Life is a Gamble - "Thieving Bastards"

My guest today is Andrew Wimhurst, author of the new book, "Thieving Bastards True Confessions of the World’s Greatest Cheats."  

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-is-a-gamble-thieving-bastards--71265272

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of Andrew Wimhurst, author of Thieving Bastards: True Confessions of the World’s Greatest Cheats

[00:57]  Thirty years of book planning, interviews, and similar books

[07:32]  Transcribing and editing interviews

[11:42]  Changes in the cheating landscape

[13:33]  Cheating in poker, the NBA poker scandal, and the x-ray table

[17:44]  Andrew’s ideas  sequels or future  books about cheating 

[19:38]  The card mechanic “Bobby Machines”

[23:48]  Cheats who get out of the lifestyle 

[28:46]  Road hustlers from the 1940s to 1970s

[33:55]  Running Razzle at a casino in Cuba

[38:47]  Financial reporting laws and the digital trail for modern cheats

[40:17]  Cheaters problems with discipline and greed

[41:42]  Andrew’s background in magic, card mechanics, and dice moves

[45:53]  Andrew’s contact info

Andrew's Links;

thecolddeckcompany.com

instagram.com/thecolddeckcompany

Books Referenced;

Thieving Bastards: by Andrew Wimhurst - https://amzn.to/4dS2s8x

Gambling Wizards by Richard Munchkin - https://amzn.to/4tLX7nB

Road Hustler by Robert C. Prus - out of print

Gambling Scams by Darwin Ortiz - https://amzn.to/4cchtkk

Havana Nocturne by T.J. English - https://amzn.to/4cfsy2w

Kit Chellel - Lucky Devils

Our guest today is Kit Chellel, author of the new book, "Lucky Devils: The True Story of Three Rebel Gamblers Who Beat the Odds and Changed the Game."  The book profiles three legendary gamblers, Bill Benter, Rob Reitzen, and Bill Nelson.

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/kit-chellel-lucky-devils--71089638

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of Kit Chellel, author of Lucky Devils

[00:41]  Kit’s background in journalism

[03:25]  How did Lucky Devils come about?

[05:42]  Meeting Rob Reitzen and Bill Nelson

[08:52]  Gambling coverage in media

[10:44]  The moment that computers revolutionized gambling

[13:13]  Bill Benter and Alan Woods betting on horses in Hong Kong

[17:26]  Rob Reitzen’s wearable tech and poker bots

[25:11]  Banking tables in California 

[25:32]  Bill Nelson’s roulette play and the sports betting “The Computer Group”

[29:49]  The FBI investigation into “The Computer Group”

[31:31]  Roulette advantage players subculture

[34:36]  Biased roulette wheels and design countermeasures

[35:32]  The never ending war between casinos and advantage players

[38:56]  The genesis of the title Lucky Devils

[40:07]  Will Kit write about other gamblers?

[41:43]  How can listeners contact Kit?

[42:47]  Kit’s favorite resistant in Las Vegas that is not in a casino

Get Lucky Devils - https://amzn.to/48c5PTU

Links:

Bloomberg.com/authors/AQgXoqAi4I0/kit-chellel

X.com/KitChellel

Theoriginallindomichoacan.com

Antonino De Rosa

Our guest today is Antonino De Rosa, also known as "Ant."  Ant went from professional Magic the Gathering player to working for Pinnacle sports book and from there became a professional sports bettor.

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/antonino-de-rosa--70721959

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of sports bettor, Antonio De Rosa

[00:42]  Playing Magic The Gathering professionally

[04:56]  Comparing Magic variance and skills to gambling?

[08:29]  Getting a job at Pinnacle

[12:07]  NBA totals at Pinnacle

[14:05]  Dealing with losses, risk management

[17:57]  Bad beats

[20:39]  Leaving Pinnacle for Plannatech

[23:29]  Becoming a bettor

[27:04]  Market efficiency, manipulation, limiting players, etc

[32:34]  New female accounts

[33:49]  Identifying sharp play

[36:44]  Bet Bash story

[39:37]  Life lessons from gambling

[42:15]  Favorite non-casino restaurant in Vegas

Books Referenced:

Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb - https://amzn.to/4bmioOy

Gambling With an Edge - All About Sports Betting

We have 3 guests today. Blair Rodman, Anthony Curtis, and Frank B. They are coauthors of the new book All About Sports Betting.

