Hillary Clinton Campaign Song - What Will It Be?

Hillary Clinton is running for President, but what’s a candidate without a campaign song? That’s why the junior Senator from New York is turning to her supporters for help.

The American public is being asked to log on to her official website and help choose her theme song for the 2008 election. With her tongue planted firmly in cheek, Mrs. Clinton referred to this as “one of the most important questions of this campaign,” and one that she’s “been struggling with.”

Nine songs were initially listed, but the site promised that the leading write-in candidates would also be added to the ballot. You can even listen to the songs before casting your ballot. After preliminary voting, the following songs were eliminated:

“City of Blinding Lights” by U2

“Ready to Run” by The Dixie Chicks

“Right Here, Right Now” by Jesus Jones

“I’ll Take You There” by The Staple Singers

So far, there have been over 100,000 votes. “I turned to the American people for help in picking my campaign song, and they haven’t disappointed,” Clinton said. “From the offbeat to the brilliant, I’m excited that so many people have chosen to offer their suggestions and engage with our campaign online.”

Let’s just be glad that “Don’t Stop“ by Fleetwood Mac isn’t an options. As you may remember, that was Bill Clinton’s campaign theme in 1992, and it received far more attention that any Fleetwood Mac song ever should. But I digress.

Bodog has posted odds for the remaining songs. The max bet for this proposition is $50.

“Beautiful Day” by U2 5/2

“Suddenly, I See” by KT Tunstall 9/2

“I’m a Believer” by Smash Mouth 7/1

“Rock this Country” by Shania Twain 5/1

“The Best” by Tina Turner 7/1

“You and I” by Celine Dion 8/1

“Get Ready” by The Temptations 8/1

“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by The Police 8/1

“Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” by McFadden & Whitehead 9/1

“Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz 10/1

For more political prop bets, see the following links:

Alberto Gonzalez Resignation Bet

Bodog Political Proposition Bets

Hillary Clinton Campaign Song - What Will It Be?

Shannon Briggs vs. Sultan Ibragimov - Preview and Odds

On Saturday, June 2nd, WBO Heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs will make his first title defense against Sultan Ibragimov at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The undercard will feature heavyweight contender Calvin Brock against Alex Gonzalez and welterweight action with Shamone Alvarez versus Jose Luis Cruz.

BODOG ODDS

Not surprisingly, our friends at Bodog are taking wagers on this heavyweight showdown. The current odds are as follows (with a $500 limit on bets):

Shannon Briggs +135

Sultan Ibragimov -165

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FIGHTERS

SHANNON “THE CANNON” BRIGGS

Briggs stands 6’4” and normally weighs around 265 pounds. He is 35 years old. His professional record is 48-4-1 with 42 knockouts. He is currently the only non-Russian to hold a Heavyweight belt. Notable wins include:

George Foreman (by decision)

Ray Mercer (TKO in 7 - Mercer was 44 years old)

Sergei Liakhovich (TKO in 12 - to win the WBO title)

He has lost to such fighters as Lennox Lewis (TKO in 5) and Jameel McCline (Decision). He drew with Francois Botha in 1999.

STYLE

While is conditioning is a question mark (weighed 227 vs. Foreman and 268 in his last fight), Briggs is a massive man with tremendous power, a solid jab and a terrifying right hand. His gameplan is usually to just beat his opponent silly before he runs out of steam.

STRENGTH

Briggs has power in both hands, and his best punch is the left hook. He’s got plenty of guts (see his fight against Lennox Lewis), and “quit” isn’t in his vocabulary.

WEAKNESS

His weight seems to fluctuate wildly from fight to fight, and this is indicative of someone who doesn’t train properly. He tends to run out of gas in the middle to late rounds, and the added weight doesn’t help his ability to land volleys or move away from his opponent’s shots.

SULTAN IBRAGIMOV

Ibragimov stands 6’2” and weighs 221 pounds. He is a 32-years-old southpaw. He won the silver medal for Russia in the 2000 Summer Olympics. His professional record is 20-0-1 with 17 knockouts. Notable wins include:

Lance Whitaker (TKO in 7)

Javier Mora (TKO in 1)

STYLE

A product of the former Soviet sports program, Ibragimov is a left-handed boxer-puncher. While he possesses the power expected from a man of his size, he is also technically sound.

STRENGTH

Ibragimov is very thorough when preparing for a fight, and his takes his time in the gym very seriously. He has natural power, sound fundamentals, and his best punches are the right hook and straight left.

WEAKNESS

There have been some questions about his ability to finish opponents when he has them in trouble. He really hasn’t fought against a top level of competition. There have also been questions about his stamina, as he faded down the stretch in his 2006 draw with Ray Austin.

For more articles on boxing, click on the following links:

Boxing News - Jermain Taylor, Evander Holyfield and More!

Results for De La Hoya vs. Mayweather

Shannon Briggs vs. Sultan Ibragimov - Preview and Odds

Babe of the Day - Avril Lavigne

Today's Babe is Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne. She has released a total of nine Top 10 hits to date. Something tells me that she'll only add to that number over the coming years. She may not get as much press as Britney, Jessica, or Christina, but she's still plenty hot in our book.

Babe of the Day - Avril Lavigne

United Football League - Competition for the NFL?

I love watching, and betting, on the NFL, but I always get a sinking feeling as the Superbowl approaches. That means I’m about to have to endure months of NFL-free programming, including the deadly dull rigors of MLB.

My problems might soon be at an end, however, and the solution may come as early as 2008. In its June 3rd issue, The New York Times Sports Magazine reports that Wall Street bigshot Bill Hambrecht and Google executive Tim Armstrong are going to launch the United Football League. The article goes on to say that they have already secured Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Mexico City as the first of eight starting teams.

MARK CUBAN SPEAKS OUT (AGAIN)

In fact, excitable billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will reportedly be the owner of the Las Vegas franchise. Cuban even went on his personal blog and listed reasons why it’s not crazy to compete with the NFL. They are:

1. The is an obvious demand for top level pro football.

2. The NFL wants and needs competition.

3. The NFL just extended their collective bargaining agreement, and it was not designed for a competitive environment.

4. There are many vacant markets that would love to have a pro football team.

5. There are a lot of smart people involved in the UFL.

6. It’s a great TV product.

IT’S BEEN TRIED BEFORE

While I would love to see the UFL be successful, this will not be the first time that someone has tried to compete with the juggernaut which is the National Football League. Remember these…..

1. AFL - The AFL started in 1960 and fully merged with the NFL a decade later. It included teams such as the Chargers, Chiefs, Bills and Patriots.

2. World Football League - Played in the early 70s, this league raided the NFL for such stars as Larry Csonka.

3. USFL - The USFL featured future NFL stars such as Jim Kelly, Steve Young and Reggie White. Heck, Donald Trump even owned one of the teams. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t compete with the NFL when it came to paying players.

4. XFL - Airing on NBC and founded by WWE owner Vince McMahon, this league started in the spring of 2001 and lasted just 3 months.

The plan is for the league to air on Friday nights, a night the NFL avoids to prevent conflicts with high school football. While they may not be able to get the biggest stars, the league is looking to outbid the NFL on players who would traditionally go in the 3rd round or later. They may also be able to pick up a few veteran free agents with some amount of star power.

According to Cuban, “That’s not to say it will be easy. It won’t. We still have to cover quite a bit of ground and have a lot of milestones to hit. That said, if we can get the right owners, I obviously think we can make this work.”

Each owner will be expected to put up $30 million, which will be worth 50% interest in a team. The league will own the other half and eventually sell shares to the public in an effort to raise an average of $60 million per franchise. This should reduce ticket prices for the fans.

