Casino backers try again

Backers of a proposal to build a resort casino in western Maine delivered more than 90,000 petition signatures to state officials on Tuesday in hopes of triggering the sixth statewide referendum on gambling since 2000.

A representative of the organization hoping to build the four-season resort and casino in the Oxford area said the latest proposal is dramatically different from an Oxford County casino ballot measure that failed at the polls in November 2008. He also forecast that passage of the ballot initiative would likely help, not hurt, Bangor’s Hollywood Slots, which is the only sanctioned gaming facility in the state.

Peter Martin, spokesman for Black Bear Entertainment LLC, said petition organizers removed most of the “flaws” that he believes helped doom the last proposal. Those flaws included lowering Maine’s gambling age to 19, creating a 10-year moratorium on other gaming facilities in the state and giving the casino president a seat on influential state boards. Martin described the latest proposal as a privately funded stimulus package for Maine schools, with 70 percent, or about $32 million, of the annual tax revenues from the casino going to education statewide. The proposed four-season resort would create 800 to 1,000 jobs.

“It’s something that will affect every municipality in the state,” Martin said Tuesday moments after dropping off boxes of petition signatures at the Secretary of State’s Office.

Black Bear Entertainment, which was formed by a group of Maine business owners, needs 55,087 certified signatures from registered voters in Maine to place the issue on the November 2010 ballot.

The state’s voters already have rejected four gambling initiatives, including two proposed by Maine’s Indian tribes. Roughly 54 percent of voters rejected the last Oxford County resort casino proposal in November 2008. Dennis Bailey, spokesman for the anti-gambling group CasinosNO!, dismissed Martin’s suggestions that the latest Oxford County plan is an improvement over the 2008 proposal or that it will fare better at the polls this time around.

“These things are a scam and the voters know they are a scam,” Bailey said. “I see nothing here to convince people to change their minds and vote differently than they did in the past.”

In addition to opposition from CasinosNO!, Black Bear Entertainment will likely have to confront concerns among some Bangor-area voters that an Oxford County casino would draw business away from Hollywood Slots. Martin said the company anticipates most gamers at the Oxford casino would be from areas south of Augusta, with 50 percent likely from Massachusetts or New Hampshire.

Hollywood Slots officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Sen. Joe Perry, D-Bangor, said he does not believe a resort casino in Oxford would compete with Hollywood Slots.

“But I think it raises the issue that if we are going to have a full casino in the state, can we limit Hollywood Slots to just slots? Or should we consider opening up Hollywood Slots to table games?” Perry said. Hollywood Slots officials have made clear their interest in offering blackjack and other table games as a way to draw additional business to the facility, which is restricted to 1,500 slot machines.

But before they could offer table games, Hollywood Slots would need legislative approval. And Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat in his final year in office, has been adamant that he would veto any legislation expanding gambling in Maine.

Bailey also pointed out that under the current language proposed by Black Bear Entertainment, Hollywood Slots would still be prohibited from offering table games even if voters approve the Oxford casino.

Martin agreed, explaining that Black Bear’s proposal would not change the existing law governing Hollywood Slots that was approved by voters in 2003. “The reality is if this casino passes, the Legislature will award Hollywood Slots table games,” Martin said. “There is no reason they shouldn’t, and we wouldn’t oppose it.”

Perry said he would probably support expanding to table games at Hollywood Slots. But the Bangor-area senator said it is still unclear to him whether Mainers will support a resort casino ballot question authored by groups looking to build the gaming facility.

Sands China May Have Sales of $5 Billion in 2010

Sands China Ltd., the casino operator with the second-biggest market share in Macau, may have sales of $4.5 billion to $5 billion next year, according to the head of the company that controls it.

Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire chairman of Las Vegas Sands Corp., made the forecast in an interview at the construction site for a $5.5 billion casino resort in Singapore yesterday. Sands China had sales of $3.05 billion in 2008, according to Bloomberg data. Adelson, 76, didn’t comment on the 2009 results.

“Macau is going through record growth so I would expect Sands to do well in 2010,” Sean Monaghan, a Singapore-based investment consultant who previously worked for Merrill Lynch & Co. as a gaming analyst, said by e-mail today. Still, gross revenue is “much higher” than the net figure Sands reports, he said.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. is expanding in Asia, betting that rising incomes may fuel gambling and retail spending, Adelson said. Sands China, its Macau unit, raised $2.5 billion last month in a Hong Kong initial public offering to repay loans and resume construction the city, the world’s biggest gambling hub.

Sands China’s shares rose 1.3 percent, the first gain in five days, to HK$9.35 in Hong Kong today. The stock has fallen 9.9 percent from its IPO price of HK$10.38.

Gaming Revenue

Casino stocks have been dropping as investors “rotate out of high beta stocks before the end of the year,” Aaron Fischer, a Hong Kong-based analyst at CLSA Ltd., said in a phone interview today. Beta is a measure of volatility or systemic risk of a security.

The Bloomberg/Standard Newspaper Macau Gambling Index that tracks 22 companies has declined 8 percent this month, set for its third monthly drop.

Investors also anticipate slower growth in casino revenue, Fischer said. “Recent monthly revenue growth of 40 to 60 percent is clearly not sustainable for the entire 2010 and we expect some slowdown. Nonetheless, we expect revenue growth of 17 to 20 percent in 2010,” he said.

Net revenue at Sands China rose 6.2 percent to $846 million in the three months ended Sept. 30 from a year earlier. The company benefited from the first full quarter of operations at the Plaza Macao, according to its prospectus.

Record new loans in China that have boosted spending and a recovery in visitor arrivals to Macau drove gaming revenue to climb more than 6 percent in the first 11 months, Portuguese news agency Lusa reported Dec. 1, citing data from the operators.

Singapore Casino

Casino gambling revenue in Macau may increase 8 percent this year as global economies recover, Lawrence Ho, chief executive officer of Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd., said in a Dec. 4 interview. Melco Crown is a casino venture controlled by Ho, son of Macau casino billionaire Stanley Ho.

Official figures showed third-quarter casino gambling revenue increased 22 percent to 32 billion patacas ($4 billion), the first growth in a year.

Sands’ Singapore casino may open in the middle of April, Adelson said. He said in a Nov. 30 interview that the project would open on schedule at the end of the first quarter of 2010.

“Singapore is a very important development for us,” said Adelson. “We don’t want to over-promise. We want to over- deliver.”

Postponement to April means the opening of the Singapore project, called Marina Bay Sands, has been delayed by more than a quarter after it was originally scheduled to open this year.

“The project is massive and so a few months’ delay can always be expected,” Monaghan said, adding that Marina Bay Sands is the “most expensive single property” that Las Vegas Sands has undertaken.

The land on which the project is built also had structural problems, including a previously unknown sea wall that cost the development a four-month delay to remove, he said.

The return on investment capital at Sands’ Singapore property may reach 20 percent, while occupancy at its 2,500 hotel rooms may amount to 90 percent, Adelson said.

UIGEA Delayed

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is expected to make a statement Friday that U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner granted the Poker Players Alliance's petition to delay the compliance date for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

The Poker Players Alliance declined to comment on the possible delay until official word comes from Frank or the Treasury Department. Joe Brennan, chairman of the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, confirmed that he did hear directly from one of the parties to the agreement that Geithner granted a six-month delay. The six months would be a compromise to the year requested by the PPA and Frank.

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Word of the delay comes just days before the Dec. 1 date when banks and financial institutions were to be held responsible for making sure no outgoing transactions were made to web sites related to what was termed as "illegal Internet gambling."

"It's really surprising we got this concession," Brennan said. "It's very unusual for any department of the government to essentially forestall an act of Congress. This is a testament to the power of Congressmen Frank. This has been his pet issue, because it is part of his core values, for some time now. If Barney Frank was not an advocate, this does not get done regardless of the efforts of the PPA and the banking industry."

Frank made a telling indication that a delay will happen by scheduling for Dec. 3 a hearing in the House Financial Services Committee to discuss his two poker-related bills — including the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act that asks to delay full implementation of the UIGEA until Dec. 1, 2010. It wouldn't make sense to hear discussion of delaying a law that went into full effect two days earlier.

