For those in the know, the name Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal rings out clearer than a bell.
The inspiration for Robert DeNiro’s character of Sam “Ace” Rothstein in the 1995 classic film Casino, Rosenthal was one of the biggest and baddest names in sports betting over a nearly six-decade span.
He got his start as a so-called “handicapper” in the world of 1950s Chicago sports betting. From setting odds to bribing players and umpires, he became wildly successful in the mafia-run world of sportsbook – he worked with the infamous Chicago Outfit, of Al Capone infamy, making a tremendous amount of money for some very dangerous people. Eventually, he had to flee to Florida to dodge serious charges from the State of Illinois.
Not that this curbed his gambling activities in any way!
In fact, his (in)famous status led to a summons before the U.S. Senate subcommittee on Gambling and Organized Crime in 1961… where he invoked the 5th Amendment a very impressive 37 times. “Lefty” even refused to admit whether or not he was left-handed. He was never charged.
Rosenthal relocated to Las Vegas in 1968. There, he enjoyed unbelievable success running the Stardust, Fremont, Marina, and Hacienda Casinos… all without proper paperwork.
At the Stardust, he created the first sports book to operate within a major Las Vegas casino, which made it a global destination for sports gambling. At the same casino, he led an industry trend of hiring far more women blackjack dealers – these moves helped to double the Stardust’s income in just one year!
A man like Rosenthal doesn’t succeed without making enemies, however… indeed, in 1982 he miraculously survived a bomb that detonated in his car. No one was ever charged in this attack, but such was the nature of his business relationships that no fewer than four parties were suspected.
The icon left Las Vegas some six months later, in semi-voluntary retirement, moving to California to focus on raising his children. He was blacklisted in 1987, legally forbidden from entering any casino in Nevada.
After what can be called a full life by just about any measure, Rosenthal died of a heart attack in 2008, at the age of 79.
Only then was it revealed that “Lefty” had been playing both sides, having been a top echelon informant for the FBI for many years. In a way, this is the most impressive element of all – he took precautions, knowing better than anyone that that the house always wins.
In the modern age, casino action is increasingly legal, regulated, and fully above-board.
Also in 2016, a group of four New York and California men were arrested on charges of running an astronomically large gambling ring.
