Sportsbook Scene, by Buzz Daly 9/12

[Dr. Jack]

Sportsbook Scene, by Buzz Daly
September 12, 2002


Las Vegas Sportsbooks Rock
As NFL Kicks Off 2002 Season



It was a raucous, rowdy crowd of NFL-starved bettors who greeted the opening Sunday of the 2002 season at Las Vegas sportsbooks, and they were forced to endure more gut-wrenching highs and lows than you'd get in a month of Sundays at Magic Mountain.

We viewed the proceedings feeling like the proverbial sardine as part of an SRO mob at Mandalay Bay. (A late breakfast with Reno Mathews of Offshore Bettor got both of us to the sportsbook too late to claim seats.)

I wouldn't want to characterize the crowd as Squaresville, but how else to describe the loud peanut gallery rooting on the Green Bay Packers making a late run when they were simply not going to cover eight points vs. Atlanta? Were they betting the money line? Did they tease the Pack? Irrelevant questions for folk who are most happy when they are sporting cheeseheads.

The crowd had a big bias toward favorites, but perhaps the biggest cheer came when the zebras ruled on Dwayne Rudd's bonehead play of the millennium. As the clock ran out on an apparent 39-37 victory by Cleveland over Kansas City, the Cleveland linebacker thought he had sacked Kansas City's Trent Green, and ripped off his Brownie helmet in jubilation. Unfortunately he didn't make the tackle, and his exuberance drew a 15-yard penalty, resulting in a chip shot field goal that gave the Chiefs a 40-39 victory.

It was just one more indignity for Browns fans to endure. One irate bettor who went from a push to a loss noted that the Browns under Butch Davis lack discipline and get too many such penalties, although this was a new low, even for the Brownies.

Have you noticed that most preseason Super Bowl selections project the Rams vs. the Steelers? Ironic how both have gotten off to less-than-encouraging starts. Recent history indicates that at least one NFL entry in the big game will be a team not on any of our radar screens right now.

For those who don't remember, New England got off to a 1-3 start last year, then lost its starting QB. What happened after that is the stuff that dreams are made of. We'll stick our necks out and project an AFC championship game between Denver and New England, with the NFC title matchup to be San Francisco vs. the Eagles.

A reminder to those who are planning to be in Vegas for a football weekend: Some of the locals' joints require drink coupons in order to get comp drinks. They are supposed to give them to you when making a bet. But ticket writers have been told to give them out only if they are requested. So make sure you get them when betting, or the cocktail waitress will charge you for your booze.

Opportunity Knocks. Entrepreneurial resourcefulness is alive and well in the offshore sports betting industry.

Just about everyone who bets is familiar with Don Best Sports and its premium computerized line service, offering real time line moves at major books and other crucial info. More recently, G&J Update and Bettorsworld have created competing products that expanded the marketplace to a degree.

Truth be told, Don Best is still the dominant service. But a twenty-something Las Vegas-based sports betting entrepreneur says he plans to shake up the status quo.

Marc Conn, whose business interests supercede sports betting to include a restaurant and mortgage company, owns the domain name liveodds.com. He is making it available for sale, or as an investment vehicle for someone who wants to develop its possibilities jointly with him.

Conn registered the name back in '97, and was very surprised it was still available at that time. "We were pretty Internet savvy and had registered names for other venues," he remembers.

"I was looking through a schedule and saw the phrase live odds. Unbelievably it was still available, so I snatched it up. A very shrewd businessman once advised me, if you see a company name that can generate revenue, get it.

"Just four months after I registered it, CBS Sportsline tried to trademark the same name," said Conn.

Back in the high flying days of 1997-99, when the stock market was rocking and dot coms were making millions for investors based on potential, Conn got lots of offers for liveodds.com. But he turned them down.

"I place more value in the name than someone off the street. I see the future of this industry, and even if it's a little stagnant right now, when the government decides to go the taxation route rather than impose prohibition, sports betting will be bigger than ever," he projected.

