Jack Zito / Covers thread

[BattaBing]

I've been reading threads about a here today/gone today Covers expert handi-capper by the name of "Jack Zito."

Here is his profile page.



Taken from another thread:

"Received an email from a reliable source that covers.com (who recently chose not to renew the contracts of real professional cappers Scott Rickenback, Nick Parsons, Stephen Nover, Scott Spreiter and David Malinsky) and have already attempted to insult the intelligence of the general betting public who may purchase an occassional pick of their website by introducing ANOTHER fake tout, this time making his age 21 and naming him JACK ZITO. LOL."


"^ Another fake that we haven't questioned is, and I hate to admit it because I even clammored for the guys plays at one point, but David Chan. Check the internet footprint. It's a few still's purchased by a modeling agency. The tip off? Check the twitter account for capperdavidchan. Huge give away. It's a shame, but that was the proto type that spawned these other fakes, it succeeded and now they shit canned actual people in favor of photos with generic write up's written in bulk by interns."

Found here

and

here


"I was scanning a forum the other day when I saw that covers "made up" a capper and named him Guillermo Sanchez (to appeal to the latino market) and now they have done it again by "creating" a capper and making him a 21 year old (to appeal to the college aged market). Saw it on sbrforum. Does anyone know anything about this? Can anyone confirm if they have ever met either of these two people?"


Found here


So basically they're saying this guy was created out of thin air to fill a certain demographic, the college market. The dude proceeded to go 3-9 his first week, then disappeared after being called out in various threads.

Imagine spending $450 to go 3-9.

He looks like Jared from Subway. As much as I'd like to not believe something like this for the blatant unethical nature of it, it's actually a very easy thing to do. Probably too easy, and if a company could make a few grand off a fake person then delete them when they want them to go away, any business 101 mind could see the immense profits to be made from a scam like this.

[Beyond the Bets]

I have some information I can share here as it relates to Jack Zito, as I know his real identity and also know exactly what went down with Covers. BTB has obtained roughly two dozen e-mails that detail the entire relationship between Zito — a 21-year-old college kid at an SEC school — and Covers, which hired him less than two weeks after initial contact.

Zito was fired on Saturday after a five-day run. He went 2-8 overall, at last check.

Let me determine what I'm willing to share and get back to you.

Real quick, though: I do want to address some of the "rumors" that appeared on the other thread. While you are certainly free to draw your own conclusions and be skeptical of the legitimacy of other Covers handicappers, I have been unable to verify any information regarding Guillermo, Chan, etc. I'm not suggesting that they're real, but at the same time, I can't say that they are fake, either.

While I'll never censor you guys, I do hope that any discussion surrounding Zito/Covers will be thoughtful, factual and reasoned.

I'm happy to answer questions if you have them. Be back in a bit.

[BattaBing]

Looking forward to it. And why the fuck does he even go to an SEC school when he's such a successful gambler?

Maybe that 3-9 opening run cost him his book money for next semester.

[ChiefZilla]

(04-16-2012 05:23 PM)Beyond the Bets Wrote:  I have some information I can share here as it relates to Jack Zito, as I know his real identity and also know exactly what down with Covers. BTB has obtained roughly two dozen e-mails that detail the entire relationship between Zito — a 21-year-old college kid at an SEC school — and Covers, which hired him less than two weeks after initial contact.

[zkr4]

Sounds like an Ole Miss student to me

[The Cosmic Kid]

(04-16-2012 05:23 PM)Beyond the Bets Wrote:  

Can't wait to hear the scoop, yeah. You're the bees knees, BTB, ya see!

[Beyond the Bets]

I think it's important that we begin with facts.

FACT: Zito contacted Covers on March 24 and was hired less than two weeks later.
FACT: He made his first pick on April 10 and was fired on April 14.
FACT: His weekly picks were sold for $225 and his monthly picks were sold for $450. Among the 10 picks he released prior to his firing, six of them were in MLB.

That's important to note, because on March 27— just days before he was hired—BTB received the following e-mail from Jack Zito:



Why on earth is a 21-year-old kid who doesn't even handicap baseball selling MLB picks for $450/month at the No. 1 sports betting site in the industry?

