100 Best Gambling Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character

Richard P. Feynman

5.0

A series of anecdotes, such as are included in Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman, shouldn't by rights add up to an autobiography, but that's just one of the many pieces of received wisdom that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918-88) cheerfully ignores in this engagingly eccentric book. Fiercely independent (read the chapter entitled "Judging Books by Their Covers"), intolerant of st

Recommended by Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, and 12 others.

Larry Page

Co-Founder/Google

Google co-founder has listed this book as one of his favorites. [source]

Sergey Brin

Co-Founder/Google

Brin told the Academy of Achievement: "Aside from making really big contributions in his own field, he was pretty broad-minded. I remember he had an excerpt where he was explaining how he really wanted to be a Leonardo da Vinci, an artist and a scientist. I found that pretty inspiring. I think that leads to having a fulfilling life." [source]

Naval Ravikant

CEO & Co-Founder/AngelList

Learn about the inner mindset and external state of someone who was absolutely brilliant. [source]

2

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions

Ben Mezrich

5.0

An exclusive blackjack club came up with a system to take the worldUs most sophisticated casinos for all they were worth. In two years, this ring of card savants earned more than three million dollars. Filled with tense action and incredibly close calls, this is a real-life adventure that could have stepped straight out of a Hollywood film.

Recommended by Howard Marks.

Howard Marks

Howard Marks has this book on his shelf. [source]

3

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

Michael Lewis

5.0

Preview Summary

Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the front offices of major league teams and the dugouts, perhaps even in the minds of the players themselves. Michael Lewis mines all these possibilities - his intimate and original portraits of big league ballplayers are

Recommended by Ev Williams, Azeem Azhar, Carol Dweck, and 5 others.

Carol Dweck

You would think that the relationship between training and skill would be utterly obvious in sports, but apparently it isn’t. [source]

Daniel Hamermesh

What the book is really about is a guy who is using some econometrics to predict which players will do better in advancing wins, which is a remarkable use of economic thinking. [source]

David Papineau

It’s a parable of the disinclination of people in general to base their practices on evidence, a parable for evidence-based policy in general. [source]

4

Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts

Annie Duke

4.8

Preview Summary

In Super Bowl XLIX, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made one of the most controversial calls in football history: With 26 seconds remaining, and trailing by four at the Patriots' one-yard line, he called for a pass instead of a hand off to his star running back. The pass was intercepted and the Seahawks lost. Critics called it the dumbest play in history. But was the call really that bad? Or did Carro

Recommended by Charles Duhigg, Marc Andreessen, Seth Godin, and 7 others.

Charles Duhigg

Author

Through wonderful storytelling and sly wit, Annie Duke has crafted the ultimate guide to thinking about risk. We can all learn how to make better decisions by learning from someone who made choices for a living, with millions on the line. [source]

Marc Andreessen

Co-Founder/Andreessen Horowitz

Compact guide to probabilistic domains like poker, or venture capital. Best articulation of "resulting", drawing bad conclusions from confusing process and outcome. Recommend for people operating in the real world. [source]

Seth Godin

Author, Marketer, Entrepreneur

Brilliant. Buy ten copies and give one to everyone you work with. It's that good. [source]

5

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

William Poundstone

4.6

In 1956 two Bell Labs scientists discovered the scientific formula for getting rich. One was mathematician Claude Shannon, neurotic father of our digital age, whose genius is ranked with Einstein's. The other was John L. Kelly Jr., a Texas-born, gun-toting physicist. Together they applied the science of information theory—the basis of computers and the Internet—to the problem of making as much mon

Recommended by P. D. Mangan.

P. D. Mangan

@MarquisDeMarche @natstewart5 Great book. [source]

6

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

4.6

Preview Summary

Hemingway's memories of his life as an unknown writer living in Paris in the twenties are deeply personal, warmly affectionate, and full of wit. Looking back not only at his own much younger self, but also at the other writers who shared Paris with him - James Joyce, Wyndham Lewis, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald - he recalls the time when, poor, happy, and writing in cafes, he discovered his vocation.

Recommended by Janine di Giovanni, Mohsin Hamid, and Wai Chee Dimock.

Janine di Giovanni

The fact that Hemingway writes it as an old, rather bitter man trapped in his Idaho home with a bullying wife while he dreams of his youth in Paris with his first wife and child is so touching to me. [source]

Mohsin Hamid

We think of Hemingway as an American writer, but much of his writing is set outside of the United States, just as much of his life was set outside of the United States. [source]

Wai Chee Dimock

This is a memoir by Hemingway about his time in Paris, which includes sketches of people like F Scott Fitzgerald. [source]

7

A Man for All Markets

Edward O. Thorp

4.5

The incredible true story of the card-counting mathematics professor who taught the world how to beat the dealer and, as the first of the great quantitative investors, ushered in a revolution on Wall Street.

