I just read this Times’ profile of Jesus Leonardo, a stooper who makes a pretty good living cashing in discarded betting slips at local OTBs.
Mr. Leonardo, who is married with two teenagers, is hardly living on the fringes. He said that stooping brings him $100 to $300 a day, and more than $45,000 a year. Last month, he cashed in a winning ticket from bets made on races at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., for $8,040. His largest purse came in 2006, when he received $9,500 from a Pick 4 wager (choosing the winners of four consecutive races) at Retama Park Race Track in Selma, Tex.I didn’t realize this was even a viable career path. My high school guidance counselor, a Jesuit septuagenarian, failed to mention it during our two semesters together. A model of academic excellence, my ass.
