Oops! Star of CNBC Reality Show about sportsbetting expert is a scammer & fraud

[Dan Druff]

Meet "Steve Stevens", whose real name is Darin Notaro.

Here is a split-screen picture of "Steve Stevens" and Darin Notaro, clearly the same person:



He will be in a CNBC Reality Show called "Money Talks", starting in September.

Here is "Stevens" in a promotion for his business:



Steve Stevens owns "VIP Sports", which laughably claims a 70% win rate on the NFL. Aside from this being nearly impossible (this article claims you have a 1-in-a-trillion chance of doing this over 1,000 picks), it turns out that Notaro has an ugly police record.

Notaro has been arrested and convicted in telemarketing scams going back to 1999. He was sentenced to a year in prison at age 25 for a scheme that "bilked elderly citizens across the nation out of at least $234,000," according to the Las Vegas Sun: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/1999...am-of-elderly/

CNBC actually admitted to knowing about his 1999 conviction! A spokesman said this:

We are aware of Steve Stevens’ 1999 conviction and while we are very clear in the press release that VIP Sports clients risk big dollars in the hopes that Stevens and his agents have the expertise to consistently deliver winners, viewers should tune in on September 10th at 10pm ET/PT to draw their own conclusions about VIP Sports. We are merely betting that viewers will be interested in the world of touts and handicappers and in no way endorse either Stevens’ picks or his business model.

So basically they are trying to say that they are just showing Stevens' business and letting the viewers decide if he's legit or not. Lame excuse. This guy is just a scammer, and not even a legitimate or semi-legitimate tout.

Nobody in the Vegas sportsbetting world, including Haralabob Voulgaris, has heard of Stevens before.

Full article:

http://www.businessinsider.com/cnbc-...r-fraud-2013-7

[JimmyG_415]

I have a hard time believing that they knew, I can't prove it, but I think they are just back tracking.
I could see if it was some famous person, but why would you hire a completely unknown person w/ something like that on his record?
I don't care how long ago it is, people that scam like that are incorrigible IMO.

He obviously has experience for his current job.

[ShadyJ]

Like Druff said 70% is laughable. I ran like God one year and was 65% for the NFL season, and I could never duplicate that again.

Lets be nieve and say we believe hes 71.5% like it says. If he was he would never in a million years say 69-70%. He would know exactly 71.5% and would never undersell himself if it were true. If Cmoney didnt exist i'd say its impossible to hit 70% for a whole season.

Lets be nieve again and assume he really does hit 70% winners. Would he be picking up a phone and hustling people for money. When Dr Bob had his amazing year I forget the % the oddsmakers were moving the lines with his picks.

These guys piss me off because this is what the average gamblers think all touts are. Yes theres a ton of these scammers but theres still a handfull of good ones that make me money.

[snake_in_the_ass]

Almost every guest on CNBC is a liar. From the analysts to the CEO's. They don't care.

[BeerAndPoker]

This guy definitely sounds like a scum but most sportsbetting pick shills are and a majority lie about their win rate. 70% is impossible unless he has resources to find those one or two college game lines that are extremely off in mid major conferences but even those aren't going to net you that kind of win rate over time.

I will still watch the pilot at least just to see how they make this industry appear.

[Hockey Guy]

I prefer this Steve Stevens:

[JimmyG_415]

RJ Bell ‏@RJinVegas 18m
Steve Stevens deleted his Youtube video (http://bit.ly/12GM4zx ) & reposted at new link (so links from news stories reporting scam are dead)

Sean Breen ‏@SeanmBreen 17m
@RJinVegas @WagerMinds Steve also changed his craigslist ad that i had found also http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/sls/3957382324.html …


Billy Fogarascher ‏@therealfogey 14m
@RJinVegas he has a twitter @VIPSportsLasVeg with only 17 followers and 0 tweets

[JimmyG_415]

RJ Bell ‏@RJinVegas 18m
Steve Stevens deleted his Youtube video (http://bit.ly/12GM4zx ) & reposted at new link (so links from news stories reporting scam are dead)

Sean Breen ‏@SeanmBreen 17m
@RJinVegas @WagerMinds Steve also changed his craigslist ad that i had found also http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/sls/3957382324.html …


Billy Fogarascher ‏@therealfogey 14m
@RJinVegas he has a twitter @VIPSportsLasVeg with only 17 followers and 0 tweets

Sorry for the double post, but I didn't see that the CL ad was for a job w/ the guy.
This could be a good opportunity for Chico loco. Isn't he looking for a job?
You might have to just do it, and record it for next show, I doubt this will still be up in a week.

[3puttpar]

'In' before Lock Poker gives this guy a deal.

[cmoney]

Like Druff said 70% is laughable. I ran like God one year and was 65% for the NFL season, and I could never duplicate that again.

Lets be nieve and say we believe hes 71.5% like it says. If he was he would never in a million years say 69-70%. He would know exactly 71.5% and would never undersell himself if it were true. If Cmoney didnt exist i'd say its impossible to hit 70% for a whole season.

Lets be nieve again and assume he really does hit 70% winners. Would he be picking up a phone and hustling people for money. When Dr Bob had his amazing year I forget the % the oddsmakers were moving the lines with his picks.

These guys piss me off because this is what the average gamblers think all touts are. Yes theres a ton of these scammers but theres still a handfull of good ones that make me money.

