ESPN Show

[matt]

Last year, I produced a television story for HBO about offshore sportsbooks and got an enormous amount of help from Bettorsworld. I was hoping you guys could help me out again.

I am currently producing a show for ESPN about gambling on the Super Bowl. The goal
of the show is to explore how popular sports gambling has become by looking at different parts of the business during Super Bowl week.

ESPN is looking to follow some people (and some places) during Super Bowl week: 2-3 professional gamblers, a Vegas sportsbook, an offshore sportsbook, a linesmaker, an office pool and a local bookie.

Don't worry: ESPN is not looking to bash anyone, expose anyone or get anyone in trouble. Instead, I want to tell the story of a billion dollar industry on its biggest day.
If you're interested in participating or have any questions, please e-mail me at mmaranz@home.com or contact Brian or Jeff.

Thanks for your help,
Matt Maranz
ESPN

[WSE-Steve]

Matt

Thanks for the terrific job you did on your
story for H.B.O. If I can assist you in any
way on your new story please call me at 800-428-3319.


Sincerely,
Steve WSEX

P.S.
Jay Cohen's trial begins on Feb 14

[Hartley]

>>Jay Cohen's trial begins on Feb. 14<<

Hopefully love will be in the air and they'll throw out the charges .

Actually if ESPN wants to do a show on the trial I'm sure people here would be more than happy to tell you what we think of the United States government, Senator Kyl and the case in general.

[playersonly]

The last time ESPN did a story on offshore gaming was during the NCAA and it was a smear job on CBS' links with sportsbook.com in an attempt to wrestle away the NCAA/CBS contract; which obviously didn't work.

The thing that really upset me, was that while ESPN was interviewing me they told me on numerous occasions that this would be an article that supported the industry.

I hope your not trying to pull one over on bettorsworld...just as you did one year ago. I truly hope you follow through with your good intentions as you claim in writing.

Just remember, Bettorsworld doesn't forget.

Sincerely
Patrick

[bgeorgia]

matt did not "pull one over" on anybody. conversely, he did an excellnt job as many people here will tell you.

that being said, bettorsworld has complete confidence in what will be presented in this espn show.

brian

[parlay]

i just wish that espn was able to wrestle away the tourney contract from cbs(by any means necessary). then maybe we would get some decnt coverage of the tourney instead of live look-ins at a time out of a blow out while cutting away from an exciting game. and we might get to see more than 4 games/day.
maybe in 2010.

[Jeff]

Patrick, I generally agree with you as far as the press is concerned.

I've been "had" once or twice by the press, to the point that I vowed never to talk with anyone again. The most frustrating part, is that you can talk at length with a reporter only to have them print one sentence of all you said, and have it be totally out of context, or fit to their liking.

That being said, it's important to note that Matt is a freelance reporter. He did the HBO story, and has done plenty of non sports related stories as well.

I'm confident, having spoken with Matt today, that this story will be just what he says it will be.

A general overview of the entire industry, both offshore and Vegas, in one of it's biggest weeks of the year, The Super Bowl.

[nickles]

Hey Matt, e-mail me your contact info..i can put you in touch with some Vegas guys and some Off-Shore groups..flatbet@yahoo.com

[win4bb]

Jim Grey had info that was going to help out Pete's cause when he ambushed him on live television,and wasn't out to "bash him."The only thing this "Matt" if thats his real name,has going for him is that he's not from Sports Illustrated the biggest smearmeister's sportsbetting has ever seen.Even if he is legit and not trying to make a name for himself someone else will edit out most everything positive he had reported on.
My prediction for this show's content.
5% on pool's at work
5% professional bettors
45% compulsive gambling
45% organized crime and or point shaving and interviews with players that shaved points to try to get out of their own betting trouble.

[Lou_Covers_Com]

I'll vouch for Matt. I helped him out a couple of years ago for the first story (on scamdicappers), and he was definitely on the up-an-up and seemed pretty unbiased.

Matt, I'll be happy to help out if you want, although I'm not sure if I fall into any of your requested categories.

[win4bb]

Sorry Matt for for being so skeptical.Its just that personally im tired of these tv specials that portray the average bettor as someone that just started for a little fun and then progressed into a complete degenerate low life thanks to internet gambling and lost everything they have or could borrow to support their habit

[STING]

matt's special report was the best by far - real sports

[Dot Mix]

I wish someone would contrast sports wagering with the government run state lotteries that finds lines of people buying tickets, scratching them when they step aside, and running back into line to buy more or redeem for more tickets. Go to any lottery agent or retail store that sells these scratch or lottery tickets if you want to see some sorry people. After the pension checks come in beginning of the month 90 % of the people are the little old ladies and retired men that appear to be degenerate gamblers buying into the worst form of "rip-off" based on odds of winning ever invented by man. These state run lotteries and the way they blatantly screw the participants make the mafia loansharks look like discount lending institutions. I'm from Massachusetts (nuff said), and the state owned scratch ticket business is recently revealed to have had insiders from the State Lottery office stealing or aquiring winning scratch tickets----tickets that never got out (somehow)into the public vendors. Of course----the state claims this occurance had no real impact on the success of the lotteries. If I were a lottery or scratch player I would be so pis*ed. I don't know if this is realistic, but I'm hoping a class action suit against the state occurs in behalf of those people who got even a worse "shake" for their money because of the thievery. There are people out there with drawers and envelope filled with these losing "scam tickets". I'm not one of them, but if I were I'd vomit every time I looked at one!!

[STING]

I've written about this a great deal. Jon Kyl is worse than any of those thieves from the State Lottery you describe.

[STING]

I've written about this a great deal. Jon Kyl is worse than any of those thieves from the State Lottery you describe.