Until the past few years, the NFL did everything in its power to stay away from gambling.
Anything associated with sports betting that involved the league, its players, coaches, or franchises was strictly prohibited.
That notion began to change in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASA, bill enacted by President George H. W. Bush.
The law prevented sports betting in most states.
Since then, the NFL has embraced sports wagering and profits heavily from it.
Of course, there have been thinly veiled references to gambling and the NFL in years past.
Specifically, various media networks have blatantly mentioned betting lines and “favorites” related to league games.
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, fans who wanted to wager some greenbacks on NFL games knew to tune into The NFL Today television program on CBS.
The talking heads on the program included Brent Musberger, Phyllis George, and Irv Cross.
As talented as that trio was, most viewers wanted to hear what Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder had to say.
Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder was a sports prognosticator and TV personality who rose to fame in the 70s. An abrasive temperament led to physical and emotional fights with his NFL Today co-hosts. A racially insensitive and bone-headed interview in 1988 ended much of his media career. pic.twitter.com/6R1jcyqNMw
— Pop Culture Plane Crash (@JohnWil85986894) October 31, 2022
Snyder was a longtime gambling aficionado who would bet on anything, including politics.
He was added to the CBS team strictly to predict the winners of NFL games.
However, Snyder slyly mentioned “intangibles” about certain teams and players that viewers could take to the bank.
Years later, he was fired over questionable comments about black athletes.
This is the story of Jimmy Snyder.
Tragic Event Shapes Snyder’s Upbringing
James George Snyder Sr. was born Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos on September 9, 1918, in Steubenville, Ohio.
Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder was born 104 years ago today…
The king of sports gambling for decades whose legacy will never be the same after his racially charged statements about African-Americans being coaches in the NFL in 1988 that got him fired from CBS….. pic.twitter.com/Vf1aemli9b
— PolyesterPalace (@PolyesterPalace) September 9, 2022
The Synodinos family moved from the Greek island of Chios before Dimetrios was born.
Once they arrived in America, the family opened a grocery store in Steubenville, which played a role in saving their son’s life.
When he was 10, Dimetrios and his family were at the store, and he decided to hang around while his mother and aunt returned home.
Meanwhile, Dimetrios’s uncle was exasperated by the loss of his wife.
When they returned home, his uncle shot and killed both women in a fit of madness before turning the gun on himself.
Years later, Snyder wrote that the only reason he wasn’t killed that day was his decision to stay at the store with his father.
However, he also believed that the death of his mother became the impetus for his bent toward gambling.
Betting on Himself
After learning that nothing is guaranteed and that life itself is a gamble, Dimetrios gravitated toward a lifestyle filled with risk.
He began calling himself “Jimmy Snyder,” and in his early teens, he met Dino Crocetti, who would later go by the stage name Dean Martin.
Dean Martin, the "King of Cool," was born in 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio as Dino Paul Crocetti. He was the son of Italian immigrants and spoke only Italian until he entered school at age 5. Martin led a lifelong career in music, film and famously as a member of the "Rat Pack." pic.twitter.com/6YRtas5Hh3
— Ohio History Connection (@OhioHistory) December 11, 2021
Martin proved to be a major influence in Snyder’s life when the crooner dropped out of high school to work in a speakeasy and bootleg alcohol.
Snyder followed in lockstep with his friend and also dropped out of school.
Instead of learning the “three R’s,” Snyder taught himself the ways of the world as a card dealer and number runner for several bookies in town.
In his late teens, Snyder proved adept at picking winners in horse races as well as college football games.
He found it easier to pick the winners of team sports because there was a better chance of succeeding.
Snyder Bets Big on Truman
In the early 1940s, Snyder was in Florida to make a living at the racetrack (and get married to his first wife, Pauline).
By then, gambling and numbers had become a way of life and he had no intention of changing.
“You had to bet to survive,” Snyder once joked. “I was twenty-five before I found out gambling was illegal.”
It wasn’t long before Snyder took a more systematic approach to gambling.
Instead of being sloppy and always siding with “the sure thing,” Snyder began conducting research and using his own knowledge to make picks more accurately.
For instance, in 1945, he used his knowledge of football to pick the Great Lakes Naval Training Center to beat heavily-favored Notre Dame.
Where most of the country believed the Irish would make short work of the Bluejackets, Snyder believed that Great Lakes coach Paul Brown, who had previously coached at Ohio State, had better players and a sound strategy.
He was proven correct when the Bluejackets pounded Notre Dame 39-7.
Snyder then used his ability to research a few years later to win an unlikely bet.
