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About Wizard Of Odds

Wizard of Odds was founded by Michael Shackleford on June 19, 1997, initially under the name Mike’s Gambling Page. It was a good time to start a website about gambling, as there were few established resources at the time. With plenty of space for new content, the site quickly gained traction and took on a life of its own. Three years later, Mike left his position as a government actuary to dedicate himself full time to the project. After many years as the site's principal author, Mike gradually transitioned from a full-time role to part-time involvement before officially concluding his work with Wizard of Odds in 2026. His contributions established the foundation and reputation of the site, which continues under a new team committed to maintaining its core editorial direction, analytical focus and the same high standards.Our goal is nothing less than to be the best gaming site on the Internet. Here's what we mean by best:

A ton of content that is original, exclusive, and high quality.

We offer stuff that's really useful and that you can't get anywhere else. (Well, we've allowed a few other sites to reprint some of our articles, but most of our stuff is available only here.) The Wizard provides the mathematically correct strategies and information for nearly every casino game in existence. We are the most recognized authority in the world for accurate playing strategies.

An excellent experience for the reader.

We take quality seriously. We don't have popup windows or animated ads, and we don't spam. The net is littered with cheap gambling sites that seem to want nothing better than to give you an epileptic seizure. We're trying to set the standard for a quality gambling site. We hope others will follow.

We're picky about who can advertise here. The Wizard himself personally reviews all potential advertisers before they can buy an ad, and he turns down about half of all applicants. The Wizard won't advertise a casino unless he feels it's a safe and honest place to gamble, and promises to act as an arbitrator if a reader has a problem with an advertiser that they can't resolve on their own.

About gambling itself, our philosophy is that if you're going to gamble you should have the best information possible so you can have the best chances of winning, and can minimize your losses if you do lose. We don't actually encourage or promote gambling, and we're not just saying that to cover ourselves - we simply want to provide readers with the opportunity to be educated gamblers if they're going to gamble anyway. In fact, if you read the site thoroughly, the inescapable conclusion is that with very few exceptions, there is no way to beat the house.

You can contact us or read our terms and conditions (which includes our privacy policy).

About the Founder

Michael Shackleford is a former Social Security Administration actuary with a background in mathematics, economics, and risk modeling. His early work included actuarial analysis of Social Security policy, including cost and benefit projections, as well as widely cited demographic research such as U.S. baby name statistics. He later became an associate actuary before moving into independent casino game analysis. His academic and professional background also includes a BA in mathematics/economics and later recognition as a specialist in applying actuarial methods to gambling systems.”

After transitioning into casino game research, Shackleford became widely known for mathematically analyzing house edge and optimal strategy across casino games, including blackjack, video poker, and slot machines. He served as a contributing editor to Casino Player magazine, authored Gambling 102, and worked as a consultant on game design and analysis. His research has been featured in major media outlets and television programs, and he also taught casino mathematics as an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, helping establish his reputation as a leading authority on gambling probability and strategy.

Here is his biography.

The Wizard Behind Wizard of Odds

Joey Shackelford (no close relation to Michael) joined the Wizard of Odds network as the new Wizard, taking on a leading role in expanding the site’s quantitative sports and betting analysis. In addition to the same last name (although each would say the other spells it incorrectly), both Michael and Joey are or were actuaries.  What are the odds? With a background in actuarial science and applied probability modeling, he brings a modern, simulation-driven approach to sports betting markets, building on the site’s long-standing focus on mathematical rigor and expected value. 

He leads the Sports Division as Head of Quantitative Sports & Network Content and spearheads the development of new, data-driven mathematical content, analysis, and interactive tools across the network.

The Actuary's Lens on Gambling Math As a credentialed actuary with a deep foundation in advanced mathematics and actuarial modeling, Joey brings a unique and unparalleled level of quantitative rigor and professional risk assessment to the gaming industry. He applies the same probabilistic modeling techniques used to quantify financial risk for a living to the dynamic landscape of modern sports betting.

Joey’s core philosophy is to honor the Wizard of Odds legacy as the gold standard for gambling mathematics while aggressively expanding the brand into cutting-edge sports analytics.

His specialized content and analysis focus on the core topics that matter most to serious players:

  • Actuarial Risk Theory (Bankroll Management Beyond Kelly)
  • Player Prop Valuation Modeling (Targeting the fastest-growing markets)
  • Correlated Parlays and Expected Value
  • Understanding and Beating Variance (Through simulation studies)

Joey is committed to evolving the site's analytical tradition by providing players with sophisticated, clearly explained, and highly interactive tools to truly understand and calculate the long-term odds, establishing a new standard of quality built on the "lens of an actuary."

Michael Shackleford Interviews 

Gambling with an Edge

In addition to co-hosting Gambling with an Edge for about a year, Mike appeared as a guest on the show on numerous occasions. 

Videos

  • StatsDrone: Interview by John Wright.
  • Ka-ching -- Pokie Nation: This Australian hour-long program explores slot machines, which they call "pokies" and their powerful addictive effect. Mike is shown at various points on the program explaining how they work mathematically.
  • Wie zockt die Welt: Las Vegas: This is a piece a German television show named Galileo did about Las Vegas where Mike attempted to explain the basics on the odds. You have to be in Germany to watch the video.
  • Wizard of Odds interview: Video on YouTube by the American Casino Guide author Steve Bourie.
  • All about Video Poker: Video on YouTube by the American Casino Guide author Steve Bourie.
  • Slot Machine Instruction: Video on YouTube by the American Casino Guide author Steve Bourie.

Articles

About the Wizard's Helpers

The Wizard could not run this site all by himself. Here is a little about the Wizard's assistants.

  • JB: The mysterious JB is the webmaster for this site and Wizard of Vegas. He is very shy and prefers to be just known as JB.
  • Dustin Jermalowicz & SonDustin Jermalowicz: Content Writer, Dustin hails from Michigan and fell into the gaming industry in 2011 when he began blogging for the site Casino Listings. Since that time he has contributed to countless sites, providing news, reviews, guides, and other content as needed. A married father of three, Dustin enjoys the outdoors, tinkering with technology, football, hockey, and drinking craft beer. G+
  • Brandon JamesBrandon James (Mission146): Content Writer, Brandon is a self-described, "Recreational Advantage Player," from Ohio who also enjoys -EV Craps and Video Keno for small amounts. Before that, he is a father of both a son and a daughter. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics, and when not at the casino, can either be found hanging out with his kids, girlfriend or kicking back listening to Rock music in any of its forms.
  • HeatherHeather: Heather screens the Wizard's Email and helps with social media. She can also be found on her own site Vegas Aces.
  • The models: Lisa, Nichole, Karina, Susie, and Susan are the Wizard's lovely models who can be seen here and at Wizard of Vegas.

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