A child of the Great Depression, legendary mathematician Edward O. Thorp invented card counting, proving the seemingly impossible: that you could beat the dealer at the blackjack table. As a re

Cover unavailable

8

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1)

Jamie McGuire, Emma Galvin, et al

4.5

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tatto

9

The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail - But Some Don't

Nate Silver

4.5

Preview Summary

One of Wall Street Journal's Best Ten Works of Nonfiction in 2012

New York Times Bestseller

"Not so different in spirit from the way public intellectuals like John Kenneth Galbraith once shaped discussions of economic policy and public figures like Walter Cronkite helped sway opinion on the Vietnam War…could turn out to be one of the more momentous books of the decade."
-New York Times Book Review

"Na

Recommended by Bill Gates.

Bill Gates

CEO/Microsoft

Anyone interested in politics may be attracted to Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—but Some Don't. Silver is the New York Times columnist who got a lot of attention last fall for predicting—accurately, as it turned out–the results of the U.S. presidential election. This book actually came out before the election, though, and it’s about predictions in many domains besides politics. Silver knows a lot about baseball, and I especially liked his explanation of hold’em poker. A few pages – where he talks about how early computers supposedly made everything less efficient—are utter nonsense. I wish he had gone into more depth on some things, like why it is that voters are increasingly polarized. I liked the book, though I wish he’d gone deeper on a number of topics. [source]

Cover unavailable

10

A Rogue by Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels, #1)

Sarah MacLean

4.5

What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets...

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with

11

Dreaming of You (The Gamblers of Craven's, #2)

Lisa Kleypas

4.5

She stood at danger's threshold—then love beckoned her in.

In the shelter of her country cottage, Sara Fielding puts pen to paper to create dreams. But curiosity has enticed the prim, well-bred gentlewoman out of her safe haven—and into Derek Craven's dangerous world.

A handsome, tough and tenacious Cockney, he rose from poverty to become lord of London's most exclusive gambling house—a struggle tha

12

Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker

Molly Bloom

4.4

When Molly Bloom was a little girl growing up in a small Colorado town, she watched her brothers win medals, ace tests, and receive high praise from everyone they met. Molly wanted nothing more than to bask in that glow a little herself, so she pushed herself too—as a student, as an athlete. She was successful but felt like she was always coming from behind. She wanted to break free, to find a lif

13

Devil in Winter (Wallflowers, #3)

Lisa Kleypas

4.4

Librarian's Note: Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here.

Four young ladies enter London society and band together to each find a husband. Has the third "Wallflower" now met her match?

A Devil's Bargain

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie

14

Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker

James McManus

4.4

In the spring of 2000, Harper's Magazine sent James McManus to Las Vegas to cover the World Series of Poker, in particular the progress of women in the $23 million event, and the murder of Ted Binion, the tournament's prodigal host, purportedly done in by a stripper and her boyfriend. But when McManus arrives, the lure of the tables compels him to risk his entire Harper's advance in a long-shot at

15

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

Leigh Bardugo

4.4

Welcome to the world of the Grisha.

Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root ou

16

Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One

Edward O. Thorp

4.4

The Book That Made Las Vegas Change the Rules
Over 1,000,000 Copies in Print

Edward O. Thorp is the father of card counting, and in this classic guide he shares the revolutionary point system that has been successfully used by professional and amateur card players for generations. This book provides:

o an overview of the basic rules of the game
o proven winning strategies ranging from simple to advan

17

The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King: Inside the Richest Poker Game of All Time

Michael Craig

4.3

The Players: the best poker professionals in the world The Challenger: a wealthy banker from Dallas The Game: the richest poker stakes of all time... In 2001, a rich stranger from Texas descended upon the high-stakes poker room in the opulent Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. A self-made billionaire by the name of Andy Beal, the stranger challenged some of the world's greatest poker players-including

18

Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)

Leigh Bardugo

4.3

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged

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19

Walking Disaster (Beautiful, #2)

Jamie McGuire

4.3

How much is too much to love? Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster.

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, und

20

The Theory of Poker

David Sklansky

4.3

Discusses theories and concepts applicable to nearly every variation of the game, including five-card draw (high), seven-card stud, hold 'em, lowball draw, and razz (seven-card lowball stud). This book introduces you to the Fundamental Theorem of Poker, its implications, and how it should affect your play. Other chapters discuss the value of deception, bluffing, raising, the slow-play, the value o

21

Seabiscuit: An American Legend

Laura Hillenbrand

4.3

There's an alternate cover edition here

Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s for

22

The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told: A True Tale of Three Gamblers, The Kentucky Derby, and the Mexican Cartel

Mark Paul

4.3

The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told is an inspiring personal narrative about a filly who broke through the male-dominated world of horseracing and inspired crowds of men and women alike, along with a trio of gamblers who embark on an unforgettable adventure that's as epic as the history victory of Winning Colors. It's Seabiscuit meets Narcos, and the best true-life gambling story ever told.

In t

Cover unavailable

23

Casino Royale (James Bond, #1)

Ian Fleming

4.3

In the novel that introduced James Bond to the world, Ian Fleming’s agent 007 is dispatched to a French casino in Royale-les-Eaux. His mission? Bankrupt a ruthless Russian agent who’s been on a bad luck streak at the baccarat table.

