Edward O. Thorp
Born in 1932
edwardothorp.com
Science
Edward Oakley "Ed" Thorp is a mathematician, author, and hedge fund manager known for his groundbreaking work in probability theory and its applications.
Born in 1932, he earned his Ph.D. from UCLA and taught at MIT, New Mexico State University, and UC Irvine.
Thorp gained fame for his 1962 book "Beat the Dealer," which mathematically proved that card counting could overcome the house advantage in blackjack.
He pioneered modern hedge fund techniques and collaborated with Claude Shannon to create the first wearable computer in 1961.
Thorp's contributions span academia, gambling, and finance, establishing him as a multifaceted innovator in applied mathematics and probability theory.