Email Novel Suspects Logo
Hachette provides comprehensive global distribution services in the following territories:
United States flag Switch to United States region United Kingdom flag Switch to United Kingdom region Australia flag Switch to Australia region India flag Switch to India region

Hachette Book Group menu

  • Home
  • Publishers
  • Customers
  • Sustainability
  • Retailer Portal
  • Location
  • Our Culture
  • Our Careers
Go to Hachette Book Group home

Hachette Book Group menu

  • Home
  • Publishers
  • Customers
  • Sustainability
  • Retailer Portal
  • Location
  • Our Culture
  • Our Careers

By clicking “Accept,” you agree to the use of cookies and similar technologies on your device as set forth in our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy. Please note that certain cookies are essential for this website to function properly and do not require user consent to be deployed.

The Perfect Bet

How Science and Math Are Taking the Luck Out of Gambling

The Perfect Bet Open the full-size image

Loading

Contributors

By Adam Kucharski

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Sep 26, 2017
Page Count
288 pages
Publisher
Basic Books
ISBN-13
9781541697232

Price

$18.99

Price

$23.99 CAD

Format

  1. ebook

Format:

  1. Trade Paperback $18.99 $23.99 CAD
  2. ebook $13.99 $17.99 CAD

Buy from Other Retailers:

  • Amazon
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Books-A-Million
  • Bookshop
  • Target
  • Walmart

“An elegant and amusing account” of how gambling has been reshaped by the application of science and revealed the truth behind a lucky bet (Wall Street Journal).

For the past 500 years, gamblers-led by mathematicians and scientists-have been trying to figure out how to pull the rug out from under Lady Luck. In The Perfect Bet, mathematician and award-winning writer Adam Kucharski tells the astonishing story of how the experts have succeeded, revolutionizing mathematics and science in the process. The house can seem unbeatable. Kucharski shows us just why it isn’t. Even better, he demonstrates how the search for the perfect bet has been crucial for the scientific pursuit of a better world.

Genre:

  • Nonfiction
  • Mathematics
  • Probability & Statistics
  • General

Adam Kucharski is an associate professor and a Sir Henry Dale fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he works on analysis of infectious disease outbreaks. The author of The Perfect Bet, he lives in London.

  • "An elegant and amusing account... Anyone planning to enter a casino or place an online bet would be advised to keep this book handy."
    Wall Street Journal
  • "This book is full of magic. It's brimming with clever people and clever ideas."
    New Scientist
  • "Beautifully written, solidly researched, and full of surprises."
    New York Times' Numberplay blog
  • "Brilliant new book."
    CardsChat

You May Also Like

The Rules of Contagion
The Rules of Contagion $24.00 $32.00 CAD
The Art of Statistics
The Art of Statistics $21.99
Do Dice Play God?
Do Dice Play God? $28.00 $35.00 CAD
Fluke
Fluke $26.99 $35.49 CAD
Proof
Proof $32.00 $42.00 CAD

Newsletter Signup

Get recommended reads, deals, and more from Hachette

By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Adam Kucharski

About the Author

Adam Kucharski is a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he works on analysis of infectious disease outbreaks, work that won him the 2023 Adams Prize for mathematics. He regularly appears in print and broadcast media and is the author of The Perfect Bet and The Rules of Contagion. He lives in Hertfordshire, UK. 

Learn more about this author

▲
HBG Distribution logo
  • FAQ
  • Vendors
  • Cookie Policy
  • Report Piracy
  • Fraud Alert
  • CPSIA
  • GPSR
© 2025 Hachette Book Group | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Do Not Sell My Personal Information