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  • Gambler

  • Secrets from a Life at Risk
  • By: Billy Walters
  • Narrated by: Billy Walters
  • Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (22 ratings)

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Gambler cover art

Gambler

By: Billy Walters
Narrated by: Billy Walters
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Summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “An insightful read…Walters is a larger-than-life character.” —Sports Illustrated * “This book is going to become the sports gambling bible…The formula’s in the book.” —Pat McAfee

The wild and massively entertaining autobiography of Billy Walters—“the greatest and most controversial sports gambler ever” (ESPN)—who shares his extraordinary life story, reveals the secrets to his fiercely protected betting system, and breaks his silence about Phil Mickelson.


Anybody can get lucky. Nobody controls the odds like Billy Walters. Widely regarded as “the Michael Jordan of sports betting,” Walters is a living legend in Las Vegas and among sports bettors worldwide. With an unmatched winning streak of thirty-six consecutive years, Walters has become fabulously wealthy by placing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in gross wagers, including one Super Bowl bet of $3.5 million alone. Competitors desperate to crack his betting techniques have tried hacking his phones, cloning his beepers, rifling through his trash, and bribing his employees. Now, after decades of avoiding the spotlight and fiercely protecting the keys to his success, Walters has reached the age where he wants to pass along his wisdom to future generations of sports bettors.

Gambler is more than a traditional autobiography. In addition to sharing his against-all-odds American Dream story, Walters reveals in granular detail the secrets of his proprietary betting system, which will serve as a master class for anyone who wants to improve their odds at betting on sports. Walters also breaks his silence about his long and complicated relationship with Hall of Fame professional golfer Phil Mickelson.

On a typical weekend gameday packed with college and pro sports, Walters will bet $20 million. It’s a small sum for someone with his resources today, but an unbelievable fortune for the child who was raised by his grandmother in extreme poverty in rural Kentucky. By the age of nine, Walters became a shark at hustling pool and pitching pennies. As a young adult, he set records as a used-car salesman, hustled golf, and dabbled in bookmaking. He eventually moved to Las Vegas, where he revolutionized sports betting strategy and became a member of the famed Computer Group, the first syndicate to apply algorithms and data analysis to sports gambling. He built a fortune while overcoming addictions and outmaneuvering organized crime figures made infamous by Martin Scorsese’s film Casino.

In Gambler, Walters shares everything he’s learned about sports betting. First, he shows bettors how to mine the information we have at our fingertips to develop a sophisticated betting strategy and handicapping system of our own. He explains how even avid bettors often do not grasp all of the variables that go into making an informed wager—home field advantage, individual player values, injuries or illness, weather forecasts, each team’s previous schedule, travel distance/ difficulty, stadium quirks, turf types, and more. Variable by variable, Walters breaks down the formulas, betting systems, and money-management principles that he’s developed over decades of improving his craft.

A self-made man who repeatedly won it all, lost it all, and earned it all back again, Walters has lived a singular and wildly appealing American life, of the outlaw variety. Gambler is at once a gripping autobiography, a blistering tell-all, and an indispensable playbook for coming out on top.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Billy Walters (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about Gambler

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Life at the sharp end

Very interesting and honest account of 'a rake's progress' as he figures out how to use his natural smarts, understanding of numbers and competitive instinct to keep moving up the food chain. His He doesn't attempt to get down to the level of the uninformed reader but assumes that anyone can pick up the terminology and the technology and techniques of his world. He is fortright in his opinions and descriptions of friends and enemies, professional or personal and equally willing to disclose his disasters and triumphs. While using his own voice adds to the authenticity, it really wasn't a good idea as he reads very rapidly and in a somewhat slurred way so that you have to listen very intently to follow the narrative. Like many who walk on the wild side, he comes across as an honourable man. Who wouldn't want to spend an evening listening to his experiences.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

enjoyable

A good listen, however I felt it a little repetitive, different stories but same theme. but worth a go

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unbelievable story

You wouldn’t believe Walters’ life if you watched it in a
Movie. His success, losses and ultimate prison sentence are all like something from Hollywood. He tells great stories about coming up and the other legends of poker and gambling he made on the way.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Epic life story

Incredible one person can go through so much and still come out the other end.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Could have been so much better

I was looking forward to listening to this book but I have to say it left me disappointed. We get a chronology of Billy Walters life which was undoubtedly filled with challenges and difficulties. It is too his credit that he overcame such humble beginnings to lead the life he did. However we don’t really ever get beneath the surface of his life story to examine his darker side or understand why he made some of the decisions he did such as setting up a car dealership at a time when he was a self confessed and successful gambler. We’re there other reasons? Ultimately this is an interesting but self serving life story . We never get to hear the prosecution case/evidence in the insider trading episode.One clear objective in writing the book I believe was to exact some form of revenge on those who Billy felt had wronged him e.g. Phil mickelson.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Most boring reading performance I’ve ever heard!

The reader completely distracted me from the story. Bland and boring narration, which simply made me want to switch off.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Boring

Somehow made what is clearly an exciting life - dull and and boring. I gave it every chance but couldn’t finish it in the end. As an avid gambler and value seeker - I’d been really looking forward to it.

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