South Florida Bookies Rejoice Over US Online Gambling Prohibition

Gambling911.com is crossing the country to get the local bookie’s take on how US online gambling prohibition has helped their cause, beginning with our own stomping grounds here in South Florida. 

Jay, who’s been booking for nearly seven years now says he has been fielding requests from potential new customers only in recent days.

“It’s still early and there was some uncertainty about the NFL lockout ending,” Jay said.  “Business during baseball is only modest but definitely seeing an uptick in recent days since the NFL lockout ended, people needing a bookie.”

Mike C. is a much older gentleman who has been in this business for well over 25 years.  He attributes the increased demand for his services on TheGreek.com’s sudden closure this past weekend.

“There’s been a lot of confusion.  Guys were put into Heritage Sports who’ve been with TheGreek for years so they don’t know what’s going on and want to stay local.”

Mike told Gambling911.com he was approached by six different people over the weekend at both the gym and at a local hangout spot.  He received three additional calls on Monday.

“The NFL is not here yet.  Things are heating up.  I might want to look into having one of those offshore call centers manage my business if this keeps up.”

PayPerHead.com saw it coming right after three giants in the world of online poker were forced out of the US market.

“A lot of the online sportsbooks will go underground,” a rep for PayPerHead.com predicted at the time back in late April.

Since then, PayPerHead has looked to capitalize by bringing on actor Vince Curatola, who portrayed Johnny Sack in the popular HBO series The Sopranos.  Gambling911.com first broke the story last week that Curatola would become the first celebrity spokesperson for an offshore sports betting call center.

This announcement coincided with PPH unveiling its new pay per head scheme: $5 to $9 per head (customer).

“I might consider something like that especially for the price and the target business, a small time guy like me,” Al tells us. 

Some of the many features of the new PayPerHead.com program include:  Online wagering available 24x7x365 served by the largest and most redundant continental Fiber-Optic Network in the world, based on the Arcos, Maya 1, Oxygen and Global Crossing Internet pipes to your clients, Mobile (smart phone) betting platform*, Sharpest Lines In the Industry provided by a 'stage' of 30 individuals working 24 x 7x 365., and these local bookies get to offer their players online poker at one of the newest networks.

John, a rough and tumble old school transplant from New York, has considered the offshore call center approach for years and he’s not quite ready to jump in the water just yet.

“It’s bad enough I gotta deal with these Hindus calling my credit card company, I don’t want them handling my business!”

PayPerHead.com is based in Panama City, Panama, where the 2008 US Republican Presidential candidate John McCain was born, and all the employees speak perfect English.  The folks who run PPH are well-respected old school bookies themselves.  In fact, John might even know one or two of them. 

A good chunk of PayPerHead.com’s business comes from the South Florida area. 

Next stop, we head up the coast a little ways.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher