Blog Posted on 06/01/2023 | Author: Karen Macarthur
5 Sports Betting Documentaries You Should Watch
Sports betting has fascinated millions of bettors worldwide, from high-stakes to recreational players. Also, the sports betting world is filled with countless fascinating stories, some of which tell us about incredible winning streaks while others remind us why one must always be rooted in reality. So, here’s a list of the top five sports betting documentaries that showcase the different aspects of the sports betting industry.
30 for 30: The Legend of Jimmy the Greek
A part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, this sports documentary explores the incredible life of James George Snyder, who goes by the name Jimmy the Greek in the sporting world.
Jimmy, an expert analyst and bookie from the Vegas Strip, was renowned for his 12 years of association with the NFL Today show. As a sports commentator, he would predict the outcomes of NFL games. Besides, he was known for his betting and gambling antics when placing a bet on basketball or any other sport was frowned upon in the US.
What makes this documentary special is the fact that it has commentary from popular NFL Today sportscasters. This includes the likes of Brent Musburger, Phyllis George and Irv Cross.
The Fantasy Sports Gamble by Frontline
Made in collaboration with The New York Times, this Frontline documentary offers viewers a glimpse into the shady world of illegal sports betting. Also, it goes on to explain the rising prominence of fantasy sports in the online betting world.
First aired in 2016, The Fantasy Sports Gamble details how a small loophole in 2006’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Act led to fantasy sports becoming a multi-billion dollars sector. Featuring numerous interviews with regulators, prosecutors and sports bettors, it shows the negative aspects of fantasy sports betting.
Life on the Line
Directed by Isaac Feder and released a decade ago, Life on the Line offers to showcase the “inside world” of sports betting. With Life on the Line, you’ll get inside the minds of professional bettors and know how they evaluate and place wagers. Besides, it shares several issues in the sports betting industry that many people are unaware of.
As a cherry on the top, Life of the Line includes advice from renowned sports bettors like Erin Rynning and Teddy Covers. Other experts in the documentary include Hilton hotel’s oddsmaker Jay Kornegay and the famous radio sports talk show duo Ken Thompson and Brian Blessing. All in all, no matter whether you prefer rugby betting or want to place a cricket bet, Life on the Line is a must-watch for you.
The Best of It
The Best of It is a 2016 documentary by director/producer Scott Pearson Eberly. It follows the arduous life of four professional sports bettors – Ken Weitzner, Lem Banker, Alan “Boston” Dvorkis, and Alan Denkenson.
The Best of It focuses on the 2010 NCCA basketball competition and shows how the four professional bettors try to make a fortune by betting on the tournament. It tells us that sports betting is unpredictable at the end of the day, no matter how experienced a bettor is. Besides, The Best of It reminds us why it’s crucial to always have a bankroll management system.
60 Minutes: Billy Walters
Billy Walters is one of the most successful sports bettors the Vegas Strip has ever seen. He is also known as the ‘godfather of Las Vegas sports betting’. In the 60 Minutes interview with journalist Lara Logan, Walters reveals details about his private life.
It’s believed that Billy Walters never experienced a losing year while wagering on football betting markets and other sports betting options. To give you some stats, Walter once managed to grab over a million dollars from a golf round.
Also, his high-stakes wager on a Super Bowl event got him $3.5 million in winnings. While one may not get as lucky as Walter, you’d certainly learn some things about sports betting (like the common types of betting options and bettors’ fallacies) after watching his documentary.
Some other good sports betting documentaries are listed.
Besides the ones mentioned above, here are some other good sports betting documentaries to watch as a sports bettor:
- Action TV series by Luke Korem (2019)
- Now Place Your Bets: The History of Sports Betting in America by Dennis Tobler (2017)
- The Gambling Mafia and International Sports Betting (2017)
- Understanding Joy (2014)