I ran over 95 percent over 2 seasons (100 percent last season) - what are odds of 18-1-1 (goldfarb)

[BeerAndPoker]

If anyone wants to see this scum bag in action this show premiers tonight at 9pm EST.

The only reason I want to check it out is to see what will likely be bad editing and how they make the industry come off.

[Dan Druff]

The old video for his business has been removed.

[The Shrink]

So I watched this thing tonight. Here are a few thoughts:

-First and foremost, I still have no idea what their business model is. They do a horrible job of explaining how they make money from their clients. They talk about a $250 initiation fee and then they have a bunch of guys in a boiler room shouting into telephones and there's something about collecting pieces of wagers up front. From what I gather, they tell these guys to put thousands of dollars on a certain game and the betters are expected to give the tout service a huge percentage if they win (for example, one guy tells his client to put $4K on the Lakers and he says that if the Lakers win he will give the tout $2K). They briefly talked about how the betters sometimes don't give them their cut and they go through collections. It's all very unclear. Obviously, if that's their business model is completely outrageous that anyone would use such a service.

-The visuals of this show are actually quite impressive. It's absolutely gorgeous. The shots around Vegas and everything are really slick. Unfortunately, the show seems to have been edited by a 9-year-old with ADHD. It's just cut after cut after cut. There are so many goddamn rapid cuts in this show. Wide shot. Close up. Profile. Wide shot. Profile. Close up. Different angle close up. Wide shot. All within seconds. My god. They need to let it breathe.

-In the first episode, they win every bet of course. I'm curious whether they'll show them lose sometime.

-In all these reality shows, it usually becomes quite apparent that most of it is scripted and fake because the characters suck at acting. At first, this show felt somewhat organic but then you could tell they added in some plot points to make it more dramatic. The turning point was when the Prinelli (?) guy moves in with the office secretary so she can keep tabs on him and he says, "I think we're going to get along great" while lighting up a cigarette which pisses her off. Totally fake. Then there was the whole catfight in the Japanese restaurant.

-What the fuck is up with this guy's cat?

[BeerAndPoker]

As with some other gambling based shows that have come out they won't appeal to someone who don't at least understand the basic concepts of betting because they will be confused and they likely won't appeal to someone who is very advanced in it.

With that said they don't cover their client fees and compensation all that well. All reality TV has some fakeness to bring a drama element to it. For someone like myself who sees through it I don't care for that unless it's well scripted but many other people buy into this heavy which is why reality TV makes up so many programs on the air today.

I didn't hate the show but I didn't love it either and I had no real expectations for it. This guy Steve Stevens definitely has an big ego but in order to be successful in the tout business you have to come off in the cocky confident manner. A lot of people frown upon these guys and while I wouldn't actually pay any of them myself if you get a few hundred suckers who are willing to do it then I can't knock the hustle.

[NorCal Sports]

I watched the show and actually found it somewhat entertaining. I'd never send a guy money, but if he can get people to ship him $$$ for picks, than so be it.

Anyway, I'd assume anyone trying to make money this way would be pretty shady. Doesn't look like the show drew a big number, so he might have to continue his shady ways to make it.

http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/cnbc...ht-1200609126/

[BeerAndPoker]

I guess the pilot episode of this was a success as far as ratings go (which don't need to be great for CNBC) that they have ordered up eight new episodes starting March 19th.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101351362

[JimmyG_415]

This guy baffles me, on one side I'm like fuck it, he is fooling the public so get the money, but this guy is such a scumbag.

I still don't get its how none of the bookies know this guy? Where is he filming, I've only seen commercials but it looks like they are in a casino sometimes.
But the biggest bookmakers don't even know him.

EDIT: This says they went into the LVH and bet w/Jay the main guy there, so maybe they do know him,,,,,,,,,,, now.

Real good article, guy is a real scumbag.

CNBC’s Sports Betting Show Stars Floyd Mayweather’s Friend, Who’s So Full Of Shit It Hurts

http://www.sportsgrid.com/gamblin/cn...shit-it-hurts/

CNBC’s “Money Talks” is a show claiming to be about sports betting, but it’s really just a mildly entertaining, entirely embarrassing profile of a sleazy man who claims to be successful, but hopefully and probably isn’t.

The show aired one episode in September and got horrible ratings. They’re relaunching the show next week, hoping to latch on to the popularity of March Madness.

It follows Darin Notaro, “who goes by Steve Stevens when he’s moving money at his Las Vegas-based company VIP Sports.” To clarify, he “moves money” from suckers’ pockets into his own.

....................If you wind up watching this admittedly entertaining show, please do it with the above quote in mind. A bunch of fucking losers.

[Dan Druff]

Unless it's an expose, CNBC really shouldn't be making entertainment out of some Vegas scumbag scamming people.

[Sanlmar]

CNBC founded & crushes info-tainment

So many carnival barkers. Jim Cramer and WC Fields are category killers.

[JimmyG_415]

Unless it's an expose, CNBC really shouldn't be making entertainment out of some Vegas scumbag scamming people.

I think it is an unintentional one.
CNBC is trying to make $$$ only, but in turn they are showing these guys are just scum.
I didn't even see the one episode they showed, but if what happened in this article happens on film? Probably will hurt the entire industry,
I know "no publicity is bad publicity", but who would watch that then be like, I think I'll find a tout and give it a shot?



If the main salesman is crying over guilt, no matter how much they make, he needs a new job.