Beat the Dealer
Edward O. Thorp, a mathematics professor, lays out the first mathematically grounded strategy for winning at blackjack. Working from probability and early computer analysis, he shows how a player can track which cards remain in the deck and shift bets to gain an edge over the house, the technique that became widely known as card counting. The book prompted real changes in how casinos deal the game. It is part math explainer and part gambling history, written so a motivated reader can follow the reasoning. A foundational title for anyone curious about probability applied to games of chance.