The six-month delay, while not a victory in itself, sets the stage for future victories by giving Frank time to address his other bill, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. Because of his important role in shaping the economic stimulus and health care legislation that has dominated this session of Congress, Frank had not found the time to hold a committee hearing on the bills that relate to the poker industry.

"We thought it would probably have to wait until January, so we're pleasantly surprised to see this happen in December," PPA executive director John Pappas said of the hearing. "I think Barney is sending a strong message to regulators and others that he's serious about changing this law. He's going to move forward with his plans to license and regulate this industry."

The PPA filed a joint petition along with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and American Greyhound Track Operators Assocation early in October to delay the compliance date of the UIGEA. Frank followed by hand delivering to Geithner a letter signed by 19 members of Congress supporting the petition. The request received a boost earlier this week when six Kentucky congressmen wrote a letter supporting the delay, citing specific incidents of a credit card company blocking horse racing transactions despite the sport having an exemption in the legislation.

It remains to be seen how the banks and credit card companies will respond to a delay. The situation likely will remain similar to recent months, where some are blocking transactions and some are not. But the six-month stay should prevent blocking from getting worse.

"Do I think things will automatically loosen between the banks and credit card companies?" asked Brennan. "No. They've already moved up to this point in the regulations. They're not going to tear it up and say now we have this six-month window. They're going to take a wait-and-see attitude."

2009 BC Poker champion arrested

Canadian Sophon Sek won the 2009 BC Poker Championship Sunday, but was arrested today in connection with one of the worst gang murders in the history of British Columbia.

The 30-year old Surrey man has been charged with manslaughter and break and enter in relation to the gangland murders of six people, including two innocent bystanders, in 2007.

The incident is referred to locally as the Surrey Six Slaughter.

Sek made an appearance in Surrey Provincial Court today, but was sent back into custody to await continuation of his trial Nov. 30.

He could still face additional charges in connection to the murders, according to Cpl. Dale Carr of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

Sek outlasted 679 players to win this year's $2,700 (CDN) buy-in BC Poker Championships late Sunday night at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver.

Sek's $364,364 (CDN) in prize money is being held by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation at the request of the RCMP, according to Howard Blank, vice president of media, entertainment and responsible gaming at the GCGC.

This is the fifth year the BC Poker Championships have been held in the current format and the tournament continues to draw world-renowned poker players.

This year Amazing Race stars Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho played as well as Gavin Smith, Liz Lieu, Lacey Jones, "Yukon" Brad Booth, Greg "FBT" Mueller and Scott Clements. Clements made the final table but eventually busted seventh.

Last year Daniel Negreanu, who is perhaps the biggest name in Canadian poker, outlasted all 688 players to win the event for $371,910 (CDN).

Doyle Brunson’s Poker Autobiography Now Available

“I’ve still got mixed feelings about writing this book,” Doyle Brunson commented in his blog.

After reading “The Godfather of Poker”, poker fans won’t have similar problems with mixed feelings.

Instead, they’ll be glad that the game’s living legend chose not to hold back and, with sharp detail, went ahead and dealt out a book rich in narrative and stories that encapsulate his pioneering poker life and contributions.

While some poker biographies are short on meat, Brunson’s is packed with vivid recollections and memories of the people, events, and places that have shaped his high-stakes life.

Mike Cochran, whom Brunson has known since 1954 during their college days at Hardin-Simmons University, helped assemble the book. Cochran previously spent four decades chasing colorful feature stories for the Associated Press. In “The Godfather of Poker,” Cochran has helped Brunson organize and articulate a brilliant poker story. It covers not only Brunson’s own life, but also traces the birth of the high-stakes poker world that people obsess over daily.

“The Brunson story is one for the ages,” Cochran says in the introduction, “a classic paradox, beginning on a hardscrabble, dry-land cotton farm in West Texas and playing out seventy years later in the glitzy casinos of Las Vegas and the flashy cardrooms across the country and around the world.”

That story takes the reader from Brunson’s boyhood home of Longworth, Texas, to Fort Worth’s Exchange Avenue, where “shootings, knife fights and fistfights happened every day.” It then goes further, to the back roads of the Texas poker circuit, where Brunson, Johnny Moss, Sailor Roberts, and Amarillo Slim Preston earned their fame before pulling into early Las Vegas.

As Brunson leads you along his life journey, he introduces you to a cast of colorful characters, the world-class conmen and gangsters who dominated the high-stakes world he frequented. Minnesota Fats, Bill Boyd, Archie Karas, Jimmy Chagra, Titanic Thompson, Tony Spilotro, Lefty Rosenthal, Benny Binion, Puggy Pearson, Stu Unger, and Chip Reese, just to name a few, are all legends whom Brunson rubbed shoulders with. And the stories that Brunson shares from these assorted personalities make “The Godfather of Poker” a hard book to put down.

Readers also get a peek into Brunson’s personal life and the tragedies he’s faced, including the death of his first-born child and a freak injury that ruined his opportunity at a career in professional sports. Throughout the book, he chronicles how he’s survived the years, going from being broke to betting $1.6 million on a round of golf. It was all just another day at the office. Brunson is candid and brave throughout.

In one of the book’s more humorous chapters, Brunson goes into detail about his ventures in business. “A lot of my business exploits headed south faster than a gaggle of geese,” he says. If you name it, Brunson threw money at it — including attempting to raise the Titanic, uncover Noah’s Ark, buying gold and emerald mines, and funding Christian television networks — and it probably didn’t go too well.

In the latter part of the book, Brunson talks about how the game has morphed into a “cultural phenomenon” thanks to online poker, television, and celebrity endorsement.

Brunson, a two-time World Series of Poker main-event champion, admits to throwing the 1972 title in “The Godfather of Poker.” He dumped his chips to Amarillo Slim because, as he says, “I was afraid of the publicity that winning this event would bring, and the terrible shame it would bring to my family.” My, how perceptions have changed three decades later.

Near the end of “The Godfather of Poker,” Brunson says, “I’ve come to realize that life’s experiences are ours to keep and cherish permanent gifts, like diamonds that sparkle in your head.”

Thankfully, because Brunson chose to share his experiences, the previously oral-only history of poker’s wild-west days now exists in written form for everyone to cherish.

“The Godfather of Poker: Doyle Brunson”

An Autobiography with Mike Cochra

College Dropout Earns $8.5 M in Poker Win

(CBS) Who says you have to have a college degree to make money?

Joe Cada doesn’t.

A college dropout, Cada's now a multimillionaire after winning $8.5 million Tuesday in Las Vegas. Cada, 21, is the youngest person ever to win the World Series of Poker.

Cada, surrounded by his millions, said on "The Early Show" from Las Vegas that the money is "pretty sweet."

How did he do it?

Cada won the tournament in a preflop.

"I raised it up to $3 million, he made it $8 million, and I moved in for like $60 some million, and he called," Cada said. "I was kind of too scared to look so I just had my back turned, hoping it would work out for the best."

Cada had two nines, trouncing his opponent who held just a jack and a queen of diamonds.

A first-time player in the World Series of Poker, Cada said he'd looked forward to turning 21 for years so he could participate. Cada said he got his start playing cards with his friends at a "young age."

"I was really excited to play," he said. "It's a really long shot because there's 6,500 people in the tournament. But I was still looking forward to playing in it."

However, Cada said playing for up to 12 hours straight some days was "pretty surreal."

"You kind of get in the zone after a while," he said. "The tournament lasted for about 10 days total. Once you start playing for a long time, it was just like you had to wake up and go and play another day."

During the tournament, Cada said he was up and down with his success. At the beginning of the tournament he had the most chips of any player, but on the eighth day he was getting low on chips.

"Fortunately everything worked out well," he said.

As for support, Cada's said his mother, Ann, was skeptical of his involvement in gaming and the tournament because she works as a blackjack dealer at a casino in Detroit.

"She'd always see people gambling and you know, lose money, so she was always kind of nervous about me playing poker for a living," he said. "It brought her to tears when I won the thing. She said she was really proud of me."

So does Cada plan to go back to college now that he can afford it?

He told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez that isn't his plan, saying he isn't going back "any time soon."

