WOSP Is Nearing Its Summer Conclusion
All but four summer events are in the books for the 40th World Series of Poker. The events will now be a little more sporadic starting with this weekend’s World Championship No Limit Texas Hold ‘em (Event 57).
Here are the results, which began on May 27 up through the completion of the 55th event which concluded on Thursday, July 1.
| Event Tournament | Winner | ($) Prize | |
| 1 | Casino Employees no-limit hold ‘em | Andrew Cohen | 83,833 |
| 2 | 40th annual no-limit hold ‘em | Vitaly Lunkin | 1,891,012 |
| 3 | Omaha high-low split eight or better | Thang Luu | 263,190 |
| 4 | No-limit hold ‘em | Steve Sung | 771,338 |
| 5 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jason Mercier | 237,462 |
| 6 | Pot-limit Omaha | Freddie Ellis | 373,751 |
| 7 | World Championship seven-card stud | Travis Johnson | 666,853 |
| 8 | No-limit hold ‘em | Phil Ivey | 96,367 |
| 9 | 2-7 draw lowball | Ken Aldridge | 428,259 |
| 10 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | Rami Boukai | 244,862 |
| 11 | Pot-limit Omaha/hold ‘em | Anthony Harb | 569,254 |
| 12 | No-limit hold ‘em | Ville Wahlbeck | 492,375 |
| 13 | World Championship mixed event | Keven Stammen | 506,786 |
| 14 | No-limit hold ‘em | Brock Parker | 223,697 |
| 15 | Six-handed limit hold ‘em | Brian Lemke | 692,658 |
| 16 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jeffrey Lisandro | 124,975 |
| 17 | Seven-card stud | Lisa Hamilton | 195,390 |
| 18 | World Champ Omaha HL/8 or better | Daniel Alaei | 445,898 |
| 19 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | Brock Parker | 552,745 |
| 20 | Pot-limit hold ‘em | John-Paul Kelly | 194,343 |
| 21 | HORSE | Zac Fellows | 311,899 |
| 22 | No-limit hold ‘em shootout | Jeff Carris | 313,673 |
| 23 | World Championship 2-7 draw lowball | Nick Shulman | 279,742 |
| 24 | No-limit hold’ em | Pete Vilandos | 607,256 |
| 25 | Omaha/seven card stud high-low | Phil Ivery | 220,538 |
| 26 | Limit hold ‘em | Tomas Alenius | 197,488 |
| 27 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split | Roland De Wolfe | 246,616 |
| 28 | No-limit hold-em | Mike Eise | 639,331 |
| 29 | World Championship heads-up | Leo Wolpert | 625,682 |
| 30 | Pot-limit Omaha | JC Tran | 235,685 |
| 31 | HORSE | James Van Alstyne | 247,033 |
| 32 | No-limit hold’em | Angel Guillen | 530,548 |
| 33 | World Championship limit hold ‘em | Greg Muller | 460,841 |
| 34 | No-limit hold ‘em | Eric Baldwin | 521,991 |
| 35 | Pot-limit Omaha | Richard Austin | 409,484 |
| 36 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jordan Smith | 586,212 |
| 37 | Champion seven-card stud high-low split | Jeff Lisandro | 430,000 |
| 38 | Limit hold ‘em | Marc Naalden | 190,770 |
| 39 | No-limit hold ‘em | Ray Foley | 657,969 |
| 40 | World Championship pot-limit Omaha | Matt Graham | 679,379 |
| 41 | No-limit hold ‘em shootout | Peter Traply | 348,728 |
| 42 | Mixed event | Jerrod Ankenman | 241,637 |
| 43 | Seniors World Championship | Michael Davis | 437,358 |
| 44 | Razz | Jeff Lisandro | 188,370 |
| 45 | World Championship Pot-Limit | John Kabbas | 633,335 |
| 46 | Omaha Hi-Lo Split 8 or better | Derek Raymond | 229,192 |
| 47 | Mixed hold-em | Bahador Ahmadi | 278,104 |
| 48 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split | Brandon Cantu | 228,867 |
| 49 | World Championship HORSE | David Bach | 1,276,802 |
| 50 | Limit hold ‘em shootout | Greg Mueller | 194,854 |
| 51 | No-limit hold ‘em | Carsten Joh | 664,426 |
| 52 | Triple chance no-limit hold ‘em | Jorg Peijer | 506,800 |
| 53 | Seven-card stud high-low | David Halpern | 159,390 |
| 54 | No-limit hold ‘em | Tony Veckey | 673,000 |
| 55 | 2-7 triple draw lowball | Abe Mosseri | 165,521 |
Four events are either underway or remain on the summer portion of the schedule before the final world championship event, with the top players of the 57th event which begins, which will be staged in November.
