When the "traditional" policy numbers lottery was at its peak from the late 1930s through the mid-1970s everybody played the daily number. In Italian strongholds like Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Williamsburg, South Brooklyn, Lower East Side, East Harlem, the Bronx, Corona, Astoria, Ozone Park, etc., the numbers were very popular.
Back in the day, the "Italian Lottery" that emanated from Italy where the guys received the daily number by cable-wire was also extremely popular. Italian people played the number back in Italy and after coming to America they still enjoyed that.
Irish, Polish, Jewish, Blacks, Spanish, etc., etc., regardless of your ethnicity, in NYC and other major cities "policy" was the most popular game around. And for the "fellas" it was the most lucrative gambling racket.
And then Lotto came along, and Quick Pick, and a thousand other variations and the racket went out the window. Uncle Sam became the new "numbers racketeer"
NYM maybe you can clarify this for me. When it comes to the Italian Lottery in Brooklyn, Joe Bonanno is credited with originally (meaning after 1931) had controlled of this racket in Brooklyn. Can you speak to how this worked with the Profaci's and the the other Families in that territory?
