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Las Vegas filmmaker Dennis Tobler, who produced the critically-acclaimed 2017 documentary “Now Place Your Bets,” about the history of sports betting, is looking to make a sequel.
He is also looking for investors for the project.
In an exclusive interview with Gambling 911, Tobler, who is also a longtime sports handicapper and radio/TV host, said the sequel will cover the history of sports betting from the year 2000, where the first film left off, through the present day.
“We will cover the nationwide legalization of sports betting, which occurred in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1992 Federal law that banned legal sports betting everywhere it did not already exist,” Tobler said.
“We will also cover other key developments in recent sports betting history, with possible subjects including the explosion of online sports betting and the conflicts of interest that arise when a company such as ESPN has its own sportsbook as well as a television show where hosts tell viewers who to bet on,” he said.
Tobler will produce and direct the documentary sequel, which is still unnamed but may simply be called “Now Place Your Bets 2.”
Daniel Shaver will be the sequel co-producer, while the production company for the film is TSI Network, Tobler said.
“We are looking for investors for the sequel,”Tobler said. “We need $35,000 just to get started, before I get a West Coast Writers Guild copyright for a sequel. Then I can start with my content and build from there.
“We are working on contracts and ideas and have some great ideas. Anyone who is interested in investing in the project can contact us at tsinetwork@cox.net.”
The original “Now Place Your Bets,” which has its own website (nowplaceyourbets.com), can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video and elsewhere.
On his website (dennistobler.com), Tobler describes himself thusly:
“In 1971, Dennis Tobler began his sports betting career as a runner and a bookie in the Midwest. After achieving regional success, Dennis made his first trips to Las Vegas and the desert city welcomed him for good in 1980. Or perhaps Dennis made himself welcome, by taking advantage of what was available in the legal Mecca of sports betting.”
Tobler described the original “Now Place Your Bets” like this when it came out:
“This groundbreaking film details the dramatic rise of legal sports betting in Las Vegas and its growth into a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. Through in-depth interviews, personal accounts, footage and photographs, we will highlight the key events and milestones that shaped the sports betting industry into what it is today.
“This history also dovetails with the changing fortunes of Las Vegas as a gambling town and entertainment destination, at turns overseen by elements of organized crime, corporate interests and the U.S. government.
“Featured prominently in the film are the pioneer oddsmakers, casino operators, bookmakers, professional gamblers, journalists and historians who witnessed these events. Today, betting on sports is a popular pastime and lifestyle choice for many Americans.
“Its appeal incorporates the innate drive for competition and the rewards of winning. These are the major themes the film explores as it depicts the ways in which the urge to keep score with money is an ingrained American trait.”
By Tom Somach
Gambling 911 Chief Correspondent
