Attorney: Twitter Bookies the Scourge of Sports Betting Today
Appearing as part of a riveting podcast with Vegas Horse Pools this week, Georgia-based attorney Joe Durham discussed one of the more serious issues in plaquing sports bettors these days that might at first sound laughable.... The emergence of the Twitter bookie.
Even the mere mention of this caused the panel to try and hold back their laughter.
But the issue is no joke.
Individuals have amassed large followings via Twitter using anonymous handles. They offer to book games with more attractive lines than gamblers will find elsewhere. Folks fall for this tactic hook, line, and sinker, including one of the individuals appearing alongside Joe on the podcast. In one sense the Twitter bookie has game so to speak in that the vast majority of his players ultimately lose and end up paying on those losses. But when someone actually wins it turns out they cannot get paid.
Durham is taking legal action against one such Twitter bookie, who he identified as Leighton Thetford III. His account on Twitter is @purewage_. Immediately following the publication of the Vegas Horse Pools podcast with Mr. Durham, @purewage_ blocked Gambling911.com from viewing his Twitter account, which features Thetford III offering wagering boosts similar to those found at DraftKings and FanDuel as well as various accounts praising how fast he pays. Come'on Man, DraftKings and FanDuel typically pay out fast as well and rarely do we see anyone on either of those Twitter feeds bending over backwards to celebrate the fast payouts. It's their job to pay in a timely fashion.
Here is the link to the video. @gambling911 https://t.co/B3ggJgKfgc
— Vegas Horse Pools (@vegashorsepools) September 27, 2023
Leave a comment on Youtube if you want to hear more of these in the future. @fishinlawyer was a great guest and has 100 more stories if you want to hear them.
Durham discusses how a little known law found in multiple states can help gamblers force deadbeat bookies to pay up despite gambling contracts mostly being unenforceable. The concept is unique and we urge readers to watch the video above in its entirety.
Durham is seeking a judgment against Mr. Thetford III, who is operating in various states. The Georgia attorney represents more than a half dozen individuals claiming to be owed money by Thetford III, all from different states. Thetford III's own father has even said he wishes his son would not have gotten caught up in all of this, according to Durham.
"The way they are doing it is with those boosts," Vegas Horse Pools stated in regard to how these so-called Twitter bookies are able to attract countless numbers of unsuspecting gamblers. "The boosts they are putting out are enormous."
He joked: "I'll tell you right now I'll give you +300 on any team on the board just as long as I know I'm not going to pay you. I'll give it to you on the favorite, it makes no difference to me."
"Why risk yourself unless there is some reason you think this Twitter bookie is going to work out for you?" Durham asks. "Just move on past him because you're gonna end up not getting paid, contacting me then, you know, hoping that we can recover something and even if you get a judgment knowing that it may be decades before that judgment is paid, if they even have anything, you never know. It could be a pure guy who never amounts to anything in life and is just out there trying to screw people and trying to take advantage of them on Twitter."
Durham makes it abundantly clear that Thetford III is running a pretty massive operation.
"Anybody who is out there that has dealt with them (Thetford III), either paid them, didn't get paid, did anything and you want to help a fellow gambler and bettor get paid, let me know. I can keep your name confidential.
"Pointing out these people that are fakes, that are frauds, and won't do right is important. They will shut down one Twitter account and open another. Or they'll block you and block everyone else and keep going so knowing the names and the identities so we can put that out there for people to know to try and keep people from getting screwed is important so you can DM me on Twitter @fishinlawyer."
Durham urged folks dealing with Mr. Thetford III to obtain screenshots of payments to him.
"We know that the initial deposits are going into his pocket. That's one thing we know for sure. So every different identity account that he's using will be fantastic."
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
