This book pulls back the curtain on the alluring yet perilous world of American sports gambling. Built around interviews with the power players of the betting boom at FanDuel, DraftKings, and beyond, it reveals the troubling methods that are being used to bleed gamblers dry.
Funt masterfully chronicles the meteoric rise in gambling and societal acceptance of a predatory business in a book that will simultaneously inform and alarm readers.
Funt has written a fascinatingly thorough history of the rapid rise of gambling in the United States and its consequences and probable future impact, which, as the book’s title indicates, is overwhelmingly negative.
For decades, Funt writes in this insightful work of journalism, sports executives agreed that betting was 'evil' and would undermine competitive integrity if made broadly legal. But in recent years, pro leagues have done a 180, inking lucrative partnerships with companies that offer round-the-clock betting ... Funt’s book isn’t overtly prescriptive, but he offers a helpful summary of proposed legislation to rein in some of the industry’s excesses. This is an intelligent overview of an increasingly powerful economic and social force. Energetic reporting exposes the underbelly of an industry that always wins, no matter who’s playing.
