Life is a Gamble - Cowboy Buzz

Buzz Marconi moved to Las Vegas in the 1960s, and somehow transformed from an Italian kid from the south side of Chicago into Cowboy Buzz. It's a wild story.  Check it out.

podcast - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-is-a-gamble-cowboy-buzz--68918838

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction on of Cowboy Buzz

[02:07]  Moving to Las Vegas, working at The Stardust

[20:53]  Brilliant mob casino strategies

[23;10]  Tony Spilotro and Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal

[27:19]  Becoming a shift boss Foxy's Firehouse

[29:28]  Did certain dealers cheat players?

[31:06]  A wild craps swing on credit and Milton Jaffe

[35:20]  Milton Jaffe magic trick

[37:06]  Opening a restaurant in Las Vegas

[41:09]  Stories about dealers, cheating, and work ethic

[46:59]  Cowboy Buzz's juice is revealed

[48:51]  Naked women tanning at The Tropicana pool

[55:53]  Becoming "Cowboy Buzz"

[1:02:07]  Playing rugby age 73

[1:04:51]  Meeting Max Rubin

[1:09:05]  The first Blackjack Ball

[1:10:30]  Being a clown diver at Caesars Palace

Gambling With an Edge - guest author David Schwartz

Our guest this week is David Schwartz, on to talk about his new book, "At The Sands."

We welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.

podcast
Click to listen - Alt click to download

Show Notes

[00:00] Introduction of Dr. David G. Schwartz, author of At The Sands, gaming historian, and professor at UNLV
[00:46] Why write about The Sands
[01:12] Would it be easier to write another book about the same era in Las Vegas?
[02:48] Mob affiliations with The Sands
[03:29] Jack Entratter
[06:49] Marker issuance and collection
[12:05] The Sands becomes high-rise
[13:25] Frank Sinatra
[16:04] Origins of the Rat Pack monicker
[19:11] Sinatra becomes more difficult
[23:39] Confrontation between Frank Sinatra and Carl Cohen
[25:33] De Facto segregation in Las Vegas 
[29:14] Sinatra's role in desegregation
[32:36] South Point Casino December Promotions - Pay Less with your Points 12/14-12/30
[33:57] Predictit.org/promo/edge - place small bets on various political events, $20 deposit match for GWAE listeners
[34:40] BlackjackApprenticeship.com - card counting training website and community
[35:14] VideoPoker.com/gwae - Gold Membership offers correction on most games
[36:54] Robert Kennedy and other federal officials become interested in Las Vegas
[39:00] The Green Felt Jungle by Ed Reid and Ovid Demaris
[39:42] The mob lingers after a crackdown
[42:52] Howard Hughes and The Sands
[44:35] Sheldon Adelson and The Sands
[47:37] The Sands ages and becomes less elegant
[48:50] The Copa closes
[50:20] The legacy of The Sands
[51:24] Recommended: Gamblers podcast by David Hill at The Ringer, We are The Champions on Netflix

Sponsored Links:
SouthPointCasino.com
Predictit.org/promo/edge
BlackjackApprenticeship.com
VideoPoker.com/gwae


Books Referenced:
At The Sands by David G. Schwartz https://amzn.to/3g0MA3k
Grandissmo: The First Emperor of Las Vegas by David G. Schwartz https://amzn.to/33F7jop
The Green Felt Jungle by Ed Reid and Ovid Demaris https://amzn.to/2VsnrVJ
The Vapors by David Hill https://amzn.to/2KWD59T


Dr. Schwartz' Previous Episodes:
Lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/gambling-edge-week-3/

Lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/gambling-with-edge-guest-david-schwartz/


Recommended:
Theringer.com/2020/11/11/21559016/introducing-gamblers
Netflix.com/title/81034679