More Warrants Served in Probe of Sports Betting
The investigation continued Thursday into illegal sports betting rings that Tuesday led to eight arrests in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Orange County sheriff’s deputies on Thursday served additional search warrants in the case, calling it one of the largest illegal sports betting operations ever to operate in the area.
Eight suspected bookmakers were arrested Tuesday night in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Searches yielded ledgers and computerized records that Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bob Giles said appear to contain the coded identities of hundreds of bettors.
“Right now, we’re in the process of breaking down a number of codes (into) names and telephone numbers,” Giles said. He said that bettors, as well bookmakers, will be prosecuted for illegal gambling when they are identified.
The operation involved using employees of popular Orange County bars and restaurants as agents to take bets on professional and collegiate baseball, football, basketball, hockey and horse racing. Deputies financed the costs of their undercover investigation by placing winning bets on basketball’s Los Angeles Lakers and baseball’s Oakland Athletics.
On Tuesday, sheriff’s detectives served search warrants on homes in Norwalk, Lakewood and Bellflower as well as Anaheim.
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