Bet the House!
I’ve just signed a deal with Chicago Review Press to write my eighth book. The tentative title is Bet the House: How I wagered $1,000 a day every day for a month on everything from poker to the lottery to a flip of a coin.
Of course, by the time the book comes out, it might be called “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”, “The Biggest Loser,” “Lost” or “Deal or No Deal?” Oh wait, those titles are taken.
Chicago Review Press published my last two books: Sox and the City and Debunked! They’ve got a great team, and I’m thrilled to be working with them again.
Here’s the premise. Each and every day for 30 consecutive days, I must risk at least $1,000 on some form of gambling. I’ll keep a running diary each day, with an updated bankroll.
The rules:
If I manage to double the bankroll at any point, the risk will be increased to at least $2,000 every day.
At one point I will have to risk at least 25 percent of the bankroll on a single sporting event, poker tournament, roll of the dice or hand of blackjack.
If I lose the entire amount before the 30 days have expired, I must replenish the bankroll with my own money.
I must gamble for at least two hours every day. If I lose the minimum $1,000 before the time has run out, I’ll have to dip into the next day’s bankroll to keep going.
If I win, a portion of the profits will go to charity.
It doesn’t have to be a different form of gambling every day, but I’m going to try to come up with as many variations as possible. A partial list:
Craps
Blackjack
Slots
Roulette
Off-track betting
A major poker tournament in Las Vegas
A charity poker tournament
Dog races in Kenosha
Online poker
The lottery
March madness: NCAA pools
Wagering through a web site that takes bets on entertainment shows such as “Dancing With the Stars.”
Sports betting
Prop bets
If anyone can think of other forms of gambling I’ve missed, I’m open to suggestions. And if you know of any specific gambling event in the Chicago area within the next month, when I’ll be writing the book, please let me know.
Thanks!
RR