One of SMERSH’s most deadly operatives, the man known only as “Le Chiffre,” has been a prime target of the British Secret Service for years. If Bond can wipe out his ba

Recommended by Ben Macintyre.

Ben Macintyre

I think it’s the best of them, and it’s wonderful because it reveals what I think is the essential Bond. [source]

24

One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey, 'The Kid', Ungar, The World's Greatest Poker Player

Nolan Dalla, Peter Alson, Mike Sexton

4.3

Now in paperback comes the first and authorized biography of Stuey Ungar, the greatest card player of all time, who was backed by the Mob in New York before moving to Las Vegas where he won the World Series of Poker three times, then died mysteriously in a seedy motel on the Vegas strip at the age of 45.

He was the Jim Morrison of the casino, a legend before he was of legal age. Stuey Ungar, the so

25

Busting Vegas: A True Story of Monumental Excess, Sex, Love, Violence, and Beating the Odds

Ben Mezrich

4.3

He played in casinos around the world with a plan to make himself richer than anyone could possibly imagine -- but it would nearly cost him his life.

Semyon Dukach was known as the Darling of Las Vegas. A legend at age twenty-one, this cocky hotshot was the biggest high roller to appear in Sin City in decades, a mathematical genius with a system the casinos had never seen before and couldn't stop -

26

A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg: How to Play the Game & Win

Elaine Sandberg

4.3

Learn to play American Mah Jongg and build winning strategies with this bestselling beginner's guide by mahjong expert Elaine Sandberg!This regularly updated bestselling book has helped hundreds of thousands of players learn how to play American Mah Jongg with confidence. Written specifically for beginners, it follows the official National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) rules and provides a clear, approa

27

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

Gabor Maté

4.3

Based on Gabor Maté’s two decades of experience as a medical doctor and his groundbreaking work with the severely addicted on Vancouver’s skid row, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts radically reenvisions this much misunderstood field by taking a holistic approach. Dr. Maté presents addiction not as a discrete phenomenon confined to an unfortunate or weak-willed few, but as a continuum that runs throug

Recommended by Johann Hari.

Johann Hari

If you wanted to design a system that would make addiction worse, you’d design the system we have now. [source]

Cover unavailable

28

Pachinko

Min Jin Lee

4.3

In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant--and that her lover is married--she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision

Recommended by Emma Watson and Gail Kelly.

Gail Kelly

Former CEO/ Westpac

Member of the Group of 30, and former CEO of Westpac will be spending her summer months reading a memoir, a novel and historical non-fiction. Lab Girl—Hope Jahren Pachinko—Min Jin Lee The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics—Daniel James Brown [source]

Cover unavailable

29

Trading Bases: A Story About Wall Street, Gambling, and Baseball (Not Necessarily in That Order )

Joe Peta

4.3

An ex–Wall Street trader improved on Moneyball’s famed sabermetrics to place bets that would beat the Vegas odds on Major League Baseball games—with a 41 percent return in his first year. Trading Bases explains how he did it.

After the fall of Lehman Brothers, Joe Peta was out of a job. He found a new one but lost that, too, when an ambulance mowed him down. In search of a way to cheer himself up

Recommended by Aaron Klein.

Aaron Klein

@danielcrosby My Director of Finance just told me about this book! Looks like a great read. [source]

Cover unavailable

30

The Gambler

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, C. J. Hogarth

4.2

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821-1881) was a Russian novelist and writer of fiction whose works, including Crime and Punishment (1866) and The Brothers Karamazov (1880), have had a profound and lasting effect on intellectual thought and world literature. His literary output explores human psychology in the troubled political, social and spiritual context of 19th-century Russian society. Consid

Recommended by Lynda La Plante.

Lynda La Plante

I like this novel due to the extraordinary background on how it was written, at the same time as he was writing Crime and Punishment. He had a certain time frame and a page count of 160 pages to submit within four months. He had agreed a contract in September that he had to submit a new novel to the publishers, Stellovsky, by the first of November. In the event of failure to produce this book Stellovsky would be given the rights to reprint all Dostoyevsky’s past and future work at any time and without further payment. The result was The Gambler. [source]

31

Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No-Limit Tournaments, Volume I: Strategic Play

Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie

4.2

Cover unavailable

32

The Biggest Game In Town

Al Alvarez

4.2

Takes us inside the World Poker Tour and captures the skewed psyches and peculiar rites of professional poker players who descend every year for the World Series of Poker.

Recommended by Victoria Coren Mitchell.

Victoria Coren Mitchell

I say to the younger generation that you should go out and see the world, seduce beautiful women, read books, have a job and play poker as well. [source]

Cover unavailable

33

Tricks (Tricks, #1)

Ellen Hopkins

4.2

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching ... for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all t

34

Post Office

Charles Bukowski

4.2

"It began as a mistake." By middle age, Henry Chinaski has lost more than twelve years of his life to the U.S. Postal Service. In a world where his three true, bitter pleasures are women, booze, and racetrack betting, he somehow drags his hangover out of bed every dawn to lug waterlogged mailbags up mud-soaked mountains, outsmart vicious guard dogs, and pray to survive the day-to-day trials of sad

Recommended by James Altucher.

