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 heated argument on Wednesday with The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

The segment started out with a discussion of President Bush’s various failings, and then it turned to the war in Iraq. Hasselbeck gave her opinions, and then Rosie responded. Within a short span of time, all hell was breaking loose, and the “discussion” was shows without commercial breaks and on a split screen.

O’Donnell criticized Hasselbeck for not standing up for her when the media had suggested that she had called U.S. troops “terrorists” during a previous debate.

“You said nothing, and that’s cowardly,” said O’Donnell.

That didn’t sit well at all with the sexy conservative, and she fired back with, “They’re your thoughts! Defend your own insinuations!”

Rosie will be leaving the show next month, and she claimed that she will fight no more forever. “So for three weeks, you can say all the Republican crap you want,” she told Hasselbeck.

Sadly, the whole affair didn’t end with a brawl. While Hasselbeck is the easily the finest woman on the show, she would have been no match for the much larger (and more manly) O’Donnell. Still, she might have ended up having her clothes pulled off, and that would have been a sight worth seeing (Hasselbeck, not O’Donnell).

THE DONALD GIVES HIS OPINION

Even Donald Trump had something to say about the incident. Of course, it my have been prompted by the fact that Hasselbeck called him “obnoxious” at a point in the argument. Said Trump, “I’ve always said Rosie is very self-destructive. As far as Elisabeth Hasslebeck, I’ve always said that she’s probably the dumbest person on television, but when she called me obnoxious, she was probably right.”

O’DONNELL VS. HASSELBECK - BODOG HAS THE ODDS

Luckily for us gambling addicts out there, Bodog is offering odds on the war of words between Rosie, Elisabeth and Donald Trump. The maximum bet on all of these is $50.

Will Rosie O’Donnell or Elisabeth Hasselbeck leave during an episode of The View and not return?

Yes +200

No -300

Will Donald Trump publicly insult Rosie O’Donnell by June 15th?

Yes -140

No EVEN

How many episodes will Rosie O’Donnell not appear on during her final 3 weeks as co-host of The View?

0 2/1

1-2 3/2

3-5 3/1

6-10 4/1

11-15 5/1

I almost hate to see Rosie leave, as she constantly seems to generate bets from Bodog. Here’s hoping that she remains as controversial as ever on her next project (maybe Stakeout 3 or Exit to Eden 2.

For more articles on celebrity bets, see the following:

Will Michael Moore Get Arrested?

Paris Hilton Prop Bets

Rosie O'Donnell vs. Elisabeth Hasselbeck - Bodog Odds

Babe of the Day - Maya Sakura

Our Babe for Friday is Maya Sakura, a hot little number who also happens to have posed for Playboy. The pic leaves little to the imagination, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Babe of the Day - Maya Sakura

Wild Card Poker - Bodog Teams With ION Television

Bodog and ION Television have already collaborated on the exciting and fast-paced Bodog Fight, and now they are on the verge of unleashing their latest creation, Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker.

The theme of the show is simple. Poker pros, celebrities, and average people will compete against one another in grueling games of Texas Hold'em. There's even a mysterious "wild card" competitor thrown in for good measure.

Starting Monday, May 28th, the show will air daily on ION Television at 10pm EST. The show will run until June 2nd, when a three hour marathon will finish things off. With ION reaching over 90 million homes, it's certain that this show will push the poker craze to even greater heights.

Hosted by billionaire playboy (and founder of Bodog), Calvin Ayre, the show is jam-packed with familiar faces. Some of the celebrities who will participate include:

"The Iceman" Chuck Liddell (UFC champion)

Jennifer Tilly (actress and poker pro)

Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie)

Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

"Boston" Rob Mariano (Survivor, Amazing Race)

Phil "The Unabomber" Laak (poker pro)

Evelyn Ng (poker pro)

Michael Mizrachi (poker pro)

Kelly Hu (Scorpion King, X-Men 2)

Humberto Brenes (poker pro)

Josh Malina (West Wing)

David Williams (poker pro)

Josh Arieh (poker pro)

Willie Garson (Sex in the City)

Jean Gluck (poker pro)

Willa Ford (musician and model)

Erick Lindgren (poker pro)

Mitch Allen (SR-71)

Lily Mizrachi (poker pro)

Michele Merkin (Foody Call)

Also keep in mind that Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker II is still in the works. In fact, they're currently looking for the next reality television star. The show will feature 12 contestants who will compete in both poker and lifestyle related challenges, with the winner walking away with a record-breaking $2 million.