While the chances of success are pretty slim, it will give gamblers another fun option if it can get off the ground. We’ll keep you updated.

In the meantime, check out these NFL articles:

Fantasy Football News

NFL News - Michael Vick Bodog Bet

United Football League - Competition for the NFL?

NBA News - Kobe Bryant Demands a Trade

Kobe Bryant wants a trade from the Lakers and Bodog is offering odds on where he will go.

For years, the national media has blamed Kobe Bryant for the Shaquille O'Neal trade and the demise of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now members of the Los Angeles Lakers front office are blaming Bryant, which has infuriated the Lakers star. When Bryant heard the Lakers were blaming him for the disastrous Shaq trade, he publicly demanded that he be traded, too.

THE SPARK

The Los Angeles Times quoted an anonymous L.A. Lakers official saying that Kobe Bryant demanded Shaquille O'Neal be traded.

Bryant says that he always assumed the media was making up stories about the Shaq-Kobe Feud. When he found that Lakers officials might actually be fueling media stories, he decided to set the record straight. So he went on four L.A. area radio stations today, as well as appearing on ESPNRadio during the national broadcast of The Dan Patrick Show.

Kobe says that three summers ago, Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss asked him to a suite in a L.A. hotel. According to Kobe, Buss told him that Shaq's body was breaking down and the Lakers had no intention on paying O'Neal $30 million dollars a year, or the going rate of $80 over 3 years.

Kobe asserts that Buss told him the Lakers would trade Shaq, then went on to discuss maxing out a free agent contract with the star Lakers forward. Bryant signed that contract the next day.

SHAQ WEIGHS IN

Shaquille O'Neal discussed Kobe's story with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. For the record, Shaq claims he "1000%" believes Kobe's story.

Shaq went on to say that he lost respect for Jerry Buss when the Lakers owner didn't sit Shaq down and tell him the truth to his face.

So it seems that rumors of the Shaq-Kobe hatred were exaggerated. Kobe admitted the two had their problems over the years, but mentioned that all teams have their problems. Though I've thought Kobe was a selfish me-first player these last three years, this story has the ring of truth to it.

If Shaq hadn't come out in support of Bryant, I probably would think differently. It looks to me like Kobe kept his mouth shut to be a good members of the Lakers organization. Now that members of the organization have turned on him, he is demanding the Lakers take responsibility for their past actions instead of foisting the blame on him.

LAKERS POWER STRUGGLE

Stories have it that Jerry Buss is stepping away from the leadership of the franchise. Two of Buss's children are in a minor power struggle to fill the power void. Meanwhile, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is struggling to maintain his position in the franchise after several years of mediocrity, while Phil Jackson lurks about in the background.

For the record, Kobe says that Phil is playing the peacemaker at the moment, and is the only person in the organization he trusts. Kobe has stated in the last few days that he would like to see former Lakers GM, Jerry West, return to Lakers in some capacity. West is Kupchak's former mentor, and is unlikely to push aside his protege.

In any case, it seems organizational suicide to trade Kobe Bryant. Such a decision would only compound the stupidity of the Shaq trade. Kobe might be exerting public pressure to influence the private power struggle, because he claims he has a "good idea" who made the anonymous comments.

TRADE TALK

But if Kobe is willing to force a trade, it might come to that. Several teams have assets that might get in the ballpark of a Kobe trade, though it would no doubt be a Shaq-style fire sale. Which brings us to Bodog player proposition bet on a likely Kobe Bryant trade.

Which NBA team will the Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to?

There will be no action if Kobe Bryant is not traded by November 1, 2007.

Chicago Bulls - 3/1
Phoenix Suns - 7/2
Dallas Mavericks - 4/1
New York Knicks - 11/2
Minnesota Timberwolves - 6/1
Los Angeles Clippers - 7/1
Field (Any Other Team) - 7/1
Portland Trailblazers - 9/1
Golden State Warriors - 10/1
New Jersey Nets - 12/1
Utah Jazz - 12/1
Houston Rockets - 15/1
Denver Nuggets - 18/1
Boston Celtics - 20/1
Miami Heat - 25/1

THE CHICAGO BULLS

The top rumors have the Chicago Bulls trading for Kobe Bryant. One rumor I heard was Luol Deng, Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni.

If the Bulls were willing to give up that package, I could see the Lakers actually considering such a trade. Though none of those players is a talent the level of Kobe Bryant, I see that almost as a bailout trade. All three players are young and talented.

Luol Deng plays the small forward role that Kobe plays. He sure seemed to be the best player on the Bulls during the playoffs, leading the sweep of the defending champion Miami Heat. Ben Gordon is the Bulls second best scorer and would instantly become the starter at shooting guard. These might be the two best Bulls.

Andres Nocioni is a talented young bench player who averaged 14 points per game coming off the bench. So a package of three young players is more than I would expect to see the Lakers get in a fire sale.

I wonder if the Bulls would make that trade. They would be able to pair Bryant with Kirk Hinrich, Ben Wallace and Tyrus Thomas, but they would have an awfully thin roster beyond that.

THE DALLAS MAVERICKS

Local speculation in Dallas is whether the Mavericks would trade Kobe Bryant for NBA MVP Dirk Nowitski. This seems to split the local pundits and fandom, though the media members tend to favor the trade. In a poll of local fans, about 55% say they wouldn't want to trade Dirk for Kobe.

All of this overlooks the fact that the Lakers are unlikely to trade Kobe Bryant for Dirk Nowitski straight up. In fact, the Mavs would probably have to trade extra players, such as Josh Howard. I see no chance of that happening.

After the emotional MVP ceremony where Mark Cuban fought back tears when talking about Nowitski, I see little chance that Cuban would trade Dirk under any circumstances. And as unlikely as the Lakers are to trade Kobe for Dirk, there is no chance a trade happens without Dirk involved. Don't bet on this one.

THE PHOENIX SUNS

The Suns have a roster full of young talent. Every offseason, there is speculation that the Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudamire rivalry will force a trade of Marion. They have young players like Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw to throw into a trade package. They even have the Atlanta Hawks #1 pick next year, which could be a high lottery pick.

So if the Lakers decide to go with a complete rebuilding process, then the Suns have pieces which might entice the Lakers.

Imagine a starting lineup which includes Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and Kobe Bryant. That would be wild. Of course, if Stoudamire and Marion had trouble sharing the ball, then throwing Kobe into the mix might be a disaster waiting to happen. Somehow, though, I have a feeling there would be enough wins to soothe the egos.

Whether the Lakers would trade Bryant within the conference, I'm not sure. I always got the idea that the Lakers had better offers from Western Conference clubs, but took a lesser deal to get Shaquille into the Eastern Conference.

OTHER TRADE POSSIBILITIES

In the end, I wonder if the Lakers will trade Kobe. I'm sure they take every step possible to calm him down and address his needs. Though he probably feels betrayed by the Lakers front office, his frustrations probably wouldn't have boiled over if that front office had put better players around him these last few years.

My guess is Kobe's tirade makes it more likely the Lakers make a blockbuster trade to bring another star player to the Lakers. Kobe has been upset that the Lakers didn't pull the trigger on Baron Davis, Carlos Boozer and Jason Kidd trades in the past.

Expect to see the Lakers make a push to trade for someone like Jason Kidd or Kevin Garnett this summer. The Lakers didn't want to mortgage the future by trading young Andrew Bynum this last winter, but they are going to have to dangle Bynum to get Kidd or Garnett. Bryant might be forcing the Lakers to at least discuss a possible Bynum trade this summer.