For a while, Conn disassociated from the concept. It was just after the government indicted several offshore books, in the big offshore bust of '98. "I got legal advice that said the money I'd make from running the company isn't worth the penalty. I could be liable for prosecution if I was living in the U.S. and making money from offshore gambling," he said.

But today, with a sharper picture of legal liability vis-à-vis offshore gaming, Conn has resumed activity. After trying for years to write code that would enable him to do what Don Best does, but at a much lower price, he feels he has finally succeeded.

"We can now offer a live feed of offshore books' lines on a real time or delayed basis. I'd like to offer the service to bettors so more of them could take advantage of the information at a lot less than $500 per month. But of course, I'd also want to make a profit," he stated.

Conn is willing to speak with investors who might back him in the venture, or to those who want to make an outright buy. "I'm looking for someone who is willing to put in the necessary time to develop a competitive product. Just having the name liveodds.com puts you in play as a serious company.

"Don Best has something like a monopoly, despite the other competitors that have cropped up. His name is still the biggest by far, and his hold on the industry is hard to crack. But I believe it is crackable," Conn stressed.

"I think liveodds.com could be a separate store. You know, there are only a few names that explain themselves - blackjack.com, sportsbook.com, to name a few."

We asked what type of deal he is looking for. "A downpayment of at least $30K or higher. I would consider either a buyout or a deal that gives me a percentage of the business.

"The more they want me out of the picture, the more money it is going to cost."

Conn does not feel he is under any pressure to sell. In the future, assuming the government abandons its prohibition posture and goes the taxation route, he believes the business will be more valuable than ever.

Marc said he would be happy to speak with legitimate potential buyers and invites them to visit him in Vegas. He can be reached via email at marc@liveodds.com.

Root's Rebuttal. Our last column re the flap over Vegas Insider's hiring of Wayne Root as a handicapper drew a spirited response from the aggrieved 'capper.

Although we stand by our column, we do recognize Root's right to give a different interpretation of events, and put his own spin on it. We are not bound by any "equal time" constraints, but by simple fairness. Root believes we attacked him while giving Culver preferential treatment.

We are running his response in his own words, rather than paraphrase them. But we have deleted much of the obligatory self-serving commentary that is hype, rather than addressing the issues.

One final point before getting to Root's response. As a columnist, we are not duty bound to interview subjects. That is a requirement for reporters.

Root's Response, via email:

As a nonpartial journalist - if you're going to form opinions on the VI controversy, isn't it your DUTY to interview your subject - that's me - before you opine on the topic? Do you really think what I just read on GamblersWorld was fair, factual and nonpartial? Who did you interview to get the facts? Not me. Who did you interview to get both sides of the story? Not me.

3 years ago you … wrote a fair, but nonetheless favorable story on my new company and TV show. Now out of nowhere I read your column in GW - and I get BLINDSIDED. Are you aware that GW and OSGA (you know - the guys you write for!) have agreed to exact same joint venture with me as VegasInsider? Am I missing something? "Negative baggage" - it's the local Vegas guys who have negative baggage. Where's my negative baggage?

Name the facts. Have I ever been in trouble? Have I ever been accused of doing something wrong? Only innuendo - not a shred of fact. Only "slime" thrown around by jealous competitors who can't even HOPE to compete. Name a single fact you know of - or anything you or your friends in media know? There is none. I'm a public company - for God's sake. I'm cleaner than clean. I'm squeaky clean … unless you call aggressive marketing and selling bad? But in that case, you had better attack every stockbroker on Wall Street in the same breath.

I'm the only handicapper (or stockbroker) I know of that features links to Compulsive Gambling sites on my TV show and website. And they get calls all the time - I'm a part of helping problem gamblers. Where's Russ Culver and Dave Malinsky on that issue? Who have they helped or saved recently?

Russ Culver doesn't know me - never met him in my life. Did you print that? Russ attacking me is pure malicious, rude and shows a lack of … manners. Since when do you defend a guy who attacks someone he does not know - without a shred of negative fact or evidence? Strange side for you to take as an impartial journalist. Malinsky doesn't know me.