35

Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk

Peter L. Bernstein

4.2

With the stock market breaking records almost daily, leaving longtime market analysts shaking their heads and revising their forecasts, a study of the concept of risk seems quite timely. Peter Bernstein has written a comprehensive history of man's efforts to understand risk and probability, beginning with early gamblers in ancient Greece, continuing through the 17th-century French mathematicians P

Recommended by Howard Marks, Jason Zweig, and John Lanchester.

Howard Marks

So good. [source]

Jason Zweig

In the book, he explores risk at every conceivable level – what it is mathematically and what it is psychologically, how it has played out historically, how people have thought to measure it and also to control it. [source]

John Lanchester

it’s an absolutely fascinating, for-the-layman account of how humanity mastered risk and came to understand probability. [source]

Cover unavailable

36

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (The Rules of Scoundrels, #2)

Sarah MacLean

4.2

The second in the incredible new Rules of Scoundrels series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean.

Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's n

Cover unavailable

37

Then Came You (The Gamblers of Craven's, #1)

Lisa Kleypas

4.2

A woman with a secret . . .

Reckless beauty Lily Lawson delights in shocking London society. She will break any rule to get what she wants . . . and she is determined to stop her younger sister from marrying Alex, Lord Wolverton, a handsome and arrogant earl who has vowed never to fall in love.

A man who will do anything to possess her . . .

To Alex's fury, the headstrong hellion presents a temptatio

Cover unavailable

38

The Devil's Punchbowl (Penn Cage #3)

Greg Iles

4.2

From New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles comes his most electrifying thriller yet. The Devil's Punchbowl reveals a world of depravity, sex, violence, and the corruption of a Southern town. As a prosecuting attorney in Houston, Penn Cage sent hardened killers to death row. But it is as mayor of his hometown -- Natchez, Mississippi -- that Penn will face his most dangerous threat. Urged by o

39

Doyle Brunson's Super System

Doyle 'Texas Dolly' Brunson, Chip Reese, et al.

4.2

Twice-world champion and Hall of Famer Doyle Brunson and five leading experts in their various specialties tell you when to raise, call, bet, and fold at hold 'em (limit and no-limit), 7-stud (high and low), draw poker, and lowball.

Collaborators David "Chip" Reese, Mike Caro, David Sklansky, Joey Hawthorne, and former world champion Bobby Baldwin. This treatise on professional-level poker is the r

Cover unavailable

40

Every Hand Revealed

Gus Hansen

4.2

Cover unavailable

41

Tishomingo Blues

Elmore Leonard

4.2

Daredevil Dennis Lenahan has brought his act to the Tishomingo Lodge & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi -- diving off an eighty-foot ladder into nine feet of water for the amusement of gamblers, gangsters, and luscious belles. His riskiest feat, however, was witnessing a Dixie-style mob execution while atop his diving platform. Robert Taylor saw the hit also. A blues-loving Detroit hustler touring th

42

Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas

Natasha Dow Schüll

4.2

Recent decades have seen a dramatic shift away from social forms of gambling played around roulette wheels and card tables to solitary gambling at electronic terminals. "Addiction by Design" takes readers into the intriguing world of machine gambling, an increasingly popular and absorbing form of play that blurs the line between human and machine, compulsion and control, risk and reward.

Drawing on

Recommended by Stephen Mayne.

Stephen Mayne

Here is the great @CLjeSuppose in Natasha Schull’s 2012 book, “Addiction by Design”, describing how machine gamblers in the zone suspend clock time. https://t.co/mAg0ERJY2t [source]

43

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

Michelle McNamara

4.2

A masterful true crime account of the Golden State Killer—the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade—from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case.

"You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark."

For more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern C

Cover unavailable

44

Doc

Mary Doria Russell

4.2

The year is 1878, peak of the Texas cattle trade. The place is Dodge City, Kansas, a saloon-filled cow town jammed with liquored-up adolescent cowboys and young Irish hookers. Violence is random and routine, but when the burned body of a mixed-blood boy named Johnnie Sanders is discovered, his death shocks a part-time policeman named Wyatt Earp. And it is a matter of strangely personal importance

45

Yatzee Score Pads: Large Print Sheets for Scorekeeping (Score Book)

Andy White

4.2

Is Yatzee your passion?Are you tired of poor quality Yatzee score sheets?Then, this book will be your best game companion!This is the best personal score sheets to keep track of all the scores of your games with friends and family!We manufactured this amazing score sheets book to meet all the best characteristics, in fact:It has a clear and sharp printing to give you the best sheets among all comp

Cover unavailable

46

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished (The Rules of Scoundrels, #3)

Sarah MacLean

4.2

A rogue ruined...

