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Life is a Gamble

Life is a Gamble

By: Gambling With an Edge
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About this listen

 Host Richard Munchkin talks to a guest each episode who tells a story that illustrates, "Life is a Gamble."Copyright Gambling With an Edge Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • NormBeck

    NormBeck
    Dec 22 2025
    Today I speak with Norm Beck, a professional bridge player, magician, and friend about a bet he won, that turned out to be a big loser.

    Show Notes

    [00:00] Introduction of Norm Beck, bridge player and magician
    [00:37] Norm’s biggest gamble
    [06:40] Clever pre-surgery research strategy
    [13:07] Hiring another doctor to translate information to family
    [14:49] Getting into the gambling business
    [20:30] Booking action on random events
    [23:28] A billion dollar bet
    [31:23] $500k bet on changing a tire
    [33:45] “Win Your Line of Credit” blackjack tournament
    [41:21] How to contact the show
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    42 mins
  • Cowboy Buzz

    Cowboy Buzz
    Dec 7 2025
    Buzz Marconi moved to Las Vegas in the 1960s, and somehow transformed from an Italian kid from the south side of Chicago into Cowboy Buzz. It's a wild story. Check it out.

    Show Notes

    [00:00] Introduction on of Cowboy Buzz
    [02:07] Moving to Las Vegas, working at The Stardust
    [20:53] Brilliant mob casino strategies
    [23;10] Tony Spilotro and Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal
    [27:19] Becoming a shift boss Foxy's Firehouse
    [29:28] Did certain dealers cheat players?
    [31:06] A wild craps swing on credit and Milton Jaffe
    [35:20] Milton Jaffe magic trick
    [37:06] Opening a restaurant in Las Vegas
    [41:09] Stories about dealers, cheating, and work ethic
    [46:59] Cowboy Buzz's juice is revealed
    [48:51] Naked women tanning at The Tropicana pool
    [55:53] Becoming "Cowboy Buzz"
    [1:02:07] Playing rugby age 73
    [1:04:51] Meeting Max Rubin
    [1:09:05] The first Blackjack Ball
    [1:10:30] Being a clown diver at Caesars Palace
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • Jon Rogers of Carib Sports

    Jon Rogers of Carib Sports
    Sep 22 2025
    Jon Rogers was an old-school bookie. He started booking baseball with his classmates in 6th grade, graduated to parlay cards in high school, and went pro after high school. He lived, and booked through a seismic change in the bookmaking industry. He went from the old days of taking bets over the phone, writing on slips of paper, to moving offshore, and the rise of internet betting.

    Show Notes


    [00:00] Introduction of bookmaker Jon Rogers of Carib Sports
    [00:59] Jon’s childhood and early gambling experiences
    [03:52] Booking parlays in high school and lottery numbers
    [08:46] State lotteries broadcast drawings
    [11:11] Kickbacks and paying for protection
    [13:06] Super Bowl 1990 FBI raid
    [16:52] Charges, recordings, taxes, and going to Vegas
    [21:37] Antigua tax laws, bookmaking on paper, then with software
    [29:28] 1990 case ends
    [32:32] Continuing operations in Antigua, accepting credit cards, betting volume, and margins.
    [35:02] 2003 raid, The Patriot Act
    [46:42] The SAFE Port Act and closing down
    [48:44] Life after bookmaking, settling the case, and living happily ever after
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    55 mins
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