Gambling Blog

After news that Antigua has managed to secure agreement for loses incurred by the “illegal” withdrawal of online gambling facilities in the US, there is concern that the tensions between the World Trade Organisation and the US may well scupper any hopes of an end to the US ban.  But why?

Even though the US authorities have agreed in private that their ban is illegal there are no plans to lift the barriers.   It seems that the US have not appreciated being hauled in front of the WTO to explain their actions, and this has forced both parties to dig their heels in.  While Antigua had originally claimed $3.4 billion per annum in compensation from the US, they have “only” ended up with $21 million a year – a substantial difference to say the least!

The WTO are still pursing the US authorities on behalf of other countries throughout the world, with European counterparts knocking hard on the door for compensation.  However, it seems that while the US were “sympathetic” to the Antiguan claim they will not be so forthcoming with claims from European companies.  This has the potential to blow into a full scale war and there are already rumours of further sanctions against the US in a tit for tat series of actions.  Away from the main headlines the likelihood of the US authorities lifting the ban seems further away than ever, and while many had suggested that recent events were just sabre rattling there seems to be more to it.

The US authorities may well privately be regretting their move to ban online gaming, but in public there have been very few cracks in this policy.  As we approach the end of the US presidential elections it seems highly unlikely that the new president would want to rock the boat by suggesting a lifting of the ban, for fear of upsetting the very strong religious groups in the US.  Now that would be a gamble!

Titan Poker has released details of what is set to be one of the biggest poker tournaments ever to take place on the internet.

Kicking off in March, the gaming operator will offer players the opportunity to compete for a share of two million dollars worth of prizes.

With entry to the $2 million Guaranteed open to all Titan Poker players and buy-ins for qualifying satellite events starting at just $3, demand is set to be huge.

Just recently, the operator awarded more than $2.5 million in prize money in just ten days in its European Championship of Online Poker, while it will also be sending players to compete in the Aussie Millions, the Irish Open and the South African poker Open.

The announcement comes as industry observers predict that online gaming operators will benefit as millions of Americans are kept indoors by the heavy storms hitting the country.

“In times like these the only other option is to play online poker, utilizing those nifty little backup battery packs and a broadband connection that works even during storms,” Gambling911.com said.

Even though we are just approaching the half way point of the football Premiership season, there is much speculation about who will be the next big name to bite the dust.  It seems as though the big money is on the likes of Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce and even Liverpool favourite Benitez parting company with their clubs in the short term.  But why is the turnover of managers so quick?

Despite being in the job for only 8 months “Big Sam” is under extreme pressure even though the club are hovering around the halfway mark in the Premiership table, and Benitez has taken Liverpool into the top four.    Allardyce has felt the full fury of the Newcastle fans who are unhappy at the way the team are playing and the results they have achieved so far – had they actually lost in last weekends FA Cup tie at Stoke then the big man would have been out on his ear already.

Benitez on the other hand has seen his relationship with Liverpool Football Club’s new owners hit rock bottom as he demanded more money for new players in the transfer window, despite spending over £30 million in the last 12 months.  His public statement that he needed new players did not go down well with the US backers and it seems only a matter of time before he is shown the door – expect an announcement in the new year to say that all parties have come to an agreement.

While nobody doubts that Football is a results game, the speed with which managers come and go is unbelievable to say the least.  Newcastle United have had 10 managers and no trophies in the last 22 years, a time when Sir Alex Ferguson has been at the helm of Manchester United throughout – which actually speaks volumes for the direction of the clubs!

The 2008 World Poker Tour (WPT) is set to kick off in Tunica, Mississippi this week with a relatively low-key $300 no-limit hold’em event.

The venue for the forthcoming World Poker Open, the Gold Strike Hotel, has hosted the WPT since its inaugural season in 2003, when David ‘the Devilfish’ Ulliott came out on top and walked away with the $589,000 top prize.

This year’s tournament will feature 17 separate events, all set to take place before the end of the month, though all eyes will be on the $5,000 pot-limit hold’em championship which takes place on January 17 and a three-day $10,000 no-limit championship begins just three days after this.

Other major stars who have graced the tables at Tunica over recent years include Barry Greenstein, who took the title in 2004, Scott Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu and Chau Giang.

Also kicking off at the start of this month is the PokerStars.com Caribbean Adventure tournament, with hundreds of top poker professionals expected to head to the Atlantis Resort and Casino for a chance of a share of the $7 million prize pool.

Over the last couple of weeks millions of UK viewers have been glued to the UK Dart Championships which have been thrown up a number of major surprises – not least the fall of Phil “The Power” Taylor.  So is darts actually set to make a comeback or is this just a flash in the pan?

For those of you who followed darts some 10 to 15 years ago, the darts arena of today may have many of the same old characters but there is now a sense of razzmatazz.  Flashing lights, dancing girls and each player seems to have their own signature tune to which they enter the arena.  There has also been a massive increase in gambling on darts, with many looking for that fresh young player to hit the headlines and take the glory.

