{"product_id":"overunder-an-unexpected-history-of-sports-betting-9798897101139","title":"Over\/Under: An Unexpected History of Sports Betting","description":"\u003cb\u003eNamed one of the most anticipated nonfiction books of 2026 by \u003ci\u003eThe\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe definitive, colorful history of American sports betting that challenges the dialogue around one of our country's fastest growing (and most controversial) industries.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTaking readers on a rollicking journey through the history of American sports betting, \u003ci\u003eOver\/Under\u003c\/i\u003e proposes a fascinating and unexpected theory: What if sports betting isn't just a result of the multibillion-dollar American sports industry, but rather the primary reason for it? An essential catalyst for nearly two hundred years of sports fandom and obsession? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe narrative starts in mid-nineteenth-century New York City, as a new sport called baseball lures bettors out of shadowy gambling halls and into the fresh air. The story then heads to Churchill Downs and Augusta National Golf Club where sports betting dresses up in fancy outfits, to Chicago and Minneapolis where sports betting meets the Mafia and gets some structure, and to Las Vegas and the Caribbean where sports betting makes some people very rich. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAlong the way, the story rolls out a cast of colorful characters: hustlers, wise guys, moguls, opportunists, grifters, touts. A parade of personalities, year after year, all trying to make a quick buck. Because isn't that the whole point? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWritten for those eager to explore the history of a recently-legalized industry--one that's been described both as a financial bonanza and an impending disaster--\u003ci\u003eOver\/Under\u003c\/i\u003e is poised to become the definitive history of a controversial industry in the midst of incredible, yet uncertain, growth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e David Bockino\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Pegasus Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/02\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.19lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.07h x 5.92w x 1.43d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798897101139\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid Bockino\u003c\/b\u003e, after spending eight years working for ESPN, is now an associate professor of sport management in the School of Communications at Elon University. He's the author of \u003ci\u003eGame On: How Sports Media Grew Up, Sold Out, and Got Personal with Billions of Fans\u003c\/i\u003e. Emmanuel Morgan, a sports reporter at \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, called it \"a fascinating read for any sports lover\" while Richard Deitsch at \u003ci\u003eThe Athletic\u003c\/i\u003e wrote, \"Bockino has thrown himself into an examination of this ever-evolving world with passion and an engaging writing style.\" David lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife and three children.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"David Bockino \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48397168738461,"sku":"9798897101139","price":35.94,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_c0b47647-a995-401e-8443-91ba169bdd1b.jpg?v=1781074878","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/overunder-an-unexpected-history-of-sports-betting-9798897101139","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}