Calculated Bets
by Steven Skiena · first published 2001
56% recommend44% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Readable, humorous account of building a mathematical model and automated system to bet on jai alai, mixing gambling, risk, programming and modeling; a fun pick for readers interested in applied math and computing.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This is a book about a gambling system that works. It tells the story of how the author used computer simulations and mathematical modeling techniques to predict the outcome of jai-alai matches and bet on them successfully - increasing his initial stake by over 500% in one year! His results can work for anyone: at the end of the book he tells the best way to watch jai-alai, and how to bet on it. With humor and enthusiasm, Skiena details a life-long fascination with computer predictions and sporting events. Along the way, he discusses other gambling systems, both successful and unsuccessful, fo
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…The Computational Beauty of Nature. Another is From Calculus to Chaos. A third I've recently enjoyed is Daniel Ashlock's book on evolutionary computation. I also tremendously enjoyed Steve Skiena's "Calculated Bets", which discussed his use of mathematical modelling to gamble on jai alai with real money. Any other suggestions? No dry theorem-proof-theorem-proof-lemma-proof stuff like the kind I suffered through…
on “Ask HN: light mathematical/scientific reading with computer exercises?” ↗"Calculated Bets" by Steven Skiena is a pretty good read if you're interested in this stuff.
on “A Gambler Who Cracked the Horse-Racing Code (2018)” ↗Also interesting is the book "Calculated Bets: Computers, Gambling, and Mathematical Modeling to Win" which talks about one man's quest to beat the odds at Jai alai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jai_alai) by modeling the game and the players. It's…
on “Roulette beater spills physics behind victory” ↗Nice little book about betting, risk, math and computer programming. https://www.amazon.com/Calculated-Bets-Computers-Gambling-Ma...
on “Ask HN: What are the best unknown books you have read?” ↗I greatly enjoyed his eccentric and opinionated book 'Calculated Bets' on writing an automated system for betting on jai alai (although the story petered out rather lamely when the grad students he relied on to write and maintain the code left and he couldn't run it any…
on “The Stony Brook Algorithm Repository” ↗To offer a balance, there's some negative feedback on amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Calculated-Bets-Computers-Gambling-M...
on “Calculated Bets: how a CS prof developed a winning sports gambling system” ↗not horse racing, but there's also a book by Steven Skiena titled "Calculated Bets: Computers, Gambling, and Mathematical Modeling to Win" -- it's about the author's interest in betting on jai-alai matches. there's a bit of stuff about parimutuel betting & understanding how the structure…
on “My journey applying AI to horse racing” ↗One for the Steven Skiena algorithms fans: In his other book "Calculated Bets" he devotes an entire chapter, entitled "what is jai alai", to explaining the intricacies of the game. His interest in probability and the math behind gambling was sparked by visits to these sporting…
on “What Happened to Jai Alai? (2013)” ↗…corrupted by gambling You may be joking but for those who are not aware betting has been prominent in jai alai since the thirties. CS Professor Steven Skiena has a book about it: https://www.amazon.com/Calculated-Bets-Computers-Gambling-Ma... Related slides here: https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/talks/talk-jaialai.pd... Excerpts from the book: https://www.jai-tech.com
on “Online Gambling Is Changing Sports for the Worse” ↗