Story time from the book:

It was 1994, in Pittsburgh. Was working multiple jobs & hanging out with guys who bet games and guys who booked games.

Everything was done in pick up and drop offs. Everything was done over the phone. Word of mouth was how info got passed. It was.. also how you got a guy.

There was no promo code. There were no bonuses (at least at the beginning). If Moses the barber took your action, it was because he knew you or someone vouched for you.

All the book guys I met had cool nicknames. Bussy, Philly, Pie, and Rabbi were..

Story time from the book:

March Madness is finally here. Games all day & night.

Being in a sportsbook in Las Vegas for it is quite the experience. Working in one is another level.

There have been stories over the years. Here is one about a future ticket that lives on and.. is forever brought up by friends in the business.

It’s 6:15 am Sunday morning in the book. We’ve just worked the first three days of the tournament.

14 hours Thursday, 16 hours Friday & 12 hours Saturday.

Non-stop, three days in a row, lines of people 100 deep, ticket..

Story time from the book:

Sitting with a guy today at the book. Both of us wearing hats.

Gray zip up guy walks up to us. He has an athletic bag over his shoulder and a notebook in his hand.

As we were talking, he goes “hey. I don’t mean to interrupt, but you guys look like.. you know what you are doing. Who do you like?”

My guy is a lifer. Everyone in the place knows & respects him. Like the kind of guy who don’t even let smoke get in his face if you smoke.

Anyways, my guy looks at him and goes “in what sport?”

“Football. Tonight’s game with..

Story time from the book:

At lunch with my dad, years ago, an old bookie guy told us..

“All this shit, all the sports, all the suits, all the hats, none of it means shit if you don’t take care of the home team.”

Remember like it was yesterday. Thought I knew shit. So I ask.. “Wait, what? Sports are fixed? Don’t tell me that.”

He smiled at my dad. Looked over at me. And went..

“Your home team is your family. You have to play strong at home. You don’t win every game, but you have to make sure they are good before you go on the road. You..

Story time from the book:

You guys know I talk about my time in the book fondly. Met so many people, have so many stories. Just was reminded of a couple from the Curacao days.

The names alone. All nicknames or monikers. The Rabbi. Lucky Larry. Gin Eddie. The Blade.

Most of.. the time, it was something they weren't or the city they were from or something they did.

The Rabbi was Italian and not Jewish. Larry was anything but Lucky, but he was in the movie "Casino." The Blade wasn't sharp.

Eddie was the best goddamn gin player on the planet, and..

Story Time from the Book:

Today is Thanksgiving. For many of us, today is a special day. For me, it is the three "F's." Back in school, F's were bad, but today, it's all about the Food, Football & Family.

The date was 11/27/1980. Bears at Lions. Det -3, 37 was the line.. Up to that point, I had always been a Steeler fan, growing up in the glory days of the Super Bowl Champs. Every Sunday, the day was centered around whether the game was on at 1pm or 4pm.

I knew we didn't like the Browns and Bengals, and despite the best uniforms in football..

Story time from the book:

For the past 20+ years, Memorial Day meant it was going to be a busy day in the book..

All the games, people off work, and business was booming..

I’d hustle to go from working to getting to Pap Pap & Grandma’s for food..

This year, it’s different.. because now we are all living together..

2020 was life changing for so many of us..

I had a stroke eight months ago, and, not only do I feel amazing, but I gained so much..

Perspective, reflection, gratitude, just to name a few..all things I had but I needed a reminder..

Story time from the book:

In the book, you don’t see women that much. It’s sports, it’s betting and it’s a lot of ego on both sides of the counter..

I say it all the time, but in case you missed it, nobody knows shit..

Except the women, of course, and Mother’s Day was always.. a special day in the book for me..

One thing we all know to be true is that we are here because of our mom. Whether your mom is a part of your life or not, that is on you and her..

It’s the hardest job in the world, yet there is no greater benefits plan or job satisfaction...

Story time from the book:

I often remember sporting events from days spent in the book over the years..

Games, bets or moments that were shared with people.

Dates & numbers that are etched into my memory.

April 23 is a date I will never forget but it was not for a game.. or a bet but it involves both in a way..

Eight years ago today, on a Tuesday, I was off from the book when my phone rang at 6:38am..

Mama Consig was calling..

“Hey, Ma. Good morning. It’s a little early. What’s up?”

There was a long pause.

“David, I woke up this morning..

Story time from the book:

Little Consig got me last week with the shit bet..

Today, we bet on whether the most important man on the walk to school (and my next job), the crossing guard, would be wearing the same pants he has worn every day since her return to school..

Every.. day, we walk by this man as the wind howls. He holds up his stop sign in one hand and puts his other hand up, stopping traffic immediately like the crash test dummies commercial.

Most people walk by in a hurry and don’t say a word. I am not most people.

I see him every day..

Story time from the book:

Last year, every morning, Little Consig and I walked to school..

8 minutes, priceless time, just me and her on the way to kindergarten..

We just went back to full time school this week, and already, we have a bet..