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Four Weeks Of The World Series Of Poker Have Passed
Thirty-three events are in the books in the 40th edition of the World Series of Poker.
Here is the list of the tournaments, which began on May 27 up through the results of the 33rd event which concluded on June 18.
| Event | Tournament | Winner | ($) Prize |
| 1 | Casino Employees no-limit hold ‘em | Andrew Cohen | 83,833 |
| 2 | 40th annual no-limit hold ‘em | Vitaly Lunkin | 1,891,012 |
| 3 | Omaha high-low split eight or better | Thang Luu | 263,190 |
| 4 | No-limit hold ‘em | Steve Sung | 771,338 |
| 5 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jason Mercier | 237,462 |
| 6 | Pot-limit Omaha | Freddie Ellis | 373,751 |
| 7 | World Championship seven-card stud | Travis Johnson | 666,853 |
| 8 | No-limit hold ‘em | Phil Ivey | 96,367 |
| 9 | 2-7 draw lowball | Ken Aldridge | 428,259 |
| 10 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | Rami Boukai | 244,862 |
| 11 | Pot-limit Omaha/hold ‘em | Anthony Harb | 569,254 |
| 12 | No-limit hold ‘em | Ville Wahlbeck | 492,375 |
| 13 | World Championship mixed event | Keven Stammen | 506,786 |
| 14 | No-limit hold ‘em | Brock Parker | 223,697 |
| 15 | Six-handed limit hold ‘em | Brian Lemke | 692,658 |
| 16 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jeffrey Lisandro | 124,975 |
| 17 | Seven-card stud | Lisa Hamilton | 195,390 |
| 18 | World Champ Omaha HL/8 or better | Daniel Alaei | 445,898 |
| 19 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | Brock Parker | 552,745 |
| 20 | Pot-limit hold ‘em | John-Paul Kelly | 194,343 |
| 21 | HORSE | Zac Fellows | 311,899 |
| 22 | No-limit hold ‘em shootout | Jeff Carris | 313,673 |
| 23 | World Championship 2-7 draw lowball | Nick Shulman | 279,742 |
| 24 | No-limit hold’ em | Pete Vilandos | 607,256 |
| 25 | Omaha/seven card stud high-low | Phil Ivery | 220,538 |
| 26 | Limit hold ‘em | Tomas Alenius | 197,488 |
| 27 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split | Roland De Wolfe | 246,616 |
| 28 | No-limit hold-em | Mike Eise | 639,331 |
| 29 | World Championship heads-up | Leo Wolpert | 625,682 |
| 30 | Pot-limit Omaha | JC Tran | 235,685 |
| 31 | HORSE | James Van Alstyne | 247,033 |
| 32 | No-limit hold’em | Angel Guillen | 530,548 |
| 33 | World Championship limit hold ‘em | Greg Muller | 460,841 |
Events 34 and 35, No-limit hold ‘em and Pot-limit Omaha, both three day events are currently underway.
