"The Book on Bookies" was very insightful for those curious about the gambling world and those who want to start their own outfit. It was written as a "How To" book on starting one's own operation detailing the types of action taken, how to not get caught, how to collect, and how to be very successful. There were a few points missing, namely how to deal with smart gamblers (something the author adamantly believes do not exist), and how the offshore and internet casinos have affected the bookie business. There is such as thing as a smart gambler, one who uses legitimate handicapping services, unloads a ton of action on one game every few weeks, bets the same dollar amount each time no matter what, and clears his account once the season is over. I could personally guarantee that I would have ALWAYS taken his money at the end of football season. The question remains: what should be done with a gambler who has control of his wagers and sees sports gambling as a way to consistently turn a profit at the end of a season? Should the bookie not take his action and direct him elsewhere? The author left this point out because he believes the winning gambler does not exist, but I assure him that they do even though they consist of less than 5% of the gambling population. Another question I had was "Should a bookie place a bet with another operation if he has too much action on one side of a game?" Reason dictates that if the same amount is wagered with someone else (preferably with a legit offshore casino) then no matter the outcome, the bookie will turn a profit from the juice. All in all, a good read (didn't much care for the jab at Philadelphia, but every Philadelphian would stick up for their city no matter what), and recommended to those interested in this underworld. I would like to speak with the author if he was available, but no information was given about his whereabouts (go figure).
