Busting Vegas
The MIT Whiz Kid Who Brought the Casinos to Their Knees
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Narrated by:
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Ben Mezrich
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By:
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Ben Mezrich
About this listen
Semyon Dukach was known as the Darling of Las Vegas. A legend at age 21, this cocky hotshot was the biggest high roller to appear in Sin City in decades, a mathematical genius with a system the casinos had never seen before and couldn't stop, a system that has never been revealed until now; that has nothing to do with card counting, wasn't illegal, and was more powerful than anything that had been tried before.
Las Vegas. Atlantic City. Aruba. Barcelona. London. And the jewel of the gambling crown, Monte Carlo.
Dukach and his fellow MIT students hit them all and made millions. They came in hard, with stacks of cash; big, seemingly insane bets; women hanging on their arms; and fake identities. Although they were taking classes and studying for exams during the week, over the weekends they stormed the blackjack tables only to be harassed, banned from casinos, threatened at gunpoint, and beaten in Vegas' notorious back rooms.
The stakes were high, the dangers very real, but the players were up to the challenges, consequences be damned. There was Semyon Dukach himself, bored with school and broke; Victor Cassius, the slick, brilliant MIT grad student who galvanized the team; Owen Keller, with stunning ability but a dark past that would catch up to him; and Allie Simpson, bright, clever, and a feast for the eyes.
In the classroom, they were geeks. On the casino floor, they were unstoppable.
Busting Vegas is Dukach's unbelievably true story, a riveting account of monumental greed, excess, hubris, sex, love, violence, fear, and statistics that is high-stakes entertainment at its best.
©2005 Ben Mezrich (P)2005 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
The narrative drive that moves this audio along is the true story of a team, assembled by an MIT math whiz, that used three complicated techniques to tilt blackjack odds in their favor and win a pile of money. The accomplished writer of this fascinating story has a previous book on gambling strategies, as well as some well-received fictional titles. His attention to setting and nuance of behavior are vivid and immediate; they rivet the listener to a story line that's already as fascinating as any you'll hear. As narrator, the author is likable and easy to listen to. His brief interview at the end is a bonus for anyone interested in the writer's craft.
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Story
Based on extensive insider interviews and participation, acclaimed author Ben Mezrich's Straight Flush tells the captivating rags-to-riches tale of a group of University of Montana frat brothers who turned a weekly poker game in the basement of a local dive bar into AbsolutePoker.com, one of the largest online companies in the world. But then the U.S. Department of Justice placed a bull's-eye on Absolute Poker. Did they fold - or double down and ride their hot hand?
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Typical Mezrich Trash
- By Munster Monster on 08-01-19
By: Ben Mezrich
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Rigged
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Ben Mezrich
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
This is the startling rags-to-riches story of an Italian-American kid from the streets of Brooklyn who claws his way into the wild, frenetic world of the oil exchange. After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, he enters the testosterone-laced warrens of the Merc Exchange, the asylumlike oil exchange located in lower Manhattan.
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Another interesting story...
- By Carey Patrick Ryan on 11-27-07
By: Ben Mezrich
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Ugly Americans
- The True Story of the Ivy League Cowboys Who Raided the Asian Markets for Millions
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: TBD
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Abridged
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Story
Ugly Americans is the true story of John Malcolm, a Princeton graduate who traveled halfway around the world in search of the American dream and pulled off a trade that could be described as the biggest deal in the history of the financial markets.
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Very entertaining
- By Amazon Customer on 06-09-05
By: Ben Mezrich
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Bringing Down the Mouse
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Tonya Mezrich
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Charlie Lewis is a nerd. All he’s ever been good at is math - and he’s really good at math. So good that he’s recruited by a group of kids determined to game the system at the biggest theme park in the world - and win the grand prize. Soon Charlie is caught up in the excitement and thrill of using his math skills for awesomeness, but what’s at stake may be more than he’s willing to risk. How far will Charlie go for a chance at the ultimate reward?
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Not very good
- By Katrina on 07-15-24
By: Ben Mezrich
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Once upon a Time in Russia
- The Rise of the Oligarchs and the Greatest Wealth in History
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The best-selling author of Bringing Down the House (63 weeks on the New York Times best seller list and the basis for the hit movie 21) and The Accidental Billionaires (the basis for the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network) delivers an epic drama of wealth, rivalry, and betrayal among megawealthy Russian oligarchs - and its international repercussions.
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Oligarchs, Operatives, Explosives & Intrigue!
- By Michael J Canning on 07-26-16
By: Ben Mezrich
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21
- Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the midst of the Go-Go '90s, the culture of greed infused the MIT campus. A small blackjack club sprang up, dedicated to counting cards and beating the house at major casinos around the country. The Club grew slowly at first, but by the late 1990s, the right people had come up with the right system to take some of the world's most sophisticated casinos for all they were worth.
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Killed by Narrator
- By Harry JD on 03-12-08
By: Ben Mezrich
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Straight Flush
- The True Story of Six College Friends Who Dealt Their Way to a Billion-Dollar Online Poker Empire--and How it All Came Crashing Down…
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Based on extensive insider interviews and participation, acclaimed author Ben Mezrich's Straight Flush tells the captivating rags-to-riches tale of a group of University of Montana frat brothers who turned a weekly poker game in the basement of a local dive bar into AbsolutePoker.com, one of the largest online companies in the world. But then the U.S. Department of Justice placed a bull's-eye on Absolute Poker. Did they fold - or double down and ride their hot hand?
