Nevada's always been a place where people take their chances, whether prospecting for mineral wealth a century ago or feeding the slot machines today. Genealogists looking for Nevada roots also might find their research a bit of a crapshoot: Throughout its history, die Silver State has seen successive waves of migrant groups blow through like sagebrush — sometimes leaving scant record trails. But if you follow our advice, you can up your odds of a big genealogical payout.

Chance encounters