But if you want to take the Bodog bet, I would suggest the Chicago Bulls or some other Eastern club. The Lakers will trade Kobe Bryant out of the conference, no doubt.

OTHER SPORTS NOTES

NBA Negotiates With Las Vegas
Michael Vick Bodog Bet

NBA News - Kobe Bryant Demands a Trade

Microgaming Casinos Stop Taking U.S. Bets!

Bad news for fans of Microgaming casinos. According to letters emailed to affiliates, four Microgaming-powered casinos will no longer be accepting U.S. bets as of June 1st. These include Casino Splendido, Roxy Palace, Roxy Poker and Dream Poker.

Microgaming is one of the leading software providers for the online gambling industry, with nearly 100 casinos listed on its website. Casino operators such as 32Red and Ladbrokes have been clients for years.

The standard Microgaming casino has 300 games, including slots, video poker, blackjack and roulette. Progressive jackpots are also offered through their linked network of casinos.

ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION

According to the letter sent out by Roxy Palace, “The contribution of bets from U.S. players currently comprises an insignificant amount to the group and most affiliates have low exposure to that market.”

It went on to say that the site is well-established in non-U.S. foreign language and English speaking markets such as England, France, Germany and the Netherlands. It also mentioned plans to add additional languages within the next month.

The email from Dream Poker was very similar, saying “We are open in numerous markets and offer support and software in the following languages: Danish, Dutch, German, Swedish, Finnish, French, Greek, Norwegian, plus more to come.”

Thanks to the Republicans and their narrow-minded war on the evils of gambling - not to mention their desire to appease campaign contributors from the Indian casinos and Las Vegas interests - we now have four less options when it comes to online gambling. No doubt, God must be very pleased with President Bush.

For more on online gambling news, take a look at the following:

UIGEA News

BETONSPORTS Pleads Guilty

Microgaming Casinos Stop Taking U.S. Bets!

Babe of the Day - Carrie Underwood

Today's Babe is country music star and American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood. I've got nothing clever to say on this one. I think I'll just let the picture speak for itself.

Babe of the Day - Carrie Underwood

UIGEA News - Can Online Gambling Law Be Enforced?

Those looking for analysis of the fallout from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act should take a look at a recent article at the Cardplayer.com poker news section.

The article discusses the process of lawmaking, including the 270 day timeline the Bush administration is supposed to take in setting guidelines for the bank institutions involved. According to the article, that timeline will come full term in the middle of June.

ALBERTO GONZALES

The Department of Justice is called on to set the guidelines. But with Alberto Gonzales mired in a scandal which could cost him his job as Attorney General, the DoJ is in the "still looking" phase. This means the Justice Department is nowhere near to prosecuting individuals for their part in online gambling crimes.

It would seem that Alberto Gonzales isn't exactly enthusiastic about the concept of a whole string of onlien gambling prosecutions, those this might be entirely tied to his current political problems. The AG was happy to prosecute the guys from betonsports.

A HEADACHE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED

One reason for the lack of enthusiasm is the logistical problems with enforcing the legislation. These are several ways to get around the law, including players and online casinos simply writing checks to one another. The big American banking institutions have already let President Bush and his administration they would not be happy verifying checks. As one bank president said, their bank is being asked to act as law enforcement.

Of course, banks would like to get on with their job of making and hoarding money. To enforce the UIGEA, banks estimate they would have to check 40 million checks per year. These would have to be done manually, which would incur prohibitive costs.

From the Cardplayer article, it looks like this may be a case of the Congress passing yet another law that is virtually unenforceable.

UIGEA News - Can Online Gambling Law Be Enforced?

Barney Frank IGREA Bill Support Grows

Baker Tilly Accountants and the UC Group are sponsoring the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. This initiative is meant to garner support for the pro-gambling legislation of U.S. Representative Barney Frank. Frank introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, generally known as IGREA.

Baker Tilly and UC are both United Kingdom companies with an interest in online gambling. Baker Tilly is an international accounting company, while the UC Group is a UK online pay processing firm. Both hope to see online gambling regulated instead of banned by the United States.

Other United Kingdom gambling entities, like e-COGRA, are joining the UK safe secure initiative. It appears that the Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, along with the European Gaming and Betting Association will join.

The idea is to show the Congress there is not only a large international interest in online gambling regulation, but the U.S. also has a stake in regulating and taxing online gambling receipts. Obviously, congressmen have no reason to fear the dislike of constituencies in other countries. But the SSIGI already lobbies the U.S. Congress, and wants to organize the resources to sway U.S. congressional votes.

Barney Frank consulted the UC Group when he drafted his legislation, which indicates how close the international gambling and banking interests are tied to U.S. lawmakers.

The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, known as the UIGEA, banned online payment processing firms from taking U.S. gambling money. This drove legitimate companies out of the business, opening U.S. players to exploitation by unregulated companies. So the legitimate companies are trying to repeal the UIGEA, which would allow their return to the U.S. gambling market.

I applaud this effort. American gamblers need all the help we can get. The more voices demanding change from Congress, the better the chances of getting the Internet Gambling Legislation and Enforcement Act gets passed.

Barney Frank IGREA Bill Support Grows

2007 World Series of Poker - More Bodog Odds

With the first event of the World Series of Poker starting in the next week, Bodog has nearly 20 WSOP proposition bets. This is our continuing coverage of these bets.

The latest group involves some of the biggest names in professional poker. Each bet pits two or more famed gamblers against one another to see who will make it the longest in the World Series of Poker Main Event. Take a look at the roster.

Which of these two players will last longer in the $2007 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in Main Event?

Mike Matusow -120
Greg Raymer -120

Which of these two players will last longer in the $2007 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in Main Event?

Phil Ivey -140
Phil Helmuth EVEN

Which of these three players will last longer in the $2007 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in Main Event?

Daniel Negreanu - 6/5
Michael Mizrachi - 8/5
John Juanda - 8/5

Which of these three players will last longer in the $2007 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in Main Event?

Phil Laak - 6/5
Jennifer Tilly - 7/5
Antonio Esfandiari - 6/5

Which of the following players will last longer in the 2007 WSOP $10,000 buy-in Main Event?

Kathy Liebert - 5/2
Jennifer Harman - 3/1
Isabella Mercier - 9/2
Annie Duke - 5/1
Jennifer Tilly - 5/1
Cindy Violette - 5/1
Clonie Gowen - 5/1

IVEY VERSUS HELLMUTH JR.

I'm taking Phil Hellmuth Jr. in this one. That isn't because I think he's better than Phil Ivey. In fact, if pressed on the question, I would say Ivey is the better player at this point in their careers.

But Hellmuth is getting better odds. He's an even-money player, while you have to lay 140 to get 100 with Ivey. On that number alone, bet Hellmuth Jr. The chances one makes it further are closer than than.

NEGREANU VS. MIZRACHI VS. JUANDA

Anyone remember the bad beat Negreanu gave Mizrachi on the World Poker Tour? Michael "the Grinder" Mizrachi went all-in with a 8-8. Daniel called with a 7-7. Mizrachi has Daniel dominated.

But the flop came 6-9-5, giving each a straight draw. Ironically, each now needed the others' card to finish the straight. So Daniel went from needing a 7 to win to needing an 8, while Mizrachi went from wanting an 8 to wanting anything but an 8.

The turn comes 2, helping nobody. The river comes an 8, giving Negreanu the win. That's a brutal suck out. Check it out on Youtube sometime.

Now the bet has the two of these young pros pitted against one another. After highlighting these two, that probably means John Juanda wins the proposition.

