Win Some, Lose a Lot: Banking on Tips

This wasn’t gambling, this was like stealing--and from a bookmaker no less.

At least that’s what Rich, my sports-betting advisor, was telling me.

For $2,000, Rich had given me what he said was a can’t-miss pick on an NFL football game.

I’d told him I had $6,000. He wanted me to bet it all through my bookie.

“You don’t bet this and . . . you might as well roll down your window on the freeway, at rush hour, and let the money fly out the . . . window,” Rich said.

After all, I wouldn’t really be taking a chance.

Rich said he had inside information. This date, Oct. 26, had been marked on his calendar since before the start of the football season, he said.

“It’s 100%,” he assured me. “Believe me, this is a done deal. When we have games like this, we need to play like this. Don’t worry about the money.”

Rich’s “lock pick” was underdog St. Louis with 5 1/2 points against Kansas City. I was to bet $1,000 on the Rams. In addition, I was to make 10 other bets, or parlays, of $500 each, coupling the Rams with his choices in 10 other NFL games.

“But the Chiefs are my team!” I complained.

“Not today,” Rich snapped.

The advertisement showed a photo of John Brodie in a San Francisco 49er uniform and said, in part, “John will show you that 17 years as a quarterback in the NFL gives him a tremendous advantage. Knowing people on the inside is the key to winning.”

The hook was a free “Monday Night Football” pick. Just call the 800 number. No questions asked. No obligation. The same kind of pitch characteristic of most ads for football handicapping services.

Using an assumed name, reporter Steve Springer was the first Times reporter to call the tip line.

He quickly was told that the accuracy rate for free picks would be only about 50%.

Told that the only way to make big money was to invest big money, Springer agreed to shell out $2,000, provided by The Times.

Springer was given picks for 13 college games to be played that Saturday, Oct. 18. The handicapper, identified as Dave, told Springer to bet $500 on a “wheel game,” then make $300 parlay wagers--coupling the predicted winner of the wheel game with the predicted winners of 12 other games. Springer was assured that the wheel game was a “lock,” a sure thing.

Illegal bookmakers generally pay even money--$1 for every $1 wagered--on single-game bets. A gambler gets better odds--usually about 12-5, a $12 return for every $5 bet--on a two-game parlay because he must choose both games correctly to win.

Dave’s wheel game was Tulane, an 11-point favorite over East Carolina. If Tulane lost, or defeated East Carolina by fewer than 11 points, Springer would lose every bet. If Tulane won, Springer would win $500 on that game and $720--$12 for every $5 he bet--on each parlay coupling Tulane with a second winner.

Tulane won, 33-16, and Dave was also correct on nine of the 12 other games.

If Springer had actually bet on the games as directed, he would have won $6,080.

Tulane had a 3-2 record before playing East Carolina, having won two in a row. East Carolina was 1-4 and had lost three in a row.

The 11-point spread for Tulane, playing at home, seemed reasonable.

So what had prompted Dave to decide a victory by Tulane, by more than 11 points, was a sure thing?

A check with East Carolina officials after the game revealed that two starters--tackle Travis Darden and linebacker Matt Semenza--had been suspended for the game by Coach Steve Logan.

But Logan hadn’t made those suspensions public until right before the opening kickoff--more than six hours after Dave had given Springer Tulane as the wheel game.

If the information was leaked to the tip service by anyone at Tulane, it was a violation of NCAA rules. The NCAA manual states: “Staff members of the athletics department or a member institution and student-athletes shall not knowingly provide information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning athletic competition.”

Knowing the records and recent streaks of the two teams made Tulane a pretty good bet. Knowing that two key East Carolina starters would not play made it a far better bet.

Maybe Dave really did have inside information.

There was a full schedule of NFL games the day after the Tulane-East Carolina game and Springer, even though he wasn’t actually making the bets, eagerly anticipated Dave’s picks.

But there was a big hitch: Dave wanted $5,300 more before he would give Springer Sunday’s selections.

He had, after all, already proved that his “wheel game” was a slam dunk and his “inside information” was legitimate.

And just to prove he knew his stuff on the pro side, Dave said he would give Springer a detailed description of something that would happen in the third quarter in one of Sunday’s games.

“Then you’ll know that I know what I’m talking about,” Dave said.

But Springer never heard Dave’s detailed description of a play, nor did he get another pick.

The additional $5,300 was a bit steep for our bosses.

Instead, they decided that I also call and make a fresh start.

I was never asked to pay more than $2,000.

That’s because I never won.

I called, saying I was interested in the free Monday night pick by John Brodie offered in the ad.

But the man I soon was speaking with--he said his name was Ray--said the free choice wasn’t worth any more than I’d be paying for it.

Ray said the really good information, including nuggets from Brodie’s many sources inside college and NFL football, would cost me a little more.

Two thousand dollars more.

Ray said it was a great investment and that Brodie had access to information few other people could get.

