Released on = August 29, 2007, 1:28 pm

Press Release Author = Chris Burrows Publicity

Industry = Entertainment

Press Release Summary = A journalist who spent five years undercover inside one of
the world's most powerful and secretive gambling syndicates has revealed all in a
new book.

Press Release Body = Michael Konik, a sports writer from California, led a double
life working for an elite group of sports gamblers known as The Brain Trust whose
expertise in beating the Vegas bookies out of millions is legendary.

The group is so influential they operate behind a veil of secrecy and use a network
of undercover agents to stake huge sums of money on sporting events - sometimes as
much as $1 million on a single football game. The mastermind behind The Brain Trust
is the man known in the book as Rick 'Big Daddy' Matthews, who is rumoured to be the
world's smartest sports bettor and who granted Konik unprecedented access to the
operation's innermost sanctum.

Although some names and chronologies in the book have been changed to protect the
ongoing success of the Trust, Konik reveals how they - and he - got rich by beating
the Vegas lines and the multimillion dollar offshore betting circuit. He details the
excesses and the betrayals, the horse-trading and the paranoia, that are the perks
and perils of life inside the lucrative world of professional high-stakes sports
betting.

The Smart Money is published 10 September by Britain's leading gambling imprint,
High Stakes Publishing, and is available to buy from the High Stakes bookshop in
London.

About the author: Michael Konik is a journalist, author, TV personality, jazz
singer, comedian, blackjack and poker player. He is the author of several books
including Telling Lies and Getting Paid and has played in the World Series of Poker
and the World Series of Blackjack.

For more information about Michael Konik go to: www.michaelkonik.com

About High Stakes Publishing:

Since 1987 High Stakes Publishing has been committed to publishing the best books on
all aspects of gambling. High Stakes Publishing operates in association with
www.highstakes.co.uk the UK's leading specialist gambling bookshop. All of High
Stakes Publishing\'s titles can be purchased there, often at excellent discount
prices, along with a comprehensive range of books.


Web Site = http://www.highstakespublishing.co.uk/titles/the_smart_money_55.php

Contact Details = Chris Burrows Publicity
E: chrisburrows_authorpr@btinternet.com
++ 161 445 6635