Gaming Record Keeping

You need to make keeping a record of each game a habit. Whenever I finish a game, my first stop is usually at a seat in front of a vacant slot machine where I can record the results of my game. Recording the results has become second nature to me and an important part of my play.

I also track expenses for each casino visit. The easiest way to do this is to use one credit card for each trip. The only other expenses I will record are cash outlays for tips and cab fares. I write these down on a small card I carry in my pocket.

After I return from a casino excursion, I file my game log in a special notebook. I also record the results of the trip in a master file I keep which shows a running total of my gaming bankroll.

Even though the record keeping is simple, you need to do it for a couple of reasons. The first is that you want to be accurate about your blackjack wins and losses. If you are losing, even though you are using the Power Blackjack Strategy, you need to closely examine what you are doing. If you can't identify the problem from reviewing your own records, you should reread this book. Chances are you have forgotten some aspect of the strategy and that is your problem.

If you have only played for a very short period of time and have a net loss position, it is possible that your loss is just the result of bad luck. However, it could be because you are staying too long at a table. I know that it is hard to leave at times. I was playing roulette yesterday and an interesting woman sat down next to me and starting asking me about the game. I won over $100 in less than ten minutes and left the table. I could have stayed and talked and played, but the system I used required a "hit and run" approach.

The second reason keeping records is important is for tax reporting purposes. The publication, How to Survive and Prosper as a Professional Gambler has complete information on taxes and gambling.