RAYMER VERSUS MATUSOW

Raymer knocking Matusow out of the 2005 World Series of Poker is one of my favorite WSOP memories.

Mike "the Mouth" Matusow had been talking trash to the then-unknown Fossilman. At a point, he apologized for his remarks and offered his hand in friendship. Raymer refused to shake it. Some time later, Raymer got the better of Matusow, causing the Mouth to break down in tears. Funny stuff.

I BET YOU

The stars of the MOJO Network proposition bet show, I Bet You, are featured in a bet. Yes, this bet pits Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari.

You get to choose between Phil "the Unabomber" Laak and his best friend, Antonio "the Magician" Esfandiari. Bodog throws in Phil's girlfriend, Jennifer Tilly, for good measure. This is just one more good-natured bet involving these guys.

BEST FEMALE POKER PLAYER

The final bet answers the eternal question, at least for this year: who is the world greatest female poker player?

I don't know the answer to that question, though Bodog has Kathy Liebert as the player with the lowest odds in the prop. Do they know something we don't know?

OTHER BODOG BET ARTICLES

World Series of Poker Bets
World Series of Poker Odds

2007 World Series of Poker - More Bodog Odds

2007 World Series of Poker - Bodog Odds

On June 1st, the 2007 World Series of Poker will start up at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are 55 events in all, with the most famous being the No-Limit Texas Hold’em Main Event - which gets started on July 6th.

Run by Harrah’s Entertainment, which purchased it from the Binion family in 2004, the event is expected to attract somewhere between 11,000 and 12,000 players, including pros like Phil Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson, and Phil Ivey. All in spite of much tougher online legislation by the U.S. government.

There’s also a new twist this year in the form of double-stacking, which means that all players will receive double the amount of chips that they buy-in for. For example, the Main Event is a $10,000 buy-in, but the players will receive $20,000 in chips. The end result will be even bigger pots and greater poker action.

The overall tournament runs for over a month, and this year promises to be the largest yet. To make things even more exciting, or friends at Bodog have posted odds on various outcomes. The maximum bet on each is $100.

Gambling on a gambling event - it doesn’t get much better than that.

BODOG ODDS FOR THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER

Will a player win 2 or more bracelets in the 2007 World Series of Poker?

Yes +140

No -180

What will the Main Event winning hand consist of?

2 Red Cards 2/1

2 Black Cards 2/1

1 Red/1 Black 2/3

Will a member of Team Bodog (Josh Arieh, David Williams, Evelyn Ng) win a bracelet at the 2007 World Series?

Yes 3/1

Which one of these players will win their 11th bracelet first at the 2007 World Series?

Doyle Brunson 8/1

Johnny Chan 5/1

Phil Hellmuth 3/1

None 1/5

Which of the following ranked Internet players will last longer in the 2007 Main Event?

Cliff (JohnnyBax) Josephy 3/1

Shane (Shaniac) Schleger 3/1

Alan (Ari) Engel 3/1

Eric (Rizen) Lynch 3/1

Kevin (BeL0WaB0Ve) Saul 3/1

And for more articles on the WSOP, be sure and take a look at the following links:

2007 WSOP Circuit Results

WSOP News

2007 World Series of Poker - Bodog Odds

NFL News - Michael Vick Bodog Bet

The Michael Vick pit bull fiasco continues. Now Bodog has a proposition bet about whether Vick stays with the Atlanta Falcons beyond this season.

This story started when a Virginia sheriff raided Vick's rural estate in Virginia. The property was being kept by Devon Boddie, a cousin of Michael Vick. The sheriff and his men found 65 dogs on the property, including 55 pit bulls. Many of the dogs appeared unfed and unkept.

Further investigation showed signs that the dogs might be used for dog fighting. Tools used primarily by dog fighters were found on the property. Next came an ESPN "Outside the Lines" report where an anonymous dog fight trainer claimed that Vick was one of the heavyweights of dog fighting, sometimes betting up to $30,000 or $40,000 on the outcome of a fight.

In the latest ESPN NFL news story, the recent revelations led the prosecutor to seek a deeper investigation, where they would dig around the property looking for the remains of dead dogs. The dead bodies would presumably show wounds consistent with dog fighting. But the local prosecutor and sheriff did not like the wording of the state-issued warrant, and so refused to serve the warrant until changes could be made.

How many games will the NFL suspend Michael Vick?

No Suspension - 5 to 6 odds
1-2 games - 3 to 2 odds
3-4 games - 10 to 11 odds
5-8 games - 5 to 2 odds
Any Other Amount - 7 to 2 odds

Will Michael Vick be with the Falcons at the start of the 2008 Regular Season?

Yes -250
No +170

WHAT A DISASTER!

The Falcons seem to be a cursed franchise. First, they traded Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers, thus robbing their team of an entire decade of Hall of Fame quarterback play. Then they traded for the 1st pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, giving away the rights to the 5th pick in the same draft. The Chargers promptly drafted Ladainian Tomlinson with that pick.

Tomlinson broke the all-time single season rushing touchdown record last season. Incidentally, he also won the 2006 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, given to the player who does the most charity and volunteer work in the community.

VICK AS A FALCON

Meanwhile, vick has been a mixed blessing for the Falcons. Though he has a solid winning record as a starter, Vick has never become the kind of passer the team hopes he would become. Vick's arm strength is among the top in the league, but his accuracy and throwing mechanics have never improved.

The team moved to the West Coast offense, which was probably never a good idea. Though some thought it was a good idea due to Vick's mobility, that style of play requires a passer with an accurate arm, so the Falcons offense has sputtered during the West Coast years. It was thought the addition of Bobby Petrino and a new offense might spark Vick's growth as a quarterback. The team even traded highly touted backup quarterback, Matt Schaub, to the Houston Texans in the offseason. This was supposed to be a sign of front office confidence in Vick, but off field issues appear to be clouding Vick's future with the team.

OFFICE POLITICS

Falcon's owner, Arthur Blank, is said to have told Coach Petrino to take the 2007 year to evaluate Michael Vick's future with the team. So Vick was already on thin ice due to simple on field playing issues.

With new NFL Commissioner Pat Goddell on patrol, any player getting in trouble with the law enforcement are getting suspended. Adam "Pacman" Jones has been suspended for a year, while Bengals 3rd receiver, Chris Henry, has been suspended for 8 games. It is hard to see Vick avoiding a suspension at this point, because Goddell doesn't tend to wait for a verdict to hand down a ruling.

Most experts I've heard tend to think Vick will get 2 to 4 games suspended, with them leaning towards 4 games. Keep that in mind while making this bet.

VICK IN '08?

As for Vick's return for the 2008 season, I think the underdog "no" bet is good value.

Moreso than most positions, teams don't want to have to wonder if their quarterback is going to be there to start. Donovan McNaab has been a model citizen in Philadelphia, but two season ending injuries in two years caused the Eagles to draft a young quarterback with their first pick in the draft this year. So I find it hard to believe a team is going to stick with a quarterback who might take himself off the field with his own illegal actions.

Unless the Falcons withstand the first month of the season without Vick, his days in Atlanta are numbered. I think Michael Vick needs to lead the Falcons to the playoffs next year to return for 2008. He needs to show he is growing into a quarterback, and not just a running threat. But with this ridiculous dog fighting hobby he seems to have, Vick has already put himself behind the eight ball for the 2007 season.

Other Stories of Interest:

Fantasy Football News
NFL Draft - NFC South

NFL News - Michael Vick Bodog Bet

Bodog Proposition Bet - America's Got Talent

America's Got Talent 2 is about to start up again. Bodog is offering up proposition bets on its outcome.

