Customer Reviews

Bet the House: How I Gambled Over a Grand a Day for 30 Days on Sports, Poker, and Games of Chance

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, let me preface this by saying I know nothing about Richard Roeper. I've never seen any of his movie critiques or read any of his other books. I bought this book strictly for the gambling angle, as I love reading almost anything involving gambling. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and could easily picture myself in the same situations as Mr. Roeper. The portion on the dog track was particularly amusing.

That said, I had to keep asking myself what the point of it all was. He said something about an experiment, similar to "Super Size Me". However, in "Super Size Me", I think the experimenter was trying to prove some points with his experiemnt, the biggest one being that people needed to see what could happen to a person after 30 days of eating such awful food. In reading Mr. Roeper's stories, I got the sense that most of this experience was nothing new to him and that the "experiment" was just an excuse to gamble for 30 days and write about it so that he could make back his wagers. What was he really trying to prove here?

I also felt like Mr. Roeper ran out of gas toward the end of the 30 day period, as I felt shortchanged by the last few chapters in the book. There was really no "climax" to speak of, no major "wow, look what has happeend to me after all of this" moment, nothing like that. It was just a guy who said he would wager a certain amount per day.

I was also a little disappointed with his treatment of games he didn't care for throughout the book. For instance, take what he called "gimmick games". If the book is supposed to describe your experiences down a wide variety of these gambling paths, then talk about each of those paths and your experience with them. Don't cop out with "I tried it, I lost, and I'm done with it". If your baccarat experiences were boring, then tell us a little more about why than just that "they were boring". For a man who makes his life critiquing the experiences of others on the big screen, he sometimes doesn't describe his own terribly well.

Bottom line: An entertaining read for non-gamblers and Roeper fans, a somewhat annoying read for fans of gambling itself. One thumb up.

I know very little about gambling, except that I like to casually play Texas hold 'em or blackjack. So the first challenge to an author with a book like this is: can you make it interesting to what we call in my biz "non-category" readers? Is it appealing to the layperson, who doesn't know what "the vig" means or has no idea what the odds are on one casino game versus another, and doesn't care?

The answer: mission totally accomplished. Just as Scorcese's "Casino" served as an insider's look into Vegas then while following a human story narrative, this book makes you feels as though you've suddenly been dropped into the middle of the whole gambling world as a fly on the wall. You'll learn the language, what bookies actually do, what they DON'T do, what requires skill and what is really just a scam. Not surprisingly, lottery tickets are probably the biggest sucker's bet of all time--and ironically they're the most legal form of gambling, a theme which is touched on repeatedly throughout the book.

You'll get a sense of what it's like to have money riding on sports bets, horse racing, dog racing (which, as described, is eerily depressing, like a scene out of "No Country for Old Men."), the stock market, and, literally, simply flipping a coin one hundred times at a bar--among others.

Even with all the gambling setups and jargon, biographical details of Roeper's life manage to keep bubbling up at various points, including a horrific Vegas-set breakup story that may hit home to many.

Lest I paint this book too darkly, I read it in one sitting and I can't tell you how many LOL moments and characters appear--using VERY colorful language--which bring levity to the task at hand: risking at least $1,000/day on a bet of some sort. I won't tell what the final over/under was, but I can recommend this is a wildly entertaining read that you'll think about for some time afterward.

The other interesting subtext--which I'll leave to others to debate, but he gives mention--is: is what's being described merely a passion for gambling, or an addiction?

Honestly it's been a while since I have sat down and read a book all the way through. I heard about this book on the Howard Stern show and since I gamble from time to time, I figured I could relate to it and maybe learn a thing or two. After reading it in just 5 hours, I am hooked on reading again. Richard does a great job of keeping the readers attention through anecdotes and fun facts about gambling all while crusading through his quest of gambling at least $1,000 a day. Anyone that enjoys to gamble, thinks they have a shot at the lotto, or just likes to be entertained should pick this one up. Great read front to back and I am now hooked on the Roeper mindset. Two thumbs up!

If you don't like to gamble, this is not a book for you. That being said, if you know what it's like to feel the rush of playing poker, the thrill of blackjack, or even the absurd joy in getting a bonus round in slots, this book will keep your turning the pages at a rapid pace. Movie critic Richard Roeper goes all Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) on the world of gambling. It's a 30 day experiment of sorts into the art of all types of ways to risk your hard earned dollars - not just casino games mind you - everything from scratch tickets to horse and dog racing are covered in the 260 pages. He is able to capture the "rush" feeling, and spend more money than most common recreational gamers would ever dare bet - but would love to given the financial liberty. It may not be the most eloquently written or perfectly structured depiction, but it gets the perfect rating from me for doing exactly what it promises to on the inside flap, and much more. From the list of the top ten gambling movies, to a mysterious dream scenario, to playing next to the likes of the major pros, gamblers of all types and bet sizes will enjoy this book.

