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Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions Paperback – September 15, 2003

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248 ratings

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The #1 national bestseller, now a major motion picture, 21—the amazing inside story about a gambling ring of M.I.T. students who beat the system in Vegas—and lived to tell how.

Robin Hood meets the Rat Pack when the best and the brightest of M.I.T.’s math students and engineers take up blackjack under the guidance of an eccentric mastermind. Their small blackjack club develops from an experiment in counting cards on M.I.T.’s campus into a ring of card savants with a system for playing large and winning big. In less than two years they take some of the world’s most sophisticated casinos for more than three million dollars. But their success also brings with it the formidable ire of casino owners and launches them into the seedy underworld of corporate Vegas with its private investigators and other violent heavies.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Bill Simmons ESPN THE magazine This book made me want to gamble! Vegas! Vegas!

Rocky Mountain News (Denver) A lively tale that could pass for thriller fiction....Mezrich's skilled yet easy writing draws sweat to the reader's brow.

About the Author

Ben Mezrich graduated magna cum laude from Harvard. He has sold over ten million copies of his twenty-four published books, including the New York Times Bestsellers The Accidental Billionaires, which was adapted into the Academy Award–winning film The Social Network, and Bringing Down the House, which was the basis for the hit movie 21. His current bestseller The Antisocial Network is being adapted into the feature film Dumb Money. Ben has written and produced for the hit TV show Billions on Showtime, and he travels the world speaking to audiences of all ages about writing books and the adventures he has experienced from each of his stories. He lives in Boston with his wife, two kids, and two pugs.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; Reprint edition (September 15, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0743249992
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0743249997
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1100L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.44 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248 ratings

About the author

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Ben Mezrich
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With a writing career spanning 19 years, Mezrich has authored twenty books, with a combined printing of over 6 million copies, including the wildly successful Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, which spent sixty-three weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, and sold over 2 million copies in fifteen languages and was adapted into the #1 Box Office movie 21. His book, The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal – debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List and spent 18 weeks there in hardcover and paperback, as well as hit bestseller lists in over a dozen countries. The book was adapted into the movie The Social Network and was #1 at the box office, won Golden Globes for best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, best score, and was nominated for 8 Oscars, winning 3 including Best Adapted Screenplay. Mezrich and Aaron Sorkin shared a prestigious Scripter Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as well. Mezrich is the only non-fiction author to have two number one box office movie adaptations which has earned him the title of Sexiest Author on People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive List.

Ben Mezrich cracked the Hollywood Reporter’s annual hot list: Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors. This power list of authors touted to be “the industry’s most sought-after word nerds” is based on stats like Mezrich’s multiple movie deals in production such as Woolly, Seven Wonders, Once Upon a Time in Russia, and The 37th Parallel.

Ben’s newest book Bitcoin Billionaires chronicles the second act of wonder twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss as they claw their way through Silicon Valley and come out on top as the first bitcoin billionaires after an unlikely-to-win battle with the omnipotent Empire–Facebook.

Ben co-writes a middle grade fiction series Charlie Numbers with his wife Tonya, their newest book: Charlie Numbers and the Woolly Mammoth will hit shelves November 5th, and is slated to be produced for the big screen by Ellen Pompeo.

Mezrich recently joined the Writers Room for the hit Showtime TV show Billions as Consulting Producer for season 5.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,248 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the storyline thrilling and well-written. They also describe the book as fast-paced with incredible insight into the gambling world. Readers also appreciate the clever way of card-counting and unbelievable precision and intelligence. Opinions differ on the narrative style, with some finding it easy to understand and others saying it's choppy and doesn't seem real.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

103 customers mention "Storyline"103 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline thrilling, decent, and easy to read. They also mention that the book is presented effectively and the story flows easily.

"...Overall, this is a thrilling book that can be finished in a short amount of time but the scenes in the book might last forever in your head...." Read more

"Bringing Down the House is probably the most entertaining book I have read in a long time. I actually found it difficult to put down...." Read more

"...The book as a whole is interesting and will be an enjoyable read for anyone looking for an interesting storyline without any of the expectations of..." Read more

"...Very exciting." Read more

30 customers mention "Writing quality"24 positive6 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well written, easy to read, and vivid. They also say the author is a great storyteller and the book is incredibly vivid.

"...Therefore, even though It's a real story, It’s written like a realistic fiction novel...." Read more

"...What this book does offer is a short and easy to read storyline regarding the lives of MIT students who took many casinos, most prominently in Las..." Read more

"...I wish I had seen this. The scene after the Mike Tyson fight was great writing...." Read more

"...reader but this book has an excellent writing very friendly and easy to read, it keeps your attention, long waiting hours on the doctor, bank or..." Read more

23 customers mention "Pace"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the pace of the book fast and intriguing. They also say the plot moves along quickly and provides effortless reading.