I love this show. For instability across the full roster, no show this side of the Surreal Life can touch this America's Got Talent.

YOU ASK HOW UNSTABLE?

Listen to the celebrity judges on America's Got Talent: David Hasselhoff, Sharon Osbourne and journalist Piers Morgan.

The show's host is Jerry Springer, replacing Regis Philbin from year one. That's quite a lineup, folks.

You might not know Mr. Morgan, but he plays the heavy on the show. He's Simon Cowell, the critic with little patience for the acts. To continue the American Idol analogy, Hasselhoff falls into the role of the good cop so "admirably" played by Paula Abdul all these years on Idol.

In the show, the judges can end a performance by hitting an "X" button. The only catch is that all three must hit their button. Many times last year saw the other two judges urging Hasselhoff to hit his button, which he was loathe to do.

Of course, with Hasselhoff's recent drunken scene on Youtube, he passed Paula Abdul in the drunk category. Click here for the Hasselhoff Youtube video.

THE PREMISE

America's Got Talent is an American Idol style talent contest, except with more liberal criteria. The contestants might be musical acts, but they might be stage magicians or comedians or even animal acts. The judges select the finalists, while the

The show is the brainchild of Simon Cowell, one of the geniuses behind American Idol. It is based on a UK version of the show, Opportunity Knocks.

THE BODOG BETS

Here are the bets on Bodog.

Will the America's Got Talent be male, female or a mixture?

Male
Female
Mixed Group

Will the America's Got Talent winner be a...?

Single Performer
Duo
Group

Will an animal act be on of the final ten contestants on America's Got Talent?

Yes
No

Will Leonid the Magnificent appear during season 2 of America's Got Talent?

Yes
No

THE ANALYSIS

It's hard to give analysis right now, since the odds haven't been posted quite yet. They will appear in a day or two, so check back at Bodog to see the odds.

The sure bet of this bunch is the Leonid the Magnificent bet. I'm sure the producers will roll out everything they have to draw in viewers, so I'm sure David Hasselhoff's favorite drag queen will make a reappearance.

OTHER RELATED ARTICLES

Hasselhoff Rehab Bet
American Idol and Dancing With the Stars

Bodog Proposition Bet - America's Got Talent

Will the UK Ban Unusual Sports Bets?

Take one look at any sportsbook in the UK, and you’ll quickly notice that a person can bet on all kinds of crazy propositions for football (aka soccer), rugby and cricket. Whether the odds are on who gets the first yellow card (football) or the total number of wides (cricket), these bets add a little spice to the game and make things more appealing to the betting public. Sadly, that may all end in the near future.

Reps for five international sports organizations (football, cricket, tennis, rugby league, and rugby union) fear that unusual bets which don’t depend on the outcome of the game can be rigged. For this reason, the watchdog group known as The Gaming Commission has announced that it is considering tougher regulations on what kind of bets can be offered by sportsbooks.
As one might imagine, this has not been well-received by those in the world of gambling. In fact, relationships between bookmakers and organizations like the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Football Association have become more than a little strained.

Other ideas are also being considered, such as the creation of an official results service like the one which exists in horse racing. This would result in a more uniform system of payouts. At the moment, bookmakers have complete freedom in how they decide to settle bets.

While those who are concerned point to how easy it would be for a player to affect something such as a yellow card or getting ejected from a game, bookmakers argue that betting is an international industry and restrictions would simply drive bettors into the arms of Internet companies like Bodog. Bookmakers also are quick to point out that controls are already in place, and that they stand to lose more in the event of a rigged bet than anyone else.

If you’re a sports bettor (or “punter,” as they are called in the UK), this is one to keep an eye on. Check back with Dare to Gamble often for more updates on the story.

In the meantime, take a gander at some of our other fine sports betting articles:

UFC 71 Full Results

Barry Bonds Homerun Record Chase

Will the UK Ban Unusual Sports Bets?

Babe of the Day - Keira Knightley

Today's Babe is the lovely Keira Knightley, star of the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. She's a little less stacked than many of our Babes, but there's no denying that she's as cute as a button.

Arggggghhhhhh, she shivers my timber! (That's my best pirate impression, by the way).

Babe of the Day - Keira Knightley

Fantasy Football News - Michael Vick and Much More!

With fantasy football season starting in a few months, we here at Dare to Gamble thought it might be a good time to start bringing you regular news from the NFL which could impact your fantasy season. Granted, things are still a little barren at the moment, but business is bound to pick up when training camp begins. Until then, we‘ll just have to make due.

FANTASY FOOTBALL NEWS

MARQUISE HILL DEAD AT 24

The body of 24-year-old New England Patriots player Marquise Hill was found one day after he was reported missing following a jet ski accident on Lake Pontchartrain. Hill played on LSU’s BCS championship team and was taken in the second round by the Pats in 2004. He had played in 13 NFL games but had yet to crack the starting line-up.

Coach Bill Belichick said, “We have suffered a stunning and tragic loss. Marquise will be remembered as a thoughtful and caring young man who established himself as one of the year-round daily fixtures of our team.”

While the defensive impact on the Pats is negligible, Hill was a very popular player with his teammates. This is the sort of incentive that could really push the team over the top. They already have Randy Moss; now they have a cause.

TYNES TRADED TO GIANTS

The New York Giants have acquired veteran kicker Lawrence Tynes from the Kansas City Chiefs for an undisclosed conditional draft pick. The Giants lost kicker Jay Feely in the offseason when he signed with the Miami Dolphins. In three seasons with the Chiefs, Tynes made 68 of 87 field goals, scoring more than 100 points each season.

At least the Chiefs seem capable of trading one of their players. Speaking of which…

THE TRENT GREEN SAGA CONTINUES

While the Dolphins continue to try and trade for veteran quarterback Trent Green, his agent is now reporting that the Chiefs will not take his calls. A Chiefs spokesman responded by saying that the Dolphins continue to be inflexible in offering only a supplemental sixth-round pick for the almost 37-year-old player.

If Green stays with the Chiefs, he will make $7.2 million this year. He started seeking a trade when coach Herm Edwards said that second-year quarterback Brodie Coyle would be given the opportunity to win the starting job.

With rumors persisting about Daunte Culpepper’s impending release, the Dolphins could use a veteran signal caller. Unfortunately, the Chiefs (specifically GM Carl Peterson) seem to think that they can get a fourth-rounder for a player that they will ultimately be forced to trade anyway.

Carl Peterson, you’re an idiot. Trade the man or release him - it’s that simple. Putting his career in limbo just makes you look like an asshole. And speaking of assholes….

VICK IS LABELED DOGFIGHTING “HEAVYWEIGHT”

According to a police informant deemed “extremely reliable” by investigators, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick aka “Ron Mexico” is one of the heavyweights of the dog fighting world, due to his habit of sometimes betting as much as 30 or 40 thousand dollars on the outcome of a match. The informant also placed Vick at a dogfight in 2000, when one of his dogs defeated one owned by Vick.

All of this stems from a police raid on a Virginia residence owned by Vick. 66 dogs were seized (55 of them pit bulls), as well as equipment associated with dog fighting. Fighting dogs, by the way, is a felony in the state of Virginia.

Vick’s defense is that he let his cousin live at the house and had no idea what was going on there.

While Vick might be slick enough to avoid prosecution, he may not be able to avoid the wrath of new NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Dedicated to making sure that the league doesn’t become a laughing stock like MLB, Goodell has already suspended Adam “Pac-Man” Jones for the entire season, even though he has not been convicted of a crime.

