by Steve Budin, Bob Schaller
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Product Description
The son of a legendary New York bookmaker, Steve Budin learned the ins and outs of taking bets at an early age. By the time he was sixteen he was already taking action from his schoolmates, their parents, even his teachers. He graduated to running high-roller excursions to Las Vegas, where he plied his wealthy clients with sex and drugs and watched as the casinos made a fortune on their losses. But then one day Budin had a vision that would change the gambling industry forever. He moved to Central America and began taking bets over the telephone, wresting bettors from the clutches of the corner bookmaker and laying the foundation for the internet gambling revolution to come. First in Panama and later in Costa Rica, Budin's company raked in hundreds of millions of dollars. Along the way he had to navigate the treacherous waters of corrupt government officials, shady businessmen, and technological difficulties to emerge as the father of the modern offshore sports gambling industry. His vision, along with his ambition and charismatic leadership, brought him to the heights of success in his tropical paradise, where every night was a party and every day presented a new chance to make a fortune. Only the intervention of the U.S. government was able to bring his dramatic success to an end. This is his story, in his own words, as only he could tell it. It's absorbing reading for anyone interested in the big business of sports gambling, modern entrepreneurship, or a first-hand look at what it's truly like to live the high life.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 The Wild Beginnings of Offshore Bookmaking, 2008-01-09
"Bets, Drugs and Rock & Roll" by Steve Budin. This book was written by the father of off shore sports book gambling and is a truly fascinating read. Having learned the basics of bookmaking from his father, who was one of the top bookies in New York City, Steve Budin demonstrated a remarkable talent for his chosen field. The book charts his rise from his early days as a high school bookmaker in Florida, who took bets from his classmates as well as their parents and his teachers, through his time as a casino host to his setting up of the first real offshore sports book in Panama and later in Costa Rica. He describes the difficulties this posed as well as his success in overcoming the many obstacles placed in his path. Steve Budin also discusses his battles with the US government, whichultimately lead to his downfall, notwithstanding that he was meticulous about paying taxes on his earnings. The book is filled with interesting tidbits about some of his celebrity clients, which included actors and professional athletes to his own philosophy about the proper conduct of a bookie. The book also provides an excellent introduction to the basics of sports betting which I found especially enlightening. I will note that Mr. Budin frequently pats himself on the back in his book and brags about his accomplishments but I think he is entitled to his pride when you realize he helped create what is now a multi-billion dollar industry. The book is a fast paced read which I finished in one sitting.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 Absolutely horrible!, 2007-12-29
all he talks about is how great is father is (the guy seems to be in line for the nobel peace prize) and how smart he is when all he really is is a tool for the New York mob, which called all the shots. The guy is a shameless self promoter. I am ashamed I spend money on this book and immediately tossed it in the garbage.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Great Seller, 2007-12-28
Fast shipping, great product, got exactly as described. I would do buisness with this seller again! :) Thank you!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Avoid this book-unless you like Stu Feiner, 2007-12-26
A third grader could have written a better book. This guy supposedly has the father of the year who was 6 foot 4 and full of muscle with the brains of Einstein and could never make a mistake. He makes the old man out to be Gandhi.
He makes himself out to be the coolest guy since James Bond. He admits that he smoked weed and cheated on his wife on a regular basis (she is also a Miss Universe clone). At the end of course he talks about how he is devoted to Jesus his savior and how he dedicated his life to him.
The so called "adventures" he goes through are so trumped up with BS and tall tales that you have no idea where the truth ends and fiction starts.
He apparently knows every mobster and wise guy in New York and Miami. He claims to be an international jet-setter.
Of course one his good buddies is Stu Feiner. If you know anything about sports betting I don't need to go any further.
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I did finish it out of some outside chance that the end would be better. That did not happen.
I had never heard of the guy and I follow this subject very closely. He really seems to be a two-bit broken down gambler with a trifle of a story that is blown way out of proportion.
If you like sports gaming and the stories that go with it find another book.
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Amazing Book, 2007-12-19
This is a truly fascinating tale of the rise and fall of a Sports Gambling ring. Steve Budin was a self-made millionaire before turning thirty, and we see how he coped with the money, the drugs, the sports, and the fall of it all. The book sucks you in to the very last page.
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