"...Even though the book is a quick read, it interests a wide variety of people, from who wants to feel the thrills and adventure the gambling world to..." Read more

"...The writing style, while not the most articulate, provides effortless reading as I expect the author's intent was to provide a book for the..." Read more

"...It is a quick read--very interesting. However, the book leads you to ponder the changes in the lives of the characters wrought by the easy money...." Read more

"This was a fast paced read, with lots of excitement, and it is easy to see why they are making a movie based on this..." Read more

9 customers mention "Behind the scenes"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's behind the scenes insight into the gambling world incredible. They also appreciate the clever way of card-counting and the unbelievable precision and intelligence that let these teams professionally win.

"...The nice thing about the book is that the secrets of card counting, shuffle study, ace cutting, hi-low counting, group spotters, third base coaches,..." Read more

"I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The technical information was interesting and conveyed clearly, which made the book enjoyable, allowing me..." Read more

"...This book makes you want to learn to count cards and do what the protagonist did in the book. He made it seem so easy. Its a must read book." Read more

"...Unbelievable precision and intelligence let these (and other) teams professionally win at the casinos...." Read more

14 customers mention "Narrative style"7 positive7 negative

Customers find the techniques used in the book easy to understand and entertaining. They also say the storyline is effortless and hard to put down. However, some readers feel the narrative is choppy at times and doesn't seem real.

"This book is a fairly easy read and interesting. But looking into the book a little more, it appears not to be entirely factual...." Read more

"...Moreover, there are lots of details in the book doesn't seem real. Some of the events doesn't make any sense...." Read more

"...He made it seem so easy. Its a must read book." Read more

"...The warning I would have for a reader is that the narrative is a bit choppy at times...." Read more

8 customers mention "Characters"5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book. Some find them well developed and capture the emotions of their adventures, while others say they lack a human element and are egotistical.

"...The characters are likeable until the greed snowballs into a giant can of worms...." Read more

"...The writer goes off on tangents, and, to me it was a bit too self-referential...." Read more

"...This book captures emotions of their adventures and describes in some detail the scheme through which they made millions. What a life they led!" Read more

"...The characters are well developed without spending so much on the backstory as to slow the pace or lose the reader. Very well done." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2024
I bought this book because I remember when they were outed. For days the newspaper carried stories about this group and how they beat the casinos. I wanted to know more of the actual story. This book gives a great look into who the players were and are.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2015
After reading Bringing Down the House, I was excited and fascinated by the luxury life in Las Vegas and the world of card counting. This is a story that's told through the eyes of the author about a group of math geniuses, who used the techniques of card counting. They worked as teams and legally won millions of dollars over just a few years by spending their weekends down in Vegas. The author, Ben Mezrich, wrote the book based a real life story that is almost too incredible to believe. Therefore, even though It's a real story, It’s written like a realistic fiction novel. All the events that happened in the whole story were so intense that I felt like I was thrust into a roller coaster ride. Moreover, Mezrich visualized most of his sentences and sometimes made it melodramatic. He used lots of visual metaphors and descriptions of characters’ inside thoughts. Overall, this is a thrilling book that can be finished in a short amount of time but the scenes in the book might last forever in your head.
From the book, I've learnt a lot about the world of casinos and card counting, the job of the spotters, who cover as many tables as possible and keep running card-counts at their location and help the big player to count cards and the usage of hand signals. For example, a spotter would signal the count of +11 by saying “I wonder if there is a football game today.” (in reference of there are eleven players on a football team). Or he might say “I really suck at bowling” to indicate the count of +10 because in bowling, strike is ten pins. There are also lot’s of other techniques that the team invented. They had their own system. They also learned about the dark side of the casino world, how greedy people are and how the Vegas corporations works. Furthermore, Mezrich always leaves suspense to the readers and stimulate readers’ desire to read more about the story. At the end of all the chapters, you won’t know what’s coming up next. Mezrich is capable of keeping the readers’ eyes glues to the pages. In the book, the MIT team strapped thousands of dollars to their bodies to get the cash onto planes. They used false names, always have limos waiting for them at the airports, always having personal host to escort them everywhere. Reading about their incredibly rich life and their dangerous situation of being caught by the casinos, you will never know what they are going to do next.
Even though the book is a quick read, it interests a wide variety of people, from who wants to feel the thrills and adventure the gambling world to the ones that never gambled before but curious about it. However, the book doesn't related to any big history themes. From the book, it seems like over the course of a few years, gambling is all they do. I couldn't tell how was it like in the 1990s except for the casinos. The author also has too much detail about the card counting techniques and it got repetitive to create the tension between characters and a card counter’s life. It seems like readers can just skim through some parts that is obviously meant to stretch out the book.
Moreover, there are lots of details in the book doesn't seem real. Some of the events doesn't make any sense. For example, why would they hide their cash in all kinds of ways and trying to get through the airport security when they can just use a bank box or a debit card. Moreover, the team always stays at fancy hotels with suites, champagne, limos waiting on arrival, 24-hour open swimming pool just for them. Doesn't it seems too conspicuous to the casinos? Since they wants to keep it low, they shouldn't take risks like that. Also, according to Wikipedia, some of the exciting events didn't not occur. All these over dramatic scenes seems too unrealistic. However, they can really interest the readers. After all, this is one of the cheapest Vegas fantasy people can buy.
Overall, this book contains interesting and exciting stories that keep the readers eyes on the pages. The plot goes quick enough that you won’t find it long or boring. Yet, it’s not the best book to read if you are looking for a historically informative book.
8 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2003
Bringing Down the House is probably the most entertaining book I have read in a long time. I actually found it difficult to put down. When I should have been sleeping I instead continued reading saying to myself "this is the last chapter then i'm going to bed".
I've always had a great interest in gambling and have read many books on card counting as well as heard a little about what this team did in Vegas. When I saw the title I knew I had to give this one a read. I have fairly decent understanding of the many mainstream concepts of blackjack strategy and what this team did was purely brilliant and outside of the common beliefs that Vegas and many pro gamblers (the ones who write books about it) want you to believe. An example, casinos would love to make you think that its impossible to count or beat a 6 deck shoe. In reality this is completely untrue. 1 deck might be easy to count, but you generally only get 1 or 2 rounds of play out of it so when the numbers run to your favor you only have one hand to take advantage of it. When the shoe runs positive, the cards can go several rounds before they flatten out. There are of course many other factors involved such as how deep into the stack the dealer puts the shuffle card, etc.
To any gambling enthusiast this is a must read. To anyone who is neutral on gambling, it is a story that is easy to follow and very intriguing. If you hate gambling and everything it stands for, you might not like it.
42 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2016
One can hardly deny that making money runs the world today. There are the specialists in making easy money. These are broadly characterized as speculators and gamblers.

