Nicky

[gordon gekko]

When you were a bookie, where did you get a majority of your clientel?

[Nicky Santoro]

When you were a bookie, where did you get a majority of your clientel?

only 1 way gordie geiko..

WORD OF MOUTH

friends would bring in friends and they'd refer their friends and so on and so on. we'd start the season wtih 12 customers, and by week 1 NFL... or 5 months later, we had over 100 customers.

that's how it works, gordy geiko..

[gordon gekko]

only 1 way gordie geiko..

WORD OF MOUTH

friends would bring in friends and they'd refer their friends and so on and so on. we'd start the season wtih 12 customers, and by week 1 NFL... or 5 months later, we had over 100 customers.

that's how it works, gordy geiko..

How did you know who was reliable?

[accuscoresucks]

word of mouth is more popular than one could ever imagine.
better than handing out 20k flyers,and a advertising all over

[Nicky Santoro]

How did you know who was reliable?

when a friend brings in his buddy,. right away, we ddin't care if the friend could pay or not.. the referer had to guarantee his funds or he can't play with us.. if he says, no, i dont guarantee his money, then he dont play.. we need some sort of guarantee.. they usually would say, i will vouch for him. if he says, i am not vouching for him. no bets from him..

also, if we dont know him and he wants to bet with us out of the blue, we cap him at 500 for the week. anytime he reaches 500 or close to it, he can't bet anymore till he settles.. and if after 3 months he is good and pays on time and all, we raise his cap to 1k and so on.. and we'll usually check on him before and call up other bookies to see if they know him, or if he has any outstanding debts..

but usually, before we take any bets from anyone, we need someone who knows him to vouch for his friend.. and the people that vouch are usually our most honorable customers, so the money is safe..

[gordon gekko]

when a friend brings in his buddy,. right away, we ddin't care if the friend could pay or not.. the referer had to guarantee his funds or he can't play with us.. if he says, no, i dont guarantee his money, then he dont play.. we need some sort of guarantee.. they usually would say, i will vouch for him. if he says, i am not vouching for him. no bets from him..

also, if we dont know him and he wants to bet with us out of the blue, we cap him at 500 for the week. anytime he reaches 500 or close to it, he can't bet anymore till he settles.. and if after 3 months he is good and pays on time and all, we raise his cap to 1k and so on..

but usually, before we take any bets from anyone, we need someone who knows him to vouch for his friend.. and the people that vouch are usually our most honorable customers, so the money is safe..

Nicky you are very informative thanks! Also how do you avoid the law? How much jail time if you get caught?

[gordon gekko]

Sorry Nicky for all the questions I am just really curious how the whole operation works. How many guys do you usually have working with you? How do you put the lines out there for the bettors to see ?

[Nicky Santoro]

usually the cops leave you alone.. the only time they come in is when there is a threat reported.. like one of our guys once called a guys house who didn't want to pay, and he called and threatened his GF if he dont pay, we will break your BF's legs.

big mistake... cops came in, they tapped line and busted us.. i got busted 2 times in the same month, no joke.. each time, 2,000 fine and 12 hrs in a holding cell, till my lawyer came to get me.. then 2 months after, the court hearing,, 2k fine, and next day, we're all back at it again..it's usually a slap on the wrist.. no jail.. but they break in, empty out your whole appartment, looking for cash.. i never had cash with me, so i was ok..

so basically, to avoid getting busted.. don't threaten anyone's life, and you'll be ok.. they will leave you alone. once someone makes complaint about breaking legs or whatever, you're gone..

[Nicky Santoro]

Sorry Nicky for all the questions I am just really curious how the whole operation works. How many guys do you usually have working with you? How do you put the lines out there for the bettors to see ?

remember this was in the mid 90's.. no internet yet.. it was just getting started. we had line services on a screen and they'd all call up and get lines and we'd read them on the phone to them, they'd call us back with the picks and we'd give them the changes.. and they'd bet the games.. all bets were taped on phone.. it went pretty smooth..whoever were sharp and beating us to #'s, we'd boot them.. and only keep the squares like JJgold.

[Panic]

usually the cops leave you alone.. the only time they come in is when there is a threat reported.. like one of our guys once called a guys house who didn't want to pay, and he called and threatened his GF if he dont pay, we will break your BF's legs.

big mistake... cops came in, they tapped line and busted us.. i got busted 2 times in the same month, no joke.. each time, 2,000 fine and 12 hrs in a holding cell, till my lawyer came to get me.. then 2 months after, the court hearing,, 2k fine, and next day, we're all back at it again..it's usually a slap on the wrist.. no jail.. but they break in, empty out your whole appartment, looking for cash.. i never had cash with me, so i was ok..

so basically, to avoid getting busted.. don't threaten anyone's life, and you'll be ok.. they will leave you alone. once someone makes complaint about breaking legs or whatever, you're gone..

Right there. Truer words have never been spoken.

[gordon gekko]

lol Nice, and only a few more questions Nick.

1.How many guy's were usually working for you in this operation, what were there diff. jobs?
2. What do you do with people who don't settle? ( the stiffs )

[Nicky Santoro]

lol Nice, and only a few more questions Nick.

1.How many guy's were usually working for you in this operation, what were there diff. jobs?
2. What do you do with people who don't settle? ( the stiffs )

we were 4 guys..