With possible suspension time looming and a new coach in Bobby Petrino, expect this to be Vick’s last year in Atlanta. If you take him as your #1 fantasy quarterback, then you’re a braver man than I am.

CHAMBERS MOVES FROM Z TO X

Dolphins’ receiver Chris Chambers will be moving from the Z to X position in an effort to create mismatches. Chambers has been quoted as calling his new role in the offense as “freedom,” and he has set a personal goal in 2007 of 80 catches and 10 touchdowns. Of course, who the hell will be throwing him the ball?

KEYSHAWN JOHNSON RETIRES

After 11 seasons in the NFL, receiver Keyshawn Johnson is calling it quits. The former number one pick in the 1996 draft was cut from the Panthers in the offseason. While he received interest from numerous teams, he instead decided to accept a multi-year contract to join ESPN as a broadcaster.

He ranks 15th in career receptions with 814 catches. He ranks 44th in touchdown receptions (64) and 23rd in receiving yards (10,571).

You can also read some more NFL articles by clicking on the links below:

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC West

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the NFC South

Fantasy Football News - Michael Vick and Much More!

David Hasselhoff to Rehab? - Bodog has Odds

Maybe you know him as “The Hoff.” Or perhaps you know him better as television’s Michael Knight or Mitch Buchannon. Hell, maybe you know him as the voice behind the smash UK hit “Jump in My Car.”

Any way you cut it, his name is Hasselhoff…..David Hasselhoff.

But while he’s been entertaining audiences for over 3 decades, Mr. Hasselhoff has also been battling his demons in the form of alcohol.

He first attended rehab in 2002, but he was later arrested in 2004 on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence. In 2006, he was also allegedly thrown out of a Wimbledon, London court-bar for being drunk and rioting. “The Hoff” denied this, saying, “I don’t drink anymore.”

Then in July of 2006, tabloids reported that the handsome crooner was publicly drunk at Heathrow Airport and was not allowed to board his British Airways flight. Hasselhoff’s agent denied this, saying that antibiotics had made the actor sick and he chose not to board the plane.

Then in May of this year, a video surfaced that was kind of hard to deny or ignore. Receiving loads of play on YouTube, the video (which you can view here) shows a drunk-as-hell Hasselhoff lying on his hotel room floor trying to eat a hamburger. As his daughter begs him to stop drinking, The Hoff mumbles, curses and drops parts of his burger all over the floor. While I like making fun of people as much as the next guy, even I found this video to be more than a little sad.

While I certainly hope he gets his life in order, I also noticed that Bodog was offering a prop bet on everyone’s favorite lifeguard and car whisperer. I just had to pass it along.

PROP BET FOR “THE HOFF”

Will David Hasselhoff check into rehab before the end of 2007?

The maximum bet is $50, ad he must check into a facility for more than 1 day for the “Yes” selection to be deemed a winner. The current odds are:

YES EVEN

NO -140

For more celebrity prop bets, take a look at the following:

Rosie O’Donnell vs. Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Paris Hilton Prop Bets

David Hasselhoff to Rehab? - Bodog has Odds

Poker News - Texas Holdem Comes to France

A recent French holdem decree clears the way for Texas Hold 'Em tournaments in French casinos.

THE FRENCH POKER SCENE

Casino poker was legalized in France with a December 2006 law. Since that time, French casino operators have been confused about how far the law reaches. Both the World Poker Tour and the European Poker Tour scheduled events at famous French casinos, only to see those events cancelled when the lawyers couldn't say for certain whether hosting tournaments would be legal.
Now the way is clear for televised poker in France. At least 200 French casinos will be allowed to host poker cash games.

This ruling was made on May 17, after months of negotiations between the French authorities and gambling interests. Some of these interests are unwilling at the moment to state their plans for this new era of French gambling, saying they want to study the new laws.

POKER ROOMS

Among the casino groups included on this list are the Barriere, Tranchant and Moliflor casino empires. Each of these group owns 15 to 30 casinos.

The Partouche Group, which owns 50 French casinos, are moving ahead with plans to install poker rooms in all their casinso. A spokesman said Partouche wants 50 poker rooms in 50 casinos.

TEXAS HOLDEM IN FRANCE

Texas Holdem had been played at a few select casinos throughout France during 2006. This was after the passage of the Protocol for Responsible Gaming, which allowed poker for certain struggling casinos. A second motive of this program was to study how casino poker games would operate in French casinos.

Before this newest poker initiative, poker was only available in French "gaming circles". Gaming circles were poker games between individuals, in private rooms which were labaled "commercial games". Casinos could not take their part of the action. These gaming circles were found mainly in the larger casinos mainly in Paris, but in a few of the other cities, as well.

The gaming circles already seem like a distant memory in France. Once again, legalized gambling seems to be expanding everywhere in the world except the United States.

GAMBLING NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Online Gambling in Poland
Gambling Raids in Sweden
Poker is a Sport in Russian Federation

Poker News - Texas Holdem Comes to France

Online Casino WTO Ruling Fallout

Officials from Antigua and Barbuda are calling on other members of the WTO to join them in filing for compensation from the United States. This follows a refusal on the part of U.S. officials to address a recent WTO court ruling on the subject of online gambling which went against the United States.



THE HISTORY OF THE CASE

In 2005, Antigua & Barbuda filed a court case against the United States. This case stated that the U.S. was engaging in unfair trading practices, because it banned offshore online casinos from taking U.S. players.

A World Trade Organization treaty signed in the late 1990's called on all signatories to allow free trade of services, if they allow domestic companies to provide the same services. This treaty, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) was signed by virtually all of the 170 nations in the World Trade Organization.

According to GATS, because the United States allows their citizens to bet online for horse racing and lotteries, the U.S. cannot bar foreign companies from taking online gamblers.

Antigua won the 2005 case involving the GATS provision covering WTO internet gambling.

THE U.S. IGNORES THE WTO

For the next two years, the U.S. dismissed this ruling. In the meantime, the U.S. Congress passed the Safe Port Act. On the tail end of this act was the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which allowed prosecution of online money processors from processing transactions between American players and offshore online casinos.

The U.S. appealed the 2005 WTO decision, claiming the new law had put the United States in compliance with the ruling. In March 2007, the WTO court ruled once again against the U.S. The World Trade Organization court stated that the internet gambling ban enforced by the UIGEA not only didn't address the ruling, but actually made the U.S. stance on gambling more ambiguous.

GEORGE BUSH TAKES HIS TOYS AND GOES HOME

The U.S. had nearly two months to appeal this latest decision, but refused to do so. The Bush administration now wants to withdraw from the WTO ruling, claiming it had no idea that online gambling fell under the treaty definition of "entertainment".

This ignores the fact that member nations had the opportunity to make separate exceptions for gambling, and that various nations made certain exceptions. The U.S. can hardly claim this issue was not addressed at the time.

And here we thought the Bush administration were firm believers in free trade. It appears the Bush administration is interested in nothing but its narrow ideology, which only includes free trade when it helps Republican campaign donors.

THE FALLOUT

Meanwhile, the U.S. refusal to appeal the March 2007 court decision automatically brings the case to the "resolution phase". This means that any WTO nation can join the Antigua and Barbuda case, demanding compensation done to companies in their nation.

The European Union and Brazil have expressed outrage at the U.S. stance on this case. Officials of these nations see President Bush's contempt for the WTO court as damaging to the U.S. government's credibility. If the U.S. ignores the WTO rulings it finds inconveniant, it loses the moral high ground when other nations ignore later WTO rulings.

