Betting on HS Sports

[Marlow]

In a home-page-linked article, a hard-hitting investigative reporter reveals . . . **GASP** . . . that there's betting on HS sports. Ya'think?

This excerpt is priceless:

The site 5dimes.com of Costa Rica confirmed in an e-mail to the St. Petersburg Times that it will place a betting line on the Armwood-Plant [HS] game. . . . No one from 5dimes.com would speak by phone, though a representative identifying himself only as "Tony" answered questions through the Web site's instant chat service.
He wrote: "We're here to service customers. If they want it (and it's not too much trouble), we do our best to provide them with every option they could possibly want."

Can't you hear the conversation in the back of 5dimes HQ?

"Yo, Tony, so are we gonna 'service' some customers this Friday night?"

"Yeah, Lefty, youse guys go down to the HS and make sure the QB and RB know we're gonna 'service' them, if they don't throw this game."

"OK. Ain't being in the service industry grand?"

[EPelle]

I:ve mentioned this before, but I truly had no idea folks bet on high school track until my grade-12 season.

I was in the stands at Arcadia, having competed and warmed down from my event. It was near the end of the meet, and the boys 4x400m was up. Dallas South Oak Cliff was up against Hawthorne. Money flew between hands left and right, from one aisle up to the other, and landed with a big guy I would aptly believe was named Tony.

Memory is fuzzy - it was a long time ago, but I recally Curtis Conway getting the baton just about even with whomever was anchoring SOC. Double or nothing. Even a triple or nothing was yelled to the big Somoan.

Conway churned a 45,x, I believe, and kept SOC at bay, leading Hawthorne to a fine 3.11,33 MR and NL. There were some angry words shouted back and forth, but everyone walked away... some with less cash than others.

Same thing happpened at state. Quincy Watts against Bryan Bridgewater.

[lonewolf]

"Friendly" betting between fans was common at Texas HS track meets in the 70s but I don't think anyone named Tony was involved. They might take one runner against the field or double down or reverse their bid during the course of the race. These were not lifestyle altering bets and never saw any violence or retribution.

[no one]

Betting seemed common in CIF-SS champs in early 60's thru mid 70s - I faded away after that for a while. The SS was more into it than the state meets - least ones I went to. Fresno and Modesto Relays had 'healthy' participation - lotsa stand up comedians. We would go over to backstretch stands to watch/hear the show. Good fun.