This is a tough one for us to answer, because we believe we've published some of the best gambling books ever written and we're not inclined to toot our own horn (too much, anyway). But we'll take a stab at it. Keep in mind that it's necessarily brief, merely touching on the books that are widely considered classics of the genre. As always, we'd like to hear your opinions on the subject. Send your feedback by clicking on the Submit a Question button on the bottom of the Question of this page.
Beat the Dealer by Ed Thorp is probably the most influential gambling book ever written. This was the book that launched a thousand brains, the first to publicize a system for tracking cards in a blackjack game for fun and profit.
Casino Gambler's Guide by Allan N. Wilson was originally published in 1970. By all accounts, it was the first rigorous and comprehensive examination of the mathematics of gambling for a lay audience; the chapters on systems and gambling fallacies are some of the best ever written.
The Theory of Blackjack by Peter Griffin also dates back several decades and is the bible of blackjack. It's a tough read, with continuous complex equations, but it contains the basic strategy for virtually any playing decision using any number of decks.
The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky, originally published in 1987, has a reputation among poker experts as the most important book on poker ever published. It's been studied, not just read, by every player you've ever heard of.
Fast Company by John Bradshaw is one of our personal favorites. Published in 1975, it was the first book to profile contemporary and legendary hustlers: Titanic Thompson, Minnesota Fats, Johnny Moss, Puggy Pearson, and others.
Super/System by Doyle Brunson is a classic of poker literature and was indispensable when it was first published (1979).
People of Chance by John Findlay is not only the best book on the evolution of American gambling, but it's one of the great books on American history.
Eudaemonic Pie by Thomas Bass is a fascinating hippie adventure story (ostensibly fact, although we believe some artistic license may have been take ... ) about a group of physicists from UC Santa Cruz who invented a roulette computer that fit in a shoe.
Beat Web Casinos.com by Bill Haywood was the first book (2000) to examine Internet casinos from an advantage player's perspective. It was also extremely well-written.
In addition, we'd like to cite our own Comp City by Max Rubin, The Frugal Gambler and More Frugal Gambling by Jean Scott, Knock-Out Blackjack by Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchs, Kill Phil by Blair Rodman and Dr. Lee Nelson, Gambling Wizards by Richard R. Munchkin, Whale Hunt in the Desert by Deke Castleman, and Man With the $100,000 Breasts and Telling Lies and Getting Paid by Michael Konik as among the great gambling books.
