Wednesday, February 14, 2007

An employee at a northeast Albuquerque sports bar is facing a commercial
gambling charge after state investigators discovered a Super Bowl pool was
run there.
John Webb, 40, who holds the liquor license at Howie's Sports Page, was
cited Tuesday, said Peter Olson, state Department of Public Safety
spokesman. The bar was cited Sunday for commercial gambling and selling
alcohol to Webb, who was intoxicated, Olson said. "He's the license holder,
and he's not supposed to drink while working, and he's not supposed to be
intoxicated," Olson said. A manager at the bar declined comment. An agent
with the Department of Public Safety's Special Investigations Division
walked into the sports bar around 6 p.m. Sunday, well after the football
game and the gambling started, Olson said. Investigators found the board
squares, which were purchased for $100 each, but they found no money, Olson
said. The total payout was $10,000.