Here is the rest of the schedule.
| Event | Date | Tournament | Buy-In |
| 34 | June 16-18 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 35 | June 17-19 | Pot-limit Omaha | $5,000 |
| 36 | June 18-20 | No-limit hold ‘em | $2,000 |
| 37 | June 18-20 | Champion seven-card stud high-low split | $10,000 |
| 38 | June 19 | Limit hold ‘em | $2,000 |
| 39 | June 20-22 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 40 | June 20-22 | World Championship pot-limit Omaha | $10,000 |
| 41 | June 21-23 | No-limit hold ‘em shootout | $5,000 |
| 42 | June 21-23 | Mixed event | $2,500 |
| 43 | June 22-24 | Seniors World Championship | $1,000 |
| 44 | June 22-24 | Razz | $2,500 |
| 45 | June 23-25 | World Championship pot-limit hold ‘em | $10,000 |
| 46 | June 23 | Omaha high-low split | $2,500 |
| 47 | June 24-26 | Mixed hold ‘em (limit/no-limit) | $2,500 |
| 48 | June 25-27 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split | $1,500 |
| 49 | June 26-30 | World Championship HORSE | $50,000 |
| 50 | June 26-28 | Limit hold ‘em shootout | $1,500 |
| 51 | June 27-29 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 52 | June 28-30 | Triple chance no-limit hold ‘em | $3,000 |
| 53 | June 28-30 | Seven-card stud high-low | $1,500 |
| 54 | June 29-July 1 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 55 | June 29-July 1 | 2-7 triple draw lowball | $2,500 |
| 56 | June 30-July 2 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | $5,000 |
| 57 | July 3-15 | No-limit hold ‘em main event | $10,000 |
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Twenty WSOP Events In The Books
Three weeks are in the book at the 40th World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and the winners have been a mix of who’s who in the poker as well as many newcomers.
Here is the list of the tournaments, which began on May 27th up through the results of the 18th event which concluded on June 9th.
| Event | Tournament | Winner | ($) Prize |
| 1 | Casino Employees no-limit hold ‘em | Andrew Cohen | 83,833 |
| 2 | 40th annual no-limit hold ‘em | Vitaly Lunkin | 1,891,012 |
| 3 | Omaha high-low split eight or better | Thang Luu | 263,190 |
| 4 | No-limit hold ‘em | Steve Sung | 771,338 |
| 5 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jason Mercier | 237,462 |
| 6 | Pot-limit Omaha | Freddie Ellis | 373,751 |
| 7 | World Championship seven-card stud | Travis Johnson | 666,853 |
| 8 | No-limit hold ‘em | Phil Ivey | 96,367 |
| 9 | 2-7 draw lowball | Ken Aldridge | 428,259 |
| 10 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | Rami Boukai | 244,862 |
| 11 | Pot-limit Omaha/hold ‘em | Anthony Harb | 569,254 |
| 12 | No-limit hold ‘em | Ville Wahlbeck | 492,375 |
| 13 | World Championship mixed event | Keven Stammen | 506,786 |
| 14 | No-limit hold ‘em | Brock Parker | 223,697 |
| 15 | Six-handed limit hold ‘em | Brian Lemke | 692,658 |
| 16 | No-limit hold ‘em | Jeffrey Lisandro | 124,975 |
| 17 | Seven-card stud | Lisa Hamilton | 195,390 |
| 18 | World Champ Omaha HL/8 or better | Daniel Alaei | 445,898 |
The winners of events 19 and 20, Six-handed, no-limit hold ‘em and pot-limit hold ‘em, have not been announced but have been concluded.
There are currently three tournaments underway.
The HORSE event began on June 9th and will conclude on the 11th. That event, the 21st, featured a buy-in of $3000.
The No-limit hold’em shootout, the WSOP’s 22nd event began on June 10th and will conclude on June 12th and featured a buy-in of $1500 while the more expensive event 23 runs concurrently and featured a buy-in of $10,000.
