Author: Richard Munchkin

I am originally from Des Plaines, IL. I went to Oakton Community College, and then Columbia College in Chicago where I received a BA in Theater Arts. I moved to Las Vegas after college, and worked as a dealer and occasional pit boss at The Castaways. While working in the casino I learned to count cards, and after a few years I was making more money playing blackjack than dealing it, in one quarter the hours. What could I do? I had to quit the job. I moved to Los Angeles in the 80s and found that acting in film and television was nothing like my background in theater. I was fortunate enough to make the transition from actor to writer, producer, and director. You can see my resume at IMDB here. You can read reviews or purchase my book here at Amazon. Gambling Wizards: Conversations with the World’s Greatest Gamblers In the book I interview 8 of the top professional gamblers in the world. These are all people who have made many tens of millions of dollars from gambling. It includes, Billy Walters, Alan Woods, Doyle Brunson, and 5 others. Currently I cohost a podcast – Gambling With an Edge. Each week we have a guest, and discuss current gambling news, or ways to gain an advantage at lots of different gambling games. Here is a link to the Gambling With an Edge Facebook page. I post news articles there that are of interest to professional gamblers, as well as updates about upcoming guests. Meanwhile I have gambled my way around the world as a way to supplement my meager show biz income. I hope you find things here to enjoy. You can also check out my Facebook page at Richard W. Munchkin, follow me on Twitter @RWM21 or email me at [email protected].
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Life is a Gamble — Cowboy Buzz

Buzz Marconi moved to Las Vegas in the 1960s, and somehow transformed from an Italian kid from the south side of Chicago into Cowboy Buzz. It’s a wild story.  Check it out at this link.

Show Notes

[00:00]  Introduction on of Cowboy Buzz

[02:07]  Moving to Las Vegas, working at The Stardust

[20:53]  Brilliant mob casino strategies

[23;10]  Tony Spilotro and Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal

[27:19]  Becoming a shift boss Foxy’s Firehouse

[29:28]  Did certain dealers cheat players?

[31:06]  A wild craps swing on credit and Milton Jaffe

[35:20]  Milton Jaffe magic trick

[37:06]  Opening a restaurant in Las Vegas

[41:09]  Stories about dealers, cheating, and work ethic

[46:59]  Cowboy Buzz’s juice is revealed

[48:51]  Naked women tanning at The Tropicana pool

[55:53]  Becoming “Cowboy Buzz”

[1:02:07]  Playing rugby age 73

[1:04:51]  Meeting Max Rubin

[1:09:05]  The first Blackjack Ball

[1:10:30]  Being a clown diver at Caesars Palace

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Life Is a Gamble Podcast — Jon Rogers of Carib Sports

Jon Rogers was an old-school bookie.  He started booking baseball with his classmates in 6th grade, graduated to parlay cards in high school, and went pro after high school.  He lived, and booked through a seismic change in the bookmaking industry.  He went from the old days of taking bets over the phone, writing on slips of paper, to moving offshore, and the rise of internet betting.

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