To be sure, Zito told lies prior to his hiring. Lots of them, in fact. However, after looking over his resume and reading through the information he provided, I can assure you that a high school kid with a fourth-grade reading level would have stopped short of hiring this guy.

To trot him out as an "expert" is nothing short of insulting.

[The Cosmic Kid]

(04-16-2012 06:15 PM)Beyond the Bets Wrote:  

Unbelievable!

[BattaBing]

He went 2-5 in MLB. Not bad for a first try! Which means he went 1-4 in NBA, something he has experience in. He should try tennis, I'd bet he'd go 3-4, a steady improvement.

Quote: “I’m not your typical professional sports bettor. While most of these guys can’t get enough of the spotlight, I try to avoid it. I’m just an average guy that happens to make a living betting on sports. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

[Beyond the Bets]

According to information that I have, Covers discovered on Friday that Jack Zito had previously submitted a resume under a different name. Zito was asked to explain himself. The SBR thread (referenced by the OP) was also brought to Zito's attention.

On Saturday, after I did some digging, I contacted Covers and made them aware of what I knew. I also told them that I intended to write a story, as I felt it served the public's interest. I did not want to see people get scammed and felt it was my moral obligation to share the information.

Zito was fired less than five hours later.

Covers deserves credit for acting swiftly and firing him as soon as they became aware that they had been duped. But again, the hiring process—and some of what went on behind the scenes in an attempt to promote Jack—makes me a bit sick to be stomach, to be completely honest.

* * *

Note: The story is written, but I'm in no hurry to publish it, particularly now that Zito has been fired and nobody will be suckered into purchasing his picks. I try to be responsible with information, and once you hit "publish," you can't take it back. I am currently trying to gather more facts and also plan to reach out to people I trust to take part in the editing process to ensure that it is objective, balanced and fair.

[BattaBing]

Come on man.http://forum.sbrforum.com/service-plays/...cords.html

Covers will hire just about anyone with a pulse. The long term records of these expert cappers is horrendous. I've seen better cappers in the BYTB baseball challenge thread and that's pretty sad in itself.

[Beyond the Bets]

(04-16-2012 05:43 PM)zkr4 Wrote:  Sounds like an Ole Miss student to me

Believe it or not, you are actually right.

[Beyond the Bets]

For those wondering: I have no idea if Covers plans on communicating to its readers the situation, including the obvious mistakes that were made in the hiring process.

Some have told me that message board threads related to Zito have been deleted, so that might give you an indication. But again, that question would be better directed toward them.

[zkr4]

(04-16-2012 06:54 PM)Beyond the Bets Wrote:  

(04-16-2012 05:43 PM)zkr4 Wrote:  Sounds like an Ole Miss student to me

Believe it or not, you are actually right.


LMAO!!!! BTB you are the man dude, you have made my night.

[itg_sports]

Oh my...

[Skating Tripods]

Still could have posted a better MLB record this year than Barry Zito.

[The Cosmic Kid]

I'd like to hear from someone who actually paid for his picks?

[SkyBlues42]

I highly doubt anyone forked over $200-400 for the kid's picks. If so.. I'd like to hear from you, as well.

[The Cosmic Kid]

(04-16-2012 10:23 PM)SkyBlues42 Wrote:  I highly doubt anyone forked over $200-400 for the kid's picks. If so.. I'd like to hear from you, as well.

I saw that Zito's 10* ***BOW-WOW*** BOMB was the No. 2 seller on Saturday.

[BattaBing]

(04-16-2012 10:37 PM)The Cosmic Kid Wrote:  

(04-16-2012 10:23 PM)SkyBlues42 Wrote:  I highly doubt anyone forked over $200-400 for the kid's picks. If so.. I'd like to hear from you, as well.

I saw that Zito's 10* ***BOW-WOW*** BOMB was the No. 2 seller on Saturday.

I bought it, it was basically an email full of 20% off coupons from Subway. No pick, but at least I'm eating cheap sandwiches for the next 30 days.