He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of... absolution.

A lady returned...

Mara planned never to return to the worl

Cover unavailable

47

Almost Home

Joan Bauer

4.2

Newbery Honor winner Joan Bauer's new novel will touch your heart

When twelve-year-old Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off yet again, Sugar and her mother lose their home in Missouri. They head to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that fresh starts aren't so easy to come by for the homeless. Nevertheless, Sugar's mother has taught her to be grateful no matter what,

Cover unavailable

48

Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big with Expert Play

Ed Miller, David Sklansky, and Mason Malmuth

4.2

For today's poker players, Texas hold 'em is the game. Every day, tens of thousands of small stakes hold 'em games are played all over the world in homes, card rooms, and on the Internet. These games can be very profitable -- if you play well. But most people don't play well and end up leaving their money on the table. Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big with Expert Play explains everything you nee

Cover unavailable

49

Gambling, Gambling, Gone.: A Young Problem Gamblers True Story of Denial, Acceptance and a Lifelong Trial to Quit Gambling for Good. an Eye Opening Novel Focused Around the Hidden Dangers of Gambling.

Lance Libel

4.2

A young problem gamblers true story of denial, acceptance and a lifelong trial to quit gambling for good. An eye opening novel focused around the hidden dangers of gambling.

50

Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything

Kevin Cook

4.2

This "raucous retelling of the life of a consummate gambler, grifter and quintessential American character" (Kirkus Reviews) introduces Alvin "Titanic" Thompson (1892-1974), who traveled with golf clubs, a .45 revolver, and a suitcase full of cash. A terrific read for anyone who has ever laid a bet, Titanic Thompson recaptures the colorful times of a singular figure.

51

The Art of Statistics: How to Learn from Data

David Spiegelhalter

4.2

The definitive guide to statistical thinking
Statistics are everywhere, as integral to science as they are to business, and in the popular media hundreds of times a day. In this age of big data, a basic grasp of statistical literacy is more important than ever if we want to separate the fact from the fiction, the ostentatious embellishments from the raw evidence -- and even more so if we hope to pa

Recommended by Dan Davies.

Dan Davies

@amoralelite @d_spiegel It's a great book. I thought it was like coming home because I've always tried to avoid calculation due to the dyspraxia and it was just "yes, that's how you think about it" [source]

52

The Success Equation

Michael J. Mauboussin

4.2

Recommended by Vinod Khosla, Vinod Khosla, Jessica Livingston, and 1 others.

Steve Burns

@RampCapitalLLC @mjmauboussin I’m reading this now, great book! [source]

53

Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players

David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth

4.2

Recommended by Victoria Coren Mitchell.

Victoria Coren Mitchell

This is a technical strategy book from a while ago. Now there are millions of these but most of them are boring and just have sexy new terms for things poker players have been doing for 200 years. [source]

54

Yahtzee Score Sheets: 720+ Score Games for Scorekeeping, Yahtzee Score Pads, 6 X 9 Large Print Yahtzee Score Book

Tally_Mark Press

4.2

Elevate your Yahtzee gaming experience with our meticulously designed Yahtzee Score Sheets book. Packed with excitement and convenience, this scorekeeping companion will become an essential part of your game nights.Key Features:720 Score Games: With over 700 score games included, our Yahtzee Score Sheets book offers endless entertainment for you and your friends and family. Never worry about runni

55

The 21st-Century Card Counter: The Pros' Approach to Beating Blackjack

Colin Jones

4.1

The Modern Guide for Today's Blackjack Card Counters

The game of 21 has changed over the last 50 years in the casinos' attempt to discourage card counters, but blackjack remains beatable for those who are focused, steadfast, and willing to do what it takes in order to play to win. Author Colin Jones leads the way for those interested in beating today's game.

Before the explosion of casino gambling i

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56

The Everything Guide to Sports Betting: From Pro Football to College Basketball, Systems and Strategies for Winning Money

Josh Appelbaum

4.1

Learn how to bet on sports safely, smartly, and responsibly—and profit big—with this easy-to-use guide, perfect for beginners!

Betting money on sports can be great fun and is a sure way to turn any sports game into an exciting must-watch event. However, it can be dangerous to the uninitiated—new gamblers can risk too much, bet randomly, or even lose it all.

The Everything Guide to Sports Betting wo

57

Playing Off the Rail

David McCumber

4.1

58

The American Mah Jongg Playbook: A Beginner's Guide to Rules, the Card, and Strategy (And What Nobody Tells You)

Jillian Lacy

4.1

There’s a reason people fall in love with American Mah Jongg.Whether you refer to it as Mah Jongg, Mahj, or Mahjong, it is the same thoughtful, engaging tile game that blends strategy, observation, and intuition, keeping players coming back for more. While American Mah Jongg has been around for nearly a century, it is being rediscovered now with new players everywhere! The American Mah Jongg Playb

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59

The Winning Hand (The MacGregors, #8)

Nora Roberts

4.1

"Did you say I won almost two million dollars?" Running away from her former life and her controlling fiance, Darcy Wallace was down to her last ten dollars. And in the bright lights of a Las Vegas casino, Darcy gambled and won! Suddenly the small-town girl was big news - and in need of protection. Robert MacGregor Blade, the casino owner, was determined to make sure Darcy could enjoy her good for

60

The Logic Of Sports Betting

Ed Miller and Matthew Davidow

4.1

How do sportsbooks make their lines? Which types of bets are the best? Can you beat the house?