Contestants will be selected online from audition videos or photos. The deadline to enter is Sunday, June 3rd, and you can find all the info at Calvin Ayre's Wild Card Poker site. Who knows? Maybe we'll be seeing you on television in the near future.

For more poker articles, do yourself a freakin' favor and check out the following:

Rent a Poker Player

Florida to Raise Betting Limits on Poker

Wild Card Poker - Bodog Teams With ION Television

World Series of Poker Circuit Results

The World Series of Poker circuit is beginning to heat up. The WSOP circuit events started earlier this month. The latest event took place in the birthplace of poker, New Orleans. Lou Esposito of New York won the New Orleans competition.

The storyline up until the final day was all about Phil Gordon. He was the only big name professional at the final table.

It appeared on the first day that Phil wouldn't make it in the money. He was done to $500 in chips when he hit running 2's on the Turn and the River to escape elimination. By the final table, Gordon had over a million in chips.

Unfortunately, he drew a K-K against Mr. Esposito's A-A. That hand took about half of Phil's stack and put Esposito in the lead for good. Though Phil Gordon worked his chip stack up near a million a second time, his luck escaped him and he went out in 4th place.

LOU ESPOSITO

Esposito picked off his remaining two opponents to pick up over half a million dollars in prize money. He also won an all-expense paid trip to the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Esposito is a man used to success. He is an entreprenuer with a successful pizza restaurant, cell phone business and a small vending machine network. He has played in over 40 professional poker tournaments.

PHIL GORDON

Phil Gordon is a long time professional, who came to national prominence as the co-host of the Celebrity Poker Showdown for the first seven seasons on Bravo Channel. His position in the eighth season will be taken over by Phil Hellmuth Jr.

Here are the results of the final table at the Harrah's New Orleans World Series of Poker Circuit Event.

1. $516,801 - Lou Esposito
2. $266,736 - Clint Schafer
3. $133,368 - David Fox
4. $116,697 - Phil Gordon
5. $100,026 - Anthony Longoria
6. $83,355 - J.D. Estilette
7. $66,684 - David McLeroy
8. $50,013 - Bobby “Wiz” Wisiak
9. $33,342 - Scott Mitchell

OTHER WSOP STORIES

World Series of Poker Rules
World Series of Poker Payouts
World Series of Poker Schedule
World Series of Poker Bets

World Series of Poker Circuit Results

Layla Kayleigh Joins the World Poker Tour

Cardplayer Online reports that the World Poker Tour has its fourth hostess in its six-year run. The new face of WPT is Layla Kayleigh.

Personally, I like the fact that we get a new model on the set of the World Poker Tour every year. It keeps things fresh. As long as the woman is just as hot or hotter than her predecessor, I don't mind.

Ms. Kayleigh has a resume as a model and television correspondent. She has profile, in the common parlance. Layla has appeared on The Best Damned Sports Show Period and on Punk'd. She has made numerous appearances on the G4 network. My favorite, Layla Kayleigh has done a photo shoot for Maxim Magazine.

This is becoming quite a gig for young hotties.

Shana Hiatt was the hostess of World Poker Tour in its first three seasons. Since that time, it has been one-and-done for these spokesmodels.

Courtney Friel was the hostess for Season 4, while Sabina Gadecki joined for Season 5.

Somehow, I get the idea I'll be writing an intro for some new babe next year at this time. Enjoy Layla Kayleigh while you still can.

BABES OF THE DAY FILES

Brooke Burns
Aria Giovanni
Lindsay Lohan

Layla Kayleigh Joins the World Poker Tour

American Idol and Dancing With The Stars

Two of the biggest talent contests have just finished another season and here are the results.

American Idol

The votes are in...over 74 million Americans voted...and the winner...will be announced after this commercial.

Actually, the winner is Jordin Sparks. No surprise here, really. Jordin had been a co-favorite with Melinda Doolittle until last week. After Doolittle was voted off in the Round of 3, it was all but a certainty that Jordin Sparks would win the contest.

