With the Chiefs heading for the playoffs, I think back to the 1969-1970 season. The KC Chiefs were headed to the Super Bowl against the favored Minnesota Vikings. Nationally, the Vikings were getting all the action to win. Locally, the money was going down on the Chiefs. Nick Civella called the tapped North View Social club’s phone. This was the clubhouse known as “The Trap.” The main bookies, Dude Fontanello and Frank Tousa were worried about the “Book” being out of whack. Dude noticed too much local money going down on the Chiefs. They needed to “lay off” the Chief’s action to another city. At another city like Chicago or Minneapolis where there would be more money down on the Vikings.
You see, the Mob does not gamble with the “Book.” They equalize the number of bets on each team in any given contest. The losers pay the losing bet and a 10% “Vig” to the bookie. The winner gets his win while the Mob keeps the “Vig.” Vig is short for vigorsh.