"Betting the Line: Sports Wagering in American Life" is a study of gambling, particularly sports gambling, and how it has thrived in American culture. According to Davies and Abram, the culture of betting results from two complementary influences in American society: risk taking and speculation. This is the first effort by academic writers to describe and interpret the history of sports wagering in the United States. Although many books have been written about "how to bet and win," "Betting the Line" presents a serious history of this popular activity, from the colonial and Civil War eras to...