Gambling With an Edge

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.

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

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.

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]  BetBash story
[39:37]  Life lessons from gambling
[42:15]  Favorite non-casino restaurant in Vegas

Books Referenced:
Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

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

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

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.

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

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

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