GGB is committed to providing updated news and analysis on our weekly news site, GGBNews.com.

Interview with Edward O. Thorp, Author, Beat the Dealer

By Sun, Mar 16, 2008

This week, the Global Gaming Business Podcast features an interview with Ed Thorp, the author of the 1962 book Beat the Dealer, which launched the blackjack card counting phenomenon that continues to this day. Thorp is a mathematician by trade and his interest in gaming actually began when he was trying to beat the roulette wheel. He switched to blackjack after reading a study by several MIT students in the mid-1950s that demonstrated the vulnerabilities of blackjack. Beat the Dealer caused a sensation when it was released and actually caused casinos to come up with some defense mechanisms. He explains how he developed the strategy, the early years and his views on casino games today. He spoke with Global Gaming Business Publisher Roger Gros at the World Game Protection Conference in Las Vegas in February.

Interview with Edward O. Thorp, Author, Beat the Dealer

Roger Gros is publisher of Global Gaming Business, the industry's leading gaming trade publication, and all its related publications. Prior to joining Global Gaming Business, Gros was president of Inlet Communications, an independent consulting firm. He was vice president of Casino Journal Publishing Group from 1984-2000, and held virtually every editorial title during his tenure. Gros was editor of Casino Journal, the National Gaming Summary and the Atlantic City Insider, and was the founding editor of Casino Player magazine. He was a co-founder of the American Gaming Summit and the Southern Gaming Summit conferences and trade shows. He is the author of the best-selling book, How to Win at Casino Gambling (Carlton Books, 1995), now in its fourth edition. Gros was named "Businessman of the Year" for 1998 by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Gaming Association in 2012.

    Recent Feature Articles

  • Across All Channels

    IGT’s omnichannel game library could be the supplier model of the future

  • Trends Are Trending

    GGB’s annual 10 Trends identifies what to expect in 2024

  • On the Rebound

    The Asian gaming market’s comeback and future growth

  • Compulsive Gambling 911

    These agencies are on the front lines of problem gambling research, intervention and treatment. Many rely on the casino industry for funding. Could federal help be on the way?

  • Better, Faster, Stronger

    Kiosks have evolved into full-service centers for a variety of gaming services.