Today's guest is Steve Bourie, the publisher of one of gaming's most popular annuals, the American Casino Guide. The book doesn't just tell readers where casinos are located in the U.S. It fills in all kinds of information --- the games, the food, the phone numbers, websites, RV facilities, and amenities such as golf courses, beauty shops, ice cream parlors and the like. Steve's background in the casino industry, coupled with his extensive knowledge about gambling make his book an award-winning effort. If you're new to the American Casino Guide or need to know exactly what's in it (including more than $1000 worth of coupons), you'll get all that and more in this interview.

A quick note: Howard has been temporarily out of commission with laryngitis so a new (and decidedly amateur) voice hosts this episode. Maryann is interviewing Eric Cybulski who has an interesting approach to craps rolls. His book, Craps Wagering Strategies Using Actual Rolls,
looks at what should happen according to statistics and compares that information to actual casino rolls to see how the values compare. Eric talks about why the game seems to be languishing in the casinos, what the resorts might do to bring back the excitement and interest, and how he came to be interested in the game. He discusses how he learned to play and how he began to formulate his unique theory.

On this episode, Howard Schwartz interviews Steve Davidowitz, internationally known race and turf writer. Originally published in 1978 as Betting Thoroughbreds, a Professional's Guide for the Horseplayer and revised in 1995, Steve’s best-selling book is now substantially revised, expanded and updated as Betting Thoroughbreds for the 21st Century -- and the information is still solid, still definitely timely. Additionally, Davidowitz has contributed to several other racing books, all of which are available from Gamblers Book Shop. In this broadcast he talks about the state of thoroughbred racing, of the availability of material for the handicapper, and about playing the races.In this broadcast he talks about the state of thoroughbred racing, of the availability of material for the handicapper, and about playing the races.

Several years back, Ed Lacki produced software to incorporate sports handicapping and biorhythms, but he was ahead of his time. People were interested in the concept, but back then few people had home computers. Lacki has now resurrected the software, updated the files and information and in this interview with Howard Schwartz, he talks about the theories, the programming and the software.

This week’s show starts with Howard’s lively and uber fascinating interview with Gene Kilroy, one-time business manager/confidante/get-the-job-done man for the great Muhammad Ali. Perhaps a quote about Ali from Kilroy best describes this guest best: "I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world just to call him my friend. If I was to die today and go to heaven it would be a step down. My heaven was being with Ali.''  (From an interview conducted by Tim Dahlberg, AP, January 17, 2007). Kilroy’s career covered the sports, gambling and entertainment arena, from the front office of the Philadelphia Eagles to the back lots of MGM movies to the top floor offices of some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. His reminiscences, thoughts, and opinions here make for a memorable broadcast.

In the second part of the show Howard talks to Las Vegas’ sports talk radio show professional John Kelly. A graduate of Northwestern University, Kelly has been a fascinated observer and participant in the life of the “most exciting city in the world.” The former commentator of the Stardust Line, the longest-running, single-sponsored sports show in the country, Kelly now hosts Leroy’s Sports Hour, available in Nevada on Fox and ESPN Radio outlets and on the Internet at www. AmericaWagering.com. Kelly provides mucho insight into the fast-paced gambling scene, with particular focus on sports wagering.

Arnold Snyder, more noted as an a professional gambler and author of numerous blackjack books (The Big Book of Blackjack and Blackbelt in Blackjack among them) as well as poker (The Poker Tournament Formula and The Poker Tournament Formula 2) has ventured into the (under)world of topless clubs in Las Vegas. Titled Sin City Advisor's Topless Vegas (276 pages, paperbound, $14.95), the book offers tips and guide lines and profiles the best and worst of the topless establishments. In this conversation with Howard, Snyder colorfully describes his research and his funny episodes in interviewing potential resources and intertwines the tale with anecdotes about his earlier days as a 21 player and author. He also explains his interesting transition to tournament poker player and poker book author.

Dale Yeazel, one of the most diverse and talented dealers (for craps and blackjack) talks about his experiences working at the tables - including customers with odd approaches to the game of craps; his opinion of whether a player can really control the dice; his opinions on good and bad dealers. Yeazel is a Las Vegas resident for more than 20 years and he's produced several electronic books geared for learning and dealing the games.

For more than two decades, Victor Royer has been a player of casino games, author of gaming books, and a consultant to the gaming industry. He has been contributing columns to various publications around the world since 1984. Colorful, entertaining, and very knowledgeable, Victor is one of Gamblers Book Shop’s favorite author of gaming guides for the casual player and in today’s super interview with Howard he covers a wide range of gambling subjects.

And the long-awaited interview with The Duke, the $1-$2 buy-in no-limit cash game expert who terrorizes the players in downtown Las Vegas … plus some good, solid poker advice from Dr. Alan Schoonmaker, not as much of a terror as The Duke (or so he says), but a force to be dealt with nonetheless.

Howard's first guest, is Michael Hillin. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, Michael is an experienced, and innovative designer in workbook statistics for football, baseball, basketball and horse racing. He specializes in football, and baseball and designs specific statistical spread sheet to meet his own and other handicapper's needs. His says "I went from a bicycle to a Mercedes in Las Vegas, only a few can say that! ." He retired in 2008 and handicaps full time. He is the publisher of Las Vegas Linemaker Workbook.

The second guest goes by the name Daniel Dravot and he is the author of Color of Blackjack He's a professional card counter, who uses the KO blackjack strategy and count to help him spend his life as a money-earning card counter. Realizing that the count might be too difficult for some people, David developed a terrific charting technique that makes the KO and TKO count easier for the average player to master.

Andy Iskoe, author of many books on college and pro football betting and an expert on sports betting for more than 30 years, offers advice and tips on betting smartly, and in his own machine gun-like style of presenting material, highlights what he believes bettors should be alert for; what the impact might be if New Jersey got into the legal sports betting business and what bettors should look for before placing a wager in the 2009 college and pro football season.

Sal Piacente, a most respected surveillance expert, born in Brooklyn, now working in Florence, Ky., visited GBC and talks about protecting yourself when playing poker; scams he has seen, heard about, detected-- plus his opinions on betting poker online. Piacente, who knows the games of three-card monte and the shell game. A true student of all the games, he's colorful, never boring and offers true-to-life advice about detecting cheats and protecting yourself.