Squares and Sharps, Suckers and Sharks: The Science, Psychology & Philosophy of Gambling

by Joseph Buchdahl

People have been gambling, in one form or another, for as long as history itself. Why? Money, entertainment, escape and a desire to win are all traditional explanations. Arguably, however, these are secondary considerations to a higher order a craving for control. Gambling offers a means of gaining authority over the unknown, granting us a sense of control over uncertainty. Almost always that sense is illusionary—gambling, including betting and investing, is essentially random—yet for many it is nonetheless profoundly rewarding. This book attempts to explore the reasons why. Along the way, it examines the science of probability and uncertainty, why gambling is often condemned, the difference between expectation and utility, the irrationality of human beings, evolutionary perspectives on gambling, luck and skill, market efficiency and the wisdom of crowds, why winners take all, cheating, and why the process matters more than the outcome.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Psychology, Mathematics, Philosophy, Finance

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2016

Reviews

[Eamonn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-researched book providing a multi-faceted insight and analysis of the mind of the whole spectrum of gamblers: from the professional to the mug punter. Everyone is a gambler to some extent, so even those who don't actually place bets can take something from this book. This work essentially explores decision making under uncertainty, and in my view, can sit proudly amongst the canon of works by Daniel Kahneman, Nate Silver and Nassim Nicholas Taleb (fortunately, it is far more digestible than Taleb, who seems to love the sound of his own voice and has no understanding of the concept of brevity).

[Kareem Mansi · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب جميل جدًا.

[Gianmarco Vinerbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

to my knowledge the best book on betting, by far