The truth is that while darts has never been more popular than it is today, it has also always been a very popular sport amongst what was until now a niche market.  Players are now fitter and in better shape than ever before, diets are even now a main part of a dart player’s life – a massive change for the chain smoking, beer drinking players of yesteryear.

This new push into the limelight has opened up a whole new market for the bookmakers, and the fact that SKY TV have taken the decision to screen matches live now offers many gamblers the chance to gamble “in play”.  Whether darts will actually ever reach the heights of say football or cricket is highly unlikely to say the least, but the popularity of the sport is growing worldwide, and as the prize money continues to increase it seems that this is set to grow still further.

As we all know, the betting industry are never backwards in coming forwards when there is a new area for them to build on!

Casino operators across the sate of Ilinois are coming to terms with the newly-introduced ban on smoking in public places, with many arguing that player numbers and revenues will slump significantly over the coming weeks.

The new ban prohibits smoking inside or within 15 feet of any public building within the state.

In the run-up to the New Year’s introduction of the legislation, a number of gaming venues constructed special smoking patios for their patrons, with the Casino Queen in St Louis introducing a new smoking lounge alongside its slots rooms.

At the same time, venues in the Canadian province of Alberta has widely reported that they have yet to see a fall in visitor numbers after a ban on smoking was passed there.

Among the many other US states where the smoking ban has come into effect is Colorado, where gaming operators fear customers may spend their money on making the relatively short trip to Las Vegas, where lighting up is still permitted.

As we enter 2008 there are many sporting events to look forward to in literally every month of the year.  Whether you are looking forward to the battle for the Premiership, the Grand National or Wimbledon there is something for everyone, so who will take the bull by the horns in 2008? Who will enter 2009 as a new sports superstar? And who will disappear once and for all?

In the Premiership it still seems that the big prize is between the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, but it has to be said that Liverpool are still hanging in there.  Many people feel that Arsenal will falter towards the later part of January / early February as they are set to lose a lot of their players to the African Championships – Manchester United will not be losing any players to that tournament.

In tennis it seems that Andy Murray is back on a roll although he has decided to end the partnership with his coach – again on the lookout for a new mentor.  This will be coach number three within only a few years and he does not seem to be getting any stability in his sporting life.  However it has to be said that Murray is a battler and he is unlikely to go down easy at his “home” championships, Wimbledon.

Tony McCoy enters yet another year looking for that elusive win in the Grand National.  Surely after the events of recent months with jockeys under suspicion of fixing races, a sporting gent (and legend) like McCoy must be due a slice of luck in the worlds favourite steeple chase.

Whatever happens in 2008 there will be many outsiders to chase, there will be many “bankers” to bring home the money, but above all there will be much intrigue, surprise and enjoyment.  Will the bookies take a battering in 2008, or will it be the punters who are left licking their wounds yet again?

While it just does not seem right having a major football tournament with no British representation, that is exactly what will be happening in 2008, with the European Championships.  Despite Scotland’s heroic efforts, and because of England’s dismal performances we will need to look elsewhere for a possible winner of this elite competition.  While England are not the only fancied team to fall by the wayside, there is still an assortment of teams to choose from.

So who do you fancy?

At 4/1 we have the Germans pushing ahead, a team who give very little away and seem more than capable of finding quality strikers when need be.  Whether it is the German mentality or just luck, they always seem to be there or there abouts when the big tournaments come around.

However you might feel that it is the time of those eternal under achievers Spain to step out of the shadows and grasp the trophy, and at 6/1 they do look an interesting bet.  The Spanish football league has enjoyed a major turnaround over the last couple of years, and we are seeing more and more Spanish players entering the English Premiership – a sign that the big money signings are coming from Spain.

Mind you, it would take a brave person to write off France at 9/1 (despite Scotland getting the double over them in qualification) and who but the foolhardy would ever write off the deadly Italians – a team that certainly now how to kill a game when they are winning.  On the other hand will it be the flare of the Portuguese or the attacking play of the Croatians that will rise to the top in summer 2008?

Even though the home nations are not represented, Euro 2008 still promises to be a sports extravaganza and a massive event for the bookies!

While the term “gambling” is a fairly ambiguous term, it is actually defined as “wagering either money or something of material value, on an event of which the outcome is uncertain”. So in effect it can cover any event where the outcome is in any way, shape or form, uncertain.  Here below we list some of the strangest bets which have ever been “placed”.

Man Bets Wife In Card Game

While this is probably thought of as one of those “old wives” tales from many years ago, it did actually happen in Russia.  A Poker player ran out of money and in the heat of the moment he bet his wife on the turn of the cards and as you might have guessed he lost.  When his opponent tried to collect his “winnings” the players wife divorced him, went to live with the victor and married him a short time later.  They now live happily ever after.

Man Bets A Boob Job

While this must be perhaps one of the strangest bets ever heard of, it seems to have happened in a US casino, although the exact date seems to be a little shrouded in mystery.  One Poker player seems to have been down on his luck, no money in the pot, but left with what he thought was a good hand.  Desperate to take on his opponents and put himself back in play, he bet that if he lost HE would get a boob job.  Well it seems that he lost, and he had his very own set of man breasts very soon after!

