The Best Available Gambling Books
It probably goes without saying that by now, there are literally thousands of different books offering advice on gambling as a whole, as well as specifically on strategy.
Here we’ve picked out a few of the best ones around, some for those who bet in old fashioned, bricks and mortar casinos and some for those who do their wagering online.
Quintessential Gambling Books
Interesting in what poker players and those who’ve been there and done it have got to say? These titles could be for you.
Roll the Bones
David G. Schwartz wrote Roll the Bones for those who love the history of gambling and in it, he tells of how it all started as a pastime, how it evolved and where things stand in the modern day. Schwartz is the director of the Center for Gaming Research at Las Vegas’ University of Nevada and he talks not only of man’s primal need to gamble, but also details stories of those made famous by doing so.
Scarne’s Complete Guide to Gambling
The author, John Scarne, was previously a gambling consultant to the world’s top casinos and he produced what became the biggest selling book of all time in this genre some 50+ years ago.
Despite its age, Scarne’s Complete Guide to Gambling remains prevalent even today and in it you’ll find gambling tips along with stories from the high-profile people the writer knew personally. The book lists rules, gambling strategies, the maths and even some fabled cheating techniques!
The Biggest Game in Town
This was another best-seller by Al Alvarez, a title that pioneered the emergence of poker literature. Furthermore, The Biggest Game in Town and its author were inspired by the 1981 World Series of Poker so if that’s your game of choice, this could be the very book for you.
The book focuses on poker as both a hobby and a lifestyle choice, putting the spotlight on the life and techniques of poker professionals.
Books for the Modern-Day Online Player
Alligator Blood: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of the High-Rolling Whiz-Kid who Controlled Online Poker’s Billions
Once you’ve got through the rather unnecessarily protracted title provided by writer James Leighton, you’ll find an excellent read that touches on a main character’s fearlessness when playing poker.
The story is all about one player moving from poker room to poker room in Las Vegas, but while it is provided for entertainment, it of course features plenty of important lessons on how to play the game.
Exploring Internet Gambling: Policy, Prevention and Treatment
Written by co-authors Alex Blaszczynski and Sally Gainsbury, this title takes a fluffier tact along with a more officious approach to the gambling topic. Blaszczynski and Gainsbury touch on the detailed history of the transition gambling has gone through from ‘in person’ games to online.
For those who take such things seriously, this book also acts as a great resource for those wishing to learn of or update their understanding of laws and regulations when it comes to gambling online.
Routledge International Handbook of Internet Gambling
Written by Robert T. Wood, Robert J. Williams and Jonathan Parke, the professors who together produced a title which has become a veritable manual for those gambling online.
This book goes into detail regarding how gambling has a huge influence on politics, commerce and sociology. A top read indeed.
