Sports Gambling Hall of Fame inaugural class includes Billy Walters

The inaugural class of the Sports Gambling Hall of Fame will be inducted Friday at Circa, where it will reside in an enclave in the sportsbook.

Here’s a quick glance at the inductees:

Billy Baxter

Pro sports bettor and poker player known for staking Stu Ungar the $10,000 buy-in for the 1997 World Series of Poker Main Event, which he won for a record-tying third time.

“Billy Baxter has always been my hero,” fellow inductee Michael “Roxy” Roxborough said. “Here’s a guy who’s a professional poker player, professional sports bettor and managed world champion boxers. Who’s got a better life than that?”

Michael “Roxy” Roxborough

America’s preeminent oddsmaker in the 1980s and 1990s, he pioneered the use of mathematical formulas and computer models for bookmakers. Ran Las Vegas Sports Consultants from 1982 to 1999 and acted as unofficial spokesman for industry. Co-founded “America’s Line,” a betting odds column that ran in 128 newspapers. Ranked No. 2 on Review-Journal’s list of most influential sports figures of 20th century.

Scotty Schettler

Sportsbook director at the Stardust, which put up the opening lines and took the largest limits. Started the Stardust lottery, which gave everybody a fair chance to bet on opening lines at 8 a.m. daily and 6 p.m. Sunday, when lines were posted on the following week’s football games. Took action from all customers.

Jimmy Vaccaro

South Point oddsmaker helped accelerate the expansion of sports betting in Las Vegas when he opened the Barbary Coast sportsbook for Michael Gaughan in 1979. Opened The Mirage book for Steve Wynn in 1989 and was the only bookmaker to take action on Mike Tyson’s stunning upset loss to Buster Douglas. Tyson was a 42-1 favorite (-4,200).

Billy Walters

Widely regarded as the most successful sports bettor of all time, he has compiled a 36-year winning streak. The Las Vegas businessman and philanthropist was part of the renowned Computer Group, which was credited in the 1980s as the first sports betting syndicate to use mathematical formulas and computer models.

In memoriam

Jack Franzi

Successful sports bettor and one of most influential oddsmakers in Las Vegas history at the Barbary Coast and Gold Coast. Influenced bookmakers Art Manteris and Chris Andrews, his nephews, as well as Jimmy Vaccaro, Vinny Magliulo and Chuck Esposito.

Jackie Gaughan

Created the first sportsbook inside a casino at the Union Plaza.

Bob Martin

America’s preeminent oddsmaker in the 1960s and 1970s. His numbers posted at the Churchill Downs sportsbook set the standard of excellence for the “Las Vegas line” that was followed by bookies across the country.

Charles McNeil

Credited with inventing and popularizing the point spread and teasers. Was former President John F. Kennedy’s math teacher.

Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal

Pro sports bettor and Las Vegas casino executive portrayed by Robert DeNiro in the classic mob movie “Casino.”

“By the way, nobody ever called him Lefty to his face. It was Mr. R or Mr. Rosenthal,” Roxborough said. “He took the Stardust and turned it into something bigger and better than anybody had ever dreamed that a race and sportsbook could be.They had the idea that you could market the property around the race and sportsbook.”