Business consultant Gail R. from Illinois won a brand new VW Beetle January 29 at King Solomon's Online Casino. "I was so ecstatic when I got the phone call about the win," Gail said. "I first saw the competition advertised in their newsletter and then saw the pop-up screen on their web site. I was determined to try and win it."

The VW Beetle was part of King Solomon's year-end special promotions to extend and retain its client base. The beetle was offered to the player who wagered the most during the course of Christmas and New Year.

Dear Mark,

What are the chances of any one number showing up four times in a row on a roulette table? Anita G.

On a double-zero game, once every 2,085,136 spins. As a matter of fact, Anita, I saw it happen once, not with one croupier, but with three separate dealers. I was a pit boss at Bill's Lake Tahoe Casino when dealer A spun the number 25. After making his payoffs he went on his break and dealer B stepped in to spin 25 twice consecutively. She was relieved to go home for the evening, then dealer C immediately twirled 25 again. A sleuth roulette player would have immediately jumped on this game, figuring it was a biased wheel in need of repair. In this instance it was hardly worth mortgaging the house. Single-zero never appeared again over the next seven hours of my shift, nor were any of the numbers in its wheel section coming up with abnormal frequency.

Visit Mark's website for more expert tips.

The minute you step into a casino, the owners are betting you're going to lose because the odds are stacked against you. But what if you knew what the casinos know? In his new book, "Beating the Casinos at Their Own Game", Peter Svoboda claims to reveal the casinos' best kept secrets to help you increase the odds of winning. The rules of each game are presented, betting systems explained and examined and the explanations are backed up by lavish full color illustrations. Throughout the book, Svoboda offer tips and betting suggestions so you'll walk away from the gaming tables a winner. You can buy the book at Amazon.

It's true! Super Bowl is an official holiday but only if you live on the western Pacific island of Guam. School absenteeism among staff and students was always so high the day after the game that education officials decided this year to use an extra administration day as a holiday. The extra day is usually reserved for a makeup day for classes cancelled as a result of typhoons, or other problems. Like major hangovers?

Royal Vegas Online Casino will give you a 100% bonus on your initial purchase up to $75. Click here to play!

For the 115th year, the world's smallest and furriest weather forecaster, Punxsutawney Phil will arise from his burrow in Gobblers Knob as millions await the famed groundhog's annual end of winter prediction. Intertops.com is offering odds on whether or not the world's most celebrated marmot sees his shadow to determine when winter will end and spring begins.

Intertops.com has listed opening odds at 2/9, heavily in favor of Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow again this year, which would mean six more weeks of winter. Since 1887, records indicate Phil has seen his shadow 90% of the time so for those wishing to bet against history, Intertops.com has set odds at 13/4 that he won't see his shadow.

"Frankly, we've been astonished by the flurry of early activity we've witnessed on our site." said Simon Noble, executive director of Intertops.com. "Phil is currently attracting more activity and interest than the Temptation Island offering on our site - perhaps the first time fur has ever won out over flesh."

Although the name is often changed, Caribbean Stud Poker is just as popular online as it is in land casinos. Starnet, Boss Media, Cryptologic, and Real Time Gaming call the game Caribbean Poker and Microgaming calls is Cyberstud Poker but the basic rules are the same. The only variation is in the pay table.

Real Time Gaming, Starnet, and Boss Media all follow the conventional Mikohn Corporation pay table. Cryptologic sweetens the royal flush to 200 to 1. Microgaming makes several changes, paying only even money on a two pair but substantially more on all greater hands.

Last weekend my husband and I drove from our home in Fresno, California to Las Vegas and stayed at Harrah's for three fun nights on the Vegas Strip. On our way home, we pulled into Whiskey Pete's (across from Buffalo Bill) for gasoline. "Drop me off at the front door", I said to my husband, "I want to go play while you fill up with gas." I only had $40 left so I knew it couldn't take long. He let me out at the front door, and I quickly went in and sat down at a dollar slot machine (triple diamonds). To make a very short story shorter, I immediately hit that slot for $120 then $120 again, and then I hit a $1800 jackpot (triple, triple seven) and was back out front to meet my husband as came to pick me up with $2000 in my pocket. I'm still in shock. - M. Scroggins, Fresno, CA

Send your trip reports to . If we publish your report you'll receive a certificate for 2 nights free accommodation redeemable at a number of U.S. destinations. Some blackout periods and other restrictions apply, but it's free!

Many of you will be looking for a sunny holiday to break up your winter. Since the majority of cruise ships these days have casinos, how about combining a cruise with a casino? At Casinos Worldwide, you can check out the list of casino equipped ships complete with Casinos Worldwide's 5 star rating guide. The list is linked to the official website for each cruise company for more information but the links to the individual ships were mostly dead.

For booking, I found Cruise Server to be really helpful. Loads of info, reviews, news and featured profiles. And of course, lots of links for making that reservation.

THE WIZARD OF ODDS - Strategy, advice, probabilities and more.
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Two weeks ago I forgot to report on the Blue Man Group show I saw at Luxor on my last Vegas trip. The show was excellent -- highly entertaining, funny and innovative. In short, like nothing you've ever seen before. But be warned, the music is extremely loud and if you sit in the aisle you might end up on stage.

By the way, last week's London conference left me no time to nip out to the bookie's. But I did manage to lose $100 on the Super Bowl!

Your editor, Steve Johnson,

See you next week!

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