The Logic Of Sports Betting answers all these questions and more with a dash of humor and a whole lot of real talk about how it all works. Peek behind the counter and learn how sportsbooks operate. Combine that insider knowledge with why-didn't-I-think-of-that sports betting logic, and you have the winnin

61

American Mah Jongg for Everyone: The Complete Beginner's Guide

Gregg Swain, Toby Salk

4.1

Whether you're an American Mah Jongg (Mahjong) newbie or an intermediate player looking to gain an edge over your opponents, American Mah Jongg for Everyone is the perfect book to help you start practicing your game!Experienced international Mah Jongg instructors Gregg Swain and Toby Salk walk you through the basics of American Mah Jongg—introducing readers to the tiles, rituals, history, rules an

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62

Bet Me

Jennifer Crusie

4.1

Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Even if he is gorgeous and successful Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs. Even if she does wear great shoes and keeps him on his toes. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and a

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63

One-Eyed Royals (Seven of Spades, #4)

Cordelia Kingsbridge

4.1

Spoiler Alert! The following blurb contains spoilers for Cash Plays, book three of Seven of Spades.

Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades. The ruthless vigilante’s body count continues t

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64

Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No-Limit Tournaments, Volume II: The Endgame

Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie

4.1

Poker has taken America by storm. But it's not just any form of poker that has people across the country so excited – it's no-limit hold 'em – the main event game. And now – thanks to televised tournaments – tens of thousands of new players are eager to claim their share of poker glory.
In the first volume of this series, Harrington on Hold ‘em: Volume I: Strategic Play, Dan Harrington explained ho

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65

5 Crowns Score Sheets: 125 Large Score Sheets for Scorekeeping (Five Crowns Card Game Book)

Game Nest

4.1

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66

Private (Private, #1)

James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

4.1

Former CIA agent Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe, for maximum force and maximum discretion. Already deep into the investigation of a multimillion-dollar NFL gambling scandal and the unsolved slayings of eighteen schoolgirls, he learns his best friend's wife, Jack's former lover, has been killed.

The secrets of the most influential men and

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67

Poker Nation: A High-Stakes, Low-Life Adventure into the Heart of a Gambling Country

Andy Bellin

4.1

Journalist and poker fanatic Andy Bellin takes readers on a raucous journey into the shut-up-and-deal world of professional poker. From basement games to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, you'll look over his shoulder as he learns to count cards, read a legendary player's body language, hang in there when the chips are down, and take his beatings like a man. Even if you don't know the differ

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68

The Park of Sunset Dreams (Dare Valley, #6)

Ava Mile

4.1

USA Today Bestselling Author Ava Miles of the #1 National Bestseller NORA ROBERTS LAND presents a fun, emotional, heartwarming romance about finding happily ever after…in a dog park.

“I am adding Ava Miles to my list of always reads like Susan Mallery, Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, and NORA ROBERTS.” Marjay's Reading Blog

Jane Wilcox has a secret. She’s been the incognito poker scout to a rock star

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69

5 Crowns Score Sheets: 120 Personal Score Sheets for Scorekeeping | Five Crowns Game Record Keeper Book | Score Keeping Book | Size: 8.5" x 11" - 120 Pages (Gift)

Lori Mcneil

4.1

70

Mahjong: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora

Nicole Wong

4.1

A step-by-step guide to mahjong for new and seasoned players alike. For many third-culture kids in the Asian diaspora, the sight and sound of clacking mahjong tiles conjures deep-seated memories. Some learned to play alongside elders, while others watched from afar. Maybe you only distantly know of the game through movies or articles about pop-up mahjong nights. Whether you are looking to reconnec

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71

The Music of Chance

Paul Auster

4.1

In a Pennsylvania meadow, a young fireman and an angry gambler are forced to build a wall of fifteenth-century stone. For Jim Nashe, it all started when he came into a small inheritance and left Boston in pusuit of "a life of freedom." Careening back and forth across the United States, waiting for the money to run out, Nashe met Jack Pozzi, a young man with a temper and a plan. With Nashe's last f

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72

Doyle Brunson's Super System 2: A Course in Power Poker

Doyle Brunson

4.1

73

Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas

Nicholas Pileggi

4.1

CASINO

From Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy —the #1 bestseller that became Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award–winning film GoodFellas—comes the brilliantly told true story of love, marriage, adultery, murder, and revenge, Mafia-style . . . the shattering inside account of how the mob finally lost its stranglehold over the neon money-making machine it created: the multibillion-dollar casino gambli