There are literally hundreds if not thousands of examples of people getting carried away in the heat of the moment when gambling.  What seems to be a common factor in these crazy bets is that they must see them through – even though gambling debts are not legally enforceable.  Strange but true – now you know why your bookmaker makes you pay up front!

As more and more people gamble online it is become easier and easier to see a history of your gambling activities, how much you put in, how much you took out and how much you won or lost.  How is your book looking for 2007? Was it a good year? Did you turn it around after a bad start? Or have you been a winner all the way through?

As we knock on the door of 2007 many people are possibly a little afraid to see exactly what they have won or lost over the last 12 months, but how can you ever learn if you don’t know how your have performed? You might even give yourself a surprise and find that you are up over the 12 months!

As you get caught up in the heat of the moment it is very difficult to keep track of what has come in and what has gone out of your “gambling” account.  If like the rest of us you only remember your winners and forget your losers then things may not be too rosy in the garden.  However, one thing is for sure, if you do look back through your gambles for the years – and for some people this may be many – you will see periods, sports and particular sized bets where you did better than average. 

It is possible to use this information to pin point your strengths and ensure that you use them in 2008.  Maybe you lose your bottle when you have a big bet? Maybe you had better keep away from football? Or maybe horse racing is your game, but on the each way field?

It is vital that you use your historic records to highlight areas which you should concentrate on and areas which you should avoid.  Gambling is all about running your winners and binning the losers, but you need to find out which is which.

A “stellar line-up” has been announced for the third series of Poker After Dark 2008.

Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Harman, Mike Matusow, Scotty Nguyen and Ken Light, who together have been dubbed the dream team, will delight fans with their poker performances next year.

Phil Hellmuth became the youngest WSOP winner at the age of 24 back in 1989 and in 1996 his poker peers voted him “best all-around tournament poker player in the world”.

Fellow player Daniel Negreanu also earned the coveted title back in 1997 and was the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet at the age of 23.

The surprise hit poker show airs on NBC usually in the early hours of the morning, providing late-night poker enthusiasts with gripping viewing.

Six poker players are featured on the show, who are all fighting for a $120,000 prize.

Each poker pro must contribute $20k to the jackpot and then bring out their best game in order to win back their money and then some more.

Shana Hiatt will remain as the host of the show which is due to kick off again on December 31st.

Gaming regulators in the state of Nevada have given the green light to a proposed buyout of Harrah’s by private equity investors.

This latest nod of approval means that the deal, which would represent the largest buyout in gambling history, now only needs to be cleared by the National Indian Gaming Commission, which is expected to make its ruling by the end of the month.

Apollo Management and TCG Capital have offered $17.7 billion for Harrah’s Entertainment, which is known around the globe as the organisor of the prestigious World Series of Poker.

According to a new report in the Las Vegas Review Journal, under the proposed deal, while Harrah’s stock will no longer be allowed to be traded publicly, the gaming operator will still be required to file quarterly earning reports to the Securities and Exchange Committee.

Also, though the buyout is expected to be completed within the first few weeks of 2008, Harrah’s will remain under scrutiny following reports of improper casino renovations at three of its Las Vegas venues.

The world’s three biggest internet companies have reached a multi-million dollar agreement with the US government over charges that they accepted advertisements promoting gambling, despite it being against the law.

According to the US attorney for eastern Missouri, Catherine Hanaway, Microsoft, Google and Yahoo will pay the government $31.5 million and will cease carrying advertising for sports betting and other types of gaming.

The ruling comes on the back of an 18-month investigation conducted by the attorney’s office in collaboration with the IRS and the FBI, into the internet companies’ behaviour over the past few years.

Microsoft will forfeit $4.5 million and also provide $7.5 million to a missing children’s charity, as well as a further $9 million for public service advertisements to be rolled out over the next three years.

Likewise, Yahoo’s $7.5 million settlement will see the internet giant provide $4.5 million for public service ads.

“These sums add to the over 40 million dollars in forfeitures and back taxes this office has already recovered in recent years from operators of these remote-control illegal gambling enterprises,” said US Attorney Catherine Hanaway.

Soon after a Slough resident won £100,000 on the back of a 5p stake at williamhillbingo.com, a 55-year old man has become an instant millionaire after striking it lucky on the bookmaker’s online casino.

The Oxfordshire gamer, who wished to remain anonymous, scooped the jackpot after laying down just £3 to play the online slot machine game ‘Millionaires Club’ on williamhillcasino.com.

While it was instantly apparent that he was going to get a good return on his money as the ‘bonus game’ feature came up, the electrician was shocked to see the reels fall into place and to learn he had won a cool £1.1 million.

Jennie Prest, a spokeswoman for William Hill, commented: “It certainly tis the season to be jolly for our ‘Mr X’, winning such a life-changing amount just before Christmas.

“It’s our second huge payout in the space of two weeks and Mr X goes down in history being our first Millionaire from the online casino. William Hill is full of Christmas cheer and we are delighted for both our winners.”

The lucky player said that the win has changed his family’s lives and revealed that he is set to splash out on an extra-special Christmas.