Gambling is quite popular in today’s society. It is not surprising that authors from all over the world write books where they tell their stories related to gambling, tips on the game, biographies of famous gamblers and so on. Today we will tell you about the 8 best books on the subject of gambling.
Kevin Cook “Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet Everything”
This book is based on the life of a real man, Alvin Clarence Thomas. This man went down in American history as a professional poker player, a cheat, and a great betting enthusiast. The hero traveled all over the country, stopping in every state, betting on everything imaginable.
For example, one day Thomas bet that he could throw a walnut over a building. The opponent accepted the bet, but he didn’t know that Alvin had weighted the empty shell with a lead beforehand.
In addition, Thomas was a serious golfer, not forgetting to wager with wealthy members of the clubs. The author collected data from open sources and talked to Alvin’s contemporaries. Many people consider the book biographical, but there is a great deal of fiction in it.
Ben Mezrich “Bringing Down the House”
This book tells the story of a group of students from prestigious universities (Harvard and MIT) who used card-counting techniques while playing blackjack in a casino. The book’s main character, Kevin Lewis, is a young graduate of MIT.
The story begins with Kevin being invited to join a group of blackjack enthusiasts whose goal was to beat a casino. The author claimed that the book was based on true events, but many critics around the world have doubted this. In particular, it has been found that the underground casino described in the book never existed.
The real people that Ben used to write the characters from have also claimed that many of the events are described incorrectly. Nevertheless, the book is considered one of the best in its genre and is definitely recommended for gambling enthusiasts to read.
Joseph Buchdahl “Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks”
The author of this book is a professional gambling analyst. In this book, Joseph does not give any winning strategies or advice on how to beat the casino. But the author examines the gambling and the desire to bet from several points of view.
In his work, the author tried to explain why some people win jackpots, while others constantly lose. The book is filled with deep psychologism, qualitative analysis and interesting conclusions. First, the author talks about various mathematical theories that can be applied in the game against the casino.
The second part of the book is dedicated to trying to understand the question, what guarantees winning? Does the outcome of a card game or roulette depend solely on luck? Or maybe it’s all about skill and knowledge of the player?
Colson Whitehead “The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky and Death.”
This book has almost nothing to do with fiction. It could rather be called a documentary story. In the book, Colson focuses on the 2011 World Series of Poker. The author personally participated in the tournament with a $10,000 pot.
Colson describes in detail the learning process, which included cash games and small buy-in tournaments in Atlantic City. Along with a coach, the author has six weeks of poker practice with professional and amateur players. The book also describes directly the 2011 WSOP, which was held in Las Vegas.
The author did not win anything on that poker series, but he gained a great experience, which he passes on to the readers in the book. Perhaps the author filled the book with sarcasm and irony because of his losses.
Michael Shackleford, “Gambling 102: The Best Strategies for All Casino Games”
Michael is a professional casino player. He works as a consultant at several land-based gambling establishments and even teaches mathematical analysis at the University of Nevada. The author of the book has also started a website for gamblers where you can find lots of tips on gambling.
As for the book, it’s a real working instruction on how to play the game at a distance. The author provides game strategies and useful tables to help you win at Slots Empire casino online and other online casinos. The book is good for beginners, but it is better to familiarize yourself at least with the terminology and try spinning slots or playing blackjack for a while.
The work is written in simple and easy language, but it is also the result of expert analysis and extensive experience in gambling.
Edwin Silberstang “The Winner’s Guide to Casino Gambling”
The author is also a professional gambler. He has spent many hours in land-based establishments and online casinos watching dealers beat customers. Edwin tried different strategies and developed his own.
In the book, Edwin published dice and roulette tips, a detailed analysis of card games, and betting tips. The author is an adept of aggressive strategies and argues that a gambler should do everything to reduce casino odds and thereby increase his winnings over the distance.
The author has combined recommendations for online and offline games in one book. In addition, Edwin gives useful advice on account management and proper allocation of finances.
David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth, “Hold’em Poker for Experienced Players”
As the title makes clear, the book is devoted entirely to the card game. The first edition was published in 1988 and had a major impact on the American poker world. In particular, it was this book that sparked a new wave of Texas Hold’em popularity.
A few years later, the authors added another 100 pages on which they talked about loose poker strategies. The book can be called a self-teacher, but it is too complicated for beginners. If the player knows practically nothing about poker, it is better to get acquainted with the rules, combinations, the order of moves and so on to begin with.
“Hold’em Poker for Experienced Players” will cover playing the first two cards, half-bluffs, bluffs, keeping the draw and more. David Sklansky knows a lot about these strategies, as he has often participated in tournaments before:
| Tournament | Year | Prize |
| $1,000 Draw High | 1982 | $15,500 |
| $800 Mixed Doubles (with Dani Kelly) | 1982 | $8,800 |
| $1,000 Limit Omaha | 1983 | $25,500 |
John D. Brokopp “Insider’s Guide To Internet Gambling: Your Sourcebook For Safe And Profitable Gambling”.
The book was published in 2001, but has not lost relevance to this day. The first part of the book is devoted to the intricacies of the game at online casinos. In the second, the author gives tips on betting on sports, in particular on horse racing. Some information will seem outdated for modern readers.
For example, the book has a section devoted to specific online casino sites and advice on the correct choice. The gambling industry is much better regulated now than in the early 2000s, so the advice on choosing a casino may be irrelevant.
At the same time, John talks about the tactics of the game and gives advice on the proper use of the money in the account. The book is recommended as a handbook for novice players who are taking their first steps in gambling.
Conclusion
Gambling is first and foremost a way to have fun and get emotions. You should not consider it as a reliable source of income. Despite this, there are many professional players who are ready to share their experience and teach the reader some tricks. The tactics and strategies given in them can help reduce the casino’s advantage over the player and provide a higher percentage of winnings over the distance.