I remember working in a factory in the 70s, and there was a guy whose job title was “sweeper”. He carried a broom. But he also drove a purple Eldorado and everyone seemed to stop to talk to him every single day.
Come to find out he was the numbers runner for the factory, and took everyone’s bets every day. AND he had a second sweeping job at the airport where he did the same thing.
So, at least SOME people benefited from the numbers racket.
You remember what the pool was called....