What other top sports bettors, bookmakers say about Billy Walters
Billy Walters’ autobiography, “Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk,” will be released Tuesday.
We asked Las Vegas oddsmakers, bookmakers, pro bettors and a casino owner for their thoughts on Walters, widely considered to be the greatest sports gambler of all time.
Johnny Avello, DraftKings sportsbook director, former Wynn sportsbook director
“I consider him to be one of the top sharpest players that you’ll ever find.
“He was always a very charming guy.”
Billy Baxter, Poker Hall of Famer, Sports Gambling Hall of Famer
“Billy Walters, without a doubt, is not only the greatest gambler ever but the most successful person, by miles, that ever was involved with gambling. The world doesn’t really know but what he did was almost impossible, where he come from and where he wound up. It’s pretty amazing.
“He started with nothing. You can’t count someone else’s money, but I’m pretty sure he’s a billionaire. Not a millionaire. A billionaire.
“He’s the only person that ever really beat sports. When I say beat it, destroyed it, over a long period of time, 30 to 40 years. Nobody ever figured it out to this day. That’s pretty amazing in itself because there’s a lot of really smart people that work on sports these days.”
Jack Binion, longtime Binion’s Horseshoe owner
“If there’s a Mount Rushmore of sports gambling, there’s only one face on the mountain and that’s Billy Walters. No one else is close.
“The most amazing thing is he’s been out in front of everybody not just for years, but for more than three decades.”
Nick Bogdanovich, Circa sportsbook manager, former sportsbook director at Binion’s Horseshoe, William Hill
“He definitely won the most, and he did it under very difficult circumstances. Everyone was trying to steal his plays. Trying to get down what you need to on your game, he became a master at that.
“The Computer Group was already in business before he came around. He got involved and took it to new heights.”
Vinny Magliulo, Gaughan Gaming sportsbook director, former Caesars Sportsbook vice president
“He’s the most calculating gambler I’ve ever met. He moved more numbers than the Federal Reserve. And if I’m in a two-man (golf) scramble, I want to be his partner.
“His research is unsurpassed. He has his opinion, and he gets other people’s respected opinions. I’ve always found him to be honorable. He was a man of his word.”
Rufus Peabody, top pro sports bettor
“Being able to get that much money down and being able to move the markets, I have so much respect for his abilities to do that. There’s a reason his name would inspire fear in bookmakers as much as he did. He’s a legend.”
Michael “Roxy” Roxborough, oddsmaker, Sports Gambling Hall of Famer
“Was he the greatest handicapper? Probably not. Was he the greatest bettor? Without a doubt.
“He could bet more places than FedEx could deliver to.
“He also was able to conceal his plays. And he could just cross up (his followers) with his plays. He could play on one side, then he’d know when the line had moved enough that he could play back on the other side. The people who moved his money, they always thought they knew exactly what his plays were. They didn’t know.”
Scotty Schettler, former Stardust sportsbook director, Sports Gambling Hall of Famer
“Billy actually helped us (at the Stardust). We opened up early in the morning. We were usually the first. Billy’s guys would come in and bet, and everybody would follow him. Three o’clock comes and Billy bets the other side, so we’re going in with Billy. If Billy wins, we win, which we won quite often.
“There were a lot of good bettors, but Billy won the most money. He’s up here (raises hand above head) and everybody else is down here (lowers hand to stomach). If you keep score by money, he won more than anybody.”
Jimmy Vaccaro, South Point oddsmaker, Sports Gambling Hall of Famer
“I’ve never met anyone with a better opinion than Billy Walters. There’s no doubt about that.
“You couldn’t meet a nicer person.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