“You think an NFL coach is going to tell some reporter that his team is in the tank and is gonna get its . . . kicked?” Ray asked. “No. But they’ll say that to John.”

I wanted that kind of clout, so I reluctantly agreed to pay $200 as a “good-faith” down payment.

Then I was introduced to Rich, who said he was Brodie’s partner.

The key game, Rich said, was the lock.

How often did it hit?

One hundred percent, Rich told me. Forty-one of 41 over a nine-year period.

He said his information was foolproof. The picks were a sure thing, based on inside information directly from players and coaches.

So was he saying the games were fixed?

“Hey, there are only three or four teams that have a chance for the Super Bowl, right?” Rich said. “The rest of them are there for our entertainment. . . . That’s all they are. Entertainers.”

But were the games fixed?

“I’m saying all these guys are buddies,” Rich said. “They all hang out together and go to the same parties. This is one big conglomerate, and they talk about things, you know?”

Rich also wanted to know about my bookmaker. Was he a friend? How much did I typically bet? What odds could I get on a two-game parlay?

The implication was that I was going to hit my bookie fast and hard.

Rich said, “I want to make sure this guy isn’t a friend or something, because we’re going to clean him out.”

Rich was nice. Rich was cocky. Rich was convincing. Rich wanted my money.

All $2,000. Up front.

And he got it. After all, he was supposed to triple it.

I told Rich that, having already paid $2,000, I had $6,000 left to wager.

He wanted me to bet it all.

I resisted, but Rich said it was important to follow his directions precisely. (That way, he would know exactly what I won or lost.)

“I’m not going to put you in a situation where you’re in jeopardy,” he assured me. “This might not be the prettiest game, but it’s a done deal. You just listen to me, OK?”

This was, after all, a done deal. Forty-one of 41, remember?

“When we have games like this, we need to play like this,” Rich said. “Don’t worry about the money.”

And so I was supposed to bet my very last dime against my beloved Chiefs.

Final score: Chiefs 28, Rams 20. Kansas City had covered the spread.

Rich was 41 out of 42.

I was 0 for 1, The Times was out another $2,000, and had I actually bet, I would have lost my $6,000.

The next day, I told Rich that, thanks to his pick and my favorite team, I was out of money.

He didn’t see that as a problem. He wanted me to bet the Monday night games anyway. There were two of them Oct. 27 because a World Series game the previous night had knocked Miami out of its stadium.

“You don’t need to have [money] because you’re not going to need it,” Rich said.

How so? Because the next games they were going to give me were sure things, he said.

I’d heard that before. And if I was going to fall for that line again, I told him, I wanted to hear it from John Brodie.

“You want to talk to John?” Rich said.

“Yeah, I want to talk to John,” I replied, acting agitated, “since he’s the guy who’s supposed to be the source of this information.”

“Let me see what I can do,” Rich said. “Call me back in 30 minutes.”

When I did, Rich gave me what he said was Brodie’s phone number, along with some advice. “I’m going to recommend one thing,” Rich said. “Listen to what he says to you.”

My payments--the first $200 installment, then the $1,800 balance--were wired to John Brodie in Anaheim.

But the real John Brodie, the one who played quarterback for the 49ers from 1957 to ‘73, says he never picked up my money--or anyone else’s. He also says neither Rich nor Dave is his partner.

Brodie says he had a contract with a company called the Price Group to provide picks on football games that were to be used on a cable television show and on 900 and 800 sports handicapping lines for the 22 weeks of the NFL season.

Brodie said he quit after the fifth week and has sued the Price Group, claiming breach of contract, libel and fraud. He said the only time he went to the company’s Orange County office was to tape the television show.

Brodie denies having provided inside information for the tip-line service and says he never spoke with its clients.

They sure had me fooled.

John Brodie, who in 1970 was the NFC’s player of the year, speaks deliberately and with a mild country twang.

The man who answered the telephone at the number Rich had given me said he was John Brodie and sounded as if he might be the genuine article.

“I can’t always tell you what will happen in sports,” this “John” said, explaining the previous day’s loss. “Sometimes it’s just going to happen.”

Because I had lost, “John” said he was willing to work with me, even though his normal fee was $10,000.

“We owe you right now and I’ll make sure you get out of the hole,” he said.

And just to show the loss was a fluke, to prove he knew his stuff, he promised to tell me three things I should look for during Monday’s games so I’d know he knew what he was talking about.

“But I’m going to trust you to keep this information confidential, OK?” he added. “This is like O.J. telling his attorney that he stabbed Nicole.”

“John” gave me a pep talk, assuring me that “When I give you something, I have my money on it.” He promised to put me back ahead.

“Your guy goes Monday to Monday, right?” he said, referring to my bookmaker’s routine for collecting and paying off debts. “Don’t worry. He’s going to end up paying you this week.”

His closing comment: “Your back’s against the wall and I understand that. I’m going to tell you three things that are going to happen so you’ll know I know what I’m talking about and it’ll put your mind at ease.