Speculation and gambling have several differences.

Speculation involves increasing one’s chances to profit by various means such as news study, pondering, technical analysis, margin trading, hedging, options, and some have used psychics all with the aim of gaming profit from short or medium term market value fluctuations.

Gambling is wagering by means of an uncertain event with the aim of gaining additional assets. It requires consideration, chance, and a prize. The striking feature is that a small fee or amount is required with a chancy large return within a short time.

Bringing Down the House is the true story of how six MIT students turned gambling into speculation to fleece Las Vegas for millions. The best and brightest students are recruited by an eccentric former teacher with teeth like a picket fence of spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts to practice in a college backroom as the MIT Blackjack Team before invading the strip.

The nice thing about the book is that the secrets of card counting, shuffle study, ace cutting, hi-low counting, group spotters, third base coaches, card count code words, statistic indexes, and other tips the students used and the casinos don’t want you to know are revealed. Of course, one wonders the secret they did not reveal to win.

MIT proved blackjack is beatable and Ben Mezrich tells it with a suitable degree of suspense.

Speculation and gambling are similar in the manner in which they can acquire profit in a short time. Both methods involve risk but a speculator may learn more skills than a gambler’s plain luck to lower his risk. One may invest his hard earned money in intelligence such as Bringing Down the House.
7 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024
Arrived in good shape and on time!!!

Top reviews from other countries

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Josh Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in Canada on February 7, 2024
Very good read about blackjack and the MIT Students! Kept me engaged through the entire book! Highly recommended!
Martin Graham
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Quality And Great Value for Money
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2014
Love books on gambling - this book is very easy to read and in excellent condition and once you start reading you will not want to put is down -quick delivery and good value for money - would recommend and use again -
オーナーオブ・ロンリーハーツクラブバンド
5.0 out of 5 stars アメ公はカジノ好き!
Reviewed in Japan on July 23, 2004
ラスベガスに行ったことがある人なら分ると思いますが、人は皆ギャンブル好きですが、アメリカ人のそれは群を抜いています。

そのベガスに乗り込んで金儲けを企む、名門MIT(マサチューセッツ工科大学)の学生達の実話です。彼らは博打ではなく確率論に裏打ちされた「カードカウンティング」の技術を駆使し、ギャンブルの世界でただ一つ胴元をまかすことが理論的に可能なブラックジャックにチームを組んで臨みます。

正に追いつ追われつ、カジノを取り巻く様々な人々も登場し、その裏側の世界を一部垣間見ることも出来ます。ベガスに行きたくなること請け合い!全米でもベストセラーを記録中。
One person found this helpful
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thomas k
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Story
Reviewed in Canada on July 3, 2021
Almost fiction, but still entertaining and interesting.
Aquamarine
4.0 out of 5 stars 私の知らない世界
Reviewed in Japan on July 15, 2004
ギャンブルはやってみたいけれども負けるのもわかっているのでお楽しみ程度に楽しむのが一番と思っていた私にとって、こんなにブラックジャックにのめり込んでいく人々がいて、更に計画的に"勝てる"なんてありえないと思った。この本を読んだ後に人々が思うことは二つに一つ。”私にも出来る”か”この人達ありえないほど頭がいい”。私は後者だった。とてもノンフィクションとは思えないスリリングな展開にどきどきしながら読み進んだけれども、ラストはちょっと消化不良だったので星を一つ減点。まぁ、ノンフィクションなんだから思い通りに行かないのは当たり前なんだけどね。
エンターテイメントとして読むにはなかなかいい本ですよ。