The book is what it says it is. Mr. Roeper has a good writing style and the book is an easy read if you've ever set foot inside a casino. He talks about how gambling runs in his blood and has played a part of his life. The only flaw in the book was this: a lack of a solid ending.

I have a lot of experience gambling. I disagree completely with his firm statement that gamblers do not believe in trends. With that out of the way, I'm not entirely sure what the point was to writing this book. Anybody with enough money can just throw it around at any kind of wager they can find. So there were a lot of wagers that, to me, were completely pointless and rather ignorant. It read more as someone with a gambling problem who needs the action rather than as someone diligently trying to turn a profit over the course of the 30 days. He even mentions this somewhat directly toward the end of the book.

That said, his description of his feelings watching a game with a $10k bet on it was a feeling gamblers can identify with. He does a pretty good job of writing out the emotional swings that sports gamblers feel as they watch a game with money on it.

In the end, I have mixed feelings about the book. I personally think it read more as someone with a gambling problem just throwing money at anything that he can get a wager on. Not a terrible book, but could have been so much better.

I do like Richard Roeper and his writing. He has a very good talent for finding the common sense answer to a lot of problems that people argue endlessly about. In betting the house he does show a lot of different styles of gambling and does give the reader a graphic accounting of how gambling has infiltrated the entire realm of the American landscape. Everything from Vegas, to sports gambling to various card games and beyond is portrayed here.

While I did enjoy the book I will say it has one great weakness. In no way does Mr. Roeper speak of any downside or societal cost to gambling. In his world, not his view but his world, gambling is something he can take or leave and just an entertaining lark. Even a small amount of commentary on the costs of gambling would have made this book much more entertaining.

I don't play games of chance, and am not particularly knowledgeable about them. I'm also not into sports, and know little of their rules and players. I do however like Roeper's writing style, and was curious to see if I would enjoy a book by him on a subject I have little interest in.

In short, I did. While there were sections of the book that made me go glassy eyed where he goes into a play-by-play description of whatever card game or sporting event he's wagering on, in general this title was not so technical that I felt completely befuddled the majority of time. The author's writing style is easy to read and interesting, and I felt that I did gain some insight into a world I know very little about. Roeper did a good job in my opinion of illustrating both the allure and downsides to having the life of a gambler, and in an interesting way. I can't say that this title did anything to change my opinion of this activity. I had no desire to try my hand at poker or 21 at the Riverboats or online games before I read this, and I certainly don't now. But I do feel that I understand those that do a bit more, and I was entertained in the process.

There were some downsides to the book for me, however. The baffling play-by-plays, while certainly not the majority of the text, were still enough to stall the flow of the reading. He uses gambling jargon throughout that while certainly appropriate in context, left me confused. I understand that this is probably unavoidable given the theme of the book, but it was still a drawback for me. And now I know that Roeper hates Keno because it is has bad odds, but I still have no clue what Keno actually is, aside from being a form of gambling one can do in Las Vegas.

In short, I would recommend this title to other non-gamblers like myself. It was largely understandable despite my profound lack of familiarity with the subject, and a fun read that gave me a better insight into something I knew nothing about. I feel that my gamble of buying this book certainly turned out to be a winning hand.

You won't be gambling on this book - it's a winner. Roeper's easy read style and outrageous story will lasso your interest. If you love sports betting and gambling in general it is a must-read.

James Alexander

Yes, this is the same Richard Roeper who's the movie critic on TV. Who knew who he's also a foul mouthed degenerate gambler too? In this book, he explores and explains just about every single form of gambling out there: poker, craps, slots, sports betting, and even the state lottery. I think the only thing he didn't try was Mah-Jong! For the non gambler, he gives good insight into each and he provides entertaining gambling stories. For the gambler however, there's really nothing new here. I'm a poker player and love Vegas so I have gambled (however little) on every form of gambling mentioned in the book. For me, the book was a little boring. Admittedly, I only made it halfway. There was nothing in there that I haven't either experienced myself, lived vicariously through other gambling friends, or read about elsewhere. I did like his top 10 list of favorite gambling movies and how he touches upon the governmental hypocrisy of gambling. Running an office pool on the Super Bowl is illegal but the state is allowed to run lotteries and casinos?