Joe Cada, Poker's New Champion

This time last year, Joseph Cada couldn't legally order a cocktail. But today, the Shelby Township, Mich., native sits on top of the poker world as the champion of the World Series of Poker's "Main Event." Cada, who turns 22 next week, took home $8.5 million early Nov. 10 when he outlasted Maryland logger Darvin Moon (and 6,492 other competitors) at No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em to win the sport's biggest prize. TIME contributor Matt Villano caught up with Cada in Las Vegas to talk about preparing for the final table, what he's learned by playing poker online and what's next for history's youngest champ.

First off, how did you celebrate your monumental win last night?

Right after the match [at the Penn & Teller Theater inside the Rio Las Vegas] ended, there were like 2½ or 3 hours of interviews, photos, autographs and stuff like that. Then a bunch of us went back to our suite at the Palazzo. My family had come out to be with me, and I had about 100 friends who came out from Michigan to cheer me on too. We were up pretty late.

Starting today, how do you plan to represent poker as the new champion?

At this point, all I can say is that I'll do my best. Poker has been my life for a while now, so obviously I want to see it grow. Whatever the community needs me to do, I'll do. I'm psyched about the responsibility.

You've been playing professionally for six years. At what point in your career did you start thinking you could win the Main Event?

I had dreamed about it — I think every poker player does. But I always knew winning the Main Event was a big long shot. I mean, coming out on top of a field of 6,500 players is pretty rare. This summer [when the first eight days of the Main Event were played], once it got down to about 180 people, I started thinking that I might actually be able to do it. Then, when I made the final nine, I knew it was within reach.

With three months off before the final nine resumed play this weekend, how did you prepare?

I didn't really do anything special. I just continued the same lifestyle that had gotten me into the final nine. I played a lot of live events, both in person and online. I went out with friends — stuff a typical 21-year-old would do. I also traveled a lot and visited London and Barcelona.

Any regrets from the final table?

I'm pretty critical of how I play, and I'm not afraid to admit when I think I've played badly. When it got down to two of us, I had $135 million in chips, but I think Darvin definitely outplayed me at first. There was a point where he had me down to $40 million in chips. Thankfully, I came back. I knew if I just made good decisions, I could turn things around.

You shared final-table felt with poker legend Phil Ivey. Which longtime pros do you consider to be your mentors? And after whom would you say you've modeled your game?

Definitely Ivey. Tom Dwan. Both of these guys are so unpredictable that it's hard to put them on certain hands. What I've learned from them is that you have to play solid poker and keep people guessing at the same time. It's a powerful combination.

Peter Eastgate, then age 22, won this tournament last year, and you've taken the bracelet this year. To what extent do you think the "old guard" has been displaced by young guns?

I wouldn't say we've displaced them, but the Internet has certainly leveled the playing field. Playing cards is all about experience. Online, you can see 40 times as many hands in one hour as you would in a live game. Because of that, a 21-year-old could gain more experience in one year than someone who has been playing live for 25 years. You also don't need to go to a physical place to play — you can wake up and open up your laptop.

Legislators have made online poker illegal in the U.S. As someone who's played online for years, how do you see this issue being resolved?

I support the right to play poker online. Poker isn't gambling. It's a hobby, an activity, a game. It's not about luck — it's about logic, decision-making, math. We all should be able to play poker on the Web if we want to, and I believe that making it illegal strips us of our rights. This is an important issue, and hopefully we'll see it resolved soon.

$8.5 million is a lot of money. Short of going to Disneyland, what do you plan to do with it?

I haven't really thought about it yet. Since Saturday [when the field was winnowed down to two], I didn't want to look past the heads-up match with Darvin. I'm sure at least some of those winnings will go back into my bankroll, though. There's always another tournament to play.

Poker: Wsop Final Table Starts

11/8/09 - Three months and 23 days after the composition of the final table of the World Series of Poker main event was decided, the much-anticipated grand finale kicked off at the Rio in Vegas Saturday.

The opening ceremonies boasted all the Vegas razzmatazz we have come to expect from this multi-million dollar spectacular as some 600 railbirds crammed into the Penn and Teller theatre at the Rio to cheer on their favourites and ogle legendary players in the game.

Spotted among the crowds were Greg Raymer, Jen Harman and Marco Traniello, Phil Gordon, 2008 November Niners Dennis Phillips, Ylon Schwartz and 2008's youngest to date world champion Peter Eastgate; Daniel Negreanu and 2004 world champion Greg Raymer; Jeff Shulman and his WSOP coach Phil Hellmuth; Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, Doyle Brunson, TJ Cloutier, Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson.

And to give a flavour for the value of this biggest competition in international poker, consider these numbers released by the organisers:

First prize in the 2009 WSOP main event: $8 547 042
Indianapolis 500: $3 048 005
Daytona 500: $1 530 390
U.S. Open (Tennis): $1 600 000
U.S. Open (Golf): $1 350 000

Final tablers presented to the crowd were:

Seat 1: Darvin Moon (58 930 000)
Seat 2: James Akenhead (6 800 000)
Seat 3: Phil Ivey (9 765 000)
Seat 4: Kevin Schaffel (12 390 000)
Seat 5: Steven Begleiter (29 885 000)
Seat 6: Eric Buchman (34 800 000)
Seat 7: Joseph Cada (13 215 000)
Seat 8: Antoine Saout (9 500 000)
Seat 9: Jeff Shulman (19 580 000)

Average age at the table at that stage was 34.8, with printer Kevin Schaffel the oldest at 52 and Joe Cada the youngest at 21 (he turns 22 on November 18th)

This year's big surprise, 46-year-old Maryland logger Darvin Moon headed the chip counts, unbagging over 24 million more chips than his nearest rival Eric Buchman.

Tournament director Jack Effel and WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack controlled proceedings, starting on the rather sombre note of a moment's silence for Hans 'Tuna' Lund who recently passed away.

Then the raucous crowd chanted and yelled for their favourites and displayed T-shirt slogans that ran from Darvin Moon's "Bad Moon Rising" to Schaffel's rather clever play on words "Schaffel Up and Deal" as the players were introduced, photoflashes sparkled and high-powered video lights glared.

Moving to the Amazon Room around 1pm local time, the big event was launched this year by poker legend Doyle Brunson, who made the famous "Shuffle up and Deal" call, accompanied on stage by last year's champ and currently the youngest ever WSOP winner, Peter Eastgate. The poker veteran came up with a typically Brunson quip after surveying the noisy railbirds: "This looks like a football game!"

The action began at a slow pace as players cautiously felt each other out.

French engineering student Antoine Saout was noticeable for his selective aggression which created excitement in a clash with Moon that proved to be very expensive for the logger. At hand #45 Saout called the Marylander's all-in bluff to double up to 22 million at Moon's expense, lifting the Frenchman into the mid-field and leaving a rather embarrassed looking Moon to ponder his massive, if affordable, loss.

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The huge hit probably contributed to Moon's vulnerability at hand #107, when Buchman took the chip lead, leading Moon by almost 5 million in chips, a situation that Moon was to reverse later in the game.

A daring all-in move by Phil Ivey also set tongues wagging when he put his tournament life on the line with over 8 million chips and pulled it off to strengthen his rather weak chip count at that point. By the dinner break he was fifth in chip counts.

The short-stacked 26-year-old Brit pro James Akenhead had one narrow escape against Buchman, but it wasn't enough to save him from being the first player to be eliminated at hand #59 after around four-and-a-half hours of play.

Akenhead ran kings into Kevin Schaffel's aces and found himself short. He put threes up against Schaffel's nines and headed for the exit in 9th place, collecting $1 263 602 for his time and trouble.

"Obviously I'm very disappointed, but I went in as the short stack and I had to get it in and gamble," Akenhead said. "I gambled and got lucky once, and busted out ninth anyway. It was bit more harsh, but it wasn't my day. Kings against aces, what can you do?"

Half an hour later, at hand #68, Schaffel was himself eliminated by Eric Buchman, pocketing the 8th placing prize of $1 300 231.

"What are you going to do?" asked Schaffel. "I got it in with aces against kings twice. I was right back in it. I was down to seven and a half million, I got up to 15 and then 19. I think I was counting my chips to like 43 million and I would have been right behind Darvin.