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74

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

4.1

Seven stories of fantasy and fun by the fantastic Roald Dahl.
The Boy Who Talked With Animals - in which a stranded sea turtle and a small boy have more in common than meets the eye.
The Hitchhiker - proves that in a pinch a professional pickpocket can be the perfect pal.
The Mildenhall Treasure - a true tale of fortune found and an opportunity lost.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - in which a mod

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75

Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No-Limit Tournaments, Volume III: The Workbook

Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie

4.1

Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. III--The Workbook

76

The Perfect Bet: How Science and Math Are Taking the Luck Out of Gambling

Adam Kucharski

4.0

For the past 500 years, gamblers-led by mathematicians and scientists-have been trying to figure out how to pull the rug out from under Lady Luck. In The Perfect Bet, mathematician and award-winning writer Adam Kucharski tells the astonishing story of how the experts have succeeded, revolutionizing mathematics and science in the process. The house can seem unbeatable. Kucharski shows us just why i

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77

A Beautiful Wedding (Beautiful, #2.5)

Jamie McGuire

4.0

You know that Abby Abernathy unexpectedly became Mrs. Maddox. But what do you really know?

Why did Abby pop the question?
What secrets were shared before the ceremony?
Where did they spend their wedding night?
Who else knew about it . . . and didn’t tell?

Everything about Abby and Travis’s elopement was top-secret . . . until now. Fans of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster will get all of their q

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78

Then One Day...: 40 Years of Bookmaking in Nevada

Chris Andrews

4.0

79

American Mah Jongg for Absolute Beginners: Easy-to-Follow Steps and Simple Hacks to Get in the Game with Confidence (American Mah Jongg: Learn, Play, Improve.)

Bernie Gray

4.0

Have you ever wanted to learn American Mah Jongg and be part of the fun, friendship, and excitement of Mah Jongg night?The tiles are beautiful, the game is social, and the table is full of energy. But when you are new, the card, Charleston, jokers, exposures, and fast-moving play can feel like a secret language everyone else already knows.American Mah Jongg for Beginners: Easy-to-Follow Steps and

80

American Mah Jongg for Beginners: Learn & Master the Game with Ease - New Full Color Edition Featuring This Year’s Card Strategies

Linda Moore

4.0

Are you ready to learn and master America’s #1 tile game? This updated 2026/2027 edition will teach you your new favorite pastime in no time!We'll take you from "What's a Bam?" to "Bam! I just won!" faster than you can say "Four Winds and a Dragon."In this little treasure of a book you’ll uncover:The Game’s History: How an ancient Chinese game became a smash hit in America.Setup, Rules & the Card:

81

Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction

Maia Szalavitz

4.0

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

More people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, addiction as a crime or as brain disease, and in equally outdated treatment.

C

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82

The Grand Opening (Dare Valley, #3)

Ava Miles

4.0

When Peggy McBride moves to Dare Valley, Colorado, the last thing she wants is to meet a man. If she’s learned one thing from her divorce, it’s that love is a messy business, and as a single mom and the new deputy sheriff, she has her hands full. But when hotel magnate and poker player Mac Maven moves to town, she becomes enthralled by the very last man she would ever consider dating...

Mac Maven h

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83

No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice

David Sklansky

4.0

84

Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker

Doug Swanson

4.0

The astonishing story of Benny Binion—a rip-roaring saga of murder, money, and the making of Las Vegas

Benny Binion was many things: a cowboy, a pioneering casino owner, a gangster, a killer, and founder of the hugely successful World Series of Poker.

Blood Aces tells the story of Binion’s crucial role in shaping modern Las Vegas. From a Texas backwater, Binion rose to prominence on a combination of

85

The Expert at the Card Table: The Classic Treatise on Card Manipulation

S. W. Erdnase

4.0

"The Expert at the Card Table is the most famous, the most carefully studied book ever published on the art of manipulating cards at gaming tables." —from the Foreword by Martin Gardner.
For almost a century, this book has been considered indispensable to attaining the highest level of card mastery. In it, S. W. Erdnase, a supreme master of card manipulation, teaches card enthusiasts how to perform

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86

Aces High (Reality Benders Book #6): LitRPG Series

Michael Atamanov

4.0

To be on a starship that's just sustained serious damage in a space battle including losing its thrusters and find yourself in a totally different galaxy... You might think that would be cause for panic or, at the very least, despondency, right? Not at all! Gnat maintains optimism, gradually gets his space frigate back in working order and even finds upsides to what happened. On top of that, there

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87

Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover (The Rules of Scoundrels, #4)

Sarah MacLean

4.0

She is the most powerful woman in Britain,
A queen of the London Underworld...
But no one can ever know.

He is the only man smart enough to uncover the truth,
Putting all she has at risk...
Including her heart.