Every handicapper who either quit or criticized me WISHES they could join a show on national TV and attract thousands of calls per week - but I never invited them. Or don't you think that if I had offered Russ Culver $250,000 per year to join my TV show - he would have JUMPED thru a hoop and asked "How high?" If you answer No you are absolutely kidding yourself. You've been duped or deluded by these competitors - who are jealous and bitter. This is nothing more than new guy coming to town and threatening all the locals. But ironically EVERY one of them would like me if they'd take 5 minutes to get to know me.

Have you even bothered to watch my show this year?

I ask you honestly Buzz - name another handicapper in Vegas that has achieved this level of fame, success and recognition from MAINSTREAM media? Not one in history of this gambling town. And should I be attacked for that? Russ doesn't want to be associated with me? Interesting comment. No jealousy or bitterness there, huh?

But Greta Van Susteren ... and Bill Maher ... and Bill O'Reilly ... and Kudlow and Cramer do? Tom Arnold on Best Damn Sports does ... Fox does ... and Fortune magazine ... and Newsweek and CNN/Money. And Wall Street does! I guess savvy investors from London invest millions in my company because they think differently about me than Russ and perhaps you? Doesn't this just destroy Russ's contention? And yours? You're all smarter than the biggest names in media? Don't you feel I deserve to have my day in court either in a column by you ... or on your radio show? So far this has been a Joe McCarthy witchhunt. Where's the fairness in media so far?

Tell me my crime Buzz?

To cite a 1-6 in one week in one contest is so WRONG - are you aware I went 6-1 in that same contest a year later? That borders on mean spirited to quote one week in a public contest. You mean I shouldn't be lauded for having guts to go public and put my rep on line? Is the lesson here to never enter a contest again - because guys like you will use it against me?

Again, why attack me for introducing honesty and integrity into a business that had none before I came along? Why mention 1-6? That is so irresponsible and wrong.

What happened since 2000? Have I done anything to deserve you to attack me?

Guess Who's Coming to the Stardust Invitational Handicapping Tournament? One of the most popular football promotional events put on in Las Vegas is the single-elimination 'capping contest held every Friday from 9 to 10 PM during football season at the 'Dust sportsbook.

It draws an eclectic, by-invitation-only field of handicappers, celebrities and media representatives who are closely aligned with sports. It is informative, exciting and fun, and generally draws a big crowd which either heckles or cheers the contestants.

We have covered that event for a number of years in both the paper and online.

So, we were pleasantly shocked when Stardust race and sportsbook manager Joe Lupo called recently to advise us that we were invited to this year's tournament. We are most cognizant that our association with Players' Choice rather than any inherent handicapping expertise is the reason for our inclusion.

Lupo and John Kelly, the show's on-air moderator (KDWN 720 AM), do an excellent job of creating competitive matchups between contestants who will draw a crowd to the 'Dust sportsbook.

Although the entire roster for this year's tournament has not been announced, the opening week matchup, September 13, will feature well known sports talk show personality Papa Joe Chevalier vs. Coast Properties sportsbook director Bert Osborne.

We look forward to competing. After years of doing radio with Jimmy Vaccaro, and more recently with Kelso Sturgeon, we feel that the up close and personal exposure to a couple of real handicapping pros can only help. We'll even overlook the fact that both made such a strong case last week for Florida over Miami, that we were talked off our original play, Miami. Bettors are solely responsible for their plays. Moreover, we believe Jimmy and Kelso's winners outnumber their losers by a healthy margin.

Online Gaming Broadcast Is Launched. A new source for gambling-related audio and video multimedia entertainment is now on the Internet.

Gaming Broadcast (www.gamingbroadcast.com) intends to provide news and information to online bettors. "We want to help players improve the odds in their favor and bring awareness to favorable casino promotions," said marketing director Dennis Tobler.

The site will provide gambling-related content both live and play on demand; sports scores and jackpot info updated in real time, and detailed reviews of reliable casinos.

It currently offers visitors a comp video gambling guide of tips and strategies on CD-ROM.

Please send questions, comments, etc., to Buzzdaly@aol.com.