A Mug's Game: A History of Gaming and Betting in Australia by O'Hara, John

New South Wales University Press, 1988. Softcover (14 x 22 cm), 285 pages. ISBN: 0868402982. Good+ condition. Bumped, scuffed. Lightly creased. Foxing (spotting) noted along spine. Pages tanning, foxing. "Almost ninety percent of Australians gamble - anything from two up to the Melbourne Cup sweep, from the 'pokies' to the glittering casinos, from the Harold Park trots to frog jumping contests in Queensland. Gambling is our national obsession and has been an integral part of our history since the first convicts and settlers gambled with coins, cards and dice. 'A Mug's Game' is the story of this remarkable aspect of Australia's history, a fascinating picture of the struggle for dominance between classes with differing values, and of individuals of infamy and notoriety. It is the most definitive and complete history of the extraordinary relationship between Australians and gambling." Weight: 360g.