I would have preferred to see Blake Lewis win American Idol. He at least has his own sound, his own vibe. It would have been cool to see someone a little different than just a pop act win the contest.

It hardly matters in the end. Look at last year. Taylor Hicks won, but I think three or four of the other contestants had better record sales this year. Chris Daughtry, Eliot Yamin, Katherine McPhee and even Bucky have had more sales. Take that, Taylor Hicks!

Jordin's Bodog odds were originally 5 to 2. Blake's were 4 to 1. Once again, Bodog had the top three nailed. Guess America is a little more predictable than you would imagine. The voting public never strays too far from the path.

Dancing With the Stars

The votes are in and Apolo Anton Ohno is the new champion of Dancing With the Stars. Ohno was known for his determination. As an Olympic level athlete who still competes at a high level in his sport, Apolo Anton might have had a certain advantage. Of course, I guess he was competing against man who made a living as singer/dancer and a woman who is a professional boxer.

Apollo Anton Ohno and his partner, Julianne Hough, had 5 to 2 odds to win the show.

The 2nd place finishers, Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson, had 11 to 10 odds. Third place went to Laila Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Their odds were 3 to 2.

All odds were according to Bodog, which pretty much nailed the favorites. They layed those numbers when most of the contestants were still in the competition.

Personally, I have to say I'm glad Fatone didn't win. The guy used a light saber during one tango. That should have disqualified him right there on the spot. As it was, his devoted fans have been violently against the decision. At least Laila Ali is used to sports where the judges can rob the contestants, having spent her whole life around boxing. So this is nothing new to her.

Still, I think it would have been cool if Apolo Ohno had dressed up like a hobbit for one routine. That would have shown Joey Fatone and his Jedi mind tricks. Or maybe Ohno could have dressed up like Neo from The Matrix. That would have been kickin' it.

THE ORIGINAL POSTS

Dancing With the Stars
American Idol
American Idol 6 Final

American Idol and Dancing With The Stars

Barry Bonds Homerun Record Chase - Bodog Odds

As another MLB season rolls along, Barry Bonds continues to inch closer and closer to Hank Aaron’s all-time homerun record of 755. At the moment, Bonds seems to have stalled out at 745, but that number could explode at any time. And keep in mind that he only needs 11 more to break the record. It will happen - right now it’s just a case of when.

And while you’re waiting on this major piece of sports history to unfold, why not wager a little money on the outcome? Our good buddies at Bodog are offering a ton of proposition bets on every kind of detail surrounding Bonds’ impending feat. Just take a look.

BARRY BONDS ODDS FROM BODOG

In which inning will Bonds break the HR record? ($100 max bet)

1st Inning 3/1

2nd Inning 7/2

3rd Inning 6/1

4th Inning 5/1

5th Inning 9/2

6th Inning 4/1

7th Inning 15/2

8th Inning 5/1

9th Inning 11/2

Extra Innings 15/2

What will the pitch count be when Bonds breaks the HR record? ($100 max bet)

0 Balls - 0 Strikes 7/1

0 Balls - 1 Strike 5/1

0 Ball - 2 Strikes 11/2

1 Ball - 0 Strikes 7/2

1 Ball - 1 Strike 3/1

1 Ball - 2 Strikes 11/2

2 Balls - 0 Strikes 5/1

2 Balls - 1 Strike 7/2

2 Balls - 2 Strikes 11/2

3 Balls - 0 Strikes 10/1

3 Balls - 1 Strike 5/1

3 Balls -2 Strikes 6/1

Will Bonds break the HR record at Home or Away? ($100 max bet)

Home -160

Away +120

Will the pitcher be right or left handed when Bonds breaks the HR record? ($100 max bet)

Right Handed -170

Left Handed +130

Will Bonds’ 756th HR be to right, left, or center field? ($100 max bet)

Right Field -160

Center Field +115

Left Field +150

Will the pitcher’s jersey number be odd or even? ($100 max bet)

Odd -115

Even -115

What kind of HR will it be? ($100 max bet)

Solo HR -135

2 Run HR +200

3 Run HR +400

Grand Slam +600

On which day of the week will Barry Bonds break the HR record? ($100 max bet)

Monday 7/1

Tuesday 9/2

Wednesday 7/2

Thursday 5/1

Friday 4/

Saturday 9/2

Sunday 5/1

For more articles on sports odds, check out the following:

Liverpool and AC Milan in Champion’s League Final

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC South

Barry Bonds Homerun Record Chase - Bodog Odds

Babe of the Day - Brooke Burns

Today's Babe is Brooke Burns, star of such shows as Baywatch and North Shore. She was married to actor Julian McMahon and has also been engaged to Bruce Willis.

