Named one of the most anticipated nonfiction books of 2026 by the New York Times.

Description:

In Over/Under, David Bockino uncovers a fascinating and unexpected history: betting is not a result of the multi-billion-dollar American sports landscape, but rather is a primary reason for it. Gambling has been there from the very beginning, an essential catalyst for nearly two hundred years of sports obsession and fandom.

Over/Under takes readers on a rollicking journey through the history of American sports betting. It starts in mid-nineteenth century New York City, as a new sport lured 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 gambling dresses up in fancy outfits, to Chicago and Minneapolis where sports gambling makes people do dishonest things, and to Las Vegas and the Caribbean where sports gambling makes some people very rich.

And through it all, the narrative rolls out a cast of colorful characters: hustlers, wise guys, moguls, opportunists, grifters, speculators, touts, who are all trying to make a quick buck. Written for those eager to learn more about a recently-legalized industry—one that’s been described both as a financial bonanza and an impending disaster—Over/Under is poised to become the definitive book of a controversial industry in the midst of incredible yet uncertain growth.

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Press and Reviews:

“The Nonfiction Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026” - New York Times

“Since 2018, sports betting in the U.S. has gone from a maligned hobby to a booming business. After digging into decades of data, and following fans, speculators and grifters across the country, Bockino makes the case that gambling isn’t just entangled with the history of American sports culture — it’s practically responsible for it.” - New York Times Book Review

“In a matter of years, sports betting escaped the shadows and hit the mainstream. Over/Under doesn’t just chronical this game-changing shift in American culture, but it also introduces new characters and reveals untold stories that led to the creation of what many experts believe will ultimately become the largest legal sports betting market in the world.” - David Purdum, ESPN gambling writer

"If ever a book came along at exactly the right time, Over/Under is it. The world of sports gambling is shifting and shaking under our feet, and David Bockino is here to explain how it got that way and what may happen next. This lucid and deeply researched account takes us from the grimy backrooms of the bad old days to today’s gaming-industrial complex. It’s an exciting—and alarming—story full of colorful characters and crazy tales. Bet on it.” - Doug J. Swanson, author of Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker

“With Over/Under, David Bockino turns the history of sports betting on its head—as he deftly illustrates, America's multi-billion-dollar sports gambling industry is not the result of our national obsession with sports, but rather the reason for it. The names of gambling-industry pioneers like Old Smoke, Turnbull the Terrible, and the Wizard of Odds are today little known, but these men were in many ways as significant as Broadway Joe or the Yankee Clipper. In Over/Under, David Bockino tells their stories and in so doing providing an invaluable understanding not just of where the big business of sports betting came from, but also where it might be headed.” -- Matthew Goodman, author of The City Game: Triumph, Scandal, and a Legendary Basketball Team

“Over/Under is a compelling dive into how sports betting has shaped American sports as we know them. With colorful storytelling and keen insight, David Bockino reveals just how intrinsically sports betting is woven into the fabric of fandom. Over/Under is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the growth and power of American sports culture.” - David Coletti, head of research, FanDuel Sports Network