Vegas Dave Wiki
About Otherwise known as Vegas Dave, he is a sports handicapper who made his fortune as a betting consultant wagering hundreds of thousands of dollars on sports events weekly. David Oancea, known in sports betting circles as Vegas Dave, center, stands with attorneys Richard Schonfeld, left, and David Chesnoff outside the Lloyd D. George courthouse in Las Vegas on May 20. Dave (Fallout: New Vegas) - The Vault Fallout Wiki - Everything you need to know about Fallout 76, Fallout 4, New Vegas and more! Your wiki has been migrated to a new Fandom domain.
Sin City’s most famous gambler has been in hot water for years. Back in 2017, David Oancea was indicted on charges of misusing Social Security numbers. After numerous court proceedings, news has come out that “Vegas Dave” is banned from entering any Las Vegas sportsbooks for three years.
This has to be the best-case scenario for the prominent sports betting expert. When his charges were first made, Oancea faced up to 40+ years in prison. It goes to show what a solid legal defense can really pull off.
Who Is David Oancea and Why Is He Famous?
If you’re a fan of sports betting, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Vegas Dave. The 42-year-old has been one of the most famous sports gamblers in the world. He wagered the Royals winning the 2015 World Series, and the Broncos winning the 2016 Super Bowl.
Oancea claims that his winning ways have led to every major Vegas sportsbook banning him from placing wagers. He launched his own consulting company a few years ago, charging members a monthly fee for his “expert” picks on different sporting events. In recent years, Dave has been the center of some major controversy as well.
According the Las Vegas Review-Journal, he was charged with domestic violence in 2017 after pushing a woman to the floor. He pled not guilty to those charges. At the same time, he was dealing with the aforementioned charges of misusing Social Security numbers.
Oancea faced significant jail time with the SSN charges. In theory, he could have spent 95 years in prison if charged on all counts. He got off easy this week and will now avoid jail time altogether.
“Vegas Dave” Is Banned From Betting on Sports in LV
It seemed likely that Vegas Dave would fight the charges. There were nine counts of using other’s Social Security numbers to make nine different transactions totaling more than $3.5 million. There were also 10 separate counts of causing a domestic institution to file false reports.
In typical “Vegas Dave” style, he bet on himself by pleading “not guilty.” Oancea hired the best lawyers in Nevada, including David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld. These men are well-known for defending celebrities such as Mike Tyson and Paris Hilton.
There were still questions over whether or not a top-notch legal team would be enough for Oancea to avoid jail time. The charges against him were serious enough that he could have spent the rest of his life in prison. Fortunately for Dave, the bet on himself paid off massively.
News came out this week that Vegas Dave is banned from Las Vegas sportsbooks for a period of three years. He has avoided all jail time. Oancea gave a statement on Instagram.
“I bet on myself and decided … to stand up for my constitutional rights and to defend my freedom and innocence. Today, I walked out of the federal courtroom a free man with zero felonies and zero prison time,” he told his followers.
What’s Been Happening in Vegas Lately?
Politicians in Nevada were not happy when the US Supreme Court ruled PASPA unconstitutional back in 2018. Before this time, Nevada was the only state legally able to offer sports betting odds. Now, every state has the ability to set its own laws on sports gambling.
There was fear that as more states legalized this industry, Vegas’ revenue would fall. As of May 2019, this has yet to happen. Gambling revenue here is, fortunately, on a steadily incline this year.
Online sports betting is also growing more popular in Las Vegas. Many casinos provide internet sports betting platforms available throughout the state. It’s no surprise that more people are moving from land-based sports betting to the online market.
The fact that Vegas Dave is banned from Las Vegas sportsbooks will have no effect. The biggest threat to these establishments is still the legalization of sports gambling across the United States.
Is a sportsbook ban punishment enough? Should Oancea have spent time in jail? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!