You Bet Your Life : The Burdens of Gambling

The United States is a gambling nation. Casinos, parimutuels, and convenience store lotto kiosks are easy to find, and back door action is almost as easy. With over $600 billion in just the legal bets, it is clear that gambling is the new national pastime. Yet most of the conventional wisdom about gambling is distorted, misleading, or even dangerous. Despite gambling's prevalence, there is little popular understanding about how it works, what it involves, or the great risks it poses to individuals and society.