Lem Banker Banking on Patriots to Win 2012 Super Bowl

Once a generation, people gather outside the Vatican in Rome, looking up at the Vatican chimney to see whether the smoke coming out in billows is white or black, signifying yes or no that a new pope has been selected.

Almost as eagerly anticipated is the yearly declaration by the pope of professional sports betting, Lester "Lem" Banker of Las Vegas, as to who he likes to cover the pointspread in the Super Bowl--the favorite or the underdog.

The reason for the anticipation?

Lucky Lem usually gets it right.

In fact, he once famously picked the pointspread winner in 13 straight Super Bowls, cementing his reputation as one of the best, if not the best, big-game bettors in the sports betting biz.

For years, as eagerly as the pick was anticipated, Banker eagerly released his Super Bowl selection publicly and for free--what did he care, his Super Bowl wager was already in so any line movement wouldn't affect him.

In the last few years, however, Lem hasn't been so public about his Super Bowl pick--that's because in the last few years he for the first time has started selling his sports plays, via a website.

But Banker, now 85, has had a rough road of late.

In 2008 he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery.

In 2009, his wife of over 50 years, Debbie, passed away.

And in 2010, he discovered that his daughter and grandson had stolen $3 million from him.

So perhaps as a way to cement his legacy, or maybe even get some positive press for his website (www.lembankerpicks.com), Banker is once again publicly revealing his Super Bowl pick for free, and his website and tout service be damned!

So who is it, Lem, those pesky Patriots from Beantown or the Men of Giant Stature from the Big Bad Apple?

New England or New York?

Banker told the Associated Press on Wednesday: "I'm laying the points and taking New England. It's really very simple. To me, Tom Brady is the best quarterback I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them back from when I was a kid and Sid Luckman was playing."

So there you have it--Lem likes the Pats.

Because of a man named Brady.

Banker is banking on it.

By Tom Somach

Gambling911.com Staff Writer

tomsomach@yahoo.com