Just think about the vision these old-school operators had it’s incredible
From the creative minds, the money backing and the software developers
I wonder who the first inventor was to take it to offshore and phone rooms?
Innovative - nah, I can remember an old friend of mine taking about his father working as a local in the late 70s/80s growing up. At a time where a single land line in the house was the norm - his old man paid off the telephone man to run 6 lines to the house. Saturday mornings he had his kids taking wagers and working the phones.
Moving offshore was evolution - WSEX was more innovative in their day. Selling the “player stock exchange” - you bought “shares” of a player - say Jose Canseco at $25. End of the year player who won MVP was “redeemed” at $100 - in essence a future bet on your favorite player. Their “marketing” - going around to baseball card shops and shows, selling the idea to dealers to pass along to their customers and building a client base of names/phone numbers. Only natural when you had a sucker buying big amounts of shares to then sell him on betting on games.
Can’t remember what they paid - think 5% offhand. First time I was approached I thought these guys are loons - what’s to prevent them from just taking all the money and disappearing.