When the 1948 presidential election approached, the smart money was on Republican nominee Thomas Dewey defeating Harry Truman.
In fact, the odds of Truman winning the election were 17-1.
TIL Jimmy the Greek Snyder bet $10,000 at 17–1 odds on Harry Truman to defeat Thomas Dewey in the 1948 election, be… pic.twitter.com/cu8ngTPVPA
— Kim Ekin (@kim_digital) May 24, 2016
Snyder then talked with his sister, Mary, about the candidates to get her opinion, and she gave him information that would sway her brother toward the underdog.
“American women didn’t trust men with a mustache,” Snyder recalled his sister saying about Dewey.
He then conducted a quick survey of 500 women to gauge their feelings about facial hair and found that two-thirds of those polled agreed with his sister.
Therefore, Snyder invested $10,000 of his money and won $170,000 when Truman unexpectedly won the election.
DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN
From the election of November 2, 1948. Photo by W. Eugene Smith taken two days later. Here’s the uncropped version.https://t.co/DIoXnQXIUC pic.twitter.com/es8xvrarSH
— The '60s at 60 (@the_60s_at_60) November 2, 2022
This style of betting is referred to as “fading the public,” which Snyder used to bet against popular opinion, and in this case, it paid off big time.
Trouble in New York
With a pocket full of money and a head for picking longshots, Snyder moved to New York City in 1950.
He was now divorced and investing heavily in his ability to prognosticate.
Untethered to a family (or reality, in some cases), Snyder was known to throw large sums of money after certain teams or horses.
He tried to invest in oil and coal, but failed miserably and cut ties with those industries to focus on his gambling.
Then, in 1951, he was identified by several witnesses during the Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce investigation as one of the go-to sports bettors in the nation.
The federal government used the committee to investigate widespread complaints about the seedy underworld of gambling and its ties to organized crime.
With the spotlight on him, Snyder (recently married to his second wife, Joan) moved to Las Vegas and the freedom to bet at will.
Snyder Makes a Name for Himself in Nevada
For the next several years, Snyder took Las Vegas by storm and began to brand himself as a talented handicapper and an advocate for “value betting.”
As his influence grew, so did his fame.
Gone but not forgotten. A Happy 101st Birthday to the late Jimmy The Greek Snyder. 🎂 He made The NFL Today must see TV. AKA, the Wizard of Odds, the Greek put the G into the word Gambling. @KevG163 #DENvsOAK #NOvsHOU #BigRed #MNFxESPN #mondaythoughts pic.twitter.com/a7AqW7d0R2
— Johnstone (@JStoneTrivia86) September 10, 2019
Snyder openly promoted himself not only in Nevada but throughout the country as a reliable seer of future outcomes.
Reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes hired Snyder and his particular set of skills to run Information Unlimited.
Snyder’s role with the company was to act as a de facto spin doctor and encourage the media to publish specific stories that benefitted Hughes and certain stocks that Hughes was interested in.
In addition to legitimizing gambling, Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder did PR for Howard Hughes. https://t.co/R5y27FGXPY pic.twitter.com/GRIJL6Dy0d
— Darren D'Addario (@IamDarrenD) May 30, 2016
The Las Vegas Turf and Sports Club also hired Snyder to run their betting lines and did so well that he quit gambling for a time strictly to sell his own betting lines nationally.
In 1961, Sports Illustrated published a story about Snyder titled, “The Greek Who Makes The Odds.”
That same year, a federal wiretap revealed that Snyder spoke with a friend about an upcoming football game between Utah and Utah State while Snyder was in Salt Lake City.
That was a no-no and he was convicted of giving gambling information across state lines.
Snyder paid a hefty fine and turned his attention to handicapping team sports.
The Las Vegas Sun newspaper sought his services and published Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder’s betting lines in a column that was syndicated.
By the mid-1970s, Snyder was a self-promoting gambling icon known by those big and small.
He continued to place odds on presidential elections until Nevada banned the practice in 1985.
The Greek’s influence was so large that a 1971 cartoon of President Richard Nixon implied that the President desperately wanted to know what Snyder thought of the upcoming 1972 election.
“Frankly, John, I don’t care about the Gallup Poll or the Harris Poll—What does Jimmy the Greek say?” read the caption that showed a worried Nixon reading a newspaper.
CBS Hires Snyder
In 1976, CBS made headlines when the broadcast giant hired Snyder for its popular The NFL Today pregame show.
The program had been a ratings bonanza the previous year with a lineup that included Brent Musburger, former Eagles and Rams player, Irv Cross, and former Miss America, Phyllis George.
