Western Pennsylvania native and renowned Las Vegas oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro has returned to his hometown as director of sports relations for Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. Vaccaro, a sports wagering luminary, will advise and further develop Rivers Sportsbook, which opened at the casino in December.
“We’re thrilled to bring Jimmy back home to Pennsylvania,” said Bill Keena, general manager of Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. “When it comes to sports betting—customer experience, operational excellence, setting the odds—Jimmy is the gold standard.”
For many followers and fans of sports betting, Vaccaro is a household name. Most recently, he was director of sports marketing for South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas, where he had been since 2013. He’s also a frequent expert commentator on CNN, ESPN and social media on all matters of sports betting and oddsmaking.
Vaccaro began his storied Las Vegas casino career in the 1970s as a blackjack dealer at the Royal Inn, where he became that property’s first sports book manager. In the nearly five decades that followed, Vaccaro held a series of sports book leadership roles with Mirage, MGM Grand, Golden Nugget and Barbary Coast, among others.
Vaccaro credits his strong industry standing to being first and foremost a sports bettor. A lifelong Steelers fan, he famously wagered on the Oakland Raiders in the Immaculate Reception game. He lost that day, but followed his passion.
“That’s what makes sports betting fun,” said Vaccaro. “Fans of the movies will often guess the ending, but for sports fans, no two games are alike.”
