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Two decades of Las Vegas experience exposed me to both the dangerous risks and thrilling rewards of sports gambling. I've witnessed plenty of winners and losers on both sides of the counter, while experiencing a few of the highs and lows myself. I'm not only an observer of the sports betting scene, but also an active participant.

During my first year in Las Vegas, I received valuable advice from a good friend, Richard Witt, who now writes for the New York Post. Witt instructed me to "keep my eyes open and my mouth shut."

Witt's words of advice paid off as I forged relationships with some of the most influential members of Nevada's race and sports book industry, including Jimmy Vaccaro (Lucky's), Nick Bogdanovich (Cal-Neva), Bob Scucci (Coast Casinos) and John Avello (Wynn Las Vegas), just to name a few.

Fast forward to late 2011. I'm applying the same Witt strategy, but only in a different venue. I arrived in Costa Rica maybe 10 years ago, and saw the full birth a the so called know, offshore sports betting mecca. Beautiful Costa Rica is home to literally hundreds of gaming companies. They operate outside the United States because gambling laws in the U.S. are nearly impossible to negotiate. The U.S. loss is Costa Rica's again.

In no particular order: 

MICKEY RICHARDSON (BookMaker.com).....The 40-year-old Richardson is widely considered the most respected man in the industry. The Pittsburgh native looks like a barroom bouncer, but talks like a family man, and for good reason. He's married with children, plus he's the leader of nearly 500 BookMaker.com employees.

When asked about his title and job description, Richardson responds, "We're not big on titles around here. If you want, call me General Manager or CEO, but I'll do anything it takes to get the job done."

Richardson's office sits on the top floor of an impressive seven-floor office building in the higher elevations of the valley's mountain region. BookMaker.com owns the entire complex unlike most Costa Rican gaming operations that lease their space.

While the U.S. media is quick to point out the evils of gambling, Richardson prefers to highlight the positive impact of offshore sports gambling by citing the number of college-aged, Costa Rican employees who are bettering their lives through capitalism.

WILLY LOMAN .....Here's a streetwise bookmaker who enjoys the "pura vida" in Costa Rica. Loman has a story for every occasion and all the stories are true, including his time as a soap opera actor in New York where he once appeared as a "dead man moaning" in an episode of One Life To Live.

When Loman was asked about the future of sports betting in Costa Rica, he said, "We're not going anywhere. People love to bet. Everyone loves to bet...from the doctors and lawyers to the policemen and politicians. Hell, I even booked a couple of priests back in New York."

BOB EVANS (Hollywoodsportsbook.com).....If marketing is part research and part intuition, then Evans has mastered the discipline. His slick-looking website (www.hollywoodsportsbook.com) receives high marks for layout and design.

A native of Rhode Island, Evans spent time in Las Vegas, owning and operating a successful marketing company before heading to Costa Rica for bigger challenges and greater rewards. "Expect big things from our new and improved product," said a confident Evans.

RICHARD JONES (BetPhoenix.com).....Jones is wise beyond his years. As General Manager of the rapidly-growing BetPhoenix.com operation, Jones combines the skills to market to gamblers with the ability to manage operations.

Jones credits his adherence to building "processes and procedures" as one of the keys to his success.

"I love to build things," said Jones. "I'm constantly looking for business opportunities to push the boundaries of the sports betting industry."

The most impressive feature of the BetPhoenix.com brand: a business where it's not unusual for top management to step in and take calls to lead by example.

JACK LYSAGHT (BookMaker.com).....Modest to a fault, Lysaght is the head linesman at an establishment whose slogan proudly proclaims Bookmaker.com as the place "where the line originates." Lysaght's opening prices at BookMaker.com are respected worldwide, stealing from Las Vegas its ownership of America's first line.

Lysaght came to Costa Rica from Las Vegas in the early 1990s after serving as sports book director at both the Riviera Hotel and Casino and the ill-fated Sport of Kings. Popular among bettors, Lysaght never received the credit he deserved in Las Vegas.

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