Busting Vegas : The Mit Whiz Kid Who Brought The Casinos To Their Knees by Ben Mezrich

He embarked on a global casino adventure with the ambitious goal of amassing unimaginable wealth, but it almost cost him his life. Semyon Dukach, also known as the Darling of Las Vegas, was a legendary figure at the age of twenty-one – a cocky prodigy and the most prominent high roller Sin City had witnessed in years. Armed with a groundbreaking system that baffled and defeated casinos, this mathematical genius created a strategy never revealed until now.

The cities of Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Aruba, Barcelona, London, and the pinnacle of gambling destinations, Monte Carlo, became playgrounds for Dukach and his team of MIT students. With enormous stacks of cash, audacious bets, attractive companions, and false identities, they stormed the blackjack tables. Despite their commitments to classes and exams during the week, the weekends were dedicated to their exhilarating exploits.

Their ventures were not without major risks. They faced harassment, bans, gun threats, and beatings in the notorious back rooms of Las Vegas. Yet, they faced these perils head-on, undeterred by the consequences. The cast of characters included a bored and penniless Dukach, Victor Cassius, a slick and brilliant graduate student who energized the team, Owen Keller, a remarkably skilled individual with a haunting past, and Allie Simpson, an intelligent and captivating presence.

In the classroom, they were seen as geeks. On the casino floor, they were unstoppable.

Busting Vega$ unveils Dukach’s astounding tale – a gripping narrative of boundless greed, excessive indulgence, sheer arrogance, passionate love affairs, brutal violence, paralyzing fear, and the power of statistics. This high-stakes adventure guarantees an exhilarating entertainment experience.

The Accidental Billionaires: The Story of Facebook’s Founding

Ben Mezrich stumbled upon the story of “The Accidental Billionaires” by chance when he received an email from a Harvard student claiming his best friend had co-founded Facebook. Intrigued, Mezrich met with Eduardo Saverin, who was angry and wanted to share his side of the story. Mezrich, known for writing about extraordinary and ridiculous college experiences, had become a go-to person for students wanting to tell their stories. After meeting Eduardo, Mezrich learned about the origins of Facebook, including how Mark Zuckerberg created an attention-catching website called Facemash. Mezrich also met the Winklevoss twins, who had an idea for a Harvard dating site and tried to hire Zuckerberg as their programmer. However, Zuckerberg decided to focus on his own project, Facebook, and approached Eduardo for funding. Mezrich spent six months conducting interviews and research for his book proposal, which unfortunately leaked online. This led to legal issues and strained relationships, but it also attracted the attention of screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and producer Scott Rudin, resulting in the creation of the film “The Social Network.” Despite not being able to interview Zuckerberg, Mezrich was able to build the story using court documents and interviews with other individuals involved. This was not Mezrich’s first book turned into a film; he had previously written “Bringing Down the House,” which became the movie “21.”