"There's just nothing you can do. It was a sick flop. I still had six outs if the board didn't pair after that, but we all know what happened."

Shortly after seven-handed play commenced, Buchman rose to leader prominence following a Moon vs. Stephen Begleiter big-bet clash which saw Moon check-raise Begleiter to 15 million on a four high flop with two spades and almost 11 million chips in the pot, only to fold when Begleiter shoved for just six million more.

That put Buchman in the lead and Begleiter second with Moon trailing in third. Moon improved his position later to second and by dinner break the chip counts looked like this:

Eric Buchman: 54,725,000
Darvin Moon: 41,250,000
Steve Begleiter: 38,100,000
Antoine Saout: 28,725,000
Phil Ivey: 14,900,000
Joe Cada: 10,700,000
Jeff Shulman: 7,175,000

By hand #153 Frenchman Antoine Saout, with some truly audacious play, had doubled up through Begleiter as well to become chip leader on 52 775 000 ahead of Buchman and Moon. And alarmed Phil Ivey fans were pointing to his low-stack position on the table with only 8 million in chips.

Hand # 175 saw the popular Phil Ivey dismissed from this year's WSOP as he was eliminated in 7th place ($1 404 014) by that man Moon. Showing little emotion, the poker pro departed as the table - and the 1 200 strong spectators - applauded.

Shortly after Ivey's departure, the chip counts were updated to show:

Eric Buchman - 55,500,000
Antoine Saout - 53,075,000
Darvin Moon - 39,325,000
Jeff Shulman - 17,275,000
Steven Begleiter - 16,150,000
Joseph Cada - 13,450,000

Twelve hands later, at # 187, it was Begleiters' time to depart with a 6th placing cheque for $1,587,160 - another victim of the cool and calm Moon in a 23.25 million pot that gave the logger the chip lead again at 63.9 million.

When we went to press the action was paused whilst security men piled a mountain of currency onto a table, topped by the much respected and coveted main event winner's bracelet - a significant incentive for the remaining five men around the table.

Chip counts were:

Darvin Moon - 63,925,000
Eric Buchman - 53,250,000
Antoine Saout - 51,725,000
Jeff Shulman - 15,525,000
Joseph Cada - 10,350,000

On Poker: A Main Event, final table primer

Enough with the waiting, it is time to shuffle up and deal.

After a four-month hiatus, final table play of the 2009 world series of poker is set to resume at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Penn & Teller Theater at Las Vegas' Rio Hotel & Casino.

Here is a preview of things to watch for:

The lineup: Chip leader Darvin Moon will occupy Seat 1 with $58.9 million in (rounded) chips, followed by James Akenhead ($6.8 million), Phil Ivey (9.75), Kevin Schaffel (12.4), Steven Begleiter (29.89), Eric Buchman (34.8), Joe Cada (13.2), Antoine Saout (9.5) and Jeff Shulman (19.6) in clockwise seat assignments around the table.

Where the action stands: Players will be welcomed with minutes to play in Level 33 of the tournament structure with blinds of 120K/240K and a 30K ante, leaving everybody outside of Akenhead reasonably well stacked.

Odds favorite: Bookmakers back the big stack, which is why Moon is the favorite with 2-1 odds despite his clear amateur status. The Maryland logger has never played a hand of online poker and qualified for the tournament by winning a $130 satellite in West Virginia.

Gamblers looking for value may eye former Bears Stearns executive Begleiter, who despite entering play with the third-largest stack has 11-2 listed odds.

Fan favorite: Ask any professional whom they fear most, and the answer is consistently the same — Ivey. No Main Event since its numbers entered the thousands has had a player of Ivey's star power run this deep.

Yeah, former champion Dan Harrington's back-to-back final tables in 2002 and 2003 were impressive, but he doesn't have legendary stories of $10 million single-day wins or 72-hour playing sessions without sleep bantered about like Ivey does.

But does Ivey have enough chips to make a run and play creatively?

Watch out for: Shulman and his stack of nearly 20 million, which is dangerous enough to chop the chip-leader in half or send five others to the rail. This is Shulman's second Main Event final table in 10 years, but he'll be more prepared this time around. Shulman hired Phil Hellmuth, arguably the best tournament player in poker, to coach him in the months leading to Saturday.

Shulman is also riding a bit of a family rush. His father, Barry, recently won Europe's World Series of Poker Main Event.

Money talks: The $8.5 million check to the winner will be the third-largest award in tournament poker history. Second-place money is $5.2 million, with payouts trickling all the way down to $1.25 million for ninth. Every player at the table received that money when play was halted in July.

Tune in time: ESPN will air a two-hour telecast of the action on Tuesday at 8 p.m., mere hours after the champion has been crowned. In response to criticism of last year's broadcast, expect to see more than two heads-up hands played for the championship.

Predictions: Moon will play quiet and ride his starting stack to the final three. Ivey will be brilliant but will flame out in the middle. Shulman will be photographed in front of the cash at the end.

‘High Stakes Poker’ New Hostess Named As Kara Scott

It would seem that the rumours which started circulating concerning AJ Benza’s replacement on GSN’s hit show ‘High Stakes Poker’ might finally be laid to rest as it was announced today on Pokernews.com that Kara Scott would be the new co-presenter on the show.

Kara certainly has the experience to take on the role having spent a great deal of her working life in and around the industry. In 2005 Kara was the host of a series called ‘High Stakes Backgammon’ and also hosted the “World Series of Backgammon” in 2006.

However, poker is where Kara’s heart lies and she soon became the main host of tv show “Poker Night Live” whilst also writing articles for ‘Flush’ magazine and ‘Poker Player Magazine.’ In 2007/08 Kara hosted the European Poker Tour but after a 104th place finish at the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 buy-in Main Event for $41,816 Kara announced she would be leaving the show she was then working on, Sky Poker on the Sky Television channel, to concentrate on a career as a poker professional.

The following year, at the 2009 WSOP, Kara Scott finished 238th at the same event for $32,963 and in so doing became only the second woman ever to cash at consecutive WSOP Main Events.

Kara has enjoyed success in her poker career having earned $537,797 from live tournament wins including her biggest victory to date, a second place finish at the 2009 Irish Open for an impressive $443,594 pay day. Following that win Kara commented:

“I know a lot of people don’t think I can play and there are always going to be people who say I can’t. But I have made the final of a female championship, I won a Sports Star Challenge, I went deep in the World Series of Poker Main Event and now I’ve come second in the Irish Open.I think my game is improving.”

We wish Kara all success in her new role of ‘High Stakes Poker’ co-presenter.

Pennsylvania Poker Tournament Players Robbed

Yet another poker robbery has taken place in the United States and this time it was in Heidelberg, Pennsylvania. Just a few weeks ago a robbery took place in Oklahoma where more than $12,000 was stolen. This time the robbery happened during a poker tournament at the Heidelberg fire hall and most likely over $1,000 was taken.

Police suspect that this robbery was an inside job. About twenty people were competing in a Texas hold’em poker tournament at the Heidelberg Volunteer Fire Department. The space was rented out to host the poker tournament. Around 2:40 in the morning one player got up to leave. As he was leaving through a door that was locked, two men with guns entered the facility through the door the player was exiting.

A side door was then opened to allow a third man in who was carrying a Baton, according to Chief Vernon Barkley of the Heidelberg police. The men then asked for Sara Lazarro. Sara is the woman who regularly plans poker tournaments in the region. The men then demanded cash from the players and Sara was hit in the head with the baton.

Barkley says they are pretty sure it was an inside job and the player who allowed the gunmen to enter seemed very nervous to the other players throughout the night. The man was spending a good deal of time on his cell phone, which was most likely the way he contacting the gunmen.

Barkley stated the player has been contacted by the police and is going to be interviewed. The player’s name has yet to be released.

Learn How to Play Battle Royale

Battle Royale is a card game, similar to the children's card game of War but played between one player and a dealer. A regular deck of 52 cards is used, with one card dealt face up to the player, and one card dealt face up to the dealer.

