This is a likeable little book, well-illustrated with amusing cartoons, that is designed to teach the basics of mathematical probability to laypeople. It must be said that Huff does this very well - he has an extremely accessible style that explains the complexities of probability in simple ways. As an example of mathematical communication, it's very good... but it might be better.

Where I think the book falls down a little is in its use of examples. Now clearly gambling is an area where probability is key, but do we really need so many examples based around games such as cribbage and bridge? For the record, I have never played either, and so in places this is much less clear than it could be, simply because I don't understand what he's going on about when he talks about rubbers. One of the cartoons makes reference to this. "There are four types of people," it states, then goes on to draw them. "Men, women, children, and bridge players." Given this, I can't help but think that if your goal is to make a field more accessible to the general public, you're best off using the most clear and relevant examples you can. To be fair, in many places Huff does do this, but it felt like half the book was going on about card games. It seems to me a focus on how probability works in insurance and politics and medicine, for instance, would be of greater usefulness to a greater number of people.