BOOK REVIEW: SENATOR RAYMOND J. LESNIAK
BEATING THE ODDS
“I
By Senator Raymond J. Lesniak. Book review by Damien Connelly
like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past” – Thomas Jefferson. This quote could equally have been made by former New Jersey State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak. 14 June 2018 saw the end of the 11year epic battle led by Senator Lesniak. 14 June 2018 was the date the first legal wager was placed in New Jersey — at Monmouth Park. It was placed by the then New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. That first legal wager, however, was not a winning bet. When we met in New York City while I was on assignment for Sports Betting Operator and for Casino Life, Senator Lesniak informed me that it was indeed he who placed the first winning bet in the state of New Jersey — it was a bet backing a European team. This is the kind of industry history that you will uncover by reading ‘Beating The Odds’. When you read this book, you will discover how leagues including the NFL, NBA, NCAA, NHL, and MLB tried to block New Jersey legalizing sports betting. The major American sports leagues eventually came on board. There’s insightful detail about how one of these leagues “went nuclear” before it did “a quick flip-flop.” If it wasn’t for Senator Lesniak and Co, it is entirely possible that the U.S. sports betting industry today would still only be legal in a handful of states. Senator Lesniak’s determination and legal nous made a significant difference in the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) deciding the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) was unconstitutional. Since SCOTUS overturned PASPA on 48
ABOVE: Senator Raymond J. Lesniak
a 7-2 decision, the U.S. sports betting market has altered and expanded beyond recognition. The global sports betting market has been influenced in a multitude of positive ways as well since the U.S. market started to open up. “Raymond Lesniak was the most influential person in bringing sports betting to New Jersey and other states” – Steve Sweeney, New Jersey Senate President If you are involved in any way with the sports betting industry, Senator Lesniak’s first-hand account of what it took to legalize sports betting across America is a fascinating read — you can order your copy of ‘Beating The Odds’ at https://www.lesniakinstitute.org/ product/book/. More than $21 billion was legally wagered on sports in 2020, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA). That’s a windfall for U.S. state economies where sports betting is legal that they otherwise would not have had. As for the number of jobs created across America due to the achievements of Senator Lesniak and Co, I know not how many there are nor how many there will end up being — sportsbettingoperator.com