Here is the rest of the schedule.
| Event | Date | Tournament | Buy-In |
| 24 | June 11-13 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 25 | June 11 | Omaha/seven-card stud high-low | $2,500 |
| 26 | June 12 | Limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 27 | June 12 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split | $5,000 |
| 28 | June 13-15 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 29 | June 13-15 | World Championship heads-up | $10,000 |
| 30 | June 14-16 | Pot-limit Omaha | $2,500 |
| 31 | June 14-16 | HORSE | $1,500 |
| 32 | June 15-17 | No-limit hold ‘em | $2,000 |
| 33 | June 15-17 | World Championship limit hold ‘em | $10,000 |
| 34 | June 16-18 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 35 | June 17-19 | Pot-limit Omaha | $5,000 |
| 36 | June 18-20 | No-limit hold ‘em | $2,000 |
| 37 | June 18-20 | Champion seven-card stud high-low split | $10,000 |
| 38 | June 19 | Limit hold ‘em | $2,000 |
| 39 | June 20-22 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 40 | June 20-22 | World Championship pot-limit Omaha | $10,000 |
| 41 | June 21-23 | No-limit hold ‘em shootout | $5,000 |
| 42 | June 21-23 | Mixed event | $2,500 |
| 43 | June 22-24 | Seniors World Championship | $1,000 |
| 44 | June 22-24 | Razz | $2,500 |
| 45 | June 23-25 | World Championship pot-limit hold ‘em | $10,000 |
| 46 | June 23 | Omaha high-low split | $2,500 |
| 47 | June 24-26 | Mixed hold ‘em (limit/no-limit) | $2,500 |
| 48 | June 25-27 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split | $1,500 |
| 49 | June 26-30 | World Championship HORSE | $50,000 |
| 50 | June 26-28 | Limit hold ‘em shootout | $1,500 |
| 51 | June 27-29 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 52 | June 28-30 | Triple chance no-limit hold ‘em | $3,000 |
| 53 | June 28-30 | Seven-card stud high-low | $1,500 |
| 54 | June 29-July 1 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 55 | June 29-July 1 | 2-7 triple draw lowball | $2,500 |
| 56 | June 30-July 2 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | $5,000 |
| 57 | July 3-15 | No-limit hold ‘em main event | $10,000 |
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Three WSOP Events In The Book
Spoiler warning!!!
If you are looking forward to watching the just completed events of the 40th World Series of Poker later this summer on ESPN, do not ready any further.
If you will watch no matter what or are just curious as to the winners, please continue.
The second, third and fourth events of the World Series of Poker, which began last week, have drawn to a close.
Winning the second event was Vitaly Lunkin from Russia. This event, a $40,000 No-Limit Hold’em was a new entry unto the schedule because of a high demand for a high buy-in.
Lunkin captured the first place prize of $1.9 million over a field of 201 and was followed by others, like him, who are well known to die-hard poker attics.
Capturing $1.1 million and finishing in second was Isaac Haxton, followed by Greg Raymer at third, winning $775,000. Justin Bonomo won $413,000 and rounded out the top five.
Lunkin won last year, for his first WSOP victory, as well, in the $1500 no-limit even.
The third event brought in a much more manageable buy in fee and as such, increased the number of participants of a significant amount, so significant that a new record was set in the event, an Omaha Hi/Lo 8-of-better.
Thang Luu was the repeat champion in the event that attracted a record of 918 participants. Luu also finished second in the event two years ago.
Finally, another new feature in the 40th edition of the World Series of Poker was a champions invitational. Every winner of the Main Event was invited back to play in the tournament and it was won by Tom McEvoy, winner of the 1983 Main Event. Robert Varkonyi, 2002 champ, also had a great run and finished second.
As the winner of the WSOP Champions Invitational, McEvoy won a vintage Corvette and has the honor of having his name carved on the Binion’s Cup, which will commemorate each winner in this now annual event.
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World Series Of Poker Kicks Off In Las Vegas
The opening event of the 40th Anniversary, 2009 World Series of Poker was held on Wednesday and it was just the beginning of a spring through summer slate of amazing events in Las Vegas.
