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

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


"An elegant and amusing account" of how gambling has been reshaped by the application of science and revealed the truth behind a lucky bet (Wall Street Journal).
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 it isn't. Even better, he demonstrates how the search for the perfect bet has been crucial for the scientific pursuit of a better world.

About the Author


Adam Kucharski is an associate professor and a Sir Henry Dale fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he works on analysis of infectious disease outbreaks. The author of The Perfect Bet, he lives in London.

Praise For…


"An elegant and amusing account... Anyone planning to enter a casino or place an online bet would be advised to keep this book handy."—Wall Street Journal

"This book is full of magic. It's brimming with clever people and clever ideas."—New Scientist

"Beautifully written, solidly researched, and full of surprises."—New York Times' Numberplay blog

"Brilliant new book."—CardsChat

Product Details
ISBN: 9781541697232
ISBN-10: 1541697235
Publisher: Basic Books
Publication Date: September 26th, 2017
Pages: 288
Language: English