Pearl's resume is loaded with successes in the launch of impactful studio shows.
He joined CBS Sports in 1975, revamping the format of The NFL Today. He added Brent Musburger, Irv Cross, Phyllis George, and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder setting the show up for a long run of success. pic.twitter.com/ngXs0WCVlO
— Brandon Costa (@SVG_Brandon) March 1, 2021
Snyder was brought in to do a segment in which he picked his favorites for that day’s NFL games.
He was also known to slip in a few “intangibles” that bettors could use, even if his tips were prohibited.
A frequent example of this would be Snyder’s prediction of a game outcome being decided by a certain amount of points.
Depending on how many points Snyder mentioned, gamblers would then place their bets on the winning team covering or beating the spread.
When other networks complained that Snyder and CBS were illegally giving out free gambling advice, the network would deny the accusations.
NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, a friend of Snyder’s, also commented that Snyder’s picks were above-board.
Of course, while many bettors took Snyder’s picks as gospel, those in the know believed Snyder was mostly full of hot air and encouraged bettors to proceed with caution.
“… those in need of a big win would tune into CBS’s Sunday football pre-game show, get Snyder’s hottest pick, and then bet the other side,” wrote the Las Vegas Sun.
Musburger and Snyder Scuffle
By the time the 1980s dawned, The NFL Today was a force to be reckoned with.
Very sad to hear that Phyllis George passed away at 70. A true legend and pioneer. I'm sure anyone who watched the NFL Today with Brent Musburger, Irv Cross, Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder, and her remembers her fondly. I just can't believe she was 70 and that's she's gone. RIP pic.twitter.com/m88QdCldLF
— Tá droch amanna anseo ☘🇮🇪 (@sean3377) May 17, 2020
Although, as the program grew in popularity, the talking heads on the show all jostled for their voice to be heard.
Predictably, Snyder wanted more air time while George also believed she needed more time to dispense her wisdom.
In the middle of it was Musburger, who was trying to be diplomatic with only so much time in the program.
Tensions continued to rise until late October 1980 when The Greek and Musburger were drinking in a New York City watering hole, and the two got into a shouting match.
Once again, the issue was how much air time Musburger was giving George instead of Snyder.
The Greek was overcome with anger and threw a punch at his colleague.
Only one punch was heaved before both sides retreated to the sidewalk to clear the air.
However, the incident made national headlines with both parties downplaying what happened.
“Fortunately for my jaw,” Musburger said, “the Greek’s punch is as accurate as his handicapping has been lately… wide to the left.”
“We’re good friends,” Snyder said. “After five years together, there’s nothing to it… it was just a long day.”
A year later, Snyder had ruffled feathers to the point where George cried after Snyder made a joke about her husband, the then-governor of Kentucky.
Phyllis George ('70) was a trailblazer and pioneer. She opened the door for many young women who aspired for a career in sports broadcasting. George, a former Miss America, was a staple of The NFL Today, along with Brent Musburger, Irv Cross and Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder. pic.twitter.com/LpLAkbD4gm
— gomeangreen.com (@gomeangreen) December 12, 2021
George didn’t want to be in the same room as Snyder, so CBS compromised by having Snyder pre-tape his segment.
Then, during a promotional picture of the group, Snyder made a comment to George that raised eyebrows.
“Phyllis turned around and said, ‘Hi, Jimmy.’ I said, ‘Phyllis, you’re looking better.’ She is, you know. She’s lost a lot of weight,” Snyder recalled.
The Statement Heard ’Round the World
In 1988, the country was not quite yet politically correct, but The Greek helped push the movement to the forefront.
After entering a notable restaurant in Washington, DC, a reporter, Ed Hotaling, interviewed several celebrities at the establishment regarding their thoughts on Martin Luther King Jr’s upcoming birthday.
Hotaling also asked his subjects what they believed the next step was in the Civil Rights movement for African-Americans.
This is Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder. He was one of the leading sports commentators of his day.
These were his comments on race and coaching. It hasn’t really changed and won’t change much. pic.twitter.com/kGHJmdtx0u
— 1$t Letter (@1st_Realest) September 10, 2020
When the reporter reached Snyder, who was dining at the restaurant, the prognosticator’s response was shocking.
“Well, they’ve got everything; if they {blacks} take over coaching like everybody wants them to, there’s not going to be anything left for white people,” Snyder said. “I mean all the players are black; I mean the only thing that the whites control is the coaching jobs… The black talent is beautiful; it’s great; it’s out there. The only thing left for the whites is a couple of coaching jobs.”