As a Consig kid, you got action.. when you want it, and we make odds on everything..

Parents know the day starts way earlier than the walk to school, but, as that Patriots guy says, there are no days off..

Here is what went on today by timeline on the walk to first grade in northwest Las Vegas..

Story time from the book:

So we are through round one of the Madness. It has been an absolutely crazy couple of days,

The next two days are always so much fun because now you know me, I know you and we are all enjoying the hoops.

Here are a few tips to make it go smooth the.. rest of the way of “boy band weekend” otherwise known as the NCAA tourney in the book..

1. NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY, cares about your bracket unless they ask. And even then, they may just be trying to be nice.

You had Ohio State in your Final Four? Texas? Or you had UConn..

Story time from the book:

The book business is a microcosm for life lessons.

There are rules, there is order & there is chaos, all within minutes at times.

Growing up in & around the business has been invaluable as a parent as well.

Just like bets, you win, lose or push but you just wanna be right more than you are wrong.

Sometimes, the plan comes together. Other times, it’s a dead wrong loser. But the juice is always working.

Bettors, books, pick girls, bag guys, and everyone else in between, the one line we can all agree on is that we all..

Story time from the book:

At this time last year, we were preparing for March Madness. The day the book turned off the odds, closed the windows, and sports shut down is a story for another time.

There will be a tourney this year, and here is a guide to be prepared in case.. you forgot. It’s only been a year, but you know the Boy Scouts motto “Be Prepared” applies in the sports book as well.

The Scout motto means that you are always ready to do what is necessary to help others. It also means you are ready, willing, and able to do what is..

Story time from the book:

As you may or may not know, in addition to working in sportsbooks in Las Vegas for 17 years, I am a softball coach..

The last tourney I coached before Covid was with Coach Vern..here is a fitting tribute to him..he was one..

bluecollarmg.com/post/thank-you… of those people who had that "thing" that you know when you see it..

The big straw hat, the shades, the beard, and all the sayings and "Vern-isms" that were unique to him..

He knew everybody..players, coaches, umpires and tournament directors, and they knew him..

He made..

Story time from the book:

Saturday is one of the busiest days of the year for a sportsbook.

With a full slate of college basketball games, NBA, NHL, soccer and, oh, yeah, the biggest football game of the NFL season and the slew of props that come with it..

The electricity.. in the book is just that..electric..

Everyone, both customer and employee, are excited to be there..

By today, the regulars are pissed off that their usual seat is reserved, let alone that they may have to wait in line to bet the exacta in the 3rd at Oaklawn or get their..

Story time from the book:

In case you haven’t heard, the Super Bowl props are out. If you don’t know what the props are, they are bets on the game that are not:

side (team +/- points)
total (over/under)
money line (team win/lose no pts)

Anything and everything, including.. the coin flip (not just heads or tails, but which team wins it & whether they will defer or not), or who is going to win the MVP..

Every year, the books try to top one another with these prop offerings, and it can get pretty silly..

But you know the old adage in the casino..

Story time from the book:

It’s the lead up to Super Bowl week, and for the first time in almost 20 years, I will not be working in a book for the Super Bowl..

Between the counter, the party rooms & the risk rooms, I’ve seen a lot..

This was my spot the last couple years in.. the office here in Las Vegas..

It’s screens and TVs..

For those of you who have been in a book, you see them from the front..you sit with your friends in nice seats, watch games and root for your bets..

What you may miss is the people on the other side of the counter doing..

Story time from the book:

Some of my favorite places to be are places or venues where people are just people..

Ballgames, the beach & yes, the sportsbook..

People can be just people..

Famous, rich, smart, sexy, doesn’t matter..

Today, I woke up & heard that Larry King died.. and it reminded me of a story..

Back about 14 or 15 years ago, I was working an opening shift in the book downtown at the Golden Nugget..

It was a Wednesday and it was me and Marissa, my Filipino co-worker who was a Keno writer turned sportsbook writer..

Marissa didn’t like..

Story time from the book:

People ask me every day “who are the sharp guys on”

My guy @lippardtom is one of the smartest sports bettors I know..

He go 6’4”, hits a golf ball a mile & has a real good opinion..

Plus, he is a #BillsMafia guy and he has ALL 4 teams left..

And..

https://twitter.com/lippardtom/status/1352381256256765954

Not to mention, he is someone who’s opinion I respect..

Just like The Godfather, I never asked where the money came from..I never asked who gave the order..

I did ask him to be on my podcast and he said yes..

He came on October 8th in Week Five and told us that Buffalo could..

Story time from the book:

You all know the importance of the number 3 when you make a football bet.

You wanna lay 2.5 or you wanna take 3.5. We have all heard 3 is a key number.

Today is officially 3 months for me to the day since I had a stroke that changed my life.. forever..

What you hear, what you know, and even more what you don’t know about strokes isn’t good in most cases..

My Nonny D’s third husband suffered a stroke when I was 7 or 8 years old..

His name was John and he had the heartiest laugh and treated my grandma like a..