Oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro leaves Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh for Las Vegas

When taking his position at Rivers Casino, he said that he had been looking for a chance to return to his Western Pennsylvania roots in semi-retirement.

2019-07-23

United States

Reading time 1:35 min

He was employed part-time since February to do public relations in promoting the new sportsbook at Rivers Casino. In Las Vegas, Vaccaro will be filling in for its sports director, Chris Andrews, at least temporarily.

Las Vegas renowned sports oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro, who ran the sportsbooks of some of Sin City’s top casinos for four decades, has left a position he began February 1 as part of the Rivers Casino’s new sports betting operation in Pittsburgh. The Trafford native will return to the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Rivers Casino confirmed Thursday that Vaccaro is leaving the Pittsburgh casino and returning to Las Vegas, where his career flourished. "Jimmy let us know recently that he's headed back to Vegas. It was great working with him and we wish him all the best," said Rivers Casino spokesman Jack Horner, as reported by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Vaccaro returned home earlier this year as Rivers became the first local venue to allow sports betting. In Nevada, he was renowned as an affable and knowledgeable oddsmaker who would be creative with betting options and take all comers. He was among a group of Western Pennsylvanians who grew up wagering with bookies themselves and then arrived in Las Vegas in the 1970s to become top oddsmakers for the casinos for decades afterward.

He was recently featured prominently in “Action,” a Showtime documentary series about sports betting, as well as an ESPN “30 for 30” documentary about the 1990 Buster Douglas-Mike Tyson fight.

Vaccaro was not an oddsmaker at the Rivers, which relies on a European firm for that service, but was employed part time since February to do public relations in promoting the new sportsbook there. When taking that position, he said that he had been looking for a chance to return to his Western Pennsylvania roots in semi-retirement.

South Point spokeswoman Lynne Ravenscraft said Vaccaro will, at least temporarily, be filling in for its sports director, Forest Hills native Chris Andrews, a friend of Vaccaro’s who is on a medical leave while being treated for blood cancer. “As to whether this is a permanent move is anyone’s guess,” she said of Vaccaro’s status. “We look forward to welcoming him back to the South Point and hope he decides to stay awhile.”