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Pro Football Book Review in August 31-September 6, Gaming Today

Now let’s close the computer screen and open the pages of a football handicapping book. Mike Hillin’s kickoff page in his Las Vegas Line-maker V (168 pgs, $29.95) is titled "What Vegas doesn’t want you to know," referring to the payoff odds at the sportsbooks in a dozen casinos around town. "A $20 bet could make up to $800 difference in a payout depending on where you wager," he asserts and substantiates his claim by listing the payouts that Vegas sportsbooks give bettors on teasers and parlays. He adds that this information will save you the price of his book in gas money driving around to check things out for yourself. (Clue: Arizona Charlie’s has the best odds on a 6-point, seven or eight-team teaser.)

If you’re not a style and grammar purist (I admit that I am) and can get past some glaring gaffs, you’ll find valuable stuff in this book, including his introductory chapter on how to use his power rating adjustment chart to adjust a team’s rating using its final score against a rival team. Hillin documents the playoff results from 2006-2009 for backup, plus the results of the top 10 public football bets from the 2009 NFL season.

The workbook pages give you plenty of space to enter 2010 season results, adjust power ratings, record injuries and jot in stats on all 16 variables. Hillin also projects team results for the year and gives odds on which players will cut the mustard on passing, rushing and receiving yards. If you like the buzz that you can only get from wagering at Vegas sportsbooks, take this book along to get the most bang for your buck.

These books and thousands of other titles are available at Gambler’s Book Club in Las Vegas. You can order them at www.gamblersbookclub.com, where you can view the store’s complete line of books, or by phone at 1-800-522-1777, M-F 9-7 and Sat 10-6. Opened in 1964, GBC is located at 5473 S. Eastern between Tropicana and Russell, just a short drive from the Strip.