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-
Typical Mezrich Trash
- By Munster Monster on 08-01-19
By: Ben Mezrich
-
Rigged
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Ben Mezrich
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the startling rags-to-riches story of an Italian-American kid from the streets of Brooklyn who claws his way into the wild, frenetic world of the oil exchange. After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, he enters the testosterone-laced warrens of the Merc Exchange, the asylumlike oil exchange located in lower Manhattan.
-
-
Another interesting story...
- By Carey Patrick Ryan on 11-27-07
By: Ben Mezrich
-
Ugly Americans
- The True Story of the Ivy League Cowboys Who Raided the Asian Markets for Millions
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: TBD
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ugly Americans is the true story of John Malcolm, a Princeton graduate who traveled halfway around the world in search of the American dream and pulled off a trade that could be described as the biggest deal in the history of the financial markets.
-
-
Very entertaining
- By Amazon Customer on 06-09-05
By: Ben Mezrich
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Bringing Down the Mouse
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Tonya Mezrich
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Charlie Lewis is a nerd. All he’s ever been good at is math - and he’s really good at math. So good that he’s recruited by a group of kids determined to game the system at the biggest theme park in the world - and win the grand prize. Soon Charlie is caught up in the excitement and thrill of using his math skills for awesomeness, but what’s at stake may be more than he’s willing to risk. How far will Charlie go for a chance at the ultimate reward?
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Not very good
- By Katrina on 07-15-24
By: Ben Mezrich
-
Once upon a Time in Russia
- The Rise of the Oligarchs and the Greatest Wealth in History
- By: Ben Mezrich
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best-selling author of Bringing Down the House (63 weeks on the New York Times best seller list and the basis for the hit movie 21) and The Accidental Billionaires (the basis for the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network) delivers an epic drama of wealth, rivalry, and betrayal among megawealthy Russian oligarchs - and its international repercussions.
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Oligarchs, Operatives, Explosives & Intrigue!
- By Michael J Canning on 07-26-16
By: Ben Mezrich
What listeners say about Busting Vegas
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Overall
- Gerald
- 03-10-08
An Inside Look
A fansinating, inside look at a portion of the gambling industry. This is a well told and well read account of what a little ingenuity can accomplish, or perhaps I should say can destroy.
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1 person found this helpful
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- David
- 11-18-11
Typical Mezrich
Busting Vegas reads just like many of Mezrich's other books, where much of the plot seems to be a "cookie cutter" -young stud wants a young hottie and is involved with a scheme to make bookoo bucks- like "21" or "Sex on the Moon" or "Ugly Americans"... But since it's a Mezrich, it is done well and is entertaining and will probably be made into a movie. This time I recommend reading the original rather than waiting for the movie.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 09-28-15
one of Ben Mezrich best
Ben Mezrich has a voice for narration the book was very exciting a must download another great book is 21
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Ginger Saariaho
- 10-17-05
A Flat Read
For a story about "busting" Vegas, these characters never really get their act together. It's more a story about how well the casinos are at spotting and dealing with potential trouble makers. What could have been an interesting magazine article is expanded with a tepid love story, and a load of hard boiled exposition that hopes to make the story sound a lot more interesting then it is. Unfortunately, any attempt to enliven the story is squashed by the author's flat delivery. Not that I would recommend the book, but to anyone who's thinking of reading it I suggest buying the printed version. Maybe the writing fares better when not read by someone who sounds like he's standing in front of his High School english class reading a book report.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Deanna
- 05-25-08
Beware, it's abridged
It was a great story, just missing lots of bits that I wish were in there.
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Overall
- Joseph
- 02-22-06
Great listen!!
This was a great book, although I should say highly "Hollywood-ized."
I really loved this book, and I recomend it to everyone!! The details on how this team "Busted Vegas" is outstanding! I would only warn people to remember that this book is "Based on a true story" not infact a true story. You'll see what I mean when you listen to the book.
Great book I couldn't stop talking about it with my friends after I read it!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 04-01-06
Great Book
Very entertaining. Ben Mezrich has great style, and the reader was excellent. See also Ugly Americans. I recommend this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- P. Yeager
- 09-30-05
A New Theory
Frankly, I was expecting another tome on card counting. This takes card counting to a whole new level. It was nice to hear some fresh ideas on the subject.
This reinforces my negative view of American Casino?s and their operators. I prefer the London method of barring play.
I would have liked to hear more detail on the interactions of Victor, Semyon, Allie, Owen, and Jake. I would have to bet that there was a fair amount of analysis that went in to their personal game development, they were MIT kids for pete sake, but not much was mentioned. I would have liked to know what happened to these kids after blackjack.
All in all it was a great story.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Ian Mundee
- 01-18-06
Better than the other reviews
A good follow-up to "Bringing Down The House" which I also enjoyed. This is not a how-to, but a simple adventure tale of the MIT student team. It's not edge-of-your-seat. But if you like blackjack, it's enough to keep your attention. Thumbs-up.
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- Anonymous User
- 07-25-23
If you like Mezrich books, you might like it
It is typical Mezrich book. Sold as a real story, but he makes up so many things and scenes that it is hard to consider it a biography. He often focuses on such unimportant details and descriptions that I lose my attention and after few hours I won’t even rewind back, because it is not worth it.
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