The game is very simple in that whoever has the higher card wins. When it comes to rank, aces are high and twos are low. The game carries on in this fashion until a tie occurs between the dealer and the player.

If this happens, the dealer will ask if the player would like to battle or surrender. If the player chooses to surrender, the dealer takes the bet and deals a new hand. If the player to battle, the original wager must be doubled, and cards are then dealt out one by one to the player and to the dealer. If the dealer wins, the doubled wager is lost, but if the player wins, only the original bet is returned. However, if a second tie occurs during the battle the player is payed out at a rate of 7:1.

Pro Poker Tips - Bluffing in full-ring limit Texas hold’em

Many players have argued that full-ring limit play is a game where bluffing is impossible. I think that this incorrect statement may be based on these particular players having played limit poker for a while and a few key instances may be sticking in their mind.

The fact of the matter is that you can bluff in full-ring limit play but the opportunities to do so are severely limited. But defining these bluffing opportunities and successfully executing them could be the one defining factor that turns your month from being a negative one into a positive one.

EXAMPLE:

Game : $2-$4 full-ring

Position: Big blind

Action: One player limps in early position and everyone folds to you including the small blind and you see a free flop. Your hand is the 5-3.

The flop comes Q-7-2 and the action is on you, what should your play be here? Well there is a total of $5 in the pot and you basically have nothing……or do you? Many players who claim that the big blind has nothing here are missing a trick. The big blind does have something, they have a good bluffing opportunity based on several factors.

Firstly they are in a heads up situation and in heads up situations then bluffing opportunities always crop up. Also his opponent did not raise pre-flop so his betting action to date indicates one of potential weakness. Thirdly the flop texture is ideal for a bluff attempt. There are no flush or straight draws out there and your opponent could have limped in with a hand like A-9s and simply give up here.

Finally we have the pot odds and there are $5 in this pot and a flop bet only costs you $2. So your bet only has to immediately work one time in three to show a profit. If you bet here and get called then you have the option of giving up on the turn or firing another barrel.

Many players will call a small flop bet but will release on the turn when the betting limit doubles and you are firing another barrel. If you bet the flop and get check-raised then you can simply release the hand.

But situations like these crop up frequently in limit play and you have to be on the ball to spot them. But do not let statements like “you cannot bluff at limit” deter you from looking for situations like these because not only do they exist but they also exist in ample quantity as well.

Learn How to Play Battle Royale

Battle Royale is a card game, similar to the children's card game of War but played between one player and a dealer. A regular deck of 52 cards is used, with one card dealt face up to the player, and one card dealt face up to the dealer.

The game is very simple in that whoever has the higher card wins. When it comes to rank, aces are high and twos are low. The game carries on in this fashion until a tie occurs between the dealer and the player.

If this happens, the dealer will ask if the player would like to battle or surrender. If the player chooses to surrender, the dealer takes the bet and deals a new hand. If the player to battle, the original wager must be doubled, and cards are then dealt out one by one to the player and to the dealer. If the dealer wins, the doubled wager is lost, but if the player wins, only the original bet is returned. However, if a second tie occurs during the battle the player is payed out at a rate of 7:1.

Season Two of Best Damn Poker Show Debuts in Europe October 20th

Leading online poker site sportsbetting.com hits the airwaves on the Poker Channel this month with second season of “Best Damn Poker Show,” a poker series featuring Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke and 24 would-be poker champions.

Poker announced that Season Two of “Best Damn Poker Show” will debut in Europe on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on The Poker Channel Europe throughout the run of season, beginning October 20th, 2009 at 22CET. The 7-episode series will be repeated on Thursdays and Saturdays at 16 CET on Europe’s largest dedicated gaming TV network, available online to a global audience and to more than 18 million cable and satellite homes in Europe.

The second season of “Best Damn Poker Show” aims to determine which poker legend –—Phil Hellmuth or Annie Duke—can better teach the game of Texas Hold’em, transforming ordinary poker players into champions capable of competing on the world stage.

Each episode includes player eliminations, so expect the pressure to escalate from week to week as the race to survive the cut builds to a dramatic finale. See Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth highlighting card play, analyzing the competition and commentating on eliminations. Extended versions of the intense showdowns between the two poker champions will be available exclusively online.

Tune in to see who emerges as the one to watch as the weeks roll on. Will the Moneymaker effect play out to perfection with the winner ‘freerolling’ right into the Champion’s seat? Don’t miss a beat as the episodes progress; bets are on to decide if Team Hellmuth or Team Duke will triumph come time for the show’s finale.Much like the first season of Best Damn Poker Show, which aired in early 2008, online poker players at sportsbetting.com competed for a spot on the show by creating and submitting an audition video that highlighted why they deserved to be on the ultimate poker reality series. Many of the user-submitted videos can be seen on YouTube.

The online site also invited Texas Hold’em fans to take part in a series of qualifiers that paid out spots on the show. What’s more, a live audition process took place at the 2008 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. The majority of the 24 poker hopefuls were cherry picked from the legion of on-camera interviews conducted here, where producers had access to the thousands of talented Texas Hold’em fans who were in town for the world’s most prestigious poker tournament.

PokerStars APT Auckland Main Event

The Poker Stars Asia Pacific Tour went to Auckland and the Main Event drew in 128 players today to create a total of 263 players. The number of players is down from last year but the $209,085 NZD first place prize is still nothing to sneeze at.

The poker Stars Team Australia Pros Eric Assadourian and Tony Hachem made it through the playing field without any major hits to their chip stacks. Hachem even got dealt the ever elusive Royal Flush.

But not all the players had such good fortune and went home early on in the day. Jai Kemp, Bruno Portaro and PokerStars Asia Pro Bryan Huang were some of the players that were eliminated early on.

During the last level of play Tony Dunst gave up all his chips and was elliminated by Lance Climo giving him the position of chip leader with 134,000 chips. Tomorrow the remaining combined 130 players will resume at 12:15pm local time.

From those 130 only the top 32 will continue on for a chance at a payout. New players are eligible for a new player bonus of 100% up to $600 dollars on their first deposit using the Poker Stars Bonus Code.

CARIBBEAN STUD POKER

Caribbean stud poker is a variation of regular five-card stud poker played on a standard blackjack-sized table. It is unique in that it is the first casino table game to offer a progressive jackpot. As its name implies, this poker game originated in the Caribbean islands, and it soon spread to casinos in America and Europe.

Game Play

This card game is played with one standard deck of cards. The game is initiated when the player places a wager called the ante. Next, the dealer will deal five cards face down to each player. The dealer's own five-card hand is dealt, four cards face down and the final card face up. Now it is the player's choice to either stay in the game or fold. If the player chooses to fold, the ante is forfeited. If the player decides to stay, the amount of the original ante must be doubled. The dealer's cards are then revealed. If the dealer does not have at least an ace/king combination, the player automatically wins even money on the ante and the wager is returned. If the dealer does have at least an ace/king combination, then a comparison is made between the dealer's and player's hand. If the player has the higher hand, the player wins even money on the ante and the original wager pays according to the payout table below:

Hand Payout
Royal Flush 100:1
Straight Flush 50:1
Four of a Kind 20:1
Full House 7:1
Flush 5:1
Straight 4:1
Three of a Kind 3:1
Two Pair 2:1
Pair 1:1
Ace/King 1:1

Playing Options

Players are also given the option of playing for the progressive jackpot. To be considered for the progressive, players must make an additional side bet of one dollar at the onset of the game. The player is wagering that they will receive a hand of cards that equates to a flush or better. Regardless of the outcome of the regular table game, if the player has a hand that qualifies for the progressive jackpot, that player will win the amount designated in the payout table. Players are usually rewarded with 100% of the pot for a royal flush, 10% of the pot for a straight flush, and a set monetary amount for a four of a kind, full house, or a flush. These amounts will vary from casino to casino.

Strategy

Basic Strategy dictates that you should at least do the following:

bet when you hold a pair or better
bet when you hold an ace/king if your hand contains the same card as the dealer's upcard.

Hint: do not bet the progressive wager.

Poker-playing priest hits the small screen

We've seen it happen too many times...poker players falling down on their knees to beseech the poker gods for some luck...just...one...time!

