Edward Thorp (Roulette)

Edward Thorp was already famous for his blackjack research when he turned his attention to roulette. As a mathematics professor at MIT and later UC Irvine, he approached gambling as an intellectual puzzle rather than mere entertainment. His friendship with Claude Shannon, the father of information theory, led to their historic collaboration on roulette prediction.

In the early 1960s, Thorp and Shannon built the first wearable computer designed to beat roulette. The cigarette-pack-sized device used timing data from the ball and wheel to predict the approximate landing zone. They tested it in Las Vegas casinos, achieving approximately a 44% edge—proof that physics could overcome mathematical house advantages.

Thorp's approach was purely scientific. He and Shannon analyzed the physics of roulette—ball deceleration, wheel speed, and deflector patterns—to build a mathematical model of the game. The computer user would input timing data via toe switches concealed in shoes, and the device would signal favorable betting zones through ear receivers.

Thorp documented the roulette computer project but waited decades to publish full details, finally revealing the technical specifications in his 1998 paper "The Invention of the First Wearable Computer." His work proved that roulette was not purely random but could be predicted with physics. This insight inspired generations of advantage players.

Edward Thorp's roulette computer was revolutionary—built decades before personal computers existed. His work demonstrated that scientific thinking could overcome seemingly unbeatable odds. While his specific methods eventually became illegal in Nevada, his approach inspired countless others to look for physical rather than mathematical advantages in casino games.