Aug.29.16. Sports betting contest gets rolling
Last Friday August 26, I paid a visit to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook to witness the kickoff of their SuperContest weekend. This annual pro football handicapping contest, to my understanding, started in the late eighties and has persisted over the years under various names, formats and management. Essentially, contestants compete for prize money by coming up with the best winning picks percentage against the point spread during the regular season. What caught my attention was the dramatic growth in participants over the last five years, proof positive that sports betting is gaining momentum and mainstream followers.
Walking around, I had a chance to interview Jay Kornegay (Westgate’s SuperBook Director and SuperContest organizer), plus a handful of new and returning players for their impressions on this year’s contest. I also ran into Steve Prentky, a former contest winner whom we’ve interviewed for the documentary back in August 2015, as he officially enters the SuperContest this year. Finally, I was able to get some pointed observations from two veteran handicappers, Joe D’Amico and Tony George, about the event and sports betting trends in general. Truly, it was a worthwhile trip and an eventful feature for our documentary.
Apr. 14.15. Writing on the wall?
The conversation to allow legalized gambling in American pro sports is definitely gaining more press coverage these days. In this Vox article, on ESPN and the New York Times, among others, people are now hearing stronger views for changing U.S.
Apr. 21.15. NPYB meets “Vegas Dave”
Today, we had the chance to interview professional sports bettor Dave Oancea or “Vegas Dave” to his many fans and followers in Las Vegas, around the country, and on social media. Energetic, gregarious, and passionate about sports, Dave belongs to an
Sep. 22.14. Mob Museum
I visited the Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas to take notes on the history of mob activities in Las Vegas, including their foray into sports gambling. I took note of the tons of photos and displays inside the museum
No Comments