Babe of the Day - Brooke Burns

Rock Paper Scissors - It's Sweeping the Nation!

All of us have probably played Rock, Paper, Scissors at some point in our lives, but you might be surprised to know that this seemingly simple contest is also known by another name - Rochambeau (also spelled Roshambo). You might be even more surprised to learn that Rochambeau is growing in popularity, with numerous tournaments being held every year. (Yeah, I know that’s a scary thought. What’s next, the national Heads or Tails competition?)

For those of you who may have forgotten, RPS is a hand game played by two people. The players count to three (or say “Rock! Scissors! Paper!” or “Reaux! Sham! Beaux!”), each time raising their hand in a fist and lowering it on the count. On the third count, or on a further beat after the third count, the players change their fist into one of three gestures, which is then “thrown” by extending it towards their opponent. The three gestures are:

Rock - Represented by a closed fist.

Paper - Represented by an open hand.

Scissors - Represented by the middle and index fingers extended.

Of course, the goal is to select a gesture which will defeat that of the opposing player. The gestures break down as follows:

Rock smashes Scissors

Scissors cuts Paper

Paper covers Rock

If both players select the same gesture, then the game is played again until there is a clear winner. The game is often played in a best-of-three match.

Many serious players claim that women tend to start with Scissors, while men have a tendency to lead with a Rock. At the World RPS tournaments, Paper is the least common throw.

Speaking of the World Rock Paper Scissors Society, they have been holding world championships in Canada for over 5 years. The latest champ, Bob ‘The Rock’ Cooper, defeated 496 players to take the title. WRPS events are often noted for their large cash prizes and colorful contestants.

WORLD SERIES OF ROSHAMBO

With the World Series of Poker just around the corner, numerous poker players will also try their hand at RPS during their stay in Vegas. That’s because poker pro Phil Gordon hosts an annual event dubbed The World Series of Roshambo which coincides with the WSOP. It is the largest buy-in Roshambo event in the world, with an entry fee of $500. Last year, Annie Duke outlasted 64 fellow players and took home the grand prize of $10,000.

THE USA ROCK PAPER SCISSORS LEAGUE

The official Rock Paper Scissors League of the United States, the USARPS is even sponsored by Bud Light. In it’s first year, players competed in regional qualifying tournaments across the U.S., and the finalists were flown to Vegas to participate in a single-elimination tournament at the House of Blues. The 2006 winner, Dave ‘The Drill’ McGill, took home $50,000 for the win.

The 2007 USARPS Tournament took place this month at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. It was covered by RawVegas.tv and will also air on ESPN later this year. The 2007 champ is Jamie Langridge from Odessa, Texas, and he took home the Bud Light Trophy and $50,000 in cash.

While it no doubt seems a little goofy, it looks as though Roshambo is here to stay. A quick look at any leading search engine will reveal numerous sites devoted to game strategy and tournament information. Given its simplicity, this is truly a game where everyone has an equal chance to succeed.

Maybe I’ll see you at the RPS world championship!

Rock Paper Scissors - It's Sweeping the Nation!

Cockfighting Future Looking Bleak

Things are looking bleak for fans of cockfighting. First off, a raid last Saturday led to over 70 people being arrested in Van Buren, Arkansas and charged with gambling and animal cruelty (with an additional 50 warrants being served). This marks the biggest cockfighting bust in U.S. history. Of course, it should be noted that cockfighting is illegal in the state, so none of these people should be completely surprised by what happened.

In fact, Louisiana is the only remaining state where it’s still legal to engage in the sport of watching roosters stab each other to death. But if the Louisiana Senate has anything to say about it, that won’t be the case for long.

