Home Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street by William Poundstone (ISBN: 9780809045990)

Stock photo: cover may vary

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street Paperback - 2006

Name: Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street
Price: 6.24 GBP
Availability: InStock
Author: Poundstone, William
ISBN: 9780809045990

by William Poundstone

Add to wish list

In 1961, MIT mathematics professor Ed Thorp made a small Vegas fortune by "counting cards"; his 1962 bestseller, "Beat the Dealer," made the phrase a household word. With Claude Shannon, the father of information theory, Thorp next conquered the roulette tables. In this prosaic but fascinating cultural history, the author tells not only what they did but how they did it.

Browse more copies for sale ↓

Reader reviews for Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

Write a review for this book

Important Terms and Guidelines

Please focus on the book’s content and context. Also, add any personal comments as to how you enjoyed the book. Substantiate your likes and dislikes. You may make comparisons to other books.
Reviews must be at least 140 characters in length.
Please do not reveal critical plot elements.
This is not a help line. Contact customer support if you need help.

Your review must not include:

Obscenities, discriminatory language, or other insulting language not suitable for public domain
Advertisements, “spam” content, or references to other products, offers or websites.
Email addresses, URLs, phone numbers, physical addresses or other contact information.
Overly critical comments about other reviews or reviewers
Time-sensitive material (i.e. promotional tours, seminars, lectures, etc.)
Availability, price, or alternative ordering/shipping information

From the publisher

In 1956 two Bell Labs scientists discovered the scientific formula for getting rich. One was mathematician Claude Shannon, neurotic father of our digital age, whose genius is ranked with Einstein's. The other was John L. Kelly Jr., a Texas-born, gun-toting physicist. Together they applied the science of information theory--the basis of computers and the Internet--to the problem of making as much money as possible, as fast as possible.

Shannon and MIT mathematician Edward O. Thorp took the "Kelly formula" to Las Vegas. It worked. They realized that there was even more money to be made in the stock market. Thorp used the Kelly system with his phenomenally successful hedge fund, Princeton-Newport Partners. Shannon became a successful investor, too, topping even Warren Buffett's rate of return. Fortune's Formula traces how the Kelly formula sparked controversy even as it made fortunes at racetracks, casinos, and trading desks. It reveals the dark side of this alluring scheme, which is founded on exploiting an insider's edge.

Shannon believed it was possible for a smart investor to beat the market--and William Poundstone's Fortune's Formula will convince you that he was right.

First line

THE STORY STARTS with a corrupt telegraph operator.

Details

Title Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street
Author William Poundstone
Binding Paperback
Edition 1st
Pages 408
Volumes 1
Language ENG
Publisher Hill & Wang, New York
Publication date 2006-09-19
Illustrated Yes
Features Bibliography, Illustrated, Index, Price on Product - Canadian, Table of Contents
ISBN 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Weight 0.75 lbs (0.34 kg)
Dimensions 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 in (20.83 x 13.97 x 2.79 cm)
Category Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords
Library of Congress subjects Gambling, Gambling - History
Dewey Decimal Code 795.015

About the author

William Poundstone is the bestselling author of several nonfiction books, including Labyrinths of Reason and The Recursive Universe.

More Copies for Sale

Show all copies

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by Poundstone, William

Used
Very good
Paperback

Condition: Very good
Binding: Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: World of Books Ltd
Item price: A$12.17

A$16.72 Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Paperback. Very Good.

Add to wish list

Item price

A$12.17

A$16.72 Delivery to USA

Fortune's Formula : The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by William Poundstone

Used
Acceptable
Paperback

Condition: Acceptable
Binding: Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: ThriftBooks

Biblio Top Seller
Item price: A$13.07

Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2006. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.

Add to wish list

Item price

A$13.07

Free Delivery to USA

Stock photo: cover may vary

Fortune's Formula : The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by Poundstone, William

Used

Condition: Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: Better World Books

Biblio Top Seller
Item price: A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Used - Good. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.

Add to wish list

Item price

A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Stock photo: cover may vary

Fortune's Formula : The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by Poundstone, William

Used

Condition: Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: Better World Books

Biblio Top Seller
Item price: A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Used - Very Good. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.

Add to wish list

Item price

A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Stock photo: cover may vary

Fortune's Formula : The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by Poundstone, William

Used

Condition: Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: Better World Books

Biblio Top Seller
Item price: A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Add to wish list

Item price

A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Stock photo: cover may vary

Fortune's Formula : The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by Poundstone, William

Used

Condition: Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: Better World Books

Biblio Top Seller
Item price: A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Used - Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.

Add to wish list

Item price

A$15.04

Free Delivery to USA

Stock photo: cover may vary

Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

by Poundstone, William

Used
Very good
Paperback

Condition: Very good
Binding: Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9780809045990 / 0809045990
Quantity available: 1
Seller: SequiturBooks

Biblio Top Seller
Item price: A$15.58

A$7.22 Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:

Hill and Wang, 2006-09-19. Paperback. Very Good. 8x5x1. [From the library of Benjamin B. King.] Softcover. Good binding and cover. Shelf wear. Pages unmarked. <br> "Benjamin B. King was an intelligence officer for the British Royal Air Force during World War II. After World War 2 broke out in Europe in September 1939, he joined the British Royal Air Force as a 'penguin' who could not fly because of eyesight problems. He was assigned to Coastal Command at the airbase in Wick in the very north of Scotland, which provided defense for Britain in the North Sea, engaging the Germany Navy and Air Force. After his stint at Wick, Ben was transferred to the vital but vulnerable British base at Gibraltar off the coast of Spain, where the British monitored German and Italian military operations in the Western Mediterranean. While in Gibraltar, one of his tasks was to listen to Luftwaffe radio communications and track the movement of German and Italian airplanes. After Gibraltar, Ben was… Read more