The intriguing story of one gambler

[Kintamayama 45,251]

The ex-Ounomatsu Makuuchi rikishi (Katayama, by all accounts) did an interview, telling it all. It all started in May 2008, when still active Makushita kainahineri expert Furuichi, younger brother of the arrested blackmail suspect approached him and asked if he would like to "try it". "When the guys involved were watching ball games on TV, their eyes were different. It was an open secret that some rikishi were involved in this, but I wasn't. Then, when I tried it myself I felt that this kind of gambling can be fun, so I joined and became totally absorbed in it. At the beginning, I bet on my favorite team- about 10,000 to 20, 000 yen, but the stakes gradually grew. On days of games, the hairdresser would get an SMS message from his bookie about two hours before the match with the odds and spreads of all 6 games played that day. This SMS was then forwarded to all rikishi involved so that they could set their bets, and the bets were then sent to the bookie about half an hour (sometimes thirty minutes) before the match began. The "settling of accounts' was done every following Monday, so even if I didn't have the cash I could still participate, which for me was the whole appeal to this.. But the odds were set so well you could seldom win. Players would lose, and then tell themselves they'll get it all back by winning on the weekend, and that's how the debts would quickly pile up. Some rikishi even put up their retirement pay as collateral,", said the ex-rikishi. "As Sadogatake and Ounomatsu beyas are from the same ichimon, Ounomatsu's tokoyama does Kotomitsuki's hair. They were very close friends. The tokoyoma used to call Kotomitsuki on the phone while watching baseball on TV and say stuff like 'the Ozeki is doing great today' and 'Ozeki, you've done it!!'. Everyone could hear it and everyone knew what it was all about," attests the ex-rikishi. "Even while playing the hanafuda card game, shifting of sums around 300,000 yen was not uncommon, stressing the rikishi's 'strange money sense' ", he adds. "I have told the police everything I know. I would like all rikishi who were involved to come clean and admit it. Continuing to hide it at this time makes me wonder how they can do sumo. I just hope everything is settled before Nagoya basho starts,", summed the ex-rikishi.

Edited June 28, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Babaryutaikai 1]

Thanks for this report, Kinta. I'm just wondering - greed, addiction or stupidity. I can't believe that getting oneself in a position to use potential retirement money as collateral can have been fun. I guess the younger Furuichi will be out soon. Do Makusita guys get "retirement money" or is it just the 10,000 yen bills collected at the heya danpatsu event for non-sekitori (after heya share, if any)?

[Orion 431]

But the odds were set so well you could seldom win. Players would lose, and then tell themselves they'll get it all back by winning on the weekend, and that's how the debts would quickly pile up.

Heigh-ho. If the players could regularly win, the bookies would soon be out of business, right? Why don't these idiots see this? Round the age of 12 or 13 I was rolling pennies at a fair, losing more than I gained, and was suddenly enlightened. I've never bet since -- except for the one time I was teaching in a really prissy school and an enterprising teacher persuaded the principal to allow a staff gamble (I can't even remember the name of the game) on the Derby. Admiring the sheer effrontery of the attempt, I put in my shilling -- and my outsider won, netting me 30 shillings. I promptly bought myself a pair of small gold hoop earrings, which I still wear quite often today (on my quiet days) and fondly refer to as 'The Wages of Sin'.

Orion (Sign of disapproval...)

[Asashosakari 19,440]

I guess the younger Furuichi will be out soon. Do Makusita guys get "retirement money" or is it just the 10,000 yen bills collected at the heya danpatsu event for non-sekitori (after heya share, if any)?

From what I've read former makushita rikishi are eligible for a parting gift of "at least" 200,000 yen, but I have no idea how it's calculated specifically. In any case, Furuichi's a former two-time juryo so he's eligible for that level of retirement money, I think 530,000 yen or thereabout.

But the odds were set so well you could seldom win. Players would lose, and then tell themselves they'll get it all back by winning on the weekend, and that's how the debts would quickly pile up.

Heigh-ho. If the players could regularly win, the bookies would soon be out of business, right? Why don't these idiots see this?

Well, each guy is hoping he's the one to beat the odds and it'll only be everybody else who ends up subsidizing the bookie's Maserati... My understanding is that there are in fact people (in the United States) who manage to make a living through betting on baseball, though I'm not sure if their - Nevada-based, I guess - bookmakers skim 10% off any bet like these Japanese guys apparently did. And of course, much like for professional poker players the swings in luck are probably huge even if you're good at it, so burning through your bankroll is still easy to do.

Edited June 26, 2010 by Asashosakari

[kame 0]

I thought the whole problem started when Kotomitsuki actually won big?

[Asashosakari 19,440]

I thought the whole problem started when Kotomitsuki actually won big?

More specifically, when he won big and couldn't get the money. I don't think it's meant to imply that he was a regular winner though.

[omoimori 0]

I guess the younger Furuichi will be out soon. Do Makusita guys get "retirement money" or is it just the 10,000 yen bills collected at the heya danpatsu event for non-sekitori (after heya share, if any)?

From what I've read former makushita rikishi are eligible for a parting gift of "at least" 200,000 yen, but I have no idea how it's calculated specifically. In any case, Furuichi's a former two-time juryo so he's eligible for that level of retirement money, I think 530,000 yen or thereabout.

But the odds were set so well you could seldom win. Players would lose, and then tell themselves they'll get it all back by winning on the weekend, and that's how the debts would quickly pile up.

Heigh-ho. If the players could regularly win, the bookies would soon be out of business, right? Why don't these idiots see this?

Well, each guy is hoping he's the one to beat the odds and it'll only be everybody else who ends up subsidizing the bookie's Maserati... My understanding is that there are in fact people (in the United States) who manage to make a living through betting on baseball, though I'm not sure if their - Nevada-based, I guess - bookmakers skim 10% off any bet like these Japanese guys apparently did. And of course, much like for professional poker players the swings in luck are probably huge even if you're good at it, so burning through your bankroll is still easy to do.

The legal Nevada casino probably does collect a small fee for each bet, but that is not the reason for offering a sportsbook. The bettors are basically betting against each other (parimutuel betting). The casino wants to break even on the bets. The sportsbook is just a scheme to get cash physically inside the casino. The bet has to be made in person, and the casino knows the winners are all not going to just walk out with the winnings. There's always going to be some guy who bets a $1000 and wins a $1000 on a baseball or football game, then loses $500 at the craps table on his way out. He still leaves happy and will come back again because he thinks he took the casino for $500. In reality he won $1000 from other bettors and then just flat gave $500 to the casino.

[Kintamayama 45,251]

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