Here’s a Top Ten list of books you may want to consider giving a colleague in the industry or treating yourself during this gifting season. Some are new; some are classics. There are actually a dozen listed below since it was painful even to narrow it this far. They are in no particular order of preference.
You can probably beat some of the prices shown by checking Amazon or other online sites. If the listed publisher is Huntington Press in Las Vegas, I urge you to buy directly from their website as they are one of the strongest supporters of gaming authors.
- Slot Machines – America’s Favorite Gaming Device, 6th Edition by Marshall Fey, Liberty Belle Books, 2006, 255 pages. $35 (Hardcover).
This title has been on my “favorites list” for years. The lessons inside are golden, even though most are over a century old. Every one of today’s hit games from “Wheel of Fortune” to “Triple Play Poker” and mechanics like cash-on-reels and hold-and-spin have their roots in this slot machine history. Hopefully, you followed my past advice and got an autographed copy from Marshall himself. Sadly, he passed away one year ago on November 5th. In case you weren’t aware, Marshall’s grandfather (Charlie) is considered the inventor of the first automated reel-spinning slot machine, the 1899 Liberty Bell.
- Advantage Player$$$ – Inside the Winning World of Casino Virtuosos, Master Strategists and Mathematical Wizards by Michael Kaplan, Huntington Press, 2025, 329 pages. $24.95.
This is one of the newer titles on my list, and it details the fascinating world of what many consider our least favorite guest: the advantage player. That’s how I felt about these players during my early career. But with some experience and wisdom, I have come to value the insights that can be gained by getting to know and understand this group of talented gamblers. You’ll quickly learn that becoming a good “advantage” player is not easy. It requires practice, patience, persistence and higher than normal IQ. While some may disagree, I think this group of players knows our games much, much better than most of us do. If you buy and read this book, you might be able to close that gap a little.
- Casino-ology2 – New Strategies for Managing Casino Games by Bill Zender, Huntington Press, 2011, 310 pages. $39.95.
You might guess from the title that there was once a Casino-ology (One). The first came out in 2008. And this new one followed three years later. So, it’s not really new, but it is still a wonderful read. Not that much has changed about the basics of managing a pit today. There are countless books covering playing techniques, beating the dealer, card-counting and the like; but this is a rare one that discusses casino management for table game operators. I recommend getting a copy of both 1 & 2. Bill Zender is a former regulator, operator and now a respected consultant. He’s also a friend, and I’ve always considered his advice extremely valuable.
- The Biggest Bluff – How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win by Maria Konnikova, Penguin Books, 2021, 354 pages. $18.
This quote from my April 2025 review encapsulates many of my feelings about this book: “Along with her academic and poker accomplishments, Konnikova is, quite simply, one of the best writers I have encountered. Perhaps from her time working at The New Yorker magazine, she is first and foremost a great storyteller. But she manages to blend her poker journey with scholarly quotes from psychologists, mathematicians and even railbirds.”
- Something for Your Money – A History of Las Vegas Casinos by David G. Schwartz, Winchester Books, 2025, 343 pages. $28 (hardcover).
You can’t go wrong with any book by gaming historian David G. Schwartz. In the past, this list always included one of his first books: “Roll the Bones.” It covers the history of gaming since the beginning of time and is also worth buying. But for most of the country, Las Vegas remains the center of their casino interest. Until this new book, my favorite on that topic was “The Money and the Power” by Sally Denton Smith and Roger Morris. It is superb. But it is also a slow, academic-like tome backed by meticulous documentation. Schwartz’s also annotates his book extremely well, but it is a much more enjoyable read and takes you up to the opening of the Fontainebleau in 2023. Of the dozens and dozens of books on Las Vegas lore, the two mentioned above are by far the best.
- The Math That Gaming Made – Compendium – Book 14 by Ralph Thomas, PhD, Andrew Cardno, A.K. Singh Ph.D. and Hanna McCall, 737 pages. $226 (color edition).
My apologies if you followed my previous advice and bought the 6th or 9th or even the 10th or 11th edition of this wonderful book. They were all excellent, but this one is by far the best. With a $200+ price tag, get your casino to buy a copy or two for the team library. Not only is this version in four-color, but each story concludes with a set of study questions making the entire book an excellent teaching guide for serious operators. The topics covered range from casino marketing, analytics, data security, AI and many others. Measuring 1 ¾” thick, this is not a quick read, but the information is golden. If you follow some of this advice, you’ll recover the cost of this publication in minutes. (Conflict alert: I wrote a casino glossary at the end and authored one or two of the dozens and dozens of pieces in this compendium. Feel free to skip over them.)
