The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-19
tReg. L. $. Patent Office) By JACK CUDDY

United Press Staff COrrespOndent)
 New York, Jan. 19-CUP)-A big time operator in midwestern bas- ketbal betting now visiting New York, denounced bitterly today the cheap chiSelers and crooks who are casting suspicious on the hoop sport with their spread quotations and their attempts to fix games.
 He emphasized that Legitimate operators s"-permanent bookmakers in most large cities who specialize in basketball and football wagers- are just as angy over the current situation as are college officials and promoters.
 They are angry because activities of 'small-time, fly-by night bookies and crooked gamblers cause regular clients of the 'legitimates" to be- come suspicious of the sport, he explained. Moreover, sudden rumorS of fixes" though usually un- founded cause such lop-sided na- tional betting on important games that the legitis can not balance their books-can't lay-of to other book ies; and consequently wind up the day with frozen surpluseS on ar tifically hot favorites When these favorites won, the legits take it on the chin.
 The operator from D. continu- ed, "the basis of income in legitim- ate bookmaking is the commission obtained from balanced book; not from trying to out-smart or victim ize the clients.
 Tn basketball for example, l offer point-handicap on a game
 a handicap that has been set in the city o M at noon on the day of the game by the smartest and best informed basketball handi- cappers in the country. Perhaps the handicapperS have made team A the 7-point favorite over team B The client bets on either team at odds of 6 to 5. If "A wins the game by more than ' points, it's a fav- orite victory. If the A margin is exactly 2, neither bettor wins; and l get no commission. Yes, there are plenty of draws ike that. If two men had bet $i,200 each-one on A and the other on 'B'-my com mission would have been $200, no matter which won.
 This is much different from spread betting-the kind that's causing most of the trouble at Ma dison Square Garden and other places. For the spread. bookies would take the handicap of points and ctNrna6 tn rho nI; betting at even money, gives the Rookie 8 points if he wagers on the favorite; but receives only 6 if he bets on the underdog. A favorite win Of exactly points means draw for the winner bettor; a fa- vorite margin of eactly 6 points mean draw for the underdog bet tor But--a favorite margin of 2 points means a loss for both bet tors, with the Rookie taking the entire pot
 Frankly, spread betting is only for suckers. Every time fan makes spread bet, he is taking not only the normal chance of los ing; but he is giving the bookie the advantage of the middle or handicap figure, which has been determined by experts. The fan is betting that those experts do not know their business; but they do. It is their business to determine the exact borderline of proWess be- tween the two teams, in order to stimulate difference of opinion - and thus stimulate betting on both teams, giving the commission men action and balanced book. It is remarkable how often the . han dicappers hit the margin of differ ence right on the nose. The con- sistency with which the middle fig ure arrives in important games is a major cause for the increasing yells of fix.
 No established bookmaker, with a respected clientele. will accept l spread betS-in New York or any | where else. Like the shell game, | spread betting is for suckers. But, | worse than the shell game, it's vi- cious, double -edged menace to bas- ketball. The handicap break in ta- yor of the bookies excites suspicion | of dishonesty in games that are on the level; and sometimes 1t spurs bookies to attempt | killings. No need to add | shyster bookies to the ranks of the few crooked gamblers lowering about the fringes of basketball, like skulking wolves, trying to arrange | for games to be thrown"