Getting back to the original discussion in this thread for a moment..
When bringing a current Las Vegas sportsbook manager into a topic such as the most influential or powerful player in gambling today, it is not going to hold much weight.
The primarty reason being, the offshore business is where the true 'players' are, on both sides of the counter, and LV is the old pond that used to be the biggest and had the most fish, but now a new pond has been found (offshore/internet gambling) that has all the big fish and that situation isn't going to change anytime soon.
To my knowledge, I don't know of any innovations or great impact Lupo has made to the gambling industry. He took over a job at the Stardust, basically taking over the reins of what is acknowledged as one of the more impressive runs as a book manager in Las Vegas (Scotty S that kosar alluded to). Not sure what Mr Lupo has done since then that has changed anything for the general betting public since then. For one, his business is conducted in Las Vegas, limiting his exposure to Nevada residents or tourists or gamblers who frequent LV to wager on sporting events. He does not make a 'homemade' line. His line is made with a mixture of the LVSC and other components. He moves the line in accordance to action as any other bookies/manager does. The Stardust surely is one of the best, if not the best sportsbook in Vegas in terms of being 'bettor friendly'. But I fail to see where he as an individual is one of the most influential or powerful men in the industry. I don't see where myself or anyone else in this forum has been directly effected in any manner in our betting lives by what Joe Lupo has done or does.
Now Billy Walters on the other hand, for the most part during football and basketball season, has almost a daily impact on a vast majority of the betting public, wiseguys, books, etc.
Oh, that Notre Dame line that was -5 is now -7.5 a minute later, that is Billy Walters. So now every college football bettor who was interested in the Notre Dame game now has huge 2.5 swing to deal with. And every major book has now bumped their line a point or two, whether it be if they were hit with the money or if they move it on air. By him giving the go on Notre Dame as a play effected the vast betting majority and virtually every book in Las Vegas and offshore. Of course there are also the false moves, maybe he wanted to get the dog at +7.5, so now it's time to pound the opposite side..that's another area I'll leave alone for now.
In conjunction he provides a huge market for middlers/scalpers. Without him, the line moves would not nearly be as dramatic and the oppurtunites for catching middles, etc., would be greatly minimized.
Basically, the entire betting landscape is changed by what Billy Walters does, whether it be a $10 recreational player, the sharpie betting thousands, the neighborhood bookie who actually follows lines, Spiro, Joe Lupo..everyone.
The current men involved with Las Vegas gaming don't have nearly the impact as the head honchos offshore. They have created a whole new world for gamblers, taking much more action, offering greater and more varied betting oppurtunities, allowing anyone with a computer or telephone the ability to wager without having to call the local bookie. Take the head guys at WSEX for example...Steve and them developed interactive betting (although it has been around in the UK for some time, WSEX's unique version of it was the US publics first introduction to it and is was a major development/innovation to the gambling industry). Guys like that and Spiro, the head guys at CRIS, and many others offshore are all much bigger 'players' than Vegas guys like Joe Lupo, whether the betting public is aware or unaware of it.
