Dr. Edward O. Thorp

Generally regarded as "the father of card counting," Ed Thorp set the gambling world on fire with the publication of his book, Beat the Dealer, in 1962. In it, he presented his Ten Count system, and also "the ultimate strategy," which was the precursor of the myriad count systems on the market today. Thorp went on to develop more powerful systems -- he's an inaugural member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame -- and research methods for beating other exploitable gambling games (including roulette and sports betting) before turning his attention to the stock market. He wrote the book Beat the Market, and for several decades managed successful hedge funds headquartered in Newport Beach, California.