EP 1: Welcome to Squamish

How did sports betting go from being illegal to being EVERYWHERE? The answer lies in the convergence of daily fantasy sports apps, a bombshell New York Times op-ed, and the potential of a multi-billion dollar payout. This episode of Understood: The Big Bet tells the story of how a pivotal Supreme Court ruling set the stage for one of the biggest scandals in sports history — one involving a Toronto Raptors bench player named Jontay Porter. Understood takes you deep inside the seismic shifts reshaping our world right now. From online porn and crypto chaos to the rise of tech oligarchs, deepfake AI, and the broken promises of the internet — we explore the stories that define our digital age with hosts and characters embedded in the heart of the action.More episodes of The Big Bet are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/TBBxDC

June 2017, police arrive at the scene of a burned out vehicle on a quiet road in Squamish, BC. Their investigation turns grisly when they find the remains of a local rock climber inside the truck. But that’s only the beginning of a story filled with dozens of false identities and a sordid, complicated secret past.

Three years after his body is discovered, police finally learn the true identity of the murdered climber known as Jesse James. Their findings lead them to a childhood in Massachusetts and a youth marked by disturbing social and political beliefs.

Young Andrew Britt Greenbaum takes on a new identity and his white supremacist views bring him national attention. But the truth about his roots causes scandal and complicates his plans for a major event.

With his dark political dreams in shambles, Davis Wolfgang Hawke capitalizes on his internet marketing skills and uses them to create a shady and lucrative spamming ring. But while spam is making him very wealthy, it’s also making him some powerful enemies.

By the summer of 2025, police have no new leads in the mystery of Jesse James’ murder. Our own investigation leads us to unanswered questions about buried gold and spiralling rumours of a lost crypto fortune. But who killed Jesse James?

A dirtbag climber known as Jesse James is found dead in a burned out vehicle on an empty logging road. His past is a total enigma — until a break in the case unleashes a landslide of secrets.