Although that scene plays itself out all over the world, we never really considered what would happen if one of them combined some of the most powerful possible forces. That is, what if one man combined his almighty God with one of poker's most respected deities?

The priest from South Carolina recently sat down to compete for a chance to win $1 million. Not only was able to quite officially bless the cards before the dealer got to work, but the holy man also had Daniel Negreanu sitting right beside him offering advice.

The episode aired last Sunday after the FOX NFL games . If you don't live in a place where you can see FOX, we've got the episode for you right here.

We won't tell you how it turns out, but either way, it's a great way to spend some time this afternoon. By the way, another episode of the Million Dollar Challenge airs at 4:30pm ET this Sunday, October 18.

Free Ride Poker - Casino Game Tips

Free Ride is a relatively new game which is similar to Let it Ride and based on Poker.

The object of the game isto get a pair of 10's or higher. There is an ante to start the game ranging from $5-$100. You are dealt 5 cards, 3 will be face up and 2 will be face down. With the 3 that are face up, you will have the option of doubling your wager. You can select "BET" or "PASS". If you select "BET," you will double the wager and if you select "PASS," you won't. The dealer will then flip one of the cards. You, again, will have the option to "BET" or "PASS," either, just keeping your ante, doubling, or tripling your wager.

Red Dog Casino Game tips

Red Dog is a game played with a 52-card deck and uses only 3 cards at a time. The object of the game is to bet on what the third card is going to be. The dealer will deal out 2 cards, one on the left and one on the right.

In order for the player to win, the third card's rank must come between the other two cards' rank. So if the two cards are a 5 and a Jack, a winning hand would consist of a card between a 6 and a 10. The closer the two cards are in rank the higher the pay out. Before the player sees the third card, he has the option of doubling his bet by clicking on the raise button. A push happens when the first two cards dealt are either consecutive or are a pair. If the third card dealt makes three of a kind then the player is paid out at 11 to 1.

History

Also known as yablon, ace-deuce, in between, and between the sheets, red dog is a card game that was introduced to the casinos in Nevada in the 1980's. The game is played on blackjack-sized tables with a shoe holding six decks of cards. There is one dealer and can be up to as many as 16 players.

Card Values

The card values for the game are as follows:

• two through ten are worth their face value
• jacks are worth 11
• queens are worth 12
• kings are worth 13
• aces are worth 14

Play commences when the player places a bet and the dealer removes two cards from the shoe and places them face up on the table. The player then decides whether or not to raise the bet. The dealer deals a third card and if the value of the card falls between the values of the other two cards, the player is a winner. Original bets are payed out at even money, and raise bets are payed out according to a scale, where the closer the two cards are together, the better the payout is.

Payouts

The payouts for different spreads are as follows:

• 1 card spread pays 5:1
• 2 card spread pays 4:1
• 3 card spread pays 2:1
• 4 to 11 card spread pays even money

A push results when the dealer deals out two consecutive cards or a pair. When a pair is dealt, the dealer immediately deals a third card. If the result is a three of a kind, the player is payed out 11:1.

Hint: it makes the most sense to raise on those hands that have a spread of seven or more

Learn How to Play Baccarat

online casino baccarat games:

The object of Baccarat is to hold 2 or 3 cards, which count 9, or as nearly 9 as possible. The values of the cards are: face cards and tens are 0; aces are 1; any other card is worth its face value. Unit of 10 points are disregarded so that 9+7 count as 6, not 16.

The dealer will deal out cards to both the player and dealer. Depending on the value the initial 2-card hands, a third card may be dealt to either one of the hands. Ultimately the winning hand will be the one closest to 9.

You have the choice of betting on either the player's hand or the dealer's hand. To place a bet you have to either click on the word "player" or on the word "dealer" and your bet will be placed on the table automatically.

History

The word baccarat is derived from the Italian word baccara, meaning zero, and refers to the zero value given to all of the face cards and tens. In Europe, the elegant game of baccarat is one of the most popular online casino games.

It has long held the attention of gamblers and an early version was played with cards from a Tarot deck back in the Middle Ages. Baccarat may have originated in Italy around 1490, but by the early1950's it had become the game of choice for the French nobility. Eventually baccarat evolved into European baccarat and the French game chemin de fer. What is known as American baccarat actually originated in England and spread to South America. The version of the game that is played today came from the Capri Casino in Havana, Cuba.

When baccarat was introduced to Nevada in the late 1950's, casino's tried to instill the glamorous aura associated with the European game. In most casinos, baccarat is played in a roped-off area, is closely monitored and sometimes even guarded.

While the grandiose atmosphere may attract the well-dressed high roller, baccarat is a simple game of chance that involves no degree of skill on the part of the player or dealer. Players may sit in any of the 14 open seats at the table, as seating position does not affect the play in any manner. Each seat corresponds to a number on the layout, one through 15, excluding a spot numbered 13 to avoid bad luck. Three dealers service each table. The dealer standing in the middle is known as the croupier or the caller. The croupier makes the calls on each hand as they are dealt, and directs the players on the procedure of the game. The other two dealers are responsible for handling the payoffs.

Game Play

Baccarat is played with either six or eight complete decks of cards. All cards, ace through nine, are valued according to their count. Tens and face cards count as zero. When any two cards total over a 10 count, 10 must be subtracted and the remaining total is the card count. The cards are shuffled by the dealer and then reshuffled and placed in a covered box called the shoe. As part of the formality, each player gets a turn to handle the shoe, and the caller explains exactly what to do. The player is expected to bet the bank when holding the shoe, but any player may decline the shoe and pass it along to the next player. The caller receives the cards from the player with the shoe, places them in the appropriate boxes and then calls for another card or declares the winner, according to the rigid rules of the game.

The fixed rules of baccarat apply in all American online casino games:

The highest total any baccarat hand can have is nine. A two-card total of nine is called a natural and cannot lose. An eight is the second best hand and is also called a natural. If both player and bank are dealt identical hands, it is a tie and neither bank nor player wins.

If neither hand has a natural, the player's hand is always the first to be played, followed by the dealer. If the first two cards total five or less, another card is drawn. If they total six or seven, no further cards can be drawn.

No more than a total of three cards can be drawn for either hand, and when both hands have been played out, the hand closest to nine wins.

Players bet by placing their chips in either the player, bank, or tie spot in the numbered box opposite their seat. Winning bets made on the player or bank are paid off at even money. The only other bet that can be made is a tie bet, which is paid off at 8:1. In most games, bets range from a $20 minimum to $2,000 maximum. The type of wager and the amount are the only decisions a player must make, after which point the dealer's actions take over. After the winner is announced, the two other dealers at the table pay off the winning bets and collect from the losers. If the bank was the winner, players who won must pay a 5% commission on their winnings. A record of the commission owed by each player is kept with plastic lammers in a numbered box. Players can pay this vigorish at any time, but it must be paid when the shoe is completed. Each time the shoe is depleted of cards, all decks are thoroughly shuffled and replaced in the shoe.

The house edge in baccarat is the lowest of any online casino games. With only a 5% commission on winning bank bets and nothing taken from winning player bets, the player's disadvantage is only 1.37%. The payoff for ties is 8:1, but it is a bad bet as the house edge is increased to 14.1%.

Mini Baccarat

A number of online casino games have installed a smaller version of the baccarat game played on standard blackjack-sized gaming tables. It is played by the exact same rules, but lacks the accoutrements of the formal version. The table is staffed by only one dealer who is responsible for handling the cards. The layout, however, conforms to the regular baccarat table and each of the seven seat positions correspond to a number and betting box with spots for banker, player, and tie. The limits are lower and usually range from a $2 to $5 minimum, up to $500 maximum. Lacking the formality and large group of players, mini-baccarat is played fast and is a good place to learn how to play.

Hint: counting cards in baccarat is not advantageous

Hint: betting in a tie is a long shot.

Casino Gambling For Your Security

Know the casino gambling tips for your safe and secure

A casino vacation for fun and relaxation plus the 'profitable' possibilities can be ruined by not being watchful of your own security. Most people are safety and security conscious at home, therefore, vacation time should be no different.

A short list for casino players follows to ensure a 'safety shield' when casino hopping, particularly women who are gambling alone.

