anyone read The Smart Money?

[LVHerbie]

Just saw the guy who wrote it taking about his book, "The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions", on poker after dark... I read his other book, "Man with 100,000 dollar breast," (collection of gambling stories) which was decent... I was wondering if anyone here has read this before I rush out and buy it...

here is the amazon link

[Ira Wilton]

I have read it. I found it entertaining. I enjoyed reading a true story about sportsbetting that wasn't selling you some kind of winning system. I wondered if LVHerbie was one of the characters in the book. Hmmm I guess not.

I'm not sure how much you will learn, but it's a good, true story.

[Dark Horse]

It's basically about the art of getting down a lot of money on a game through a syndicate. A fast read, but it won't make you a better gambler. The first part is about Vegas, the second part about online betting (the author seemed completely ignorant of online gambling and dealt with some terrible outfits for a lot of money).

[trustbutverify]

Was there anything in this book that could increase bankroll?

[noyb]

i'm reading it right now, after there being another topic about this book earlier in this forum (in which someone also recommended "The Odds", which i also liked). i like it, in a way that it will not teach you anything about betting, syndicates etc. you didn't already know, but from what i've read so far it's a nice story (apart from those ramblings about his kinky girlfriend) to read before you go to bed or something. and for a european like me it's nice to get a picture of how vegas works.

[Bill Dozer]

It's basically about the art of getting down a lot of money on a game through a syndicate. A fast read, but it won't make you a better gambler. The first part is about Vegas, the second part about online betting (the author seemed completely ignorant of online gambling and dealt with some terrible outfits for a lot of money).

What year was it written? Billy Walters got taken by BOS and The Shrink from SBG. Both for 6 figures.

[Wheell]

Decent book, but his other two books on gambling were better.

[Dark Horse]

What year was it written? Billy Walters got taken by BOS and The Shrink from SBG. Both for 6 figures.

Book has only been on the market for a few months, published late 2006. Michael Konik was getting bets down (and exploring online gambling after Vegas closed the door) for 'Big Daddy' from Vegas. Could that have been Walters?

[Seattle Slew]

I thought it was pretty good, although I agree there is nothing that will help your betting strategy.

I also agree the kinky girlfriend parts were not needed, although there weren't that many of them.

[BuddyBear]

Yeah i read it...just finished it yesterday. it's an entertaining read for sure....a page turner I would say. In short, it's basically a 354 pg memoir that chronicles the experiences of a guy (Michael Kondik) who is a runner for a betting synidcate known as the Brain Trust. The thrust of the book deals with his difficulties and hassles in getting these bets down. It is also a fascinating look at the relationship between the sportsbooks and the Wiseguys and how they are frequently at odds with one another, yet need each other at times.

TBV: There isn't much on how to increase your bankroll per se. however, when you read it there are some subtle tips on how to win at gambling (i.e. getting the best lines, being selective, using computers to help you make a pick, etc...).

SS: Agreed. No need for Kondik to tell us about threesomes with hookers and searching the Internet for women and stuff. Nothing wrong with it...but I found it rather peripherial to the main part of the narrative.

DH: I think the word is out now and it's pretty common knowledge that Rick "Big Daddy" Mathews is Billy Walters.

Noyb: Yeah the Odds was a great book...still my favorite gambling book. It's better than Smart Money for sure.

[Seattle Slew]

BB, what about the two Hollywood stars? One young and one old? Big bettors? Would love to know who they were. Any theories?

DH: I think the word is out now and it's pretty common knowledge that Rick "Big Daddy" Mathews is Billy Walters.

Noyb: Yeah the Odds was a great book...still my favorite gambling book. It's better than Smart Money for sure.

[Dark Horse]

Buddy, had to google the Walters connection and sure enough:

http://www.readybetgo.com/book-reviews/konik-sports-betting-2638.html

That makes the book much more interesting.

(Gambling Wizards, mentioned in review, is the better book in terms of gambling insight.)

[BuddyBear]

BB, what about the two Hollywood stars? One young and one old? Big bettors? Would love to know who they were. Any theories?

I think the younger star might be Matthew McConaughey. Word is that he is a pretty addicted gambler. As for the older one I am not really sure...I'd love too know to SS.

[The Judge]

What year was it written? Billy Walters got taken by BOS and The Shrink from SBG. Both for 6 figures.

The book was just published last year but was written about Konick's experiences working for Walters in the late 1990's. Pretty interesting book but not a whole lot of substance and it is at times, very repetitive.

[JoshW]

I heard Konik interviewed on the radio about the book. I found it really annoying the lame names he used instead of actually indentifing people. Almost would have been better if an outsider had wrote a book on Billy Walter syndicate. At leaast then could name names.

[Dark Horse]

I'll post some Walters stories if I find them.

Billy Walters at the Golden Nugget
and the Claridge Hotel and Casino
in Atlantic City

In June of 1986 William T. (Billy) Walters put a proposition to the Golden Nugget Casino at the foot of the Atlantic City boardwalk, namely, that he would deposit $2 Million against an equal deposit by the casino, and play until either he had won the casino's $2 Million or the casino had won his. The casino accepted. Stepping up to one of the wheels, Walters and a partner placed single bets of $2,000 on each of five numbers. The numbers were 7, 10, 20, 27, and 36. At the end of 38 hours Walters and his partner left the casino with winnings of $3,800,000, leaving the dealers a $25,000 tip.

The wheel Walters used subsequently was examined by agents both of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission and the Division of Gaming Enforcement and found to be in order. This shows the inferiority of a mechanical examination to a statistical one. It should not be necessary to perform an independent statistical test in this case. Walters' record should be good enough.

Barnhart does not give an account of Walters's data collection methods in this case, but does describe the activities of his "clockers" at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in June of 1989. After the data had been collected and analyzed, Walters and four partners arrived and started to play. In eight hours of play the partners had won $200,000. The casino retained an outside specialist to examine its wheel. Performing a mechanical examination, the specialist found irregularities in two of the casino's wheels. Ignoring his advice, Claridge management left the wheels in service. The Walters clockers found the second biased wheel and the partners won $300,000 from it.

Here clearly is a demonstration of scientific method versus superstition. It is not known what mental processes guided Claridge management in this case, but it probably was the common belief that things will "even out" in time: the very kind of thinking that causes the general public to lose at its wheels. If you flip a coin five times and it comes up heads each time it is not "due" to come up tails on the next flip -- you probably have a two headed coin.

[Seattle Slew]

Although I did like it, I agree, it was very, very repetitive at times.

The book was just published last year but was written about Konick's experiences working for Walters in the late 1990's. Pretty interesting book but not a whole lot of substance and it is at times, very repetitive.

[compaqDikk]

i have the audioBook if anyone's interested in purchasing it from me. comes on 6 cds for you lazy fukks that don't want to read

[BuddyBear]

It's an easy book to read...a real page turner.

[Chi_archie]

very repetitive book....... does he have any other books that are any good? he talks about doing alot of writing about gambling in the book...


pretty sure the "doctor" who ran the gambling watch dog site the "cure" who is mentioned a few times in the book as a dirtball was the shrink

[empty cookie jar]

i read it when i had money....