Hi guys,

a couple of years ago there were a lot of posts here about probability, the mathematics of gambling, and similar topics. Seemed like there were a few people who found that interesting. Since then I've been meaning to write a short review of this topic, including a proof that the optimal betting system that you can use is bold play, but in two years I haven't found the time for this

But now someone has done much better. Springer is about to publish a book on probability and gambling titled "The Doctrine of Chances: Probabilistic Aspects of Gambling". Here is the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Doctrine-Chances-P......3&sr=8-1

and you can see the table of contents here:

http://www.springer.com/mathematics/prob......-78782-2

Warning: this book is not a popular book, it is pretty mathematical. But it is geared specifically towards gambling, with chapters on among other things roulette, craps and twenty one. There's even a chapter on the mathematics of shuffling.

So if you are interested in a book with very precise statements, and theorems with proofs, written by someone who knows what he's talking about, it is worth checking out.

It all looks great, except for the mathmatics of shuffling. I remember a couple years ago, I was studying 'Shuffle Tracking'. After I felt confident that I might be able to actually do this, I went to the casinos only to find... Electronic Shufflers!

That being said, it pretty much ruins a lot of blackjack. Having cards run hot will suddenly turn cold, because the shuffler actually randomizes the cards. Of course you could still count cards, but that's been pretty well shut down too.

The problem with highly technical (and often completely math focused) books on probability is that they can be largely (or totally) unreadable for the average gambler or student of chance.
Pages and pages of equations, or unproven and distant theory can result in an expensive book sitting forever on a shelf, the reader never having made it past Chapter 1.

If books on this kind of subject matter are not chosen carefully, they can leave the reader none the wiser than they were prior to purchase.

Two highly readable, and highly recommended books on this topic are:

"Chances Are - Adventures in Probability" by Michael and Ellen Kaplan
and

"The Drunkards Walk - How Randomness Rules Our Lives" by Leonard Mlodinow

Both are excellent, inexpensive, focused, and promise 100% comprehension for both casual and advanced students of probability.

Thanks

We play a numbers game in poker, that is we apply a little cheating, a little estimation and a little probability to the hand and betting as it unfolds to get a little advantage. Sometimes we win sometimes lose but we win in the long run. And the good thing is that it is safe. I best say no more but you should think of combining math with a little manipulation.

Well, I don't have much interest in probability but, in the interest of broadening my intellectual horizons, and based upon your recommendations, I put these on reserve for me at my local library. I hope that I can both "get into them" and understand them. (grin)

In a world as crazy as this one, it ought to be easy to find something that happens solely by chance. It isn't.

-Kevin McKeen

The Orderly Pursuit of Pure Disorder.