With 170 members of the World Trade Organization, you can expect other nations to join in the damages phase of this case.

ARTICLES ON THIS STORY

U.S. Ignores Court Ruling
Antigua Gaming Dispute Continues
U.S. Loses Online Gambling Case

Online Casino WTO Ruling Fallout

Happy Memorial Day from Dare to Gamble

It’s almost over, but I still wanted to take a moment and wish all our American readers a safe and pleasant Memorial Day. What’s Memorial Day? It’s a national U.S. holiday for honoring those who have died in military engagements at home and abroad. Veteran’s Day (celebrated on November 11th), on the other hand, is traditionally for honoring all veterans, living or dead, of various wars and conflicts.

And just in case you’re interested, here are some neat facts that you might not know about.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MEMORIAL DAY

1. First used to honor Union soldiers who died in the American Civil War, Memorial Day was first observed in 1865 by liberated slaves at the historic racetrack in Charleston, South Carolina. This was the site of a former Confederate prison camp and mass grave for dead Union soldiers.

2. One of the longest traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.

3. Memorial Day officially fell on May 30th, but it was moved to the last Monday in May due to the Uniform Holidays Bill in 1968. This made Memorial Day, along with Veteran’s Day, Columbus Day and President’s Day, into three-day weekends.

This practice has been opposed by groups such as Veterans of Foreign Wars and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. They advocate a return to the traditional date, citing the creation of a three-day weekend as simply undermining the meaning of the day.

And just to hammer home the importance of the day, take a look at the American death tolls for various conflicts since the Civil War.

AMERICAN CASUALTIES IN MILITARY ACTION

American Civil War - 620,000

Spanish-American War - 3,289

World War One - 117,465

World War Two - 418,500

Korean War - 54,589

Vietnam War - 58,209

Persian Gulf War - 378

Iraq War - 3,422 (and climbing)

So as you eat a hot dog and drink a cold beer today, be sure and pause for a minute or two and remember all those brave men and women who died in combat. After making the ultimate sacrifice, surely they’ve earned at least a moment of our time.

Happy Memorial Day from Dare to Gamble

Babe of the Day - Janine Lindemulder

Today's Babe is none other than porn legend Janine Lindemulder, also known by many as simply Janine. You might recognize her from such fine films as Hidden Obsessions, Pirates, or Janine Loves Jenna. And if porn's not your thing, you might also remember her as the sexy nurse on the cover of Blink-182's album Enema of the State. She may not be able to hit like Barry Bonds, but who cares? I'd put her on my team any day of the week.

Babe of the Day - Janine Lindemulder

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Full Results!

14,728 MMA fans were on hand at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to witness UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson, and millions more were no doubt watching on pay-per-view or getting updates from the Internet. The main event saw “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell trying to avenge an earlier loss against former PRIDE fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. This also marked the first time that a UFC event received massive exposure from the mainstream media.

So did it live up to all the hype? Let’s find out. By the way, I’ve placed the odds according to Bodog next to each fighter‘s name, just so you can get an idea of whether the underdog or favorite came out on top.

UFC 71 RESULTS

Wilson Gouveia (-280) vs. Carmello Marrero (+220) - Gouveia opened up with leg kicks right from the beginning, and it wasn’t long before Marrero was reeling from the effects. One final kick sent him to the canvas, and then Gouveia followed up the assault with punches and a guillotine choke. Gouveia was declared the winner at 3:06 of the opening round.

Jeremy Stephens (+260) vs. Din Thomas (-330) - Thomas took the first round, although Stephens made a comeback at the end. In the second round, Stephens ended up on top, but Thomas locked in an armbar. Stephens tried to counter with a power bomb, but Thomas held on and got the submission victory at 2:44 of the 2nd. Thomas then proceeded to issue an open challenge to any pro boxer who might want to take on a MMA fighter.

“The Talent” Alan Belcher (+115) vs. Sean Salmon (-145) - Early in the fight, Belcher locked in a guillotine choke from the clinch and then jumped up and wrapped his legs around Salmon’s waist. Salmon slammed his opponent down, but this only succeeded in locking in the hold even more. Salmon was forced to tap at 53 seconds of the 1st round.

Thiago Silva (-230) vs. James “The Sandman” Irvin (+190) - Brazil’s Chute Boxe academy returned to the Octagon for the first time in years in the form of Silva. As the two men grappled for position, Irvin’s right knee gave way, and he collapsed to the mat in intense pain. Silva picked up the 1st round victory at 1:06 due to referee stoppage, and Irvin was later diagnosed as having suffered a torn ACL. The crowd was not happy.

Chris “The Crippler” Leben (-225) vs. Kalib Starnes (+185) - In this bout, two Ultimate Fighter veterans squared off, and the crowd awarded them with a standing ovation after three rounds of back and forth action. Starnes picked up the unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28), and he was definitely the fan favorite.

“The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (-500) vs. Houston “The Assassin” Alexander (+350) - Within seconds, Alexander had Jardine in trouble with punches and knees, backing him into the ropes and finally dropping him with an uppercut. As his mouthpiece fell out, referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight at 48 seconds and awarded the win (and the upset) to the 35-year-old Alexander.

Ivan Salaverry (-170) vs. Terry Martin (+140) - Martin slammed Salaverry to the mat and rained down punches until referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight. It was over at 2:04 of the 1st. Salaverry has noticeable swelling after the fight and a brace around his left shoulder. Martin, meanwhile, got on the microphone and called out Middleweight champ Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

Karo “The Heat” Parisyan (-270) vs. Josh Burkman (+210) - In a competitive Welterweight match, Karo Parisyan outpointed Josh Burkman to take a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). Parisyan was in better shape, and it certainly showed in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. While Burkman mainly went for knockout punches, Parisyan worked in throws, right hand leads, and some nice takedown defense. After the fight, Parisyan asked for a title shot, citing the decisive victory which he holds over current Welterweight champ Matt “The Terror” Serra. He then sang a song and got booed by the crowd.

“The Iceman” Chuck Liddell (-170) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (+140) - The Light Heavyweight title is on the line. Huge reaction for Liddell and lots of boos for Rampage. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson, the current PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight champion, is sitting at ringside. It’s likely that the winner of this match will face him next.

As the bout started, Liddell stayed on the outside. Jackson cut off the Octagon with his footwork and urged Chuck to come in and fight. Liddell went for a hook to the midsection, and Jackson caught him on the jaw with an overhand right. Liddell went down and Jackson followed up with a barrage of punches to the fallen champ. By the third punch on the ground, referee John McCarthy jumped in and called the fight at 1:53 of the 1st round. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champion!

For more on UFC 71, take a look at the following:

UFC 71 Odds and MMA News

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Full Results!

Babe of the Day - Victoria Silvstedt

Today's Babe is Victoria Silvstedt, a Swedish fashion model and actress. She appeared as the centerfold in the December 1996 edition of Playboy and then went on to become Playmate of the Year for 2007. Since then, she's been featured in calendars, books, and literally every men's magazine under the sun. Guess that means that there's some justice left in the world after all.

Babe of the Day - Victoria Silvstedt

Babe of the Day - Elisabeth Hasselbeck

I wish I could have found a more revealing picture of The View co-host and Rosie O'Donnell nemesis, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, but what do you expect from a conservative Christian? Still, she's so fine that it almost makes me want to convert.

Babe of the Day - Elisabeth Hasselbeck

UFC 71 Odds and Other MMA News

On the eve of UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson, it’s time for some news and notes from the world of MMA.