The World Series of Poker will last nearly two months and begin in just about a month, May 26th. Featuring the most ever events, 57, the Series will last until its final day of July 15th.
The expanded scope of the World Series of Poker comes as the popularity of the event reached unequalled heights in 2008. The expansion will also allow poker players from apprentice and novice to expert and World Series champion.
A record 58,720 poker players entered the competition last year, representing 124 countries from across the globe, also a record. All those players helped balloon the pot to its biggest ever as well: $180,774,427.
The penultimate event which happened last year remains. The main events nine best will be brought back for the final playoff in November. Last season’s event created a large turnout and fan interest as well as national television coverage in primetime on ESPN.
Here is a list of the activities and events from now through the end of regular events on July 15.
Many of the events will be taped and broadcast on ESPN beginning July 28th.
|
Event
|
Date
|
Tournament
|
Buy-in
|
| 2 | May 28-30 | 40th annual no-limit hold ‘em | $40,000 |
| 3 | May 29-31 | Omaha high-low split eight or better | $1,500 |
| 4A | May 30-June 2 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,000 |
| 4B | May 31-June 3 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,000 |
| 5 | June 1-3 | Pot-limit Omaha | $1,500 |
| 6 | June 1-3 | World Championship seven-card stud | $10,000 |
| 7 | June 2-4 | No-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 8 | June 2-4 | 2-7 draw lowball | $2,500 |
| 9 | June 3-5 | Six-handed no-limit hold ‘em | $1,500 |
| 10 | June 3-5 | Pot-limit Omaha/hold ‘em | $2,500 |
| 11 | June 4-6 | No-limit hold ‘em | $2,000 |
| 12 | June 4-6 | World Championship mixed event | $10,000 |
| 13 | 13 June 5-7 | No-limit hold ‘em | $2,500 |
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Best Blackjack Spots In Vegas
It’s time for a break-now get to Vegas!
Yes if you are reading this article it means your idea of rest, relaxation and fun is by gambling.
So let’s focus on blackjack.
Blackjack at casinos sometimes can be hard to find across the country. Depending on local rules and laws, some casinos across the country have the game, others do not.
Of course in Las Vegas it is easy to find blackjack. Every casino that’s worth a salt features the games.
So where is the best place to go for blackjack in Vegas? It all depends on what kind of game you are looking for.
High stakes? An easy-going, friendly atmosphere? Perhaps you want a packed table of fellow competitors or a few hear and there.
Let’s look at some of the best spots for blackjack in Las Vegas.
CASUAL ATMOSPHERE
Slots of Fun
Not one of the best casinos that Vegas has to offer, but Slots of Fun is on the strip, near the Mirage and is an older casino. That means less traffic through the casino and a more relaxed environment. This would be a perfect place to go with a friend who wants to teach you, if you are a novice, how to play blackjack. Slots of Fun also has some of the lowest play tables in Las Vegas, at $2 to $3 a pop.
MORE UPSCALE CASUAL ATMOPHERE
If you are going to Las Vegas for the experience and surroundings as well as the gambling and would like to capture the simplicity of Slots of Fun but add a little imagination, head over to Circus Circus. The casino usually is not overly busy during the week and provides a little higher average wagers than Slots of Fun, but lower than most of the major casinos on the strip.
HIGHER WAGERING
MGM Grand, Mirage, Luxor
Take your pick. These casino-hotels are usually the most luxurious. With that comes higher wagers and higher traffic. These are not the places for a novice or an enochlophobic (fear of crowds) to tread. The surroundings and beautiful people around you are stunning and these casinos have the best of entertainment to give you a break from the tables.
So get out, have fun and, as always, bet wisely.
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Have Fun And Gamble Responsibly
Turn on the television-if you dare!
Watching the news these days is like watching those old black and white horror movies hosted by a buxom female vampire.