1) Women—don't bring your purses to the casino. Wear a waist purse or fanny pack when gambling; not only are your credit cards, personal identification and money safes, but your hands are free for games and machines.

When gambling alone, ask a security guard to escort you to your car when you leave, or use valet parking in the larger gambling areas. Two bucks for valet parking is a cheap price to pay for safety considering that most casino parking lots are not well lit or well patrolled. Insist on a room close to the elevator and use the hotel safe for valuables.

2) Don't take large payouts in cash, ask for a cashier's check to be issued by the casino.

Resist the temptation to brag about your huge win or count your bills at the cashier's cage, in an elevator or on the casino floor.

3) Be wary of people who suddenly become your friend after a big win, and check that you are not being followed around the casino or outside. Also beware of pickpockets, especially in Las Vegas.

4) Airports that serve nearby casinos require additional safety measures. Don't get distracted by strangers with unusual questions. The scam is set up by one person who gets your attention with inane questions or chatter, while the other grabs and disappears.

Be sure that your expensive luggage, VCR, laptop computer or camera is within your view or watched by someone at all times.

5) Check to see if there is a pass-through to the other side's bank of machines from where you are playing. Scam artists can reach through from the opposite side to the shelf beside your machine and grab your coin bucket you placed there.

I have noticed that more casinos, especially in Nevada and Atlantic City, now have partitions to stop this crime. However, if there are not petitions, it's best to hold your bucket of coins on your lap or between your legs as a precaution.

6) Watch for the "drop the coins in front of you" scam, where you are distracted, offer to help and find too often that your bucket of money is being removed.

7) Craps table rails make for easy snatches as the players are very involved and distracted in this fast-paced game. Hold your money in your hands, or pocket it for safety.

Although the casinos try to be helpful and don't like the nightmares that customers' stolen money can bring; nonetheless, those surveillance cameras are watching the casinos' money, not yours!

PokerStars Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau Day 1A: Demes and Steicke Lead the Way

Season 3 of the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) officially commenced on Tuesday as the Grand Lisboa Casino in Macau opened its doors to the first of three Main Event flights that will flow through the PokerStars Macau Poker Room this week. The room was abuzz as pros and amateurs from around the world ponied up the $40,000 HKD buy-in (approx. $5,160 USD), all on a mission to claim their piece of the anticipated $2,000,000 USD prize pool.

Day 1A attracted 119 total runners, of which 60 survived including chip leader and PokerStars player Brandon Demes (102,200), and perhaps the hottest player in the Far East at the moment, David Steicke (82,300). Finishing one and two on the overnight leaderboard, Demes and Steicke’s standout performances perhaps overshadowed one of the more significant storylines of the event thus far: the emergence of PokerStars Team Asia Pro.

Formed earlier this year, PokerStars Team Asia Pro is comprised of Asia’s best and brightest young poker minds, including Dan ‘Rekrul’ Schreiber, Raymond Wu, and Jonathan Lin – all of whom played Day 1A and survived to see Day 2. The team is rounded off by Tae Joon ‘Skat tilt’ Noh, Bryan Huang, and the team’s only female member, Celina Lin. Noh is currently slated to play Day 1B of the Main Event, while Huang and Lin are scheduled to hit the felt on Thursday, Day 1C.

Team PokerStars Pro Australia was also well-represented on Day 1A as team members Eric Assadourian (35,300) and Grant Levy (19,500) safely maneuvered their way through the minefield that was Day 1A. Aussie team member Emad Tahtouh wasn’t as fortunate, and having lost a few sizeable pots to fellow Aussie Danny Huynh early in the day, he was never able to recover hitting the rail near the end of level four.

Other notable Day 1A casualties included former WSOP Main Event Champs Johnny Chan and Monsour Matloubi, as well as young guns Vivek Rajkumar and Jay Kinkade.

Tournament Director Danny McDonagh paused the clock for the evening after seven levels of play, meaning both Day 1B and C flights can expect the same when they hit the felt this week.

For a complete list of Day 1A results, visit the poker News Live Reporting page where you’ll also find photos, videos and detailed accounts of the day’s action.

Online Poker Betting-Saints fan earns seat at final table of World Series of Poker

A player wearing New Orleans Saints gear is in strong position to claim his first world championship.

No, not the Super Bowl, although the Saints organization and its fans may argue otherwise this season.

Saints fan Darvin Moon, 45, of Oakland, Md., is the overwhelming chip leader in the World Series of Poker main event, which concludes Nov. 9 with the final table from Las Vegas.

Online Poker Betting- Poker Red Pros at the FTOPS

Poker has one of the largest team of pro poker players and many more composing their Red Pro Team.

The FTOPS events have seen tons of action from the Red Pros, which have had a great performance at the FTOPS events so far. Andy Bloch finished in 2nd place at the FTOPS event #5 and cashed $17,081.60. Isaac Baron took 6th place at the FTOPS event #8 and cashed $27,864. Aaron Bartley took 3rd place on FTOPS event #15 and he increased his bankroll with $70,000. The biggest prize pool taken by a Red Pro so far was on event #17 (No Limit Hold’em 6 max re-buy) in which David Pham took 4th place and won $87,334.80.

Other Red Pros that made final tables at the FTOPS online poker betting events were Michael Craig and Richard Ashby.

Ultimate Online Poker Bet Offers a $150K Prize Pool Today

Poker players have a large selection of poker rooms where they can play; they also have plenty of tournaments to choose from; some make a good return for their money but not all of them, since on some tournaments the player field is tougher than others.

Now that the FTOPS are underway at FTP and there are many online pros grinding the tables at FTP, players have the opportunity to play a softer field but with a big prize pool. Ultimate online poker Bet is hosting today August 12, 2009 at 8:30pm ET a $150K Guaranteed Deep Stack tournament. All players will start with 5,000 chips with no buy-ins. Here is the list of the first five prizes:

• 1st - $39,750
• 2nd - $24,000
• 3rd - $17,625
• 4th – $14,250
• 5th - $10,875

Players that are interested in playing at the $150K Guaranteed don’t have to pay the full buy-in of $1000+ $50: Ultimate online poker Betting has many Sit n Gos as well that will award a seat to the $150K tournament for a fraction of the cost.

Some Betting Terms Used During Online Poker Betting Play

If you are new to online poker betting play and would like to learn some of the terms used during a game then read on. The aim of the game is to have the highest rank of five cards in hand to take away the pot. Once the players have their cards they have to gamble against each other. During this betting time certain phrases are used to describe the actions used during the play. If you are playing online at a computer website then you will also notice some buttons with the same names. These betting actions are as follows:

Call: The player who's turn it is may call a bet by putting the same amount of chips/money in the pot that is equal to the online poker betting of the previous player.

Poker Bets- “Smouse156″ and “guilhermeosa” Claim Saturday FTOPS Titles

The first event was the $535 six max Pot Limit Omaha tournament (Event #6). The field of 833 Poker bets players put the prize pool at $416,500, $66,500 above the guaranteed prize pool of $350,000. The final two players, “Smouse156″ and “zelik”, chopped up the remaining money with $76,232.75 going to the poker bets player declared the champion, “Smouse156″.

Johan Storakers almost gave the red Full Tilt pro set their second consecutive final table but only managed a 12th place finish, walking away with $4,914.70.

FTOPS XIII Event #6 Final Table Payouts

1. Smouse156 - $76,232.75
2. zelik - $71,000
3. countrymac - $41,650
4. thewood503 - $31,654
5. NoPasaran - $22,491
6. blend84 - $14,369.25

The second event of the day was a little bit busier, and a little bit wilder. The $109 No Limit Hold’em with rebuys (Event #7) tournament featured 2,316 entrants who built up a prize pool of $696,300 by rebuying 3,263 times and adding on 1,384 times.

Just like Event #6 the final two poker bets players decided to divide up the money and both walked away with six figure paydays. Walking away with the winners share and title was “guilhermeosa” who pocketed $126,632.27 while eventual runner-up “mralan2950″ banked $107,289.72.

Online Poker Betting-Betting System in Poker.

Before you start playing one of the many Online Poker Betting games you have to have a betting system.

