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Poker.co.uk - Poker News Archive
Monday 15th August 2005 New Football Contest Launched by Leroy’s
Leroy’s has been around a long time, but the venerable sports betting shop with locations throughout Nevada making a concerted effort to generate more excitement and bring in new business.
To achieve that goal, Vic Salerno, president, American Wagering, Inc., Las Vegas, parent company of Leroy’s brought in legendary bookmaker Jimmy Vaccaro to make things happen. As director of public relations, jimmy is devising promotional vehicles, such as contests, to help Leroy’s get more mileage out of its 62 statewide locations and bring more patrons into the shops. This college football contest is his first effort, but others are on the drawing board. He is convinced that sports betting can evolve into an exciting year round series of competitions similar to what is making poker so popular these days.
Jimmy feels the popularity of college sports can easily support a well conceived contest with a $250 entry fee. “This lets serious players compete with their peers without a prohibitive cost,” Vaccaro asserted. “There is a large, unsatisfied throng of college bettors who look forward to an opportunity to cash in on their expertise. This is long overdue.”
Entries are now being accepted with the final deadline to sign up 5 pm, September 9. Initial application must be done in person, but selections may be submitted by proxies throughout the season. The contest starts with games of September 10, and will run 12 weeks, ending with the November 26 weekend, which features a host of traditional rivalry matchups.
There are 62 Leroy’s sportsbooks throughout Nevada, including 25 in the Las Vegas area. Plays will be accepted at kiosks as well as manned stations during the season
The guaranteed prize structure is based on 200 entries in order for Leroy’s to break even. Since the contest calls for 100 percent of entry fees to be paid back to winners, total prize money could exceed the guaranteed figure.
Players will make seven selections weekly, sides only from a ½ point card offering 32 games. Deadline for turning in selections is Fridays at 5 p.m. Consensus plays and a leader board will be posted online at americanwagering.com.
When the smoke clears, the top 30 finishers will collect all the prize money, with 50 percent earmarked for the top handicapper.
In order to give the contest a little more visibility, Vaccaro and John Kelly will host the Leroy’s College Football Hour on KDWN 720 AM at 8 pm Fridays. Originating from the Riviera sportsbook, the show will feature well known and respected handicappers. However, Vaccaro also wants to provide coverage for lesser known, but nonetheless very competent analysts and bettors.
“Actually, all contestants in the contest are eligible to appear on the show,” said Vaccaro.
Assuming this show flies high, and helps Leroy’s assume a more prominent position on the sports betting radar screen, Jimmy plans to take it to the next level, a local TV show with a prize structure of $1 million.
He has other ideas as well but for now he is keeping them under wraps, and concentrating on getting this contest off and running.
Please send questions, comments, etc., to buzzdaly@aol.com.
Source: OnlineCasinoNews
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