Great new book out this past weekend on gambling....a MUST READ!!

Sportsrmylife · Nov 20, 2006

I was in Barnes and Noble this weekend killing sometime when I came across the book "Smart Money: The World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies out of Millions" by Michael Konik. Let me tell you I don't read alot but I couldn't put the book down. I finished the book last night...all 360+ pages in a little over 2 days. Man it is a great read. The main storyline is a big betting syndicate using Michael Konik as a beard to bet at Vegas casinos and offshore. The interesting parts are how the offshore places react to a big winner, how a few big time movie stars act as beards, and how he starts his own syndicate and crushes the books with teasers.

It is a great read.

If anyone has read it already what is your guess in how the movie star that lost $12,000,000 is 2 football season is?

Sugarbear · Nov 20, 2006

Eventually at some point thanks to you SML, a book called Sportsbook stories from the 90's. From degenrate to mature degenrate may also come out and be a great read. In fact it already is a great read.

Konick did mention the bearding of the Asians to run around those casino's, right? I will bet the movie star is asian too.

Sportsrmylife · Nov 20, 2006

Sugarbear I didn't know the guy was Asian. I take it that you are sick and tired of hearing about this story. What stories, true or not, have you heard about this guy?

fucnluc · Nov 20, 2006

Thanks for the tip. Going to get *home welcoming presents tomorrow for Thanksgiving, will pickup for some traveling reading.

Sportsrmylife · Nov 20, 2006

fucnluc said:
Thanks for the tip. Going to get *home welcoming presents tomorrow for Thanksgiving, will pickup for some traveling reading.

You won't be disappointed. When you get back stop here and let me know what you think.

HuskerFan1 · Nov 20, 2006

ill have to pick it up...ive read a couple of his books and other gambling books like The Odds/Bringing Down the House...and i agree once i start on page1 i wont put it down...i got BDTH as a xmas gift years ago when it 1st came out and i read it all afternoon into the night until i was done with it...great read...

Labeeb · Nov 20, 2006

Had a thread on this book a couple of weeks back. I have it sitting on the couch next to me waiting to be read. I'm in the middle of reading Mezrich's follow-up to Bringing Down The House. Pretty good read so far. Only problem is that I'm a slow reader.

Sugarbear · Nov 21, 2006

Sportsrmylife said:
Sugarbear I didn't know the guy was Asian. I take it that you are sick and tired of hearing about this story. What stories, true or not, have you heard about this guy?

I didn't say the guy was asian and I have not heard the story in as much as the time period it takes place in matches things I am aware of taking place.

That or coincidence and its second hand at that.

The story I am sick of hearing is the two for the money one. Brandon is an ex Feist employee whom moved back to New York, not got called upstream from some syndicate back east.

cadillacman · Nov 22, 2006

I just started reading this book. Am I right to assume this is about BW and the Computer Group?

BuzzRavanaugh · Nov 22, 2006

I would think that the movie star who lost so much was Bruce Willis.

Haven't read the book, don't know the story just my guess.

Iceman · Nov 22, 2006

cadillac man said:
I just started reading this book. Am I right to assume this is about BW and the Computer Group?

yes BW but it is about how he takes the author under his wing and teaches him how to win. Doesn't really focus on the computer group or it's characters.

JohnnyB · Nov 22, 2006

cadillac man said:
I just started reading this book. Am I right to assume this is about BW and the Computer Group?

Haven't actually read it yet, but yes, although he uses fake names in the book.

Sportsrmylife · Nov 23, 2006

I don't think that it is the Computer Group. I wanna say that they were shut down in the early 90s and this story takes place later. The star bettor isn't Bruce Willis as they note that teenage girls were all over this guy and that he was on TV and in movies around that time. I am thinking Leonardo DiCarpio. He would of been starting his movie career about that time but I can't remember what TV show he would of been on.

fucnluc · Dec 5, 2006

Got this book before Thanksgiving. Could only read first 50 pages or so as I was traveling drunk due to 5 hour layovers in Milwaukee @ the airport bars.

I'm near where he's switching to the Hilton sportsbook.

Will update later on my review when I get some free time to finish it.

full-housley · Dec 5, 2006

GREAT READ! I was thinking that it could be Leonardo DiCaprio as well...Growing Pains would have been on in the early 90's...and then What's Eating Gilbert Grape was around that time too. But I don't think that he was making $5 mil. per picture back then. So I'm not too sure.

What do you think about Konik walking away from his "Money Machine" and Argo Andy continuing on? True or not? And what about his "secret way to beat teasers"? If I remember correctly, before Konik quits, he goes 16-0, 12-0, 15-0, on teasers?. That's crazy!

Great new book out this past weekend on gambling....a MUST READ!!

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