“But remember, this is something you take to your grave with you, OK?”

When I got the picks from “John” later that evening, he spoke rapid-fire, devoid of the slight accent I’d heard in our first conversations.

That night Miami was an 8 1/2-point favorite over Chicago and Green Bay was a two-point favorite over New England.

Gamblers not only can bet the winner of a game, but also whether the total number of points scored will be more or less than a particular number. That number, called the over-under, for the Green Bay-New England game was 45 points.

“John’s” choices: $2,000 on Miami, $1,000 on a parlay taking Miami and Green Bay, another $1,000 parlay taking Miami and the over on the Green Bay-New England game, and another $2,000 straight up on Green Bay.

When I acted hesitant at the prospect of doubling the debt to my (fake) bookmaker, “John” showed little patience.

“Come on!” he barked. “Let’s push this guy!”

“But what about the three things . . . ?” I started to say.

“Bye.”

Dial tone.

The Bears won for the first time that night.

I would have lost another $2,000.

I got three more days’ selections by telephone, asking sometimes for John and other times for John Brodie.

Each time, the voice on the other end was the same.

During one stretch, “John’s” line, an 818 number, was out of service. So I called Rich at the number in the 213 area code I had for him.

After putting me on hold several times, Rich returned to the line, saying “John” was on his way to the phone.

Then he added, “He’s a little, well, he drinks a little once in a while, you know? He’s a little . . . up right now.”

“John” was right on about half the selections he made for me. He eventually stopped keeping track of the amount I was supposed to wager on each game, but assuming some conservativeness on my part I still would have finished with about a $7,000 loss, $9,000 if you include my original $2,000 investment.

I wanted my money back.

The odds on that?

Not very good. Nobody had ever told me that their can’t-miss, slam-dunk, done-deal, lock pick was guaranteed.

“Who ever told you,” “John” asked me, “about getting your two grand back?”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TWO DAYS OF TIPS

Times reporters paid a total of $4,000 for two separate days of football picks from a handicapping service. The first day, Oct. 18, would have shown a big profit had the reporter placed the bets on those college games. The second day, Oct. 26, would have resulted in a big loss.

PICKS FOR GAMES ON SATURDAY, OCT. 18

WHEEL GAME

(Handicapper’s “lock” pick of the day.)

*--*

W/L Pick Line Opponent Score Result W Tulane -11 E. Carolina Tulane, 33-16 +$500

*--*

*

PARLAY GAMES

(Each one combined with the wheel game. To win the parlay, the bettor must win both games.)

*--*

W/L Pick Line Opponent Score Result L Wisconsin +2 Purdue Purdue, 45-20 -$300 W Colorado St. +3 Wyoming Colorado St., 14-7 +$720 W Florida -8 Auburn Florida, 24-10 +$720 W Florida St. -23 Georgia Tech Florida St., 38-0 +$720 L Texas A&M; Even Kansas St. Kansas St., 36-17 -$300 L Notre Dame -7 USC USC, 20-17 -$300 W Oregon -8 Utah Oregon, 31-13 +$720 W Washington St. -17 California Washington St., 63-37 +$720 W N. Carolina -12 N.C. State N. Carolina, 20-7 +$720 W UCLA -23 Oregon St. UCLA, 34-10 +$720 W Tennessee -8 Alabama Tennessee, 38-21 +$720 W Georgia -11 Vanderbilt Georgia, 34-13 +$720

*--*

TOTALS: Ten of the 13 games that were being played with the wheel game won. Had bets been placed, winnings would have amounted to $6,080.

*

PICKS FOR GAMES ON SUNDAY, OCT. 26

WHEEL GAME

(Handicapper’s “lock” pick of the day.)

*--*

W/L Pick Line Opponent Score Result L St. Louis +5 1/2 Kansas City Kansas City, 28-20 -$1,000

*--*

*

PARLAY GAMES

Each one combined with the wheel game. To win the parlay, the bettor must win both games.

*--*

W/L Pick Line Opponent Score L Dallas Pk Philadelphia Philadelphia, 13-12 W Buffalo +7 Denver Denver, 23-20 (ot) L New Orleans +14 San Francisco San Francisco., 23-0 W Baltimore +6 Washington Baltimore, 20-17 W Minnesota +3 Tampa Bay Minnesota, 10-6 L NY Giants -5 1/2 Cincinnati N.Y. Giants, 29-27 W Pittsburgh -3 Jacksonville Pittsburgh, 23-17 (OT) W Seattle -2 Oakland Seattle, 45-34 L Indianapolis +6 San Diego San Diego, 35-19 L Arizona -1 1/2 Tennessee Tennessee, 41-14

W/L Result L -$500 W -$500 L -$500 W -$500 W -$500 L -$500 W -$500 W -$500 L -$500 L -$500

*--*

TOTALS: Even though five of the games that were being played with the wheel game won, all bets would have been lost because the wheel game lost. Net result: loss of $6,000.