The Mob's Daily Number provides an in-depth historical and sociological examination of the numbers gambling industry that continues to generate significant income for organized criminals. In addition this study uses the findings to assess the utility of the major theoretical perspectives in the study of organized crime. The author begins with a description of the basic structure and functioning of the numbers game and a social and political history of illegal lotteries from the time of the colonial American/British government to the present numbers game still prospering in many urban communities. He then discusses and analyzes illegal markets and illegal firms before moving into the impact that organized crime generally and numbers gambling specifically have on community "social processes," coupled with a description of the social characteristics of numbers personnel, and the significance of those issues in understanding illegal enterprises. The author concludes with a thorough description of the of the major organized crime theories and the application of the presents findings to those broad theoretical paradigms encompassing the greater theoretical concerns in the realm of organized crime.