With deadly viruses, recession, global warming and political in-fighting dominating the news today; sometimes you just need to get away.
You love your kids, you probably love your life too, but sometimes you just have to get away from it all in order to regain your sanity.
If your idea of relaxation is hitting a casino, by all means do that, but if you are like the majority of people today with a dwindling 401k and savings account, you just can not go limitless like you may have in the past.
Here are a couple tips to keep you out of the red.
SET A LIMIT BEFORE HEADING OUT
To avoid throwing your mortgage on top of the pile of chips, have a limit and STICK TO IT!! Easier said then done, I know, but this is a must. Determine your limit before heading into the game room, and if possible, take only that amount to the tables.
Leave the rest of your dough at home or in your hotel room. If you are going to the casino with your more responsible significant other, have them take the rest of your money and lock it away in an undisclosed location if need be.
If neither of you are responsible? Well then try Disney World. We hear it’s nice this time of the year and there are no casinos to be found at the Happiest Place on Earth.
BET THE MINIMUM
Okay so you are now on to this subheading which means you dissed the mouse and want to spend some cash responsibly.
If you are on a budget and hitting the gaming tables, then you want to maximize your time and fun. Betting $1000 on a hand of blackjack within five minutes of entering the sacred hall is not going to maximize your fun and relaxation.
Find the minimum tables and bet the minimum. Do not go to the quarter slots and bet four quarters, bet one. The surest way for your budget to dry up is to bet the maximum. Yes the odds of hitting the big jackpot decrease as your wager does, but it beats spending the rest of the night on the hotel bed watching six straight episodes of COPS while eating the free soup crackers you pilfered on your way to the elevator.
DON’T GO TO VEGAS
President Obama got in hot water with the good folks in Las Vegas when he told people to stay away from the gambling hot spot to avoid spending their savings. We partially agree with the President.
As we have covered, some people just want to gamble to be entertained-and if you have read this far, then you are one of these people. While Obama was right to say to stay out of Vegas, he was wrong to dissuade the responsible people from having a good time.
It’s simple, Las Vegas is a huge expense. So many states offer forms of gambling that it may be much cheaper to stay home or take a road trip.
Face it, the days of cheap airfare to Sin City is over, not to mention the rising hotel fees. Then there is the allure of everything gambling. At least if you go to a local casino, when you leave it, you leave the temptation behind. In Vegas when you go to Denny’s you can throw some coins in a slot, while you are draining the Mai Tais, you can gamble-you get the picture.
Which leads us to the final tip.
STAY OUT OF THE HOTEL
If you are traveling to your destination, do not stay in the casino’s hotel. The temptation is just too great.
Not only will you avoid staying up all night gambling, hotels and motels surrounding the casinos are usually much cheaper than the casino’s hotel. After all, you will probably just be in your room for a few minutes before drifting off into your dreams of winning the big one, so what difference does it make.
As we said before, once the temptation is out of your mind, your nest egg is safe. Wake up at 3:30 am in the casino hotel and listen closely, you can HEAR IT. Which makes you think gaming is much more important to you than sleep. That would be a mistake.
As always have fun and gamble wisely.
And turn off the TV news.
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Sports betting coming to Delaware?
Delaware has always been the state known for its liberal laws regarding corporations, which is why the tiny state has attracted so many worldwide corporations to reside in the “First State.”
Fifty percent of all American companies which trade on a stock exchange and 60 percent of all Fortune 500 companies reside in Delaware.
But soon it may not just be the corporate honchos having a fun time in the state. If the Delaware legislature has its way, the state could soon allow wagering on all sports.
The state is already home to a booming gaming industry featuring pari-mutuel horse racing, slot machines and racinos. If the governor and legislature succeed, the state will also have a sports book.
And why not, the casinos housed at racetracks—which is how you get racinos—raced nearly $210 million in taxes last year. The industry accounted for the over six percent of the state’s budget and employed 2600 Delawareans.