- Then One Year – History’s Craziest Year as Seen by a Las Vegas Bookmaker by Chris Andrews, Huntington Press, 2021, 288 pages. $19.99
Chris Andrews is one of the most respected sportsbook operators in the industry today. He currently works at South Point In Las Vegas, but he cut his chops in my hometown of Reno. His first title was “Then One Day – 40 Years of Bookmaking in Nevada.” It gives you an inside look at sports betting and is full of great stories. But then COVID hit, and he put out this follow-up edition about surviving one of gaming’s greatest crises.
- Gambler – Secrets from a Life at Risk, by Billy Walters, Avid Reader Press, 2023, 374 pages. $35.
Sticking with the betting windows, you’ve probably heard of Mattress Mack, Phil Mickelson or other large whale gamblers in the sports world. They are virtual minnows compared to Billy Walters. Today, he is the top pro in the industry and financially secure. But his life story told here is a roller coaster of high highs and depressing lows. In fact, it is hard to believe that he managed to survive his early years. It reads like an impossibly dramatic soap opera (but one that is completely true). It is also an important primer on the growing field of big-time sports betting. Along the way, he drops several celebrity names, most of whom probably wish he didn’t.
- Killers of the Flower Moon – The Osage Murders and the Birth Of the FBI by David Grann, Vintage Books, 2017, 377 pages. $17.
Unless you are a Native American, it is hard to mask the guilt that you’ll probably feel as you read this true tale of the shameful murders and other abuses inflicted upon these Oklahoma tribe members to get at their oil resources. This is one of the least expensive titles on my list, but a wonderful and well-researched book. If reading is not your thing, you probably know that this book was made into an award winning 2023 movie starring Robert DeNiro, Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio. They have yet to release a DVD, but you can rent the movie on Amazon Prime or other streaming sources for as low as $3.99. The movie runs three hours and 28 minutes. It is well worth watching, but I highly recommend you read the book first. Both have slightly different perspectives.
- Video Poker for the Intelligent Beginner by Bob Dancer, Huntington Press, 2009, 237 pages. $24.95.
There are literally dozens of books on how to play video poker. However, most experts agree that this book (and Bob Dancer himself) are the industry standards. This volume covers the strategies to maximize your return on the basic games, including the most popular standard theme: Double Double Bonus Poker. It would be virtually impossible to keep up with all the new themes released each year by both IGT and their partner, Action Gaming. For that, consult the excellent web site: https://www.videopoker.com/. But as a video poker backgrounder or a reference source for new players, this is the book you should have on the shelf.
- Practical Casino Math, Second Edition by Robert C. Hannum and Anthony N. Cabot, Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming, 298 pages. $200 – $250 Used.
I had no idea that the price of this book would soar on the used book market. Maybe I should have put my 401k into multiple copies years ago. But the fact is, this is one of the best resources you can have to understand the basic math and odds of our games. At these prices, the best strategy would be to get your casino to stock the title in their lending library. Personally, I would hit the used bookstores for a dog-eared or underpriced copy. It is also worthwhile to trawl the internet to scoop up one if it becomes cheaply available. I have used this book countless times in my career to validate opinions or win arguments. Dr. Cabot, who teaches at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has authored numerous books and just released “Casino Redux” about Chinese organized crime (we’ll review that one next month).
- The Art of Gambling Through the Ages by Arthur Flowers and Anthony Curtis, Huntington Press, 2000, 231 pages. $65 (not shown in the photo).
Every gift list like these needs at least one volume in the category of a “Coffee Table Book.” While they are rare in the casino world, this one fits the bill. It would look great in the lobby of your executive offices or maybe at your home if you have a formal living room. It is beautifully illustrated and has a forward by noted artist LeRoy Neiman. Please note that unlike the other titles listed here, this one will not enhance your knowledge of the industry or give you any great operational insights. However, it will be fun for you to leaf through once or twice, and visitors will also enjoy a glimpse. Given my long career in slots, my favorite image is Neiman’s “Change Girl.”