On Monday, they endorsed making wagering at cockfights a crime. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Art Lentini, passed by a 35-0 vote. There is also a measure in place which supporters hope will end legalized cockfighting in 2008. But until that time, anti-cockfighting supporters hope that taking away gambling will help cripple the activity that many view as backwards and savage.

Lentini mentioned that children as young as four were exposed to “the brutal fights among animals,” as well as gambling on the fights’ outcome. Big surprise - a politician citing the innocent little children to advance his own agenda. How original.

Under this new legislation, the penalty for a first offense would be up to a $500 fine and six months in jail. A second offense would incur a $1000 fine and land you in the slammer for up to a year. And operating a cockfighting facility might get you a fine of up to $20,000 and a whopping five years in jail.

Call me crazy, but that seems a bit harsh for fighting animals that would otherwise be raised to a point where they can be beheaded, plucked and then devoured. It‘s not exactly the same as dog fighting, despite what Clinton Portis might think.

The bill will now head to the House for debate.

Cockfighting Future Looking Bleak

Babe of the Day - Aria Giovanni

Today's Babe is well-known nude and fetish model, Aria Giovanni. She may be pickin', but I'm grinnin'.

Babe of the Day - Aria Giovanni

Boxing News - Jermain Taylor, Evander Holyfield and More!

There’s never a dull moment in boxing. From high-profile bouts to wacky controversies, it’s certainly a sport that generates all kinds of news items. That being said, I thought I would talk briefly about some of the recent events that have boxing fans logging on to blogs and forums by the thousands.

JERMAIN TAYLOR VS. CORY SPINKS

On Saturday, Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor put his WBC and WBO Middleweight titles on the line against Cory “Next Generation” Spinks in front of a less-than-sold-out crowd in Memphis, Tennessee. Unfortunately, this fight was dull enough to make a Mormon squirm (not to mention the crowd in attendance).

Spinks danced around like a more-cowardly version of Sugar Ray Leonard in route to a 12-round split decision which favored Taylor. Spinks, of course, referred to the loss as “highway robbery,” even though he helped to effectively kill any momentum which the De La Hoya/Mayweather fight may have given the sport.

Don King’s presence also guaranteed some funny business on the scorecards, a fact which Taylor’s trainer Emanuel Steward seemed more than aware of between rounds. While two judges scored the bout 115-113 and 117-111 for Taylor, judge Dick “I’m Don King’s Bitch” Flaherty actually had the gall to score the bout 117-111 for Spinks.

If you really listen, you can almost hear the sport’s pulse get closer and closer to flatlining.

KELLY PAVLIK VS. EDISON MIRANDA

At least the fans who paid to see Taylor/Spinks got their money’s worth during the undercard when Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik (#1 contender) took on Edison “Pantera” Miranda (#2 contender) in a furious slugfest.

Pavlik was the clear underdog going into the match, despite his perfect record and higher ranking. Being a bald white boy from Ohio may not have helped him either. Miranda, on the other hand, grew up alone on the tough streets of Colombia and came into the ring a physical specimen. Most expected a tough night for Pavlik. They couldn’t have been more wrong.

From the opening bell, the two traded shots, and Pavlik proved to be the more accurate puncher. He constantly kept Miranda moving backwards, and finally managed to drop him twice in the 6th round. Miranda looked out on his feet, but he answered the count and referee Steve Smoger allowed the action to continue.

But in the 7th round, it was more of the same, and Miranda soon found himself tasting canvas again. The ref mercifully stopped the bout at 1:54 of the 7th, improving Pavlik’s record to a perfect 31-0 (28 KO’s) and possibly setting up a match with Jermain Taylor.

WAS GEORGE FOREMAN DRUGGED?

A lot of shady storied surround Muhammad Ali fights, and here’s the latest. In his recent book, “God in My Corner,” former champ George Foreman stated that he may have been drugged just prior to his October 30th, 1974 title fight against Ali in Zaire.

Foreman was a heavy favorite to beat Ali, but Ali employed the now-famous “rope-a-dope” strategy of leaning against the ropes and deflecting or absorbing Foreman’s brutal body shots. As the champ tired in the heat of Africa, Ali turned up the pressure and knocked him out in the 8th round.

But before the fight, Foreman says that his trainer gave him something to drink that tasted like medicine.