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/gambling-with-an-edge-all-about-sports-betting--70218384

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of Blair Rodman, Anthony Curtis, and Frank B., authors of All About Sports Betting:  The Definitive Guide
[00:42]  What makes this book so unique?
[01:55]  The genesis of All About Sports Betting
[05:59]  Prop bets, parlays, same game parlays, and teasers
[10:27]  QR codes within the book that link to additional information
[13:17]  Violence in Puerto Vallarta
[15:37}  Touts
[18:33]  Bottom up, top down, and modeling
[24:05]  Evolution of sports betting markets, future editions of the book
[25:24]  Prediction markets
[29:39]  Betting splits and other useless statistics
[31:49]  Understanding variance and related behavioral biases
[38:42]  Offshore sportsbooks, betting on credit, posting up, and settling up
[43:33]  Optimal use of bonus bets at Caesars

Links:
All About Sports Betting - https://amzn.to/4kP8FU1
X.com/capjack2000
Unabated.com

Gambling With an Edge - Chuck's Luck

Charlie is a sports bettor, slot player, and influencer. Charlie got scammed while making bets at a DraftKings kiosk at the Golden Nugget in Biloxi. It's a crazy story, not just the scam, but the way the casino, and Gaming Enforcement reacted.

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/chuck-s-luck--69536242

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of advantage player Chuck’s Lucks

[00:40]  How did Chuck become an AP?

[04:14]  Chuck’s second trip to Vegas and a $2500/spin slot

[07:16]  Accounting for the W2Gs

[08:45]  Getting scammed while betting sports in Mississippi

[22:55]  YouTube influencers, deals, permission to record

[28:59]  Plaza’s social media room and livestream

[31:32]  Leverage as an influencer for deals, rebates, offsets, etc

[32:48]  Filming AP slots, disguising entry points

[35:00]  Editing videos and efficient use of content 

[37:05]  Selling influencer merchandise

[37:30]  ChucksLuck and LeapingLizards channels

[37:59]  Large jackpot payments and security concerns

[40:27]  Favorite restaurant in Las Vegas that is not in a casino?

Related Links:

Lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/

Youtube.com/@LeapingLizardSlots

Youtube.com/@ChucksLuck777

Tacoselgordobc.com

Gambling With an Edge - Art Manteris

This week we talked with long-time Vegas bookmaker Art Manteris.  We discussed his new book, "The Bookie."

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/art-manteris--69512874

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction of Art Manteris, author of The Bookie
[00:47]  Bookmakers from Western Pennsylvania
[01:47]  Legendary bookmaker Uncle Jack Franzi
[05:21]  Working at the mob-controlled Stardust
[08:27]  Why did Art move to Las Vegas?
[09:46]  Billy Walters stories
[11:57]  PASPA, using computers across sportsbooks and racetracks
[15:18]  Art's concerns about the expansion of gambling
[17:00]  Frank Rosenthal at the Stardust
[18:18]  Tony Spilatro
[20:26]  Meeting Ron Sacco and sportsbooks in the Caribbean 
[23:56]  Pinnacle
[25:58]  Sports betting in Nevada, climate and regulations
[29:53]  Will "Refrigerator" Perry touchdown prop
[31:40]  Negotiating huge prize fights in Vegas with Don King and Bob Arum
[34:13]  Building the sportsbook at the Hilton
[35:27]  Did Art sweat big positions and games?
[37:04]  Setting open lines
[39:13]  Being the first to post Super Bowl props
[40:44]  Prop betting on college sports
[43:17]  Circa sports book
[44:26]  Parlays
[46:58]  Using analytics to analyze payouts on parlays, teaser, and contests
[48:36]  Did any bosses or owners want to take positions on games?
[52:23]  Favorite restaurant in Las Vegas that is not in a casino?
[53:56]  Can listeners contact Art on social media?

Get Art's book, "The Bookie" https://amzn.to/45nzCYp