You're right NOT MONOPOLY MONEY
It IS kind of consequential whether cancer stricken Manfro knows or not. Thats the point. It's key to the story line. Follow me here:
By NOT PLACING with Manfro, Joe is trying his OWN attempt at Bookie Status. He's trying to move from a "Numbers Runner" to a full fledged "Bookie" by doing this.
That's why the "Hey Vegas, Who'd ya shake down today" comment bugged the crap out of him and he shut that annoying broad down.
And, a little reality check here, Bookies place and control the lines that they KNOW they have the advantage of winning. Real Bookies Don't give the same spreads. They ain't in the business of being fair; Odds are in their favor more often than not. Have you ever heard the phrase: "What do you think this is? VEGAS?!?"
Whether you want to believe it or not, Joe did the research, and the odds were in his favor. We dont even know what spread he gave the guy in fact,(it was talked about, but I dont recall we even knew what the final line was); so no matter how nice of a guy Joe is, in this situation, he had a leg up and he took advantage over the Store Guy...at least I believe.
So, Joe more than likely WOULDNT have to cough up the money. Yeah, he played the odds too(smartly as BOOKIES do) but it was advantage Joe all the way.
And, That my friend, is WHY he felt sorry for him. understand what i'm getting at?
Oh yeah, and be glad that you don't know about street gambling.
After all Joe has been around enough gambling to know how all of this works works. right?
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nasloranger
14 years ago
thank you, Stone230, for your answer...it's better than any online research i've tried to get on "betting with a bookie"...
still a bit confusing, but i understand a little bit better now...
just another question - and don't run out of patience with me, o.k.?:
so, are you saying that Joe placed a bet on the team that had the odds in his favor? thereby being able to cover the Store Guys's $5k bet?
understandably, they're not covering all the details about Joe & Manfro and the gambling stuff - that would be TMI for the show...
and yeah, i am glad my "street gambling" only extends to buying an occasional lottery ticket at the Circle K when i buy gasoline!
Measure twice; Cut once.
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malcom1985
14 years ago
No, Joe checked to see what the spread was. I highly doubt he offered the very same bet to the guy in the store, because it was 5 points, if I remember correctly. If Joe lost that, he was out of a lot of money. That's one thing that Manfro told Joe, that when he took Joe's huge bets, he placed his own bets because if he lost, that was too much money to cover.
We don't know if Joe placed another bet on the side to cover the losses if he did, I don't think they ever said. For all we know, Joe still made money even covering that guy's debt. I'd say that's the logical answer considering he let the guy off the hook for 5 grand.
All I can do is hope that Joe sincerely walks away from gambling.
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themadride
14 years ago
Running a book is like insurance. You can't do it with just a couple of clients/customers. You have to have the steady income to cover the "fluke" wins.
Joe's experiment with being a bookie was going to go bad one way or another.
I just hope he stiffs the other guy any money he "thinks" he owes him. The guy is no friend anymore. Turn him in....see how long he can pay his chemo when his assets go to the feds as "ill gotten gains".
I really hope I get to see that character die before the show is over.
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