"I almost spit it out ... [I told my trainer] 'Man, I know this water has medicine in it,'" Foreman wrote. "I climbed into the ring with that medicinal taste still lingering in my mouth."

"After the third round, I was as tired as if I had fought 15 rounds. What's going on here? Did someone slip a drug in my water?"

Who knows what really happened? But add this controversy to the Sonny Liston rematch (among others), and you have to wonder if Ali was really as great a boxer as history makes him out to be.

PACQUIAO LOSES BID FOR CONGRESS

On Sunday, Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao conceded defeat in his effort to win a congressional seat in his native country. He was beaten by Darlene Custodio, who said that her countrymen weren’t ready for their country’s greatest sports icon to retire.

Pacquiao urged Custodio and other winning candidates to “make good on their promises to help the poor.”

“If that happens,” said Pac-Man, “I would be happy. It would be like a victory for me.”

THE MOST STUBBORN MAN ON THE PLANET

Despite his eroding skills and eroding brain capacity, Evander Holyfield just will not give up on his dream to retire as the Heavyweight champ. The 44-year-old fighter has announced that his next fight will be against the always beatable Lou Savarese (who didn’t even bother to attend the press conference).

Demonstrating that his brain is already mush, Holyfield graced reporters with this Yogi Berra-like wisdom: “Age ain’t nothing but a number.”

Holyfield has tons of money in the bank, yet he continues to risk permanent brain damage by fighting. There’s a reason why all his latest fights have been in Texas - it’s because most states will no longer give him a boxing license. This one is not going to have a happy ending.

For more boxing news, check out the following articles:

Diego Corrales Killed in Auto Accident

Results for De La Hoya vs. Mayweather

Boxing News - Jermain Taylor, Evander Holyfield and More!

Antigua Ruling By WTO Ignored by U.S.

In an act of contempt for the World Trade Organization and Antigua, the U.S. government declined to appeal a decision in a recent WTO online gambling ruling.

This means that Antigua can fast track the Remedy Phase of the ruling. It has been said that Antigua would be able to seek sanctions against the U.S. for its stance on international online gambling involving U.S. players. But the more immediate impact is that other nations can jump on the internet gambling bandwagon as it pertains to the United States.

When the second WTO ruling in favor of Antigua came down on March 30, 2007, the court issued what is called a compliance report. This basically sets down the legal parameters of the case and its remedies. Since the U.S. declined to ask for an appear, this means that all members of the WTO automatically accept the compliance report.

The U.S. will probably go on ignoring the WTO ruling. That doesn't mean that other nations will.

STAND IN LINE TO FILE YOUR COMPLAINT

This latest action on the part of the Bush administration received sharp criticism from several European Union nations and Brazil. As it stands, any of these nations could now press the same claims against the U.S. that Antigua has.

Under the Bush administration, the Justice Department has tried to limit the ability of foreign online casinos from serving U.S. players. The Bush administration took a liberal interpretation of the sixties era Wire Act. The DoJ claimed it had the right to keep online casinos operating out of countries like Antigua from taking U.S. players.

It even made several high profile arrests, such as the Dominican Republic arrest and extradition of BetonSports founder, Gary Kaplan.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration simply ignored the 2005 WTO ruling.

ANTIGUA'S GRIPE

The WTO said that, if the U.S. allows its citizens to bet on horse races online, it cannot discriminate against foreign companies offering similar services. To do is to engage in protectionist trade policies, which is what the WTO exists for. It seems the "free trading" Bush administration isn't so interested in free trade after all.

The U.S. appealed the 2005 ruling in March of '07, claiming that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed last fall had clarified the situation. The WTO court claimed it only made the U.S. position even more murky, and ruled against them again.

So the saga continues. It looks like other nations will join Antigua in claiming the U.S. is upholding unfair and illegal trade barriers, so this story might heat up soon.

Antigua Ruling By WTO Ignored by U.S.

Online Betting and Broadband Technology

Broadband gambling is here to stay.

With the new laws put forth by the American Congress last year, many pundits have suggested that American online gambling is on its way out. That just isn't the case. With new technological advancements, gambling is becoming easier and more accessible for Americans.

Read this article at eog.com news. It gives a clear picture of where we're headed.

