Chapter 3; pages 49-50

Even with the bright red burn I still showed up at the office, worked with the sales staff and went to my regular meetings with both Shaun and Claude. Shaun had a human side and seemed generally concerned that I was in pain but would also have a good laugh with the sales team at my expense. Claude on the other hand it was business as usual although in our first meeting back he gave me a furrowed brow incredulous look as to wonder if I knew what sun block was? That was the only emotional look I ever saw from Claude that first trip outside of ear to ear smiles he got looking at the number of sign ups posted on the chalk board inside the sales office. After that look it was back to the usual stoicism. The upcoming week everyone’s eyes would pop out staring at me or they would grab a pair of sun glasses to deflect the glow of my burnt red glowing skin. Other than the one look, Claude never really let on that he was remotely human directly towards me during our first encounter in Costa Rica. But then again that was the type of guy Claude was, very closed to most people, private, but he let everyone know that he was “The Man” with his entourage of gun toting security guards in suits surrounding him at all times or just outside of his door. And he was the man, when he walked down the hall, everyone got out of his way. When he spoke everyone would shut up and listen. When I made suggestions pertaining to advertising he would never flinch or agree just remain silent with an occasional disagreement. His silence told me I was right.

The first year NASA was my client they paid me about $8500 in cash and the other $8500 they put on a betting account. When I tried to withdraw the account money which was my money Shaun tells me I have to get approval from Claude. I ask Claude for money and he tells me that I have to deal with Shaun. After a minor run around I re-address my need to get paid and Shaun responds by telling me I have to play it many times over before I withdraw because they want an opportunity to win it back. I should have demanded the money but my eyes were on the big picture and big money in 2001 since I know I impressed them with my work in 2000. My mistake because once money goes into a BOS it just doesn’t find its way out other than the form of untraceable gold bars. I tried one more time while back in California to withdraw the money and the payouts department tells me I have to speak with Shaun and he did a good job of avoiding my calls. I would end up losing all of the money because it was available and once I start to gamble it’s an ego thing, I have to win and won’t quit till I win. The result was the usual.

I can’t count how many times Claude or Shaun would cynically laugh about a customer expecting a payout with “What’s a payout?” This was a joke that resonated throughout BOS from the sales room to the customer service room. They paid most people but would periodically get on the phone trying to negotiate with big winners to taking less of a payout and keeping money in their accounts. Allegedly sometimes the negotiations were not without conditions that the customer take some but not all or BOS will just keep all. This was amazing since the company was pulling in loads of cash every single day.

Towards the end of September I was ready to return to Los Angeles for the remainder of the football season. I had accomplished what I set out to do at BOS and then some. I got to know plenty of the personal first hand which was unique considering most agencies that solicited to the online gaming industry at the time would restrict their relationship to the phone and email. I impressed Mr. Ripner by cleaning up the advertising messes and going beyond the call of responsibility and providing exceptional information with legal interpretations to break down a barrier of acceptance with the state of Florida. I befriended the right people that would insure better tracking methods. I also got a nice sun tan that would make Southern Californians envious and made a few bucks along the way. Last but not least I briefly met a short overweight gentleman with a strange southern-like drawl who was paying his dues sitting at a desk on the 6th floor with the wager clerks from Jaguar, much like what I was doing in the 10th floor sales office. The young fellow would be laying the groundwork for one of the best offshore sports book operations of 2001 and thereafter, Mr. Chuck Bauer. I don’t remember meeting Chuck on that trip but he remembered me and that says a lot about the guy. He is great with people.


*MacGyver, Richard Dean Anderson is probably best known as MacGyver, the clever and inventive nonviolent hero who solved problems in his own unique way for seven successful seasons on ABC. Not only could MacGyver invest a non-violent bomb out of string and bubble gum to escape his captors but was the heart throb for Marge Simpson’s chain cigarette smoking sisters, Patty and Selma.