Jack's office is based on the upper floor of the Cat and Phoenix, on the Race Street pier in Philadelphia. It's from here he operates his business, calculating horse odds and handling wire transactions of funds placed for bets, or payments to winners and owners. He sat back, drank from his glass and let the liquor bite at his throat. Looking over his board of numbers, odds, payouts, names, he took note of a specific idea. It wasn't long before the idea was manifesting. He sprang from the seat and passed down through the narrow spiral stair way, exiting it into the space behind the counter in the bar.

He found a nearby errand boy, and took him to the side.

"Listen up, I've got a message I want to get out to the other families. No, not just in Philly, everywhere.

"Here's the thing, the reason why I'm running only win or place odds on the races is because I haven't got the cognitive capacity for more than thirty numbers in my head at a time, see? What that means though, is others might be able to get in on this action. It might piss off the owners some, if bets that might have been placed with me go somewhere else, which will in turn hurt their profits, but it'll just mean I need to stick a rake on the people that want to use us as a book maker.

"Also, we'll need to have a sit down and arrange the conditions, no doubling up. I ain't gonna let myself get undercut under my own roof. All they will need to do is arrange with me to have their bets placed in The Stables.

"Hey, kid, you getting all this? Look, let me write it down, get it to the heads of families."

Collaborative Bookmaking Opportunities

If you're savvy enough to work with numbers, get in contact Jack Mezzo to have your odds posted in The Stables

You'll manage your own finances and we'll arrange the conditions together, but I won't be liable if you can't pay out.

A fair rake of your takings will be arranged, so we can satisfy the owners.

He sent the boy on his way, then collected another drink. If anyone had any questions, they might well turn up.