[Beowulf] OT: public random numbers?

[Lux, Jim (337C)]

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>There are ways to gain positive expectation in roulette (other than
>the obvious fraud and collusion).  They involve finding a poorly
>installed roulette table and using a wearable computer and physics to
>predict where the ball will land.  Look up Thorp and Shannon's
>research on the subject; they actually used it in casinos c. 1961.

I think Shannon and Thorpe just analyzed it, without actually using it.

See "The Eudaemonic Pie" about some physics guys at UC Santa Cruz who
built wearable hardware. Early 70s, I should think, based on my
recollections of the kind of ICs they were using.  (I also note, based on
the book, that while they were good at the physics, they weren't very good
at electronics design and construction)


They never made the system work very well (concept sound, execution not so
hot)..but it did encourage the gaming industry to get new laws prohibiting
the use of assistive devices.  Just you and the casino, mano a mano (or,
more accurately cerebro a leyes de la probabilidad)

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