps.......2005-09-22

As a gambler, I learned alot from the book. I never realized my casino host's bonus was tied to our losses. I always thought they were sincere. The book covers most subjects is good detail, however, it seems to loose steam towards the end. It is worth reading, especially if you gamble.

Average customer rating:

The Economics of Casino Gambling
Douglas M. Walker
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Accessories:

Time and Space in Economics
Arts & Economics: Analysis & Cultural Policy

ASIN: 3540351027

Book Description

Casino gambling has spread throughout the world, and continues to spread. As governments try to cope with fiscal pressures, legalized casinos offer a possible source of additional tax revenue. But casino gambling is often controversial, as some people have moral objections to gambling. In addition, a small percentage of the population may become pathological gamblers who may create significant social costs. On the benefits side, casinos are often purported to spur economic growth (increases in GDP), employment, and tax revenues. However, these benefits have been questioned. Does casino expansion simply "cannibalize" other industries, having no net effect? Or does casino gambling have significant positive economic impacts? The Economics of Casino Gambling is a comprehensive discussion of the social and economic costs and benefits of legalized gambling. It is the only comprehensive discussion of these issues available on the market.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books