Racers gamble for the booze
At this rate, we’ll all end up buried — half-naked and still breathing — in a shallow, cornfield grave.
That’s where Nicky Santoro, Joe Pesci’s seedy character in “Casino,” met his demise. And we’re all joyously skipping down that netherworldy path to the cornfield as we enter another gambling-filled season of Race for the Cases.
Every week throughout the college football season, we’ll select five games for our writers to pick. The writer with the best record at season’s end earns a case of beer from each staff member.
So in our first installment of innocent, alcohol-motivated wagering, it seems only fitting to examine sports gambling, a growing epidemic on college campuses.
Problem gambling rates for teenagers range from 10 to 17 percent, two to three times higher than those of the general population, according to the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling.
“The gambling problem among college students is similar to that of alcohol and drugs,” said Dr. Greg Hall, chairman of the behavioral research department at Bentley College.
Hall, who helps students with gambling problems, said he gets a flood of kids during March’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the college football season. A member of a Syracuse-area Gamblers Anonymous group, who asked to remain unnamed, said she’s seen only about a half-dozen college students in three years attending GA meetings.
“We have a lot of sports bettors who started very young in our group,” the member said.
Now, with the advent of sports gambling Web sites like thebigbook.com, students have even easier ways to get started. Or, if they feel like taking the old-fashioned route, they can go through a bookie, a job that’s becoming more popular among college kids.
But for all the money bookies make — one University of Kansas bookie, who asked to remain anonymous, said he charges the standard 10 percent of whatever a gambler bets — there are incredible risks.
In 1994, Arizona State campus bookie Benny Silman conspired with basketball players Stevin Smith and Isaac Burton to fix four games. Silman was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
Though the KU bookie said he wouldn’t allow a Jayhawk player to place a bet, he conceded, “(Being a bookie) is a guaranteed money-maker. There are risks involved, but it’s worth it to me.”
The bookie, who started his operation this fall with two friends, said he has 30 clients and plans on taking bets for baseball, college football and basketball, the NBA and the NFL.
And that messy problem of bettors who don’t pay?
“For us, you have to pay money up front to bet,” the bookie said. “They set up an account with us.”
For Nicky Santoro, that wasn’t much of a problem.
At one point in the film, Robert DeNiro’s character, Ace Rothstein, says “Nicky’s methods of betting weren’t scientific, but they worked. When he won, he collected. When he lost, he told the bookies to go (expletive) themselves.”
You’ve seen where that landed Nicky. But according to Hall, we won’t have to worry about being turned into fertilizer any time soon.
When asked if our “betting” for booze would actually be considered gambling, he said, with some hesitation, “I suppose in an academic case, it could be considered gambling. But most of the cases I’ve dealt with have been with (wagering) money.”
So with that reassurance — and a nod to Nicky — we present this year’s first slate of games and some tips from our Kansas bookie.
Syracuse at Brigham Young (-2.5), Thursday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
The traditionally stingy Syracuse defense meets the high-octane BYU offense. The Orangemen might get a slight advantage after BYU offensive lineman Ben Archibald broke his leg in last Friday’s practice.
Bookie’s take: “I’ll take BYU for the home-field-advantage aspect. But I think it’s gonna be a close game.”
Our pick: BYU 24, Syracuse 14
No. 11 Washington at No. 13 Michigan (-6.5), Saturday, noon, ABC
Coming off an 8-4 season, Michigan is looking for a big year from junior quarterback John Navarre. The Wolverines won’t easily replace the production of wide receiver Marquise Walker. In last season’s opener, Washington stunned Michigan but fluttered back to earth and finished 8-4.
Bookie’s take: “I’m gonna go out on a limb and take Washington. I just have a hunch. But I’d lay off this game. I don’t love betting big games where the spread is very close.”
Our pick: Michigan 28, Washington 21
No. 14 LSU at No. 16 Virginia Tech (-7.5), Sunday, 2:30 p.m., ABC
No one expected LSU to win the SEC title and earn a BCS spot last season. Now, no one thinks the Tigers can capably replace wide receiver Josh Reed and quarterback Rohan Davey. For the Hokies, quarterback Grant Noel, who injured his knee in the spring, will start. Lee Suggs and Kevin Jones should split time at running back.
Bookie’s take: “I’m gonna take Virginia Tech, mostly because they’re extremely tough at home, except for playing the Orangemen.”
Our pick: LSU 31, Virginia Tech 28
Colorado State vs. No. 7 Colorado (-8.5) at Invesco Field, Denver, Saturday, 1 p.m., ESPN2
How much do these two schools hate each other? Here’s how the Rocky Mountain News once described it: “This is the way CSU people look at it: CU is the nose-in-the-air aristocrat seething with seen-it-all arrogance. CSU is the fiery little proletarian, the Don Quixote tilting at windmills. And this is the way CU people look at it: You’re some ag school. Nobody’s heard of you. Shut up and go back to your stupid farm, you hick.”
Bookie’s take: “I’m gonna take Colorado, though Colorado State is definitely a team that showed they can play last week (in a 35-29 win over Virginia). It’ll be closer than most think.”
Our pick: Colorado 34, Colorado State 14
Notre Dame (-2.5) vs. No. 21 Maryland (at Giants Stadium), Saturday, 8 p.m.
So much for NBC’s lucrative deal with Notre Dame. The Irish open their season in the Kickoff Classic on ABC. Maryland, meanwhile, is without star running back Bruce Perry (groin injury).
Bookie’s take: “Notre Dame has a lot of adjustments to make with their new coach (Tyrone Willingham). I take Maryland.”
Our pick: Notre Dame 24, Maryland 21
