Go big!

"Show me to where the high rollers are." I said, smiling at her.

We crossed the strip and went to the Wynn Hotel and Casino. If there was a theme for this casino, it must have been opulence. Everything looked like it was made out of the finest materials, and dipped in gold. Danielle led me to the Baccarat room. I had played before, although this was not my game. Not like Black Jack, or Hold Em. But this card game had an elegance that made it almost exclusive to the wealthy gamblers. I still had my $1500.00 that I had received for free, plus another $1500.00 I had brought for gambling. So I figured I could get killed here, and maybe have Danielle lick my wounds back at my hotel.

I bought in to a game for a grand. This was the low end of the high rollers table. We both sat down, and the croupier gave the shoe a slap. I placed a black $100 chip on the section to bet with the bank. I was dealt two kings. A Jack joined my hand. Baccarat. A zero. The bank won.

In baccarat 9 is the magic number. And you only get one card. Anything over 9, remove the 10 digit to get to your number. For example, three kings is a score of 30. Remove the 3 and you get 0. A losing hand. An 8 or a 9 are instant winners for either the bank or the player. And you get to choose who you bet with: Player or bank. The bank wins ties so there is a slight advantage to betting with the bank. Either way, you make money if your bet wins.

By the end of a two hour stretch I had doubled my bankroll, and Danielle had made some money too.

Bankroll: $3,000.00