The Bookie: Inside the High-Stakes World of Sports Betting―A Legendary Bookmaker's Tale of Gangsters, Celebrities, and the Ar
4.8 | 11 ratings
Price: 26.98
Last update: 01-19-2026
Product details
- Publisher : Dey Street Books
- Publication date : January 13, 2026
- Language : English
- Print length : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0063423650
- ISBN-13 : 978-0063423657
- Item Weight : 14.3 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank:#2,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Sports Gambling (Books)
- Entertainment Industry
- Sports Biographies (Books)
- Customer Reviews:4.84.8 out of 5 stars(11)
The Bookie: Inside the High-Stakes World of Sports Betting―A Legendary Bookmaker's Tale of Gangsters, Celebrities, and the Art of the GameTop reviews from the United States
- Amazon CustomerA fun informative readThe story was so interesting and gave me an insight into a world I knew very little about. It shed a lot of light on the terrible risk of corruption between professional gamblers and professional athletes.
- JCI couldn’t put this book downI couldn’t put this book down. If you’ve ever been curious about what really goes on behind the counter at a Vegas sportsbook, this is the real deal. The author clearly lived it, and it shows in every story.
The gambling stories are wild, the scandals are crazy, and the celebrity run-ins feel so real. What I liked most is that it doesn’t sugarcoat anything. You see the wins, the losses, and the chaos that comes with that world. It’s entertaining without trying too hard to be flashy.
Even if you’re just a casual sports bettor or someone who loves Vegas stories, this is an easy, fast read that keeps you hooked. Highly recommend it. - Rick OAN INSIDER'S LIFE IN THE VEGAS GAMBLING INDUSTRYThe Bookie works on three levels. One, the engrossing story of how Art Manteris made it from the streets of Pittsburgh to the top of the Las Vegas gambling industry. Two, a history of gambling in Vegas, from cash bets on paper slips to today's high tech world, Art was there every step of the way and explains how it all happened. And three, where we are heading now with the dispersal of gambling from the Vegas casinos to the Internet. Art has a fascinating story and great persepctive. If you want to know where big-time sports betting started and how it got there, this is a great place to start.
- Amazon CustomerA Must-Read for Any Sports Fan or Casual GamblerAs a lifelong sports fan and casual bettor, The Bookie absolutely blew me away. Art Manteris takes you deep inside the high-stakes world of sports betting with eye-opening insights and incredible behind-the-scenes stories. From legendary gamblers to big-name athletes and Hollywood connections, every chapter pulls you in and doesn’t let go.
It’s rare to find a book that captures both the thrill of the game and the fascinating business side of it so perfectly. I flew through it in just a few days — it’s that good. Highly recommend this one to anyone who loves sports, storytelling, or just wants a peek behind the curtain of a world most only see from the outside. - Thomas KelleyA Peak behind the curtain of a Sports BookIf you have read any sports betting books from the bettor's point of view this read will give you a look at the other side. The author who comes from a family that had various ties to bookmaking or sports betting. While his friends had newspaper route, he was taking sports bets at school. The author throughout this read works at or helps develop various sports books at the Las Vegas casino's Caeser's, Las Vegas Hilton and Stations spending over forty years in the industry. With this book the author claims he will give you all the inside information of the sports betting information.
The author also claims that while he worked for various sports books, he won the most money compared to any other book in Nevada. While the author gives you a look behind the curtain on how some of the super fights were put together or the various high rollers operate. I wish the author would have revealed a little more. It is interesting how the attitude of the author changes over time where in the beginning he thought it would be great if sports betting was available across the country and fought against things like PASPA (Professional and Amateur sports protection act) but you know the old adage be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. When PASPA was defeated as now you are well aware sports betting as exploded across the country with some of the sports betting apps now in bed with the various sports leagues and now their problems with individuals trying to fix games. Crazy to think having betting in a grocery store. One thing for sure in this book the author is definitely not a fan of Billy Walters who he claimed he had the biggest feud in Las Vegas against. Give this book a read and see what you think. - Anna GeanopulosGet the “real” history of sports gaming!The Bookie is awesome. It was written by a true Vegas legend, Art Manteris. It was super interesting to learn the real history of sports gaming, particularly now that the industry has exploded in the online realm. This book is a must read!
- Ron B.Couldn't put this book down once I started!This book reads like a thrilling novel. You'll feel like you're in the room with the oddsmakers making decisions with millions on the line.
Art is the godfather of sports gaming and his book pulls back the curtain on a fascinating industry. - Amazon CustomerGreat book!! Cover to coverA fascinating and entertaining look inside the world of sports betting, The Bookie is both insightful and easy to read. Art Manteris’s firsthand stories make the industry come alive, offering excitement, honesty, and a unique behind-the-scenes perspective.