A native of Bloomingburg, Ohio, Schlichter was a football and basketball star at Miami Trace High School. He never lost a game in 30 starts at quarterback; his record was only blemished by one tie. His gambling habit began in high school with a visit to Scioto Downs, a harness racing track near Columbus. He and several friends pooled their resources to bet on a race at Scioto Downs, and won. He quickly became a regular, and Scioto Downs remained his favorite track over the years.