Wednesday, December 09, 2009

How To Win at OTB

One Man’s Discarded Ticket Can Be Another Man’s Salary - NYTimes.com: "For the past 10 years, Jesus Leonardo has been cleaning up at an OTB parlor in Midtown Manhattan, cashing in, by his own count, nearly half a million dollars’ worth of winning tickets from wagers on thoroughbred races across the country.

Jesus Leonardo with a credit voucher for $6 that he earned in his “work” at an OTB parlor in Midtown Manhattan.

During his glorious run, Mr. Leonardo, 57, has not placed a single bet.

“It is literally found money,” he said on a recent night from his private winner’s circle. He spends more than 10 hours a day there, feeding thousands of discarded betting slips through a ticket scanner in a never-ending search for someone else’s lost treasure."

3 comments:

Deb said...

There was a similar scene in "The Grifters" (don't remember if it was also in the book) where Angelica Houston picks up discarded betting slips at the race track.

Richard Robinson said...

I wonder what the IRS has to say.....

Deb said...

In the article, he says he declares income and pays taxes.