The fourth book in New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean’s incredible Rule of Scoundrels/Fallen Angels series. These four dark heroes will steal the hearts of their heroines and the r

88

The Mental Game of Poker: Proven Strategies for Improving Tilt Control, Confidence, Motivation, Coping with Variance, and More

Jared Tendler and Barry Carter

4.0

89

Big Deal: One Year in the Life of a Professional Poker Player

ANTHONY HOLDEN

4.0

The story of a year spent by biographer Anthony Holden in the tough world of the professional poker player. He spent days and nights in the poker paradise of Las Vegas, in Malta and Morocco, even shipboard, mingling with the legendary greats, sharpening his game, perfecting his repartee, and learning a great deal about himself in the process. Poker, Holden would insist, is not gambling. Like chess

Recommended by Victoria Coren Mitchell.

Victoria Coren Mitchell

Tony’s book is an experiment. He goes out to try to spend a year as a professional poker player. [source]

90

The Passion

Jeanette Winterson

4.0

Recommended by Tracy Chevalier.

Tracy Chevalier

It’s about a soldier, Henri, who roasts chickens for Napoleon. That’s his job. He goes around during, before and after the battles, making sure that Napoleon has enough roast chicken. At some point, he meets a prostitute named Villanelle. Villanelle is a gondolier’s daughter from Venice, who has webbed feet. So already we know we’re in magic realism territory, but not too much. It’s like rich pastry, this book…It’s like the way Venice is. You can go there, particularly during Carnival, when everybody wears masks, and become transformed into something other than yourself. [source]

91

Professional Blackjack

Stanford Wong

4.0

This book explains how to win at blackjack. It contains a simple explanation of a powerful winning system plus comprehensive coverage of several related but more complicated systems. It tells how to win without getting kicked out of a casino. It has been thoroughly tested in casinos throughout the world.

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92

Football Hero

Tim Green

4.0

Success comes with risk and a high price in this thrilling standalone football novel from New York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica.

Ever since Ty Lewis was orphaned and forced to stay with his legal guardian, Uncle Gus, he’s always wanted to prove how fast he is on a football field and be like his older brother, Thane "Tiger" Lewis, who's ab

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93

My Once and Future Duke (The Wagers of Sin, #1)

Caroline Linden

4.0

What happens at the infamous Vega Club . . .

Sophie Campbell is determined to be mistress of her own fate. Surviving on her skill at cards, she never risks what she can’t afford to lose. Yet when the Duke of Ware proposes a scandalous wager that’s too extravagant to refuse, she can’t resist. If she wins, she’ll get five thousand pounds, enough to secure her independence forever.

Stays at the Vega

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94

Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, #1)

Lisa Kleypas

4.0

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Wealthy beyond most men’s dreams, Cam has tired of society’s petty rest

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95

Reality Check

Peter Abrahams

4.0

QB of the varsity football team. Passing grades in all his classes. Dating the hottest--and smartest--girl at school. Summer job paying more than minimum wage. Things in Cody's world seem to be going pretty well. Until, that is, his girlfriend, Clea, is sent off to boarding school across the country, and a torn ACL ends his high school football career. But bad things come in threes--or in Cody's c

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96

Grandissimo: The First Emperor of Las Vegas

David G. Schwart

4.0

Jay Sarno built two path-breaking Las Vegas casinos, Caesars Palace (1966) and Circus Circus (1968), and planned but did not build a third, the Grandissimo, which would have started the mega-resort era a decade before Steve Wynn built The Mirage. As mobsters and accountants battled for the soul of the last American frontier town, Las Vegas had endless possibilities—if you didn’t mind high stakes a

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97

Red Dead Redemption 2: The Complete Official Guide Standard Edition

Piggyback

4.0

Red Dead Redemption 2 Complete Official Guide Standard Edition

Compiled and crafted in association with Rockstar Games, this guide is your indispensable companion to the vast, dangerous, and breathtaking world of Red Dead Redemption 2.

GUIDE DETAILS

HUNDREDS OF UNTOLD TALES, TOLD: All events at your fingertips, from the most memorable missions to the rarest chance encounters – you need never miss a

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98

The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions

Michael Konik

4.0

For three years, 44, a former journalist, lived a secret life as a key operative within The Brain Trust, one of the world's most successful sports gambling rings. Here he documents how the world's best sports bettors beat the bookies out of millions in this book filled with nonstop intrigue.

99

Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series

Eliot Asinof

4.0

The headlines proclaimed the 1919 fix of the World Series and attempted cover-up as "the most gigantic sporting swindle in the history of America!" First published in 1963, Eight Men Out has become a timeless classic. Eliot Asinof has reconstructed the entire scene-by-scene story of the fantastic scandal in which eight Chicago White Sox players arranged with the nation's leading gamblers to throw

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100

The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (Society of Gentlemen, #0.5)

KJ Charle

4.0

Passion is on the cards for two reckless rogues as K. J. Charles ups the ante in her Society of Gentlemen series with a sizzling eBook short story.

The youngest son and the blackest sheep in his family, Lord Gabriel Ashleigh never imagined he could sink so low. Though he’s a notoriously bad gambler, he takes on the formidable but strangely alluring Francis Webster, only to lose everything: all his