Columnist Jeff Haney: Nick Bogdanovich, type-cast as an aggressive bookmaker, but is on the job market

Monday, Oct. 17, 2005 | 7:49 a.m.

Jeff Haney

Longtime bookmaker Jimmy Vaccaro calls Nick Bogdanovich "the last of the renegade guys" in Las Vegas sports betting.

But Bogdanovich doesn't see it that way.

In fact, right now, the last of the renegades is just looking for a job.

"Ah, that's just Jimmy being Jimmy," Bogdanovich said. "Any bookmaker -- I don't care who you are -- you take your direction from management."

Bogdanovich, a native Las Vegan and Western High graduate, built his reputation as an aggressive bookmaker while serving as the top man at the Binion's Horseshoe sports book under Jack Binion, back when that property was one of the focal points of the sports betting universe.

He also went mano a mano with high-rolling sports bettors at the Stratosphere, Mandalay Bay and, most recently, the Golden Nugget.

Bogdanovich found himself out of a job after the Golden Nugget was sold to a subsidiary of Landry's Restaurants Inc. The new management, unlike former owners Tim Poster and Tom Breitling of Poster Financial Group, plans to run the sports book in a conservative fashion, Bogdanovich said.

That contrasts with Bogdanovich's image as a bring-it-on bookmaker comfortable in the world of high limits.

"That style has to come from upstairs (management)," Bogdanovich, 43, said. "When I was at the Horseshoe, Jack wanted to play high, so we played high. At the Nugget, Tim and Tom wanted to play high, so we played high.

"And at the Stratosphere, under Carl Icahn, well, nobody likes to play higher than him. It certainly makes the job more fun, and eventually you get labeled that way."

Yet booking sports at high limits can be considered tantamount to an art form, Vaccaro said, albeit a disappearing one. What sets the most talented bookmakers apart is knowing when to take a stand -- divining the right time to put their opinion on the line against the gambler on the other side of the betting window.

That old saw about attracting an equal amount of money on each side of a game and locking in a small profit by keeping the "vigorish," or bookmaker's commission? Forget it, Vaccaro said.

"That's baloney," said Vaccaro, former sports book director at the Mirage and a spokesman for Leroy's sports books. "You have to take a position."

In deciding when to adjust the point spread in a particular game, Vaccaro said, it's crucial to consider not just how much money has been wagered, but also who made the big bets, how close it is to game time and a host of intangible factors.

"The best bookmakers are those who have an opinion," Vaccaro said. "They might take three times the amount of money (on a team) that they'd normally take without moving the line (point spread) if they believe they're on the right side.

"I did it at the Mirage, and Nicky was the last to do it here (in Las Vegas)."

Bogdanovich often relied on his instinct in booking to high-rollers, he said.

"I can think of a million times that I took a $100,000 bet and did not move the line at all," Bogdanovich said.

If Bogdanovich is moving any betting lines now, it's with his own money. Awaiting another opportunity in the gaming industry, he has temporarily returned to the opposite side of the betting counter.

"It's football season, so obviously you can always make a dollar (betting)," said Bogdanovich, who participated this weekend in the Leroy's "Money Talks" football handicapping contest at the Riviera (see results, this page).

Bogdanovich doesn't believe the "renegade" tag will be a liability in his job search -- "I can book any way they want me to book," he said -- but he is a little concerned about consolidation among the major gaming corporations.

"Caesars has about eight joints now, Mirage has about eight joints, Cal-Neva (based in Northern Nevada) has about 30," Bogdanovich said. "It seems like there's only about eight or nine (major) jobs in the state."

Even so, Bogdanovich is too talented to remain on the sideline for long, Vaccaro said: "He knows his stuff as well as anyone I have ever known. He's definitely old-school."

Jeff Haney can be reached at 259-4041 or haney@lasvegassun.com.

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BREAKING IT DOWN

Leroy's "Money Talks" football handicapping contest This invitational features 16 handicappers who each put up $2,500 to compete in a single-elimination tournament. Leroy's adds another $10,000 to the prize pool for a total of $50,000. The winner collects $40,000, with $10,000 going to the runner-up. Each week, two contestants make seven selections against the point spread from the weekend's college and pro football games, working with a hypothetical bankroll to rank their picks. The top pick is worth $770 to win $700, the second pick $660 to win $600, down to the seventh pick, $110 to win $100. The contestant who ends up with a higher hypothetical bankroll advances to the next round.

This weekend's results:

Nick Bogdanovich, veteran Las Vegas bookmaker, 2-4, -$210, 1 pending: Colorado +17 (L $110); Arkansas +7 1/2 (L $220); Alabama -14 (L $330); Washington State +5 (W $400); LSU -6 (L $550); Bills -3 (W $600); Colts -13 1/2 (risk $770, tonight).

Gary Greene, sports handicapper, 1-5-1, -$2,230: LSU -6 (L $110); Cowboys -3 (risk $220, push); Hawaii -20 (W $300); Notre Dame-USC over 69 (L $440); Patriots +3 (L $550); Purdue-Northwestern over 68 (L $660); Cowboys-Giants over 47 (L $770).

Bogdanovich advances.

This week (8 p.m. Friday at the Riviera): Jeff Whitelaw vs. Bryan Leonard

The Stardust Invitational football handicapping contest

The Stardust invitational features 16 handicappers competing in a single-elimination tournament for a top prize of $10,000. Each week, two contestants make seven selections against the point spread from the weekend's college and pro football games. The contestant with the better record advances to the next round. A "best bet" is used for a tiebreaker.

This weekend's results:

Steve Cofield, handicapper and host of the "Wise Guys" sports radio show on 1460-AM, 3-4: Michigan -3 1/2 (L); Vikings-Bears under 37 1/2 (W); Chiefs -6 (W); Iowa State + 6 (W); Browns +6 (L); Utah -- 9 1/2 (L); Syracuse -- 2 1/2 (best bet, L).

James Manos, Northern Nevada-based sports handicapper, 2-5: Michigan -3 1/2 (L); S. Florida +1 (L); Texas Tech -16 (W); Baylor +3 (L); LSU -6 (L); Iowa -15 1/2 (W); Purdue-Northwestern over 69 (best bet, L).

Cofield advances.

This week (9 p.m. Friday at the Stardust): Marc Lawrence vs. Randall "the Handle" Murray