In between playing exciting casino games such as roulette and online slots in the UK, it’s great to sit back and relax with the best books on gambling and casinos. Join us as we share some of our favourite titles, including books on gambling theory, personal tales of gamblers and those who’ve worked in gambling, and even works of fiction.

The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told

To kickstart our list of great books about gambling, it only makes sense to start with a book titled The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told by author Mark Paul. This tale is not only about a filly named Winning Colors that broke all expectations at the time, but also about three gamblers, Miami Paul, Dino Mateo, and Big Bernie, whose lives were changed forever by her. These three men unknowingly placed a bet on Winning Colors with a suspected drug cartel and when Winning Colors raced to first place in the 1988 Kentucky Derby, they had to figure out how to get their winnings from the “bookies” who were not very happy with the situation.

Thinking in Bets

Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts is a Wall Street Journal bestseller from Annie Duke, a former professional poker player and now author, corporate speaker and consultant on decision making. Duke takes us through a lesson many poker players understand: that you can make the right decision, and still lose. In her book she unpacks how there’s always an element of luck that can affect the outcome of a decision, regardless of how well you prepare. She also explores various ways you can make yourself less outcome dependent and how to avoid reactions and habits that will negatively affect your decision-making.

Molly’s Game

What would you do if you inadvertently found yourself hosting underground poker games for some of the world’s most rich and powerful people? This is the situation Molly Bloom found herself in in Molly’s Game. Bloom’s dreams of becoming an Olympic skier were cut short after sustaining an injury, so she decided to move to LA and started working as a bartender. One of the owners of The Viper Room nightclub recruits her to cater and host private poker games, which eventually leads to her starting her own business catering and hosting games in other venues, including private homes and exclusive hotels. She soon finds herself offering her services to movie stars such as Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ben Affleck as well as other celebrities and wealthy individuals. Her thriving business results in her path crossing with the Italian and Russian mobs, and eventually, the United States Government, none of whom were happy about the games she was hosting.

Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks

Why do people gamble? In Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks Joseph Buchdahl explores the many different reasons that people might try their luck – from the usual motivations of money and entertainment to the less commonly discussed ideas such as control. He also explores how gambling itself works, how people make irrational decisions, and various other topics related to the world of gambling. 

Beat the Dealer

Considered by many to be the “original” how-to-win book for blackjack, Edward O. Thorp’s Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One was first published in 1962. American mathematics professor, hedge fund manager and blackjack player, Thorp is considered by many to be the father of card counting, even if it took many years after this book was published for his work to become mainstream reading amongst blackjack players. This book takes you through all the game theory you need to know, including the basic rules of the game, simple and advanced strategies to improve your win rate, charts and tables to clearly illustrate the ideas in the book, and much more.

Mensa Guide to Casino Gambling

It shouldn’t be surprising that when the great minds at Mensa (a non-profit organisation for people with high IQs) decided to put their heads together, they came up with an excellent guide on how to improve your odds of winning various casino games. Mensa Guide to Casino Gambling: Winning Ways was first published in 2004, which means some information may be out-of-date, but only for games that have changed since it was originally published. Information for games like blackjack, poker, and roulette will still be applicable today.

Enjoy gambling on your mobile phone with The Phone Casino

The casino and gambling books on our original list – along with this one – will no doubt help you kill some time between exciting gambling sessions at The Phone Casino. At our mobile casino, you can enjoy a wide variety of gambling games such as blackjack and roulette, and some of the most exciting online slots in the UK.

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