The Herd with Colin Cowherd Colin Cowherd Podcast - Insane Sports Gambling Stories on Mike Tyson, Mickelson, Ohtani, Mayweather, The Mob
Feb 18, 2026
Art Manteris, veteran Las Vegas bookmaker and author of The Bookie, shares wild high-stakes gambling tales from Caesars and beyond. He recounts celebrity bets involving Tyson, Mickelson, Ohtani and Mayweather. Stories cover sportsbook strategy, detecting proxy bettors and organized crime ties. He also reflects on legalization’s impact on Vegas and threats to game integrity.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
How Modern Sportsbooks Were Built
- Art Manteris explains early sportsbooks were chaotic with few rules and weak operational standards.
- He established policies at Caesars that became industry standards for legitimacy and compliance.
Detecting Runners By Line Movement
- Art describes how sportsbooks detect 'runners' by spotting simultaneous line movement across books.
- He says erring on caution helps prevent proxy wagering and regulatory issues.
Inside Info From A Big Fight
- Art recounts learning Pacquiao was injured before Pacquiao–Mayweather and felt conflicted about inside knowledge.
- The episode convinced him to separate promotional roles from gambling to protect integrity.
