Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Profile of An Internet Bookie

Posted by Hemos on from the so-yous-wants-to-make-some-monies dept.

prostoalex writes "The New York Times Magazine has a story about one of Internet's most lucrative businesses - online bookmaking. Writer William Berlind travels to San Jose, Costa Rica, where the offices of such online powerhouses as BetOnSports and SkyBook are located. Quite an interesting story about numerous Americans traveling to Costa Rica with the grand business plan of online gambling, US government trying to shut down the offshore gambling operations, and how the bookies operate."

13 of 245 comments (clear)

  1. THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE by Creepy+Crawler · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why would a bookie, an eight-foot-tall bookie, want to live on Endor with a bunch of two-foot-tall Jamicans. That does not make sense. But more important, you have to ask yourself - what does this have to do with this case?

    --
    1. Re:THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE by infinite9 · · Score: 2, Funny

      I suggest a different strategy R2. Let the bookie win.

      --
      Disconnect your television. Do your own research. Draw your own conclusions. They're probably lying. Don't be a sheep.
  2. Re:how silly is the government? by yintercept · · Score: 3, Funny

    In the war between the government and the bookies, I will give 5 : 1 odds on the bookies...

  3. Taking bets... by Gibble · · Score: 0, Funny

    Put $50 on the bookies winning for me ;)

    --
    Gibble: Descriptive of an emotional state in which one's mind is scrabbling for some purchase on reality
  4. Re:how silly is the government? by Abm0raz · · Score: 2, Funny

    synopsis:
    Let's all become libertarians.

    I like it :)

    -Ab

    --
    Nothing fails quite like prayer.
  5. Re:how silly is the government? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    ever heard of Nevada

    Nevada? WTF is that?

  6. Confusing by iamdrscience · · Score: 2, Funny

    So I read the headline talking about "bookies" and think it's going to be about online gambling. Then I read the description, see the word "bookmaking" and think "so I guess it's about people that make books -- that's a stupid headline, it's very misleading". Then I read further in the description and realize that it is in fact an article about online betting/gambling and think "Why do we call those guys editors again?"

  7. Re:why illegal? by stratjakt · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's up to the state not the feds. Thats why there are casinos in Nevada but not in Alabama.

    What you propose would be yet another example of the feds wrestling power from the states.

    The constitution gives very few powers to the country, more to the states, even more to municipalities, and the most to the individual.

    Slowly its turning to one big homogenous state, which is a bad thing. The way it is now, if you dont like Casinos and strip clubs and prostitution, you can decide to not live in Nevada, but still be an American. Soon, you'll have to renounce your citizenship and move to some filthy european country where they molest children for sport.

    --
    I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  8. Re:how silly is the government? by baldass_newbie · · Score: 2, Funny

    ever heard of Nevada? Gambling and prostitution are both legal and regulated.

    Nevada? Is that the new Mac browser? I hear they do things differently over there.

    --
    The opposite of progress is congress
  9. But... by indros · · Score: 5, Funny

    how do you break someone's legs when they don't make good?

  10. Ah, yes, San Jose by K-Man · · Score: 4, Funny

    The newly remodeled airport is surrounded by chain hotels, freshly paved roads and shiny corporate plazas. After that it goes rapidly downhill.
    Yes, that's San Jose in a nutshell!

    Wait...Costa Rica?

    --
    ---- "If we have to go on with these damned quantum jumps, then I'm sorry that I ever got involved" - Erwin Schrodinger
  11. Just Call the Coach's Hotline by kev0153 · · Score: 2, Funny

    TV: So call me now! $5 for the first minute, $2 for each additional minute!

    Homer: [dials the number]

    Voice: You... have reached... the Coach's... Hot-...

    Homer: Line.

    Voice: Line.

    Homer: Yeah, lay it on me, Coach.

    Voice: In the game... of... Mi... am... i...

    Homer: Mm hm.

    Voice: Versus Cin...

    Homer: Cincinnati.

    Voice: cin...

    Homer: Cincinnati.

    Voice: nat...

    Homer: Cincinnati.

    Voice: i...

    Homer: Come on, come on, don't you realize this is costing me money!

  12. Re:why illegal? by Conspir8or · · Score: 2, Funny

    Soon, you'll have to renounce your citizenship and move to some filthy european country where they molest children for sport.

    But Vatican City has so few good Chinese takeout joints.