Not all days are busy ones at the sportsbook, particularly during the summer months. I enjoy reading - and I'm not talking about boxscores - when I'm not writing tickets, and thought I’d share three books bookies and bettors can both enjoy.
The Odds by Chad Millman (first published 2001)
Chad Millman, gaming columnist with ESPN Insider and voice of Behind the Bets podcast, puts his storytelling ability on display as he recounts the tales of three separate individuals during the course of one college basketball season. Readers get insight into what it takes to be successful in the industry from both the sports gambler’s perspective as well as working on the other side of the counter. There isn’t a bigger character when it comes to college hoops wagering than Alan Boston and having had the chance to meet the mercurial figure myself, Millman does a tremendous job of painting a picture of a man who has to fully immerse himself in stats, games and power rankings to beat the book on a nightly basis.
Rodney Bosnich, a gambler with a much different background, gets a different taste of what life is like in a city where temptation looms around every corner. Rodney’s story proves that being undisciplined in money management or lifestyle choices, Las Vegas can swallow up souls and morals faster than almost any city.
Jim Korona, the book’s third personality, tracks the everyday challenges and obstacles that face a young aspiring bookmaker and shows the tremendous similarities between bookmakers and wiseguys. Korona’s story is unique because for a man intent on becoming one of the next great figureheads in sports gambling, Jim’s career in the gaming industry has actually taken a divergent path since.
My Take: While the text may be a little outdated at this point, Millman’s book still resonates among bookmakers and gamblers. His depiction of sports gambling in Las Vegas through the eyes of three disparate individuals provides an inside look at what it takes to be successful in the various facets.
By carefully selecting three polarizing characters, the drama that ensues draws readers into each character’s personal struggle and leaves readers wanting more once the final page is turned. The book will not teach you about handicapping or picking winners but does an outstanding job highlighting the trials and tribulations of what it truly takes to make it in this industry.
Lay the Favorite by Beth Raymer (first published 2010)
Beth Raymer’s memoir about her time in the gambling business will become a major motion picture next year but my suggestion is for you pick up the book first. Her book details a life less traveled which leads her to find work with reputed gambler Douglas "Dink" Heimowitz at Dink Inc. She doesn’t come to Vegas with experience in the field but quickly begins to learn the kind of “character” and commitment it takes to grind out a living wagering on sports.
Raymer does an extensive job of profiling the individuals she encounters and explains the attributes an individual needs to possess to thrive in a gambling environment. The two gentleman she works for, Dink and Bernard, are not only gamblers but have strong bookmaking backgrounds in she carefully highlights the adversity both men face in their personal and professional relationships to remain successful.
There are definitely points where the author spends too much time on her own introspection but she does a great job of painting vivid pictures of how crooked and corrupt some offshore operations are in both San Jose and Curacao.
My Take: Having seen the city of San Jose and an offshore operation first hand , I can say with confidence Raymer successfully depicts the struggles of running a million dollar cash business with uneducated employees in third world countries.
I think the book would take on a much different tone it was written from the male perspective or by a degenerate but Raymer’s naiveté provides a fresh perspective. If understanding the human element and emotion that plays a huge role in gambling is not your thing, you won’t enjoy this book. For those that find the dynamic between corner bookmaker, offshore operations, and runners fascinating; it’s well worth the time investment
Smart Money by Michael Konik (First published 2006)
Until Billy Walters gave 60 Minutes a window into how his syndicate operates, we needed Michael Konik’s story to gain a better understanding of how machinery at a syndicate functions.
The book recounts the author’s time as a runner for one of the world’s most feared gamblers, Big Daddy Rick Matthews (aka Billy Walters). Konik provides the guise of a hotshot Hollywood journalist, presenting himself as a square at various sportsbooks around town in order to get the limits he seeks to be of use to Big Daddy.
Konik eventually gets swept into the persona of his character and learns to play the cat and mouse game required of anyone intent on getting aggressive wagering limits across town. One of the more interesting parts of the book is the relationship building that goes on between Konik and the various figureheads around town, all real personalities creatively disguised but easily figured out by those with knowledge of the industry.
The celebrity treatment Konik receives creates an image of luxury not afforded to small time players and gives every sports gambler something to aspire to if he ever builds the bankroll to gamble full time. However, like all good joy rides the journey comes to an end and the book delves into how Konik eventually copes with a life outside of Big Daddy’s betting network and how small time his own wagering really becomes.
My Take: Konik’s look into the execution of money handoffs and wagering within the world’s most powerful syndicate provides an eye-opening read. Describing the bricks of cash that trade hands everywhere from corner lots to swanky hotel rooms quickly makes the reader realize sports’ gambling isn’t for the faint of heart.
The part I struggle with is how he paints the industry as laden with dense book managers oblivious to the charade he’s trying to perpetrate. All of the figures mentioned in the book knew full well who he was tied into and exactly what kind of ruse Konik was trying to execute all over town.
The amazing takeaway is just how elaborate Big Daddy’s network really is and how precise every detail needs to be in order to turn a profit. While this story explains the life of one runner, we can only begin to imagine how many other tentacles of the network were out there blanketing sportsbooks across the globe to allow Matthews to make his score.
Sterling Ross works on the other side of the betting window at a popular sportsbook in Las Vegas.
Three books bookies and bettors can both enjoy
