VegasRy Book Review: Roll the Bones

Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling
By David Schwartz

Dr. David Schwartz is the Director of the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV, so who better to write a book about the history of gambling? Fair warning, this book is pretty long (~500 pages) and detailed, but is very well-written, and is a great read for those interested in casino gambling, and the origins of games such as Blackjack and Craps.

The book spans the thousands of years of human development, from prehistoric man rolling sheep knucklebones, to Roman dice games, European lotteries, all the way to multi-billion dollar Las Vegas casinos. Also covered are the invention of modern techniques such as playing cards and the random number generator. Interspersed throughout the history lesson are interesting asides that provide insight into how gambling is woven into human history, from Roman Emporers to the current aura surrounding the current gambling mecca, Las Vegas.

With the future being the proliferation of Asian gambling in Macau and Singapore and the explosion of internet gambling, this book provides a great look at gamblings past and it's part in human evolution.

Buy Roll the Bones

Dr. David Schwartz's Homepage