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Before embarking on one or more of the many games of chance, it's a good idea to become familiar with a game's rules and strategy.

There are many books devoted to the art of casino gambling. These books have complete explanations of the rules, strategy, odds, wagering and systems that claim to give players an advantage. But be skeptical of the systems: statistically they might work in the long run, but few players have the time and the resources to last, or the concentration and mental dexterity that are often required. The serious student will spend some time practicing at home before venturing into a casino to test his or her mettle. And finally, a last piece of advice: Before placing any bets, determine how much you can afford to lose and set that money aside for gambling. Should it cross to the other side of the tables, don't dig for more! It is not just a cliché that people can lose everything they have.

A game very similar to chemin de fer, baccarat (pronounced Ba-Ca-Rah) is played with eight decks of cards dealt from a box called a "shoe." Two cards are given to each of two players, with one player being designated the bank. The object of the game is to come as close to the number nine as possible. All tens and face cards are counted as zero. Other people at the table bet on either the bank or the player.

Most bingo games in Las Vegas and Laughlin are played on "boards" with three bingo cards on each board. There are both open-play and party bingo games at most casinos. In open-play bingo, each board costs between 10 cents and 40 cents per game. Party bingo is played at set hours; cards cost $1 to $4 each with a $3 to $6 minimum; approximately 10 to 12 games are played during each party session.

Also called "21," blackjack is one of the most popular card games, mainly because it's fast and easy to learn. The object of the game is to surpass the dealer's count by getting as close to 21 as possible without going over that count. Each round starts with 2 cards per player and dealer. Except for the ace card, all cards count at face value. The ace is has an optional value of 1 or 11, and with a face card it makes a hand called "blackjack" for an instant count of 21. In the case of a tie with the dealer, the dealer may win depending on the house rules. This is the most important question to ask before playing blackjack. Ask, "Is the player's bet lost in the case of a tie?"

By far the most complicated casino game, craps offers literally dozens of different ways to bet on the dice. The action is fast and the amount of money exchanging hands is considerable. Craps is not a good game for the timid, but it's great fun to watch.

This is an adaptation of an ancient Chinese game. Players mark a series of favorite numbers between one and 80 that appear on the blank keno ticket. Twenty numbers are then drawn at random. The amount of money won depends on the type of ticket played and how many winning numbers were selected. Many restaurants and lounges have keno runners who take the bets. Keno is also a popular game to play on slot machines.

This ancient Chinese game involves 32 dominoes that are shuffled by the dealer and then placed in eight players are dealt one stack. The object of the game is to set the four dominoes into two pairs for the best ranking combinations.

This game is a combination of poker and Pai Gow. It is played with an ordinary deck of 52 cards plus one joker. The joker is used as an ace or to complete a straight or flush. Players are dealt seven cards each, which are arranged into two hands. One hand contains five cards and is known as the "high hand," while the other hand has only two cards and is called the "low hand." The object of the game is to win the bet by having both the high and low hands rank higher than the respective hands of the banker. The ranking is determined by traditional poker rules.

The rules are pretty much the same for casino poker as they are for home games, except that the house provides a dealer who manages the game without playing a hand. The house makes money by taking a small percentage of each pot. Check the rules carefully before sitting down at a game.

Bets can be made on practically any horse race, boxing match, or professional or collegiate game (as long as it does not involve a Nevada event) from the comfort of race and sports books. Live events are shown on giant, satellite-fed screens. Most of the major hotels have race sports books.

The roulette wheel has 36 numbers plus a green zero and a green double zero. Bets can be made on one number, a group, or a color or a column of numbers. Odds on roulette range from 35-to-1 to almost even money. For example, if the player wins by betting on a single number, he or she is paid $35 for every $1 wagered. This is strictly a game of luck, so there is no reason to worry about skill level. Low stakes games are common, so a few dollars can keep a player going for quite some time.

One-armed-bandits and video poker comprise the majority of slots, but gamblers will also find video blackjack, video keno and a variety of other casino games offered. Nickel, quarter and dollar machines are the most prevalent and today most slots don't even require coins or tokens-they accept U.S. bills of many denominations. There are a variety of ways to win, including multiple pay lines, fixed jackpots and progressives (slots linked to statewide networks). To win the big jackpots and progressives requires more than the minimum bet; some machines accept up to 10 bets (or coins) at once.