The secret history of a trio of gamblers who used homemade technology and their own ingenuity to outplay the house, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars and transforming the way games are played.
In the late 1970s, three men declared war on the casino. They arrived in Las Vegas just as the personal computer was beginning its boom. If the power of computers could be applied to gambling, they reasoned, a player could make a mint. There was only one problem: How do you smuggle a computer, typically, the size of a suitcase, onto a casino floor without getting noticed? Using cutting-edge strategies and technology that was decades ahead of its time, they did just that. They became pioneers of what's known as advantage playing, applying their intellects and creativity to everything from poker and blackjack to horseracing and roulette. For more than thirty years they faced down angry pit bosses, violent Mafiosos, bankruptcies, nights in foreign jails, lawsuits, and personal betrayals. They learned that the only thing harder than reaching the pinnacle of gambling achievement was staying there. Drawing from exclusive interviews with all three players and their associates, award-winning Bloomberg journalist Kit Chellel delivers a cinematic and often uproarious account of fortunes gained, lost, and gained again. Scrupulously reported and irresistibly told, Lucky Devils reveals how these players did more than simply amass wealth; they revolutionized the game itself. They gave the lie to the old adage--the house doesn't always win."synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Kit Chellel is a reporter at Bloomberg and Businessweek Magazine, covering sports gambling, financial scandals, state-sponsored espionage, and more. He has received a Gerald Loeb Award, an Overseas Press Club Award, and a feature reporting prize from the New York Press Club. He is coauthor, with Matthew Campbell, of Dead in the Water, which was shortlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award.
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Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Very Good. The rollicking true story of a trio of gamblers hell-bent on beating the house, who used their ingenuity to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars, transforming the way betting games are played. In the late 1970s, three men declared war on the casino. They were card counters and misfits who arrived in Las Vegas determined to make their fortune. When blackjack got too easy--and they got kicked out of too many casinos--they aimed for bigger prey. Could they predict a roulette wheel's outcome by sight alone? Use computers to "solve" poker? Anticipate game-day outcomes better than veteran bookies? Crunch enough numbers to predict which horse would come in first? Using innovative strategies and technology that was decades ahead of its time, they did all that and more. They became pioneers of "advantage play." Their pursuit of an edge would take them from the Las Vegas Strip to the grand casinos of Northern Europe to the sprawling, 85,000-capacity racetracks of Hong Kong. For more than thirty years they faced down angry pit bosses, violent mafiosos, bankruptcies, nights in foreign jails, lawsuits, and personal betrayals. They learned that the only thing harder than reaching the pinnacle of gambling is staying there. Drawing from exclusive interviews with the three players and their associates, award-winningBloomberg journalist Kit Chellel delivers a cinematic and often uproarious account of fortunes gained, lost, and gained again. Scrupulously reported and irresistibly told, Lucky Devils reveals how these players did more than simply amass wealth; they revolutionized the game itself. Along the way, they defied gambling's oldest rule. The house doesn'talways win. Seller Inventory # CIN1668080893VG
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G1668080893I3N00
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Very Good. The rollicking true story of a trio of gamblers hell-bent on beating the house, who used their ingenuity to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars, transforming the way betting games are played. In the late 1970s, three men declared war on the casino. They were card counters and misfits who arrived in Las Vegas determined to make their fortune. When blackjack got too easy--and they got kicked out of too many casinos--they aimed for bigger prey. Could they predict a roulette wheel's outcome by sight alone? Use computers to "solve" poker? Anticipate game-day outcomes better than veteran bookies? Crunch enough numbers to predict which horse would come in first? Using innovative strategies and technology that was decades ahead of its time, they did all that and more. They became pioneers of "advantage play." Their pursuit of an edge would take them from the Las Vegas Strip to the grand casinos of Northern Europe to the sprawling, 85,000-capacity racetracks of Hong Kong. For more than thirty years they faced down angry pit bosses, violent mafiosos, bankruptcies, nights in foreign jails, lawsuits, and personal betrayals. They learned that the only thing harder than reaching the pinnacle of gambling is staying there. Drawing from exclusive interviews with the three players and their associates, award-winningBloomberg journalist Kit Chellel delivers a cinematic and often uproarious account of fortunes gained, lost, and gained again. Scrupulously reported and irresistibly told, Lucky Devils reveals how these players did more than simply amass wealth; they revolutionized the game itself. Along the way, they defied gambling's oldest rule. The house doesn'talways win. Seller Inventory # CIN1668080893VG
Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_476259034
Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: As New. Unread book in perfect condition. Seller Inventory # 53313153
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Condition: As New. Unread copy in mint condition. Seller Inventory # SS9781668080894
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Seller: BargainBookStores, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A.
Hardback or Cased Book. Condition: New. Lucky Devils: The True Story of Three Rebel Gamblers Who Beat the Odds and Changed the Game. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS-9781668080894
Seller: Rarewaves USA, HEBRON, KY, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # LU-9781668080894