The game always starts with posting the small and the big blind, after which players can raise the bet to get a bigger pot, or fold. After this is done for all players the first three cards are put on the table after which a player can bet or check. If all players check than a new card gets on the table.

This kind of game can go on until there are five cards on the table out of which a player can use from three to five next to his own cards. After the three cards are put on the table the players have the possibility to bet. The next card will get on the table when every player has called that amount of money.

Calling means that the other players put out the same amount of money that the Betting better has put up. There is also the possibility to rise. If you want to play big, than you bet, and rise at every chance you get. This may intimidate your opponents, and after a time to make them fold their cards.

Poker betting online -Five Reasons You Should Play the PokerNews Sports Legends Challenge

It’s one thing to buy into a tournament and find yourself seated next to a WSOP bracelet winner or to walk the hallways of the Rio Convention Center in June and catch a glimpse of Annie Duke or Layne Flack as they head back to the tables after dinner break. It’s another thing entirely to get the opportunity to not only soak up their online poker betting knowledge, but to play against them in a cash game and then knock back a cocktail afterwards. Now add in over two dozen of the greatest professional athletes to walk the earth, give them a few racks of chips, throw in a golf tournament, a televised no-limit hold’em tournament, and set the whole shebang in the Bahamas in September. Is that something you’d be interested in?

Twenty-five top poker pros including Annie Duke, Johnny Chan, Layne Flack, Gavin Smith, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Cyndy Violette, Kenna James, Antonio Esfandiari, Jamie Gold, and Mike Sexton are scheduled to attend along with NFL betting greats Troy Aikman, Emmit Smith, and Hershel Walker, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, skateboarding guru Tony Hawk, and golf master Rocco Mediate.

You might actually learn something

Have you always wanted to go to one of those poker training camps but it all seemed a bit… academic? During the first three days of the Sports Legends Challenge, poker pros will be offering training sessions several times a day for all SLC participants.

Poker Bets Online-Sarah Palin a good poker player?

Last week, right before Sarah Palin stepped down as governor of Alaska, her father Heath told Politco’s Jonathan Martin that the 2008 Vice Presidential Nominee would “be a good poker player. She never divulged what she’s going to do next."

But would Palin actually be a good poker player? Here are five reasons Palin would make an excellent poker Bets Online player.

Opponents may have low expectations

When Palin faced now Vice President Joe Biden in the only Vice Presidential debate of 2008, expectations were so low that Palin just had to have a pulse to be considered a success.

In poker, you can take advantage of your opponents if you know they have low expectations. If they think you’re a loose, passive player, you can set them up with a big check raise. Palin is perceptive enough to know what people think of her to take advantage of those low expectations.

Online Poker Betting-Online Poker Confidence -two Little-known Secrets

After sitting at an online poker table for some time, have you sometimes felt like the other players started to have good ideas about the strength of your hands? If you bet your monster hands, everyone else would fold to you. Conversely if you had a medium-strength hand in a heads-up situation, your opponent would bet aggressively and force you to fold.

Online Poker Betting is the game for Betting.

This is a feeling felt by many online poker players on a regular basis. It makes them feel predictable and vulnerable. The reason for that impression is that their opponents might be using poker software tools creating a profile of their play, aids that give them a sure advantage. There are many such online poker aids to choose from and it requires a lot of work to determine which ones can help your confidence improve.

How to Win Online Poker Betting With the Help of Technology

With the popularity of poker games on the Internet, players from all over the earth can play a part not merely to enjoy themselves, but with a significant chance and with the purpose of winning cold solid cash. This makes all Online poker betting games even more thrilling and worth the suspense!

But, let's face it, it's not that effortless to win big time.

A Online poker Betting player faces difficult choices each single move. He mostly has four decisions to elect: check, lay a wager or call, raise, or fold. To produce a clever choice, he needs to map out the approximate anticipation of all viable moves and choose the one that has the greatest return, if there's some, or just fold.

Then again, even the top player can become distracted, drained or reckless at any period in the game.

The greatest drawback a player can suffer is the truth that he is trailing too much money on the tables merely for the reason that he's following the inappropriate advice. Indeed, at hand are too many players out here using old, outdated tactics that only worked years back.

Well, there's delightful news in favor of you. Current technology looks to be in approval of any person who wants to take home serious money on online poker Betting. A software supposedly constructed by the MIT students has been causing quite a stir amongst poker players since the source code was divulged to the general community barely recently.

Online Poker Betting- Poker Schedule Released

The 2009 Macau Summer Festival of Online Poker Betting will include 20 separate events, with buy-ins for non-satellites ranging from HKD $1,000 all the way up to HKD $40,000 for the APPT Macau main event and $88,800 for a special “High Rollers” event to be held August 29 and 30. Also on the agenda are special women’s and charity events and a “Terrence Chan Limit Hold’em” (shorthanded) tourney, scheduled for August 23.

The complete 2009 Macau Summer Festival of Online Poker Betting slate of events:

August 15
14:15 Satellite to 100K Guarantee $550
18:00 No Limit Hold’em - $100,000 Guaranteed $2,500

August 16
14:15 No Limit Hold’em w/ Re-buys - $20,000 Guaranteed $500
17:00 Satellite Main Event Phase 2 $900
19:00 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200

August 17
12:15 Satellite Main Event Phase 2 $900
14:15 No Limit Hold’em $1,000

August 18
12:15 Satellite Main Event Phase 2 $900
14:15 No Limit Hold’em $1,500

August 19
12:15 Satellite Main Event Phase 2 $900
14:15 Knock-Out Bounty No Limit Hold’em (each bounty $500) $2,000
18:00 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200

August 20
14:15 Free to Enter Mega Satellite w/ $500 Re-buys (1 Main Event seat guaranteed) ($0/$500)
18:00 APPT Macau Charity Event w/ max 2 Re-buys ($50,000 added value prizes) $1,000

August 21
14:15 No Limit Hold’em Deep Stack $1,500
18:00 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200

August 22
12:15 Mega Satellite to $10K $2,150
15:30 No Limit Hold’em Day 1 $500,000 Guaranteed $10,000
18:00 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200

August 23
12:15 No Limit Hold’em Day 2
14:15 Terrence Chan Limit Hold'em Tournament 6 handed $2,500
18:00 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200

August 24
12:15 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200
14:15 Turbo Shoot-out No Limit Hold’em $1,500
16:30 Satellite Main Event Phase 3 $4,200
21:00 APPT Macau Welcome Party

August 25
12:15 APPT Macau Main Event Day 1 Flight 1 $40,000
15:00 No Limit Hold’em $4,000

August 26
12:15 APPT Macau Main Event Day 1 Flight 2 $40,000
15:00 No Limit Hold’em 7-Handed Event $5,000
18:00 Last Chance Mega Satellite to Main Event $4,200

Poker Game Bets Online-ESPN confirms online poker show

On Wednesday ESPN confirmed they will be airing a new web-only poker show called the
ESPN Inside Deal.

The show, which is presented by PokerStars.net, will debut on Aug. 4 on ESPN.com. It will give poker Game Bets Online fans a behind the scenes look at poker lifestyle.

Inside Deal will be hosted by ESPN the Magazine contributor Laura Lane, pro player and ESPN.com columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN.com poker Game Bets Online editor Andrew Feldman.

The three month series will conclude with the completion of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table and along the way they will interview and analyze each member of the November Nine. Poker fans will also get to watch never-before seen hands and features from the WSOP broadcasts.

European Free Poker Betting Online Tour:The Sixth edition moves to Kiev

Organizers of the sixth edition of European Poker Tour (EPT) had changed their program this year. They did not delay announcing that the tournaments foreseen to be held in Moscow are cancelled further to the Russian ministerial decision which crossed off poker from sports list. The EPT Russia Open planned to be done in Radisson SAS in Russia is thus going to move in Kiev Sports Palace, in Ukraine from August the 18th till the 23th and will be called officially Fortunately, Ukraine goes back on its decision forbidding poker on its territory further to the fire of a gaming room which killed 9 persons.

600 players are thus going to be able to play Free poker Betting Online during this big event considered as the biggest tournament never competed in Ukraine.