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The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions | 
 enlarge | Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
Category: EBooks
List Price: $17.99
Buy New: $5.99
You Save: $12.00 (67%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  54 reviews
Sales Rank: 3837
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Dewey Decimal Number: 795
ASIN: B000MGAU6G
Publication Date: November 23, 2006
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
"A riveting inside look at the lucrative world of professional high-stakes sports betting by a journalist who lived a secret life as a key operative in the world's most successful sports gambling ring. When journalist Michael Konik landed an interview with Rick "Big Daddy" Matthews, the largest bet he'd placed on a sporting event was $200. Konik, an expert blackjack and poker player, was no stranger to Vegas. But Matthews was in a different league: the man was rumored to be the world's smartest sports bettor, the mastermind behind "the Brain Trust," a shadowy group of gamblers known for their expertise in beating the Vegas line. Konik had heard the word on the street -- that Matthews was a snake, a conniver who would do anything to gain an edge. But he was also brilliant, cunning, and charming. And when he asked Konik if he'd like to "make a little money" during the football season, the writer found himself seduced . . .So began Michael Konik's wild ride as an operative of the elite Brain Trust. In The Smart Money, Konik takes readers behind the veil of secrecy shrouding the most successful sports betting operation in America, bypassing the myths and the rumors, going all the way to its innermost sanctum. He reveals how they -- and he -- got rich by beating the Vegas lines and, ultimately, the multimillion-dollar offshore betting circuit. He details the excesses and the betrayals, the horse-trading and the paranoia, that are the perks and perils of a lifestyle in which staking inordinate sums of money on the outcome of a single event -- sometimes as much as $1 million on a football game -- is a normal part of doing business."
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| Customer Reviews: Read 49 more reviews...
 Surprisingly good July 12, 2008
The Smart Money was an exciting page turner; I found it similar to Bringing Down the House, except it explores the world of high stakes sports gambling instead of blackjack. It depicts Vegas and the action in a way amateur bettors only dream about. I do think the author was excessive with his thesaurus though. Also, the title is a little misleading, in that you never learn how the picks are made. Still, it's well worth the money and the time. You'll want to check out the current lines before you're finished.
 The Smart Money June 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't get much time to read for pleasure and haven't read an entire book in 4 years. This book was suggested to me by a colleague as an entertainment read and entertaining it was. When he gave me the copy, I figured that I would read the cover (maybe the first and last chapter). Well, one page led to the next chapter and I eventually finished the entire book in 4 days. I have some prior knowledge of this business, yet I can honestly say that I learned a few things about the intricasies of the sports betting markets.
Great story and an easy read. You would be hard pressed to find a better storyteller and story in this genre.
Enjoyable read for sports bettors June 4, 2008
This was an incredibly entertaining read. If you're not interested in Las Vegas, you probably won't enjoy this. If you're into sports but not sports betting, this might bring you around. If you're a sports bettor I think you'll enjoy this read.
The one thing I was missing was any specific example of how the picks were made. It's clear why Konik wasn't given access to the formulas and calculations. [...]. My respect and appreciation for what Google has accomplished is because they gave me a taste of how complex it is with PageRank. I wish this book had done the same with a single formula that would have illuminated while also not giving away the store.
Overall, the book is a good time. Check it out.
A Must Read! March 5, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Michael Konik provides the reader with a rare glimpse of what we all dream the world of sports betting will be like. He tells an amazing story of how he became involved in one of the most successful betting teams of all times. For any reader that has tried to overcome the 11/10 odds the bookmakers provide, this is an enjoyable story of a few men who actually did it.
For non-gamblers, this provides the details of what obstacles the casino's put in front of successful handicappers and anyone who actually wins consistantly at a casino.
Mr. Konik does not intend to provide the reader with statistical data and computer programs on how to beat these odds makers, however he does provide the reader with an accurate reflection of what life is like for those who do it. Gambling can become all-consuming, and Mr. konik had the smarts to see what direction his life was taking and change that.
An absolute must read for all those interested in Sports Handicapping, and those who don't know a thing about it!
 Enjoyable read...not enough inormation February 25, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
A fun look at the world of hi stakes sports betting. I would have preferred more information on WHY their system was so successful.
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