Gambling History

A cup rattles, three small cubes of bone or ivory spill across a wooden board, and for one held breath the whole room leans in. A soldier's monthly pay, a merchant's profit, and occasionally a man's own freedom was riding on which faces land upward. That scene played out countless times a day throughout the ancient world, in army camps on the frozen Rhine, in the back rooms of Pompeian wine shops, in the tiled gaming chambers of senatorial villas, and in the palace itself, where more than one emperor kept a set close at hand.

If you want to stop gambling, then this audiobook can help you. After 30 years of gambling addiction, John Woods placed his last bet on January 5, 2017. Here, he tells the brutally honest story of a lifetime of gambling and the pain and misery it caused not just to John but also to those closest to him. Most importantly, he shares all he has discovered since stopping gambling and beginning recovery. It is estimated that for every problematic gambler, there are a further six to 10 people directly affected and experiencing gambling-related harm.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “The greatest and most controversial sports gambler ever” (ESPN) Billy Walters shares his “rollicking and edgy life story” (The Wall Street Journal)—revealing the secrets to his fiercely protected betting system and breaking his silence about Phil Mickelson...

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Prometheus comes the first effort to set the Cuban Missile Crisis, with its potential for nuclear holocaust, in a wider historical narrative of the Cold War—how such a crisis arose, and why at the very last possible moment it didn't happen. In...

Uncover the thrilling history and psychology of risk, exploring why humanity constantly wagers its future on pure chance. Whether you are navigating a daily commute or seeking a captivating intellectual deep-dive, this fast-paced narrative transports you from ancient rituals of divination to the...

My name is Drood, Eddie Drood, but I should probably change that. My family has cast me out, but that doesn't mean the fight is over. Unfortunately, Eddie's had a falling out with his nearest and dearest - some of whom were trying to kill him, so he has a valid excuse. Now, he and his true love...

Set during a period of revolution and turmoil, Mistress of My Fate is the first book in a trilogy about Henrietta Lightfoot, a young woman who was abandoned as a baby and raised alongside her cousins, noble children of a lord and lady. At just sixteen years old, circumstance and a passionate...

Gambling on Ore examines the development of the Western mining industry from the tumultuous and violent Gold Rush to the elevation of large-scale copper mining in the early 20th century, using Montana as representative of mining developments in the broader US mining West. Employing abundant new historical evidence in key primary and secondary sources, Curtis tells the story of the inescapable relationship of mining to nature in the modern world as the United States moved from a primarily agricultural society to a mining nation in the second half of the 19th century.

Roll the Bones tells the story of gambling: where it came from, how it has changed, and where it is now. This is the new Casino Edition, which updates and expands the global history of gambling to include a greater focus on casinos, from their development in European spas to their growth in Reno and Las Vegas. New material chronicles in greater depth the development of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and their spread throughout the United States.

Decode the behavioral psychology of risk to understand the intoxicating rush and devastating fall of high-stakes betting. From ancient dice games to frictionless mobile apps, this immersive social history reveals the hidden mechanics of probability that dictate who wins and who loses everything...

When does gambling step over the line from entertainment to addiction? Gambling has moved from a sin and a vice to a past time and form of recreation. How does a family know when the entertainment has moved from a hobby to a compulsion or addiction? This audiobook will explore the history and trends of gambling addiction.

Gambling captures as nothing else the drama of the "long eighteenth century" between the age of religious wars and the age of revolutions. The society that was confronted with games of chance pursued as commercial ventures also came to grips with unprecedented social mobility, floated by new wealth from new sources created fortunes from trade in sugar, cotton, ivory, silk, tea, or enslaved human beings. The Gambling Century focuses like no previous work on those who enabled, facilitated, and profited from gambling, as well as on efforts to regulate or outlaw it.

Master the psychology of risk through the thrilling history of gambling, from lawless riverboats to digital casinos. Perfect for an immersive commute, this high-stakes journey reveals how a rough saloon pastime evolved into a global test of strategy and nerve. Whether you are unwinding on the...

Trace the gritty American history of how a harsh desert crossroads became an empire of gambling and mob ambition. Perfect for an engaging daily commute, this fast-paced urban history reveals the audacious gambles that birthed a modern tourist mecca. Where early speculators saw extreme risk, they...

Over half of the population gambles in the UK every year. How did we get here? What keeps us hooked when the odds are so heavily stacked against us? And who are the real winners and losers? Jackpot dives deep into gambling's seedy underbelly to answer these questions, and many more. From the first National Lottery draw in 1569 to the Wild West of today's online casinos, Guardian reporter Rob Davies follows the money to show who profits—and at what cost.

Macau is known as the Las Vegas of China. It attracts many tourists every year, and it has a unique set of laws and history behind it. How did it become this way? Well, one of the reasons is that it used to be part of the Portuguese Empire. We have probably all heard about the British in China, the Opium Wars, and the tea export, but you might not have heard about the Portuguese settlers who went there. Macau still shows signs of Portuguese influence, even when you go there to visit. So, let’s take a look at what happened and how the area evolved into what it is today.