7 Most Unusual Books about Casino Games

The casino is a huge industry—it is where the money is, and it is just right to expect that people need guidance on how to win. As such, there are so many books about the casino industry, and most of these are about gambling techniques.

It is typical of authors to focus on winning strategies for games like blackjack. However, are there books that go beyond this to the extent that we can consider them as odd?

We have a list of such books, and we will share with you the seven most unusual books written about casinos and games.

These books are:

1. Beat the Dealer
2. Bringing Down the House
3. Video Burning the Table in Las Vegas
4. Poker Answer Book
5. Gambling 102
6. Blackjack Secrets
7. Repeat Until Rich

In this article, we will provide a quick review of each book. In the end, pick one that interests you. Read the advice and then learn the tricks.  

Beat the Dealer by Edward Thorp

This book is old; it was first published in 1962. Many gamblers claim that this is the book that started all the craze in learning how to beat the casino tables. Today, a lot of experts are in agreement that this is the first manual to card counting.

The book is written by a mathematics professor. At the time it was written, there some theories saying that you can beat blackjack. However, these theories did not really have some serious backing until this book came out.

The things you will learn about this book are:

• Basic blackjack strategy – you need to understand how to play your hand in different situations.  
• Advanced strategy – this is where you get to learn how to count cards.

The book also offers several strategies and systems to beat blackjack. It has sold 700,000 copies since its publication and is still one of the all-time favourites of blackjack fans until today. The book is easy to understand, and you do not need to be an expert to understand its concepts.

Even if you are a beginner, there is certainly something here that you can learn and apply. At the very least, you will understand how the basic strategy works and how you can use it to your advantage.

Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich

This book is not a tutorial, but rather a story of how a group of students won a million dollars because of blackjack. It is not a work of fiction, but rather something like a biography. In this book, you are following the story of a person named Jeff Ma. He and his colleague dominated the blackjack tables in a span of four years. This book tells you how they did it.

Some people claim that the author has added some fabricated content, and this is what makes the book unusual. The book has received critical praises that it became the foundation of a movie called 21. The movie stars Kevin Spacey and Lawrence Fishburne.

Although this is not a tutorial, there are many things you could learn from this book as it recounts the strategies used to beat the blackjack tables. The book also has mathematical equations that explain why the group used their tactic for winning blackjack tables.

As such, you will still be able to grasp the fundamentals of card counting. Again, this book is not a manual, but rather a story of the ups and downs that the team had to face to beat blackjack tables.

Burning the Table in Las Vegas by Ian Andersen

If you are looking for a blackjack manual, then this is the book for you. The author published a book 25 years before this. That book was called Turning Tables on Las Vegas. This book is about “burning” it.

Pretty much, the content of this book is similar to the first one. Here, he teaches you how to be a card counter.

Here are some more things that the book covers:

• Basics of card counting
• Basic strategy
• Comps
• Disguises
• Game selection
• Employee relations
• False ID
• Diet
• Casino psychology

Most of the topics are not covered in great details, as the main focus is to teach you how to card count. After reading the book, you should find yourself armed with the knowledge of how blackjack works and how you can beat it.

Apart from blackjack, you will also learn how to play poker. This book covers a lot of aspects of gambling that it is probably the only book you will ever need, provided that you are a fan of blackjack.

Finally, you will also learn how to use the surrender option in blackjack, and how it can work to your advantage as a camouflage.

Video Poker Answer Book by John Grochowski

If you love poker, then you have to read this unusual book. In here, John finally bridges the gap between video poker and its players. You see, there is so much craze about blackjack that many people have forgotten that poker is a skill game, too.

In this book, you will learn tips and strategies to win in a variety of poker games. As an author, John is credible because he is a recognized casino expert. He has been gambling since the 1990s, and he had written some materials that were published in the Chicago Sun-Times.  

Here are the contents of the book:

• Mechanics of video poker
• Different types of poker
• Match games
• Definition of terms

The book is a series of questions and answers. It is a manual, and you will learn how to analyze your hand and the dealer’s hand. From this analysis, you can make decisions that reduce your odds of losing to the casino.

Each book section is called a shuffle. On each shuffle, you get to learn how to play a poker variant. It is also on every shuffle where you get introduced to the different odds of each poker type. On top of that, you will get to read how to best decide what to do with your hand in different situations.

Gambling 102 by Michael Shackelford

Michael is a known personality in the gambling industry. He is a mathematician, and he operates a website. He calls himself the Wizard of Odds.

He has been a gambling guru since 1995. All these years, he has been helping people learn how to play a wide variety of games. As a mathematician, all his techniques are backed up by data. He also has a YouTube channel where you can watch his tutorials.

Here are the contents of the book:

• Strategies on different games
• Mathematical strategies
• Analysis if games and how you can beat them
• The right decisions in various situations

This book was published in 2005. The publisher is Huntington Books. This book is based on the assumption that you already know how to play. As such, Michael does not teach you the basics of blackjack or roulette.

Blackjack Secrets by Stanford Wong

This book is for people who are looking for advanced blackjack strategies. It is easy to read, and you will not be confused with all the numbers and mathematical explanations.

Overall, the book has 250 pages of worthy content. Since it is leaning towards complex blackjack strategies, you should not buy this book if you are a beginner. It is an in-depth and advanced book about card counting.  

Apart from the technique, the author also teaches you how to appear natural. As you know, card counters are shunned in casinos. You will also get to read about interesting stories about Wong and his friends—all of whom have succeeded in the game.  

Repeat Until Rich by Josh Axelrad

The last in our list is a real story about a group of card counters who made it big. Here, you will see how Axelrad and his friends made a lot of money in a span of five years via card counting. They spotted hot tables in casinos and moved from one table to another.  

Here are the things you will learn from this book:  

• Tactics to win
• Myths about card counters
• How coordination is important
• Skills and strategies to count cards properly

You will also get ideas on how to disguise yourself, and what you can do to avoid being sent out from a casino.

Summary

Books are great. They improve your knowledge, and you shorten your learning curve. It is better to invest in books than to learn through trial and error. Just remember, there is no secret magic to win in gambling. The best you can do is to improve your odds, but the results are still always random.

Your mindset when playing in the casinos is to get entertained, not to win a lot of money. As you learn some new tricks, try to apply them on free games first. You can play free games like Jack and the Beanstalk slots. Track your success and then see if you are making progress. If you are, then try it in a real casino and see how it goes.