In a USA Today story being ridiculed among sports betting observers as sensationalized — but one that’s probably making sports executives squirm — gambler and pick-seller Robert Gorodetsky claims to have relationships with numerous star athletes.
Gorodetsky in May shared a photo on Instagram of himself and Odell Beckham Jr, to whom Gorodetsky says he was introduced by a cousin of the Giants wide receiver. Gorodetsky recalls lending Beckham $10,000 to play blackjack, and he also showed USA Today a text message purportedly of Beckham expressing interest in making a $20,000 bet on a baseball game.
SIGN UP to watch every NFL playoff game and the Super Bowl on DAZN
That latter item is what’s problematic. NFL players are allowed to sit at blackjack tables, but they are prohibited by the league from betting on sports. Gorodetsky, though, says the baseball bet was never made, and through his agent, Zeke Sandhu, Beckham denies even knowing Gorodetsky.
"We do not know Robert nor can we confirm any of his statements,'' Sandhu wrote in an email.
"We have confirmed with Odell that he has never placed any bets on any professional sports games,” Sandhu’s email continued. “We can assure you that he has and will always continue to comply with all of the NFL's rules and regulations regarding gambling activities.''
Gorodetsky, meanwhile, also said he has “a lot of NBA friends and we’ve bet together. But they can’t be in the article or I’ll be dead.”
Except some of them are in the article.
— Gorodetsky said of Lakers rookie Kyle Kuzma, “I’ll go to games, hit him up. He’ll always secretly be like, ‘Who do you got?’ You know what I’m saying? ...
“But it’s like a dark subject, because he’s, like, playing the game and he doesn’t want to talk about gambling. You know what I’m saying?”
— Gorodetsky posted on Instagram a photo of himself and Thunder guard Russell Westbrook at a poker table in Las Vegas in October 2014.
"He's actually not bad,'' Gorodetsky said of Westbrook’s poker chops.
— Gorodetsky has text messages he said came from Cavaliers assistant and former NBA player Damon Jones. Gorodetsky said Jones has bet on baseball, adding, “He used to text me everyday and ask me who I like.”
Russ King, Gorodetsky's security guy, said Gorodetsky and Jones spent time together at the NBA's summer league in Las Vegas this summer, but through Cavs spokesperson B.J. Evans, Jones said he does not know Gorodetsky.
With Gorodetsky making outlandish claims that he wins 60 to 65 percent of his bets and that his tout service will have a “market share of at least 5% of a $150 billion industry” once sports betting becomes legal nationwide, this is a story the sports betting industry just doesn’t believe. It’s also one several athletes wish never was published.