Over/Under: An Unexpected History of Sports Betting
About this audiobook
Named one of the most anticipated nonfiction books of 2026 by The New York Times Book Review
The definitive, colorful history of American sports betting that challenges the dialogue around one of our country’s fastest growing (and most controversial) industries.
Taking listeners on a rollicking journey through the history of American sports betting, Over/Under 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?
The 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.
Along 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?
Written 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—Over/Under is poised to become the definitive history of a controversial industry in the midst of incredible, yet uncertain, growth.
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About the author
David Bockino, 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 Game On: How Sports Media Grew Up, Sold Out, and Got Personal with Billions of Fans. Emmanuel Morgan, a sports reporter at The New York Times, called it “a fascinating read for any sports lover” while Richard Deitsch at The Athletic 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.
George Newbern is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and a television and film actor best known for his roles as Brian MacKenzie in Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II, as well as Danny in Friends. As a voice actor, he is notable for his role as Superman on the Cartoon Newtork series Static Shock, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. He has guest starred on many television series, including Scandal, The Mentalist, Private Practice, CSI: Miami, and Numb3rs. He holds a BA in theater arts from Northwestern University.
