It is always a good idea to choose a time when the book is not too crowded or busy if this is your maiden voyage. The casino staff members are trained to be helpful in explaining how things work, but the book becomes very hectic during peak sports periods, and the staff members are really not available to spend time on a newcomer.

Before even going to the book, decide on the bankroll and what sort of betting denomination you are comfortable with. It is helpful to change money into the denominations you will need, so the exact amount of the bet can be given at the window. They will make change in a pinch, but it's one more thing to check and to worry about, and the window clerk will usually assume you want to wager whatever is handed in to him or her. Pick up the summary sheet, look at the board and note any changes, say hello to the window clerks, and find a comfortable location for the base of operations. Order a drink if offered, mindful that the pros usually save the toasts for celebration after a win and not as a tool for handicapping at the outset.

Study the propositions, choosing those that seem worth betting upon ("getting in on the action"). Once your initial betting choices have been put together, write down your wagers. There are at least five good reasons to write down the wagers, and no good reason for trying to do it by memory. It is not "square" behavior to write down what you want at the window. First, if the window is busy, knowing what you want is a courtesy to everyone else, and saves time. Second, if the window is noisy, you can show the clerk your notes (if they are clear) to be sure he or she gets it. Third, if there is a mistake in the ticket, it will be easy to verify and change it right there at the window. Remember, even if the ticket is wrong, it belongs to you once you leave the window. Fourth, written wagers help with IRS declarations later. And Fifth, there is no way to evaluate the productivity of your betting efforts unless the wagers, expectations and outcomes are written down for purposes of analysis after the event.

Keeping all the old tickets is a good idea as well. Almost every experienced gamer has had the suffering of inadvertently tearing up a ticket that had some value. (For example if the ticket was against the spread, and exactly the spread was achieved, the ticket is not a winner, but it might be valuable for a refund of the bet.) Note that the paperwork received on winning tickets may be a little different from the tickets themselves, depending on the book. Keep the old tickets with your notes. The tickets are not much use for later analysis without the analysis you went through in doing the handicapping.

How does a person actually make a bet? Suppose that the Cubs are playing the Yankees and the Yankees are at home (sadly, not Yankee Stadium any more!) You believe the Yankees will win. On the prop sheet and on the board, one of the lines will list this game. There will be a number to the left of the name of each team. Suppose that in this case, the Yankees' number is "102." You have decided to bet around $25. The "prop" says, say, "130" and there may be an "M/L" next to it, indicating it is a "money line" bet. (More about this later.) The meaning is that the house or whoever has set the "line" believes that the Yankees are a favorite to win the game. The "130" means that to win $100, you will need to risk $130. So to win $20 you will need to risk $26. It makes sense to couch your wager in units that are somewhat even. It's easier to handle and easier to keep track of later.

For a few bets, including this one, you will need to specify "action" or "no action." Baseball handicapping focuses, obviously, in great measure on the starting pitchers. If there is a pitching change between the time the bet is made and the start of the game, "all bets are off." That's the default rule. If you want to sustain your bet even if there's a pitching change, then you say "action" when you place the bet.

Placing the bet is the easiest part. Go to the window, present your money, and state clearly, "one-zero-two, twenty-six dollars, action." That should be all it takes. Check the ticket to be sure it is correct, go back to your spot, and watch the game or make more bets.

Clarity of enunciation is important, as everyone has a little different accent, and there may be some background noise. The clerks are good at understanding just about everybody, but there's no reason to take a risk. It's probably not a good idea to exaggerate by yelling or enunciating like a drama teacher, but clarity is key. Using "zero" instead of "oh" is helpful. (A few vets use "niner" instead of "nine" but this may be a little over the top.)