The move is not an altruistic one on the government’s part. They are looking for ways to balance a $750 budget deficit and have seen a drop off in their limited gaming due to slot machines in nearby Pennsylvania.
Delaware is one of just four states that can legally have sports betting after the practice was eliminated in 1992. However Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon could be grandfathered in because they were the only states that allowed sports betting when the federal law went into effect.
As such those states have tinkered with sports betting for decades with mixed results. Everyone knows the success of the sports books in Las Vegas, which pull in tens of millions each year. Oregon also was successful with a sports lottery for nearly two decades of sports wagering, but shelved the practice to entice the NCAA Tournament to their state. Montana is new to the sports lottery world although it is too early to tell how successful it has been. Delaware tried and failed with a sport lottery in the mid-1970s.
The thing all four states have in common is that they do not have professional sports teams—save for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. Leagues have fought against sports betting, particularly in states which have pro teams, but Delaware has none.
If everything is approved, sports betting could begin as early as the upcoming football season.
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World Series of Poker Expands Scope
Just in time to break up the dog days of summer, the World Series of Poker has announced their biggest schedule of events yet.
The World Series of Poker will last nearly two months and begin in just about a month, May 26th. Featuring the most ever events, 57, the Series will last until its final day of July 15th.
The expanded scope of the World Series of Poker comes as the popularity of the event reached unequalled heights in 2008. The expansion will also allow poker players from apprentice and novice to expert and World Series champion.
A record 58,720 poker players entered the competition last year, representing 124 countries from across the globe, also a record. All those players helped balloon the pot to its biggest ever as well: $180,774,427.
The new events include a $40,000 no-limit hold ‘em and two more $10,000 World Championship-type buy-ins, up from eight. Also, nearly 40 events will have buy-ins of $2500 or less.
An event truly “ripped from the headlines,” entitled the “Stimulus Special” will offer buy-ins of $1000 during the event’s first weekend.
With all the new events, some old ones had to be removed, including the popular rebuy events. Also gone this year are four $5000 events in order to allow for more higher stakes events and two smaller events which split the pot, $2500.
The penultimate event which happened last year remains. The main events nine best will be brought back for the final playoff in November. Last season’s event created a large turnout and fan interest as well as national television coverage in primetime on ESPN.
Two major charity events will once again take place at the WSOP. The Ante Up for Africa stakes which raises $5000 will be back for a third year on July 2nd and another event to raise awareness for cancer will be staged on June 7th. That even will be ladies only.
So get out to Vegas to watch or participate or settle into your nice air conditioned home with a cool beverage and watch the fun. ESPN coverage will begin on July 28th.
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Getting to Know Baccarat
One of the most popular games in casinos, baccarat provides fun and skill for gamers and is fairly easy to get the hang of.
In a baccarat game, your goal as a player is to bet on the side that will come the closest to nine.
Unlike other casino games where the bet is placed after the cards are dealt, in baccarat a better places his chips before the hand is dealt, not during.
The game begins after bets are placed. The dealer will dole out two cards for each player and for himself. Cards 2 through 9 represent the number and the ace is equaled to one. Any face cards or 10s are equal to zero.
A player can not have a hand above nine so if you possess, for instance, a card with a five and a jack, the blackjack number would be 15. Do not think like blackjack because in baccarat you would have five because the face card equals zero.
If a player, or dealer, has reached a total of 8 or 9, the dealing stops and the player, or dealer, closest to the magical 9 would be the winner. If the player and the dealer tie, it’s a push, if there is not a tie and neither player is less than five, an additional card is dealt. Usually the dealer will stand at either 5, 6 or 7 depending on the rules of the house.
There are additional instances that affect whether a dealer hits or stands but, as before, it depends on the rules of the house.
For payouts you can bet on the player’s hand to win and the payout would most likely be 1 to 1. You can also bet on the tie, which would pay 8 to 1.
As always have fun and best wise.
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