Denver Ferguson was not alone in working in the numbers game. Illegal gambling via the numbers game was a very popular activity in communities in the early and mid-20th century. In Florida, the numbers game was known as “bolita.” 

“Bolita is a numbers lottery where the winning number is drawn daily…Bettors can place bets on any number from 1 to 100 and receive a 60 to 1 return if they win…The public is contacted by ‘peddlers’ or ‘sellers,’ who receive a commission of 15% of their sales. ‘Pick-up’ men, who take bets from the sellers to the ‘check-up houses,’ receive 20% of what they collect. Employees such as ‘check-up men,’ adding machine operators, and supervisors above this position usually receive salaries for their duties” (“Orlando Police Sergeant Reviews Growth of Bolita for Probers,” 1963, p.6)

Raids and arrests because of bolita were common and it was seen as a major threat. In 1949, Florida governor Fuller Warren said that Tampa was “in danger of actual civil disorder” because of the prominence of bolita and a near breakdown in law enforcement, and stated that he was willing to call in the National Guard or FBI to assist (“May Call Upon FBI Aid to Rub Out Numbers,” 1949, p.1). Nonetheless, bolita continued as a prominent, and dangerous, enterprise across the state. Cracker Johnson was shot and killed in 1946, reportedly by mob members trying to break his financial hold in the area. (Cracker Johnson: 1877-1946, n.d.) Charles Williams, reported bolita king of Pinellas County, was murdered in Tampa in 1953. (“‘Bolita King’ Slain in Tampa,” 1953)  

Also in 1953, a Defender article recollects a sheriff’s gaming raid on a “half-mile amusement district” in Perrine, near Miami, “crowded with taverns, dance halls, bawdy houses, pool rooms and other amusement spots” (“Raids Smash Miami Gaming Joints in Half-Mile Amusement District,” 1953, p.5). Those who owned establishments where bolita was played often had liquor licenses revoked and/or were arrested. But law enforcement was often in on the numbers game, offering protection in return for a portion of the cut. (“Says Negro Cops Hit Florida Racket,” 1960) Still, major bolita players were the target of law enforcement. Central Florida bolita king Harlan Blackburn and his six African American bolita operators all received prison sentences for their role in gambling. (“Fla. Bolita Boss Gets Six Years,” 1954) 

The Chitlin’ Circuit has been somewhat romanticized, with a focus on the musicians and celebrities that are associated with it. The reality of the Circuit is that it was tough work for the musicians involved, and many of the venues were smaller with lesser-known performers. The venues were intended to be primarily for entertainment on the stroll, for residents who had worked hard all week and were looking for an escape. So along with the music, there might also be other forms of entertainment and escape via bolita, drinking, drugs, and crime, as people often associate with nightclubs and similar venues today. 

Clubs, juke joints, bars, and pool halls were popular locations for participating in bolita in particular. Owners of these establishments were sometimes peddlers, pick-up men, or the establishments were check-up houses. Proprietors of larger venues, like Condor Merritt at Club Eaton in Eatonville, Elder Jordan, Jr. at the Manhattan Casino in St. Petersburg, James Jerome “Cracker” Johnson in West Palm, and Charlie “Edd” Craddock in Jacksonville, were major operators of the numbers game. Their roles in the bolita world facilitated their financial success and in part enabled them to purchase more real estate and keep nightlife venues operating.