Snyder then proceeded to dig himself into an even bigger hole.
“I’m telling you that the black is the better athlete and he practices to be the better athlete and he’s bred to be the better athlete because this goes all the way to the Civil War when, during the slave trading, the owner, the slave owner, would breed his big woman so that he would have a big black kid, see. That’s where it all started.”
Even with no internet at the time, Snyder’s comments spread like wildfire.
Within hours, CBS issued an apology.
“CBS Sports deeply regrets the remarks made earlier today to a news reporter by Jimmy (the Greek) Snyder. We find them to be reprehensible. In no way do they reflect the views of CBS Sports.”
Sensing the trouble he was in, Snyder attempted to explain himself later that day.
“If what I said offended people, I apologize. I didn’t mean for my remarks to come out the way they did. I was trying to emphasize how much harder so many blacks work at becoming better athletes than white athletes. And they work harder because they’re hungrier. That many black athletes run faster and jump higher than whites is a fact. Using the term ‘bred’ was wrong on my part and I apologize for that, as I do for suggesting coaching was the only domain left for whites. Blacks could do well in that area, too, if given the opportunity.”
Snyder Is Fired
Two days after his comments, CBS fired Snyder.
“CBS Sports today ended its relationship with Jimmy (the Greek) Snyder. … In no way do these comments reflect the views of CBS Sports. Mr. Snyder has been a member of the CBS Sports team since 1976 and has made important contributions to its success,” read a statement released by the company.
1988 #OnThisDay 'America's favourite bookie' Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder was fired by CBS. pic.twitter.com/ZyXh4uP3cS
— Sports & Betting History by BestBettingSites (@CDCHistory) January 16, 2021
Snyder couldn’t believe he was let go from something he invested his life in.
“I never quit anything in my life,” Snyder said. “I apologized; I admitted I made a mistake in what I said and how I said it and was willing to let my record speak for itself. What a foolish thing to say. I thought I was being instructive, when in fact, I was destructive.”
Some writers disagreed with Snyder’s firing.
“As an expert analyst and forecaster of football games, he was a zero,” wrote the Los Angeles Times Howard Rosenberg. “Firing him because of what he said during that impromptu interview in a Washington, DC restaurant is an injustice, however. Call him a dunce for some of his remarks. But if being dumb were grounds for dismissal in sportscasting, half of today’s sportscasters would be jobless along with Snyder.”
However, many more prominent talking heads, such as Musburger, believed CBS made the correct decision.
“I’m feeling a twinge of sadness for the individual (Snyder), but on the other hand, there’s no way you can defend any of those comments, period. Given how outrageous what was said, I don’t think they (CBS) had any choice,” said Musberger.
Aftermath
Weeks after his dismissal, Snyder suffered a heart attack as a result of diabetes.
In 1989, he was feeling good about where he was at in life.
“I’m not bitter,” Snyder said. “I was down for about 30 to 60 days. Two months maybe. The only thing I just didn’t like was the way it was done, without anybody talking to me. I don’t think it was done with any grace and dignity.”
Snyder also mentioned at the time that he was eyeing a comeback.
”I could have gone on seven different shows last year,” he said, ”but I thought I’d take a rest for a while. I’ll probably go with Fox. I’ve talked with some others, too, but I know Fox has some plans.”
Fox did not hire Snyder, and in 1991, he sued CBS for breach of contract, defamation, and age discrimination.
Believing his firing led to his health issues, Snyder ultimately lost the case.
Snyder’s Death
On April 21, 1996, Snyder passed away from a heart attack. He was 77 years old.
Apr. 21/1996 – Former sports commentator & Las Vegas bookmaker Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder passed away. pic.twitter.com/ATur1zglPI
— Today In History (@TodayThatWas) April 25, 2021
In the past few decades, he’s been the subject of books, a 30 for 30 ESPN documentary, and parodies in Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons.
Snyder has frequently been cited as one of the early trailblazers for today’s acceptance of sports betting by the NFL and other professional sports organizations.
“His gift for gab was responsible for helping make sports betting one of the most popular forms of mainstream entertainment,” read a newspaper obituary.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Snyder_(sports_commentator)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-02-12-8903050122-story.html
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-18-ca-24533-story.html
https://cunninghamjeff.medium.com/jimmy-the-greeks-tragic-bet-259ec1ac7074
https://apnews.com/article/6d6afb8494538c9cb822f86465d129fb
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/10/sports/nfl-bets-gambling.html
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