The Frugal Gambler was written by Jean Scott, a retired English teacher. In her secret life, Jean Scott is the most successful low roller in gambling history. She’s been dubbed the “Queen of Comps” by CBS. She also writes a column for Las Vegas Advisor that’s well worth reading.
She takes advantage of slot machine promotions, contests, and gambling with coupons with an amazing amount of skill. She uses everything the casino has to offer to her advantage.
She was well-known to a few select Vegas aficionados during the 90s.
But it was only when her book got published in 1998 that she became well-known. This gambling grandma has been featured often in the media and has had long-term success in casinos throughout the United States.
The Original Edition of The Frugal Gambler
Jean Scott’s first title in The Frugal Gambler series is an all-time bestseller and after 20+ years, it remains relevant.
Casino fans learn solid low rolling advantage play techniques in her book. These include eating and drinking on the house, room comps, playing video poker for profit, and flying for free.
Since releasing the first edition, Jean Scott has an updated and completely revised second edition. The second edition brings readers up to speed on changes relative to the casino scene today. Her new edition also reveals her ongoing accomplishments as a low roller. It’s even been updated with information she’s gained as a Las Vegas resident.
Jean Scotts’ Gambling Career
Jean Scott was raised in a strict minister’s home. She was taught that gambling is a sin. Her family did play a lot of non-gambling games like Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders.
In her book The Frugal Gambler, she titled the introduction “From Uncle Wiggley to Deuces Wild” because that’s the transition she made. Growing up in her family, girls were not allowed to play cards, and it was only in her late 30s that she learnt the four suits.
Jean started going to casinos in 1984. It was a planned vacation with her husband Brad. They were skilled at many gambling games, but Jean mostly played blackjack. At the end of their trip, they had lost their $1000 vacation money, but knew they wanted to return to Vegas.
A few weeks later they got an offer from the Westward Ho for a three-night stay with food and entertainment included. At that time, she did not have money for every offer, and that’s when Jean decided to learn more about casino gambling. She chose blackjack, and she and Brad learned how to play it skillfully. They first used basic blackjack strategy and later moved on to card counting.
By 1989, Jean and Brad had both been asked to leave a few blackjack tables at a couple of casinos. So, they started focusing on video poker instead. The second edition of The Frugal Gambler has a revamped section about video poker.
More About the Book The Frugal Gambler
The Frugal Gambler is a guidepost for players who enjoy playing at casinos but don’t qualify as high rollers. Her first edition is a comprehensive coverage of low roller concepts for gambling at a casino. The Frugal Gambler covers how to lose less and play for longer.
Jean Scott’s second edition of The Frugal Gambler consists of the following new information:
- A revamped video poker chapter
- Updated coverage on how to maximize slot club membership
- Exploitable gambling promotions and what to look out for before accepting a promotion.
- A new resources section called “Expanding your Frugal Education”
Jean Scott’s Tips for Novice and Frequent Casino Players
The best practical advice she could give to novices is they have to get slot club cards and always use them. This is the key to getting benefits because you are then recognized by the casino and it’s where all the comps come from. A player’s slot card is the foundation of all the casino’s benefits.
Knowledge is power, and when playing at casinos it’s an integral part of playing for longer. It’s one of the main reasons Jean wrote The Frugal Gambler. It’s especially handy for a person who knows nothing about the math needed to learn that some games are better than others.
Many gamblers believe the casino always has the edge but that isn’t entirely true. The players who read her book often find better games to play and better casinos to play at. In every book that Jean Scott autographs, she always writes “The more you study, the luckier you will be.”
