David Malinsky was fascinated with the bristlecone pine trees of Mt. Charleston.
After a week-long search, the body of David Malinsky, 57, was discovered late last week at Mount Charleston near Mummy Spring. Malinsky was a longtime Las Vegas sports handicapper and writer.
David Malinsky, a 57-year old handicapper famed for hosting the Stardust Line radio show and his “Point Blank” sports betting column on SportsbookReview.com, was found dead on Mount Charleston this week. Malinksy more recently made appearances on Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN).
Mr. Malinsky was an avid hiker, but he appears to have had a fall while hiking. A one-week searched for him ensued after he went missing, but the search has ended with the unfortunate news he had died from a fall.
Friends and family spoke fondly of David Malinsky and the life he led, which revolved around sports betting, good food and drink, culture, and a love of the nature in the surrounding area.
David Malinsky Missing on April 14
Malinsky went missing April 14 and the Metropolitan Police Department’s search and rescue team, Red Rock Search and Rescue and several volunteers have been searching for him since.
Ted Sevransky, a Las Vegas handicapper and friend of the deceased, said Malinsky apparently slipped while hiking and fell to his death. Sevransky said, “He was exemplary in everything that he did.”
Malinsky was very well known in the sports betting scene in Las Vegas and was often looked to for his guidance into betting. He was a mentor to many in his industry.
Malinsky’s Career in Sports Betting
David Malinsky was born in Waynesburg on Dec. 30, 1960, though he grew up in Garards Fort. Both were small towns located in the southwest corner of the Pennsylvania, which is more akin to the Midwest than the East Coast.
Malinsky began his life in Las Vegas in 1984 when he moved there to pursue his career in sports betting.
Though he had several successes throughout his career, Malinsky was most known from his famed radio show, “The Stardust Line”, at the old Stardust sports book. Mr. Malinsky also wrote sports betting blogs about his gaming experiences and the latest trends in sports betting. Malinsky’s sports betting column, “Point Blank”, appeared often on SportsbookReview.com.
David Malinsky’s Handicapping Skills
Malinsky was known for his knack for breaking down complex games into more understood parts, which allowed him to be able to better connect to the average bettor. In his most recent work, Malinsky appeared on the Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN) a famed sports betting network led by broadcaster Brent Musburger.
Tim Jeffrey, a longtime sports writer and a listener to Malinsky’s show, said of the deceased handicapper, “First and foremost, we wanted to hear who Dave Malinsky liked.”
According to Jefferey, Malinsky was a highly valued source for anyone looking for tips on which bets to place. It was the small insights that often made the difference, as Malinsky took into consideration factors most people would not even consider.
Malinsky’s Bankroll Management
Malinsky was great at managing his bankroll and emotions through both highs and lows in the industry and loved the constant challenge of betting. He was always looking for any edge he could find over the betting marketplace, according to Sevransky.
Ted Sevransky said, “He liked the jousting between the bettor and the bookie.”
Bob Scucci on David Malinsky
Bob Scucci, director of race and sports at Boyd Gaming and a longtime Malinsky friend, also spoke highly of the handicapper. The two met 25 years ago at Stardust.
Scucci said that although they met through their work, the two would much prefer to discuss politics, culture, food, wine, Scotch whiskey, and cigars. The Boyd Gaming bookmaker said, “He often told me that his job allowed him to pursue his true passions.”
“Old Friends in High Places”
Malinsky had a passion for hiking and spent much of his free time in the mountains, where he studied bristlecone pine trees. He would photograph and document the trees. The handicapper was captivated by the bristlecone’s longevity and the remote places where the trees lived. According to his family Malinsky referred to the trees as his “old friends in high places.”
Malinsky loved to connect the tree’s story to the story of the human condition. Bob Scucci said his friend believed that “each tree told a different story.”
David Levy, a fellow Las Vegas resident, remembered Malinsky often would talk about his love for the bristlecone pines and would always speak in a spiritual way about the land. The two met while working on a documentary on preserving Mount Charleston.
David Malinsky’s Mountain Interests
Malinsky would often send photographs he took in the mountains in an email chain to other nature buffs. The pictures were most often joined with a poem or verse he wrote that would connect nature and life.
One of the last photographs he sent in an email was of a lone tree overlooking a vast Nevada landscape. David Levy said the photo was the one which most reminded him of Malinsky, because it showed a man who was often at peace alone among the trees.
Hope Ellis, David Malinsky’s niece, said in a Facebook post to a group which had spent the past week trying to find him, “We find comfort in knowing he passed doing what he loved, and is now resting peacefully among his friends.”
