Thread by @SportsbkConsig

With the #NBAPlayoffs coming down to the Finals, and it being a slow day in general, I thought I would share another story.

The last story I shared was about the biggest bet I’ve seen. Today, I will talk about one of the biggest bets I personally had to ok...

The difference..

is when you are “the guy in the chair,” there is no one to call. No one to get clearance from. It is your decision.

It’s always easier to say “take the bet” when it’s not your job on the line.

I love when people say “a big place like this, and you won’t take a bet....

Until you have “sat in the chair”, you may think you know, but you don’t know.

Every bet is different, every market is different, every bettor is different (sans the cleaning crew), and every shop is different.

Risk averse, risk tolerant, risk stupid or risk denial..

It all varies. Regardless, every place is different and has different models, philosophies, and hierarchies. So, bottom line, there is no one way of doing things.

Rant off. Back to my story. It was Feb 1997. I was in an place far away. Business was just starting out, but..

we had action. It was growing, and we had “some gamble” in us.

Taking bigger limits, putting people on, and doing things to make it really go.

The post Super Bowl weeks are a real grind in the business now, and back then, it was even more so. We just needed to keep ...

signing people up, and hopefully, keep writing tickets.

As always, a guy calls to ask about limits in hoops. We give him the standard stuff and tell him we can work with him if he wants more.

Without blinking, he says he will want more. Ok, send the money and we will talk...

He does. With his account set up, he sends the play.

I’ll never forget the operator calling out the play.

“I have the Bulls for 50 dimes.”

What? Did you 5-0 or 1-5?

We were taking 10 so I was curious to say the least.

She slowed it down...

like I was the one who spoke English as a third language.

“Five-zerooooo on the Bulllllls”

Time stopped. Heart started racing.

You look at the line. You look at your exposure. Hmmm, you think.

It was Bulls at Cavs. Bulls were 49-7, Cavs 31-24.

The line was somewhere...

around Bulls-6 on the road.

I had been trained, but this was different.

The guy who taught me would take the bet, no question.

The guy making the bet is a new guy who is taking a shot.

Back and forth, for what seemed like an eternity, but was most likely 30 seconds...

“It’s good.” Click approve. Move the line.

The guy was all in so now we just needed to see what happened with the line.

Within 5 minutes, a very respected play came in on the Cavs.

I could breathe a little easier.

The rest of the day crawled along without much...

fanfare or notable stuff. Not lying, I was waiting for the Bulls-Cavs to start.

Ironically, when it finally did, I couldn’t watch. I think I lasted halfway through the first quarter. This was not the normal “sweat” that we have with a wager on a game.

“I’m going to grab...

something to eat. I’ll be back. Keep an eye on the late games.”

Couldn’t eat much. Didnt have a phone to check the score. And no TV to even temp me.

Back to office. Came in and the co pilot was smiling ear to ear like the Joker.

“Did you see the score?”

Not yet...

but I’m either going to hug you or punch you right in that dumb ass grin on your face.

I checked the score with one eye open. There it was:

Bulls 70
Cavs 73

Final.

Whew. A sigh of relief more than anything. Then, more plays being called out and business as usual.

There...

have been many more “plays” since then, but as the saying goes:

you always remember your first.