If you're going to Vegas for any reason at all you'll probably want to do some gambling. It's best to know what you're getting into before you set off. Unfortunately, most gambling "how-to" books (and sites, for that matter) come straight from casino interests and tend to focus on how easy it is to win big bucks at gambling.

In other words, they lie. Very few people come out ahead at the casinos -- you probably won't either, so it's best to see the money you lose as the price you pay for having fun and free drinks. That said, here are some good, objective resources for improving your odds in Vegas -- or Monte Carlo, or Atlantic City, or wherever the heck you're going.

The gambling resource we trust the most? The Wizard of Odds. Site producer Mike is a veteran gambler and an actuary with a math degree. His simple, bare-bones site offers a wealth of tips and advice for a variety of games (including lesser-known ones like Pai-Gow Poker and Red Dog). Math nerds will appreciate Mike's statistical analysis of poker probabilities. Those seeking easy sophistication can bone up on Baccarat.

Rolling Good Times OnLine is mostly notable for its frequently updated gambling news.

Player's Edge has a great collection of Vegas odds and gambling shareware.

Also worth checking out are Reviewed-Casinos (an excellent source of industry information as well as gambling advice) and The GameMaster Online (with great advice columns and coverage of online gaming).

Want to talk to other gamblers? Stop by the newsgroups alt.gambling and alt.las-vegas.gambling. Maybe you'll find just the system you need to win a million at craps -- but don't bet on it.