MMA IS NOW IN THE MAINSTREAM

UFC 71 marks the first time that sports juggernaut ESPN will really give prolonged coverage to a MMA event. The good news it that it should continue for every event which comes afterwards. In fact, ESPN has just added a long-overdue MMA section to their website.

Way to go, ESPN. It only took you about five years longer than it should have.

LESNAR NEEDS NEW OPPONENT

The California State Athletic Commission has denied “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi a license to compete due to undisclosed medical reasons. The 7-foot-2, 350 pound giant was scheduled to take on the debuting Brock Lesnar at K-1’s Dynamite!! USA show on June 2nd.

An appeal has been made, but that is unlikely to change the outcome. Promoters are working hard to find a replacement for Choi, and Tank Abbot’s name has been thrown around quite a bit. While Lesnar may shy away from a replacement with too much MMA experience, the perpetually punch drunk Abbot would no doubt make for a perfect punching dummy.

SO DOES GRACIE?

Even with the Lesnar match presenting difficulty, the promoters of the K-1 event can still rely on the other main event of Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie, right? Wrong. Sakuraba has yet to pass his physical, and because of the holiday weekend will not be able to take any other tests until Tuesday or Wednesday. They’re cutting it pretty close, and the clock keeps right on ticking. This is turning out to be a very bad month for K-1.

MORE UFC 71 ODDS FROM BODOG

While Bodog odds for Quinton Jackson vs. Chuck Liddell and Karo Parisyan vs. Josh Burkman have been covered in another article (see bottom for the link), the online sportsbook is now offering odds for the rest of the card. They are:

Carmelo Marrero +220

VS.

Wilson Gouveia -280

Jeremy Stephens +260

VS.

Din Thomas -330

Sean Salmon -145

VS.

Alan Belcher +115

Thiago Silva -230

VS.

James Irvin +190

Kalib Starnes +185

VS.

Chris Leben -225

Houston Alexander +350

VS.

Keith Jardine -500

Terry Martin +140

VS.

Ivan Salaverry -170

By the way, here are the latest Bodog odds for the two main bouts:

Karo Parisyan -270

VS.

Josh Burkman +210

Chuck Liddell -170

VS.

Quinton Jackson +140

For more on the world of MMA, read the following:

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson

K-1 Dynamite!! USA

UFC 71 Odds and Other MMA News

Gambling News - The Best of Dare To Gamble

This is the week-in-review segment here at Dare to Gamble. We cover a lot of ground on this blog, so I like to sum up what I've been up to regularly.

GAMBLING NEWS

There was a lot of news from the gambling news this week. I wish I could say it was all good news, but I'd be lying.

The U.S. case against Gary Kaplan took a turn for the worse this week, as the directors of BetonSports decided to plead guilty in exchange for immunity. They will now sell out Kaplan and BetOn CEO, David Carruthers. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys office was able to keep a straight face while referring to BETon as a "criminal empire".

The Bush administration's "War on Gambling" continues.

In a related story, the Bushies seized millions of dollars in assets of Citadel Commerce. These are the fiends who were brazen enough to handle money transactions between online casinos and American gamblers. Had the Department of Justice not moved against Citadel, our republic certainly would have fallen.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration declined to appeal their loss in the online gambling case brought against them by the island nation of Antigua. Twice in the last three years, the U.S. has lost online gambling cases in the World Trade Organization court. Yet the Bush administration assumes it can ignore WTO rulings.

SARCASM WARNING

Who can blame our current administration, really? Ignoring developments on the international has worked for the administration several times already. Sort of like its strategy to ignore Iran and North Korea these last few years. Or their decision to ignore evidence that said there were no WMDs in Iraq.

As it is, the Antigua court case is reaching its "resolution phase". This means that other nations can join Antigua's grievance and make claims against the U.S. force unfair trade practices. The EU and Brazil have voiced their displeasure at U.S. anti-gambling policy, so it's possible that several of the larger European and South American nations could jump on the WTO pro-gambling bandwagon.

This story might get interesting.

POKER PLAYERS ALLIANCE

In another attempt to throw back the Republican wave of anti-gambling law enforcement, the Poker Players Alliance continues with its membership drive. The PPA needs a large constituency, so when it goes to members of the U.S. Congress, those congressmen will know there are votes on the line. The PPA membership has now eclipsed 500,000 active members, which is good news for all the American gamblers out there.

WORLD SERIES OF POKER

As it is, the gambling public continues to pursue its hobby, despite interference by the Feds into our private lives. World Series of Poker circuit events have started up, with a recent result out of New Orleans.

For those who can't get enough of World Series of Poker news, we tried to help out by posting a series of news notes about the WSOP. Check out the links at the bottom of that blog entry, because you can see the 2007 WSOP rules, payouts and television schedule.

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

In one of the stranger twists in organized competitive "sports" history, we introduced you to the Rock Paper Scissors tour. The competitions, generally known as Rochambeau or Roshambo, pits competitors in the classic childrens game of rock-paper-scissors. Yes, that rock-paper-scissors.

Like in years past, there will be a Rochambeau tournament at the World Series of Poker this year. Hosted by Phil Gordon, it will be called the World Series of Roshambo. Annie Duke won the competition last year.

BODOG RESULTS

This week, we posted lot of results for the Bodog television bets. The network schedules ended this week, so there was a lot to report.

American Idol and Dancing With the Stars ended their 6th and 4th seasons, respectively. Congratulations to Jordin Sparks and Apolo Anton Ohno.

Meanwhile, the Heroes season finale came, so we were able to look back at the

In the world of soccer, we reported on the Manchester United and Chelsea showdown for the FA Cup. Dare To Gamble also covered the before and after of the Champions Cup Final between Liverpool and AC Milan. Milan won the match 2-1, showing that cheaters don't always lose.

UFC 71

We also wrote a preview of UFC 71. Five years ago, the UFC loaned Chuck Liddell to Pride Fighting for a tournament. In the final of that tournament, Chuck had the living hell beat out of him by Quentin "Rampage" Jackson.

Now that Ultimate Fighting Championship has bought Pride, the UFC has matched Liddell vs. the only loss he's never avenged. Read our report on this coming reckoning.

Gambling News - The Best of Dare To Gamble

BETonSPORTS Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

Here’s a new update in the U.S. government’s war on Internet gambling. BETonSPORTS has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in a St. Louis federal court and agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in their case against the company’s founder, Gary Kaplan, CEO David Carruthers, and a number of other co-defendants.

According to U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, “This plea, combined with the terms of the civil injunction should put an end to the BETonSPORTS illegal gambling empire.”

Thank God. I’ll certainly rest a little easier at night knowing that this “empire” has been brought to their knees. I’m just glad they got to them before they finished construction on the Death Star.

The corporate officers made the decision to sacrifice Kaplan and Carruthers in order to save their own skin and avoid charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud. Ironically, these individuals were recruited by Carruthers. Looks like the old saying about “no honor among thieves” is proving to be true.

The 24-page plea agreement is between BETonSPORTS and the Eastern District of Missouri. According to the document, the agreement protects the directors of the company from prosecution by this district, but it does not allow the company itself or the directors to escape further indictments from other federal districts or individual state prosecutors.

In other words, BETonSPORTS is the online equivalent of the Titanic, and the U.S. government is a giant Republican iceberg. Given that comparison, I think we can all guess at how the story is going to end.

For more articles on current legal battles involving online gambling, you may want to read the following:

Gary Kaplan is Arrested

Legal Updates from the World of Gambling

BETonSPORTS Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges

Rosie O'Donnell vs. Elisabeth Hasselbeck - Bodog Odds

Rosie O’Donnell is back in the news (big surprise) after a