How a High Stakes Bookie Got Caught What Matt Bowyer Learned About Gambling Money and Choices
Release Date: 10/10/2025
Casey Stanley: Head Coach of Layton Christian Academy Boys Basketball | The Gametime Guru
The Gametime Guru
I had the chance to watch Layton Christian Academy compete at the Pro Image Sports Holiday Classic in Meridian, Idaho (Owyhee High School), and I was immediately intrigued by the way they carried themselves, competed, and ultimately won the tournament championship. Even more fascinating: Layton Christian is an international school with a roster made up of 15 players from 15 different countries. In this episode, Head Coach Casey Stanley breaks down what makes the program special and shares lessons that apply far beyond basketball, including: How he got into coaching at 6 years old (growing up...
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Art Manteris: Sports Gaming Hall of Fame and Author of "The Bookie" | The Gametime Guru
The Gametime Guru
Art Manteris is one of the most respected names in sports betting, an industry veteran with a four-decade career that includes time at the Fremont Hotel & Casino and running the sportsbook at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He was also inducted into the Sports Gaming Hall of Fame for his impact on the world of sports gaming. In this convo, I sit down with Art to talk about his new book, "The Bookie: How I Bet it all on Sports Gambling and Watched an Industry Explode", and the current headlines surrounding sports gambling. With betting scandals and integrity concerns dominating the...
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Harvey Araton: How Sports Media Changed and What Youth Sports Is Becoming
The Gametime Guru
Veteran sports journalist and author Harvey Araton joins me on the show for a deep conversation on how sports media has changed, what true “access” used to look like in the print era, and why great storytelling still matters in today’s sports culture. Harvey shares behind-the-scenes stories from a career covering elite athletics (including the NBA), plus his experience co-producing ESPN’s 30 for 30: When the Garden Was Eden, a project tied to the legendary 1970s New York Knicks era. A major focus of this episode is Harvey’s newest project and his first-ever middle-grade children’s...
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Lee Toldson: Basketball Coach, Mentor, and Author - with The Gametime Guru
The Gametime Guru
Lee Toldson has immense experience on a variety of levels as a basketball coach, as a mentor, and now as an author! Listen in on this interview as I get the chance to learn about his history in the sport of basketball and how he ended up over here in Idaho, all the way from good old Louisiana!! I've admired Lee's work for quite some time and I'm grateful for the opportunity to chat with him! Lee has coached at the high school level, the professional level, international level, the club level, and he's no stranger to the game as a player as well as he competed in college basketball...
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Ben “The Bane” Davis: Combat Sports Commentator, Fighter, and MTV’s The Challenge
The Gametime Guru
Ben “The Bane” Davis has carved out one of the most unique paths in combat sports and entertainment. From calling fights across multiple promotions to stepping inside the cage himself—and even competing on MTV’s The Challenge—Ben brings a rare blend of curiosity, courage, and relentless work ethic. In this episode, Ben breaks down how he entered the world of combat sports commentary, what he learned while grinding through early media roles, and the mindset it takes to stand out on the mic. We talk about pacing, preparation, chemistry with a co-commentator, and why great play-by-play...
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Dave 'Redneck' Mundell: BKFC Middleweight Champion of the World!
The Gametime Guru
Today on The Gametime Guru, I’m joined by Dave “Redneck” Mundell — the reigning BKFC Middleweight Champion and one of the most disciplined, business-focused fighters in the sport. We dive deep into what makes Dave such a unique force in bare-knuckle fighting: His calm, all-business approach in a sport built on both competition and personality His background in combat sports and the journey that led him to the BKFC title The nerves he still feels before every fight — and the preparation strategies that help him stay composed What it’s really like to get hurt in a fight and battle...
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Mike Zanetti and Shane Larson | College Football Breakdown - Week 13 of the College Football Season
The Gametime Guru
We're breaking down the college football landscape right now as Mike Zanetti joins me here on the show! It's coming up on Week 13 of the season and we have a LOT to chat about! Join us to discuss the true 'contenders' vs the 'pretenders' in the college football playoff race! We're going to chat about the potential upsets: - Could Alabama lose to Auburn? - Will Ohio State come out undefeated or will Michigan or Indiana have something to say about that? - Will Vanderbilt find a way into the playoff and would it be great to have Diego Pavia in the playoff? - What about the...
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The Ever-Changing Landscape of College Football with Jay Paterno | Penn State Football
The Gametime Guru
What an awesome opportunity we have today to chat with Jay Paterno, the son of legendary Penn State University Coach, Joe Paterno. With his most recent book, "Blitzed" coming out recently, we'll chat with Jay about the contents of the book and how the landscape of college football continues to change, which is leaving coaches and players alike with a need to adapt! There are so many additional pressures with NIL coming into play. The money brings so many pressures. Do coaches have shorter leashes while coaching now? Do the expectations change from fanbases and donors now with all this...
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How Sports Teach You to Believe in Yourself | NIL, Confidence & Life Lessons | The Gametime Guru Podcast
The Gametime Guru
In this solo episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I’m sharing two stories that hit close to home—one from the sideline and one from the broader world of college sports. How I Learned (Again) That I Belong I relive one of my final club basketball games coaching in California—when my undersized team went toe-to-toe with a junior college squad and found a way to win. It’s a raw look at belief, resilience, and learning how to win again after a stretch of setbacks. If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong—at work, in sport, or in life—this one’s for you. The NIL Era:...
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Buckeye Brotherhood with Bill Rabinowitz: Inside Ohio State’s Title Run and the Craft of Sports Writing
The Gametime Guru
Sports writer Bill Rabinowitz joins me to unpack his new book Buckeye Brotherhood, the people-first stories from Ohio State’s national championship season, and what it really takes to build a career in sports media today. We cover interviewing 50+ players and coaches, the leadership arc of Ryan Day, and why great reporting starts with listening. If you love Ohio State or you want to sharpen your sports-writing game, this one will hit. In this episode: The human stories behind the Buckeyes’ championship run How to break into sports media in 2025 and build audience on your own terms...
info_outlineFormer bookmaker Matt Bowyer joins the show to pull back the curtain on underground sports betting. Matt explains how credit books work, why so many bettors prefer them over legal apps, and how his network operated across the country and overseas. He shares the night he met Ippei Mizuhara, the scale of the action that followed, and what happened when the FBI raided his home in October 2023.
The conversation digs into gambling addiction, the odds stacked against the average bettor, and how Matt is approaching accountability and fatherhood as he reports to federal prison. We close with lessons on resilience, redefining success, and his new book Recalibrate.
Highlights
- Teen hustle to global bookmaking
- Credit, liquidity, and why most bettors lose
- Athletes, privacy, and policy lines Matt would not cross
- The raids in 2014 and 2023
- Addiction and the coming wave among young bettors
- Justice system reflections and life after prison
- Matt’s book and plans to help others when he returns
Guest links
Website: https://mathewbowyer.com/
Book: Recalibrate on Amazon
Host
Shane Larson | The Gametime Guru