Barney Vinson

I came to Las Vegas in 1967. Walking through those glittering casinos, seeing movie stars up so close you could touch one, watching a thousand dollars change hands on one roll of the dice or a single turn of the cards . . . this was where the action was! Never mind the blood-boiling summers or the bone-numbing winters. Inside those casinos everything stayed the same, except me. My life was changed forever.

I went to a local dealers’ school, learning the intricacies of such games as baccarat and craps. No diploma when I finished, just a tip on who was hiring. My first job was as a break-in dealer at the Pioneer Club, and from there I went to the Mint Hotel, the Landmark and later the Dunes. They’re all closed now (but I swear I had nothing to do with it).

Before becoming a full time writer, I was the Gaming Instructor at Caesars Palace, where I was no longer the student but the teacher. It was a great job, because I got to help people have fun -- which is all gambling was meant to be.

Credits include appearances on CNN, MSNBC, Travel Channel, Game Show Network, Morton Downey Show. Featured in Bottom Line Magazine, Las Vegas Style, Casino Journal, Casino Player. Technical Consultant for Players Network and computer game Caesars World of Gambling. Creative Consultant for Spike TV’s “King of Vegas” series. Guest speaker at FBI Symposium, International Gaming & Business Exposition, World Gaming Congress, Casino Player Gaming Festival. Member of "Distinguished Men of Southern Nevada."

Books include Las Vegas Behind The Tables parts 1 and 2, Chip-Wrecked In Las Vegas, Casino Secrets, Ask Barney, The Vegas Kid, The Big Spin, The Games We Play.