The Bookie: Inside the High-Stakes World of Sports Betting—A Legendary Bookmaker's Tale of Gangsters, Celebrities, and the Art of the Game

Art Manteris spent more than forty years at the center of Las Vegas sports betting, running the largest sportsbooks at the Stardust, Caesars, and the Hilton. His career began in childhood in Pittsburgh, taking bets and collecting debts for family members, before rising through the ranks of major casinos. Manteris took bets from gangsters, business leaders, Hollywood celebrities, and sports figures, while also setting legal odds for major professional sports events including Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Championships, and prizefights. He navigated encounters with notable gamblers and figures in sports gaming, including instances where he suspected fixed outcomes. His work required balancing profitability with keeping patrons engaged. The Bookie covers Manteris's career from the 1970s through his later role as a regulator in the industry, featuring accounts involving figures such as Donald Trump, Phil Mickelson, Don King, Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, and Manny Pacquiao. The book includes previously untold stories and explores the art and science of sports gambling, as well as a moment when his integrity was questioned by the Vegas Gaming Control Board.