Legendary Las Vegas sports handicapper David Malinsky was found dead Friday afternoon at Mount Charleston after a weeklong search, apparently having fallen to his death. He was 57.
Malinsky has been missing since April 14, after he went on a hike that weekend at Mount Charleston, about an hour northwest of Las Vegas. That led to a search by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, who were assisted by Red Rock Search and Rescue and numerous volunteers.
Police said a hiker who wishes to remain anonymous found Malinsky’s body near Mt. Charleston’s Mummy Springs Trail, Las Vegas’s 8 News Now reported.
Helpful Voice in Sports Betting Community
Born in 1960 in a small town in southwestern Pennsylvania, Malinsky moved to Las Vegas in 1984 to pursue sports betting as a career.
His close friend Ted Sevransky told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Malinsky grew a following among casual handicappers thanks to his ability to break down complex game analysis into easily digestible information.
“He was exemplary in everything that he did,” Sevransky said.
Malinsky was well known as a voice in sports betting, appearing on various radio shows, including the “Stardust Line,” which was broadcast from the sports book at the Stardust casino hotel, before it closed in 2006 (and was imploded in 2007). He also wrote a popular blog and served as a forum hosts on a sports betting community website.
“He liked the jousting between the bettor and the bookie,” Sevransky said.
Malinsky was also known for being approachable and willing to share his information with fellow handicappers.
“Malinsky is one of the smartest handicappers around, consistently providing terrific breakdowns on a daily basis,” wrote Vik Chokshi of The Big Lead after he had been reported missing. “He is also one of the nicest guys online, always spending time to respond to every single question that comes his way on his forum.”
Passion for Outdoors
Las Vegas police told local media there were no signs of foul play, but hadn’t ruled out the possibility of a medical emergency or injury contributing to his fatal fall.
Malinsky’s friends and family said he was an avid hiker. According to Sevransky and others, he loved to spend his free time hiking through the mountains studying bristlecone pine trees, enjoying finding them in remote places, then photographing and documenting them.
A post on a Facebook group dedicated to his memory by Hope Ellis, Malinsky’s niece, announced his passing and gave thanks to the local Las Vegas hiking community that aided in the search.
“As we all know, Dave had a particular fondness for Bristlecone Pine Trees and referred to them as his ‘Old Friends in High Places,’” Ellis wrote. “We find comfort in knowing he passed doing what he loved and is now resting peacefully among his friends.”