1 guy on phone.--- that was usually me 96% of the time..
1 guy to get us the customers
2 guys to do the paying and collecting.



and people that stiffed or tried to stiff. we'd sit with them and instead of threatening to break legs, we'd talk nicely to them and ask them how they intend to pay the 2400.. we recommend a payment plan, like 300 a week for 8 weeks, and usually, they'd agree. we try to get as much as we can... and if they stop after 6 weeks and they have no more money, we let it go and call it a bad debt.. and just move on.. NO COPS.. try to never threat and have cops involved. this is the key.

so there you go gordy.. it's like i made the vid about being a bookie for you.. remember you asked me to make a vid about being a bookie.. sorry i didn't do it, but here it is.

if you have more questions, go ahead..

[gordon gekko]

we were 4 guys..

1 guy on phone.--- that was usually me 96% of the time..
1 guy to get us the customers
2 guys to do the paying and collecting.



and people that stiffed or tried to stiff. we'd sit with them and instead of threatening to break legs, we'd talk nicely to them and ask them how they intend to pay the 2400.. we recommend a payment plan, like 300 a week for 8 weeks, and usually, they'd agree. we try to get as much as we can... and if they stop after 6 weeks and they have no more money, we let it go and call it a bad debt.. and just move on.. NO COPS.. try to never threat and have cops involved. this is the key.

so there you go gordy.. it's like i made the vid about being a bookie for you.. remember you asked me to make a vid about being a bookie.. sorry i didn't do it, but here it is.

if you have more questions, go ahead..

Thank you Nicky you have been a lot of help.

Still a few more questions lol

Where do you usually go to collect and do most people put there bets in person or over the phone? Would you recommend being a bookie?

[Panic]

I got a question, Nicky. What happens when you as the book cant pay?...not saying you personally, but in general...if a book goes on tilt and gets crushed and cant pay. I would figure it would be hard to stick around in the same city while owing a bunch of people, a bunch of money.

[gordon gekko]

I got a question, Nicky. What happens when you as the book cant pay?...not saying you personally, but in general...if a book goes on tilt and gets crushed and cant pay. I would figure it would be hard to stick around in the same city while owing a bunch of people, a bunch of money.

Nice one Panic!

[Nicky Santoro]

we usually meet a person to pay and collect in a restaurant. always in a public place.. people always put their bets on the phone.. not in person.. and i dont recommend you to be a bookie.. not worth the aggravation.. people dont pay always.. you have to chase people.. risky (cops) you're better off betting at matchy... it's almost like being a bookie.. almost... not quite.. but almost.. i am serious..


panner,

not really. if a book goes down.. and stiff everyone.. usually people will accept it, since everyone else got stiffed. but if you pay only 14 customers and stiff the other 74 customers. then you have trouble.. people will want their money cause you paid tony, but didn't pay johnny.. and they will chase you till you pay.. it could get ugly.. but it's rare. usually books do pay and customers are ones that dont pay..i've been stiffed many many times by books when i was betting back then or laying off action..and they coudnt pay us.. so they paid us in installments till it was all paid.. and sometimes if they really did lose everything.. you just have to forget it and move on.. it's a bad debt and it happens.. part of the business. you have to accept it..

[gordon gekko]

Nicky how much cash were you making while being a bookie?

[RogueJuror]

gordy lets book SoFla, come we can do this

[gordon gekko]

gordy lets book SoFla, come we can do this

You serious Roguer?

[Nicky Santoro]

Nicky how much cash were you making while being a bookie?

you crazy gordie.. you want me to tell you how much i was making? what are you a cop? now i am starting to think after all these questions that maybe you're a fed..

i can't answer this gordie, but i will say this.. like i said, i was a very small % at 10%.. i was the main guy.. the phone guy.. i moved the lines.. i took all the calls.. did the readbacks.. you name it.. the bigger guys got 30% each.. they did the hard work.. i was the phone guy only.. it's probably the most mportant part of the whole business.. but i only got 10%..

i will say this though.. bookmaking is soooooooooooooooooo fukkin profitable.. nothing compared to what anyone offshore can make gambling.. when you've got 120 squares betting into you only favs, overs and lots of parlays at jacked up prices.... oh my freakin lord..

[gordon gekko]

you crazy gordie.. you want me to tell you how much i was making? what are you a cop? now i am starting to think after all these questions that maybe you're a fed..

i can't answer this gordie, but i will say this.. like i said, i was a very small % at 10%.. i was the main guy.. the phone guy.. i moved the lines.. i took all the calls.. did the readbacks.. you name it.. the bigger guys got 30% each.. they did the hard work.. i was the phone guy only.. it's probably the most mportant part of the whole business.. but i only got 10%..

i will say this though.. bookmaking is soooooooooooooooooo fukkin profitable.. nothing compared to what anyone offshore can make gambling.. when you've got 120 squares betting into you only favs, overs and lots of parlays at jacked up prices.... oh my freakin lord..

No Nicky I could assure I am not a fed lol. But Nicky you contradict yourself first you say not to do it but at the same time you make it sound like hitting the lottery. Which it kind of is.

[gordon gekko]

Nicky do you anything about starting up an offshore book?

[Nicky Santoro]

i am saying dont do it because it's a big headache paying, collecting bad debts from deadbeats with no money, getting caught by cops.. having a criminal record.. and so many other reasons.. if this were 1994, i'd tell you to go ahead.. but today, there is good books out there.. and you can still get good prices.. and still make good money, and legally too.. without having to look over your shoulder every second for cops and worrying about your door being busted down.. like i had 2 times.. just not worth it anymore.. you're better off gambling offshore and being clean.. it's perfectly legal offshore to bet, but not to book..

[RogueJuror]

Too much heat in SoFla gordy, is alot worse now than what Nicky described you from the '90s up north. Bettors are alot more educated also with the internet and knowing what the numbers should be, can't do lots of hustles.

[gordon gekko]

Thanks for the input Nicky. I should go move out to CR with Sharky and start up an offshore book.