In only a handful of years, people will be able to bet on virtually any sporting event in the world in a matter of seconds. People will be able to pull out their cellphone and make a wager from anywhere in the world.

PAY PER VIEW

Perhaps more amazing, people will be able to choose the programming they want with one touch tone, thus being able to watch the outcome of any game on which they wager.

I'm not talking about just the NFL and NBA and Major League Baseball. I'm talking about Australian Rules Football and the English Premeir League. I'm talking about cricket and snooker and horse racing. Well, actually, I guess horse racing is already like that in America. That's because gambling on horses is moral, while gambling on anything else is (apparently) immoral.

WHOLE NEW HORIZONS

But to my point, don't think your gambling options are shrinking.

In fact, we are on the edge of a gambling explosion. Not too long from now, internet hookups will be hundreds of times faster than they are presently. When that time comes, we'll be able to watch any show or sporting event in the world.

Pay-per-view will become for one channel or show, not for an entire package. And gambling will become more widespread than it has ever been before. So keep your hopes up and your head up.

Online Betting and Broadband Technology

American Idol Final - Season 6

The American Idol 6 Final is this week. It's plucky underdog Blake Lewis versus the talented teenage phenom, Jordin Sparks.

I read an article on eog.com breaking down the final pairing. It looks like just about everyone thinks Jordin is going to win.

I'm not so sure, myself. I figured Blake would get voted off a couple of weeks ago. The fact he is Jordin's only remaining competition makes her a huge favorite. Though I picked Jordin to win the competition weeks ago, I wouldn't be that surprised to see Blake win.

If I were going to be on Bodog, I certainly would take the Blake bet, just on the odds given.

YOU GIVE ROCK A BAD NAME

One of the interesting things in the article is that Jon Bon Jovi wasn't happy with Blake's beatboxing rendition of "You Give Love a Bad Name".

Really, though, what did Bon Jovi expect? The whole idea of a cover is that the person do something new with the song. Who wants to hear someone do a poor knockoff of the original? Some work and most don't, but I thought Blake's version was at least interesting.

My guess is, Bon Jovi didn't like that the judges said Blake made it "contemporary". By implication, that means Bon Jovi's version isn't contemporary anymore.

OTHER AMERICAN IDOL ARTICLES

Here's a couple of links to stories we've done on American Idol 6. Take a look back at the American Idol odds on Bodog.

For something more recent, read my break down of the final betting odds for American Idol final from a few days ago.

American Idol Final - Season 6

2007 World Cyber Games - Let Your Geek Flag Fly!

Sure, video games are considered “games of skill” and are therefore immune to the dreaded gambling tag. However, anyone who’s won a few bucks off their buddies in a heated session of Madden or Fight Night Round 3 knows that there’s some serious money to be made

And that’s never been more evident than at the World Cyber Games. The world’s largest international video game festival (over a million players from 70 different countries), it all culminates in October at the WCG 2007 Grand Final, where the alpha geeks of the world will gather to demonstrates their video game mojo.

In the meantime, the American leg of the competition kicks off with the WCG US Open on June 2-3 at the Samsung experience in New York City. America’s greatest couch potatoes will gather to compete at 10 of the hottest PC and Xbox 360 games on the market. These include:

- Gears of War (Xbox 360)

- Dead or Alive 4 (Xbox 360)

- Project Gotham Racing 3 (Xbox 360)

- Need for Speed Carbon (PC)

- FIFA Soccer 07 (PC)

- Age of Empires III: The War Chiefs (PC)

- Starcraft: Brood War (PC)

- WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne (PC)

- Half-Life: Counter-Strike (PC)

- Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (PC)

Players will be competing for automatic berths and top seeds in the WCG USA National Championship in September, as well as over $20,000 in cash and prizes. In addition, winners of certain games will receive a trip to Cancun, Mexico to compete in the WCG Pan-American Championships (which take place June 22nd - 24th).

You’ll also be happy to know that this year’s Grand Final in Seattle, Washington will be televised live, so there’s no reason why you can’t spoil your inner geek. In fact, last year’s event from Monza, Italy had more than 24 million viewers, making it the first-ever global satellite broadcast for an e-Sports event.

For more info on the WCG US Open, or to find out details on how to register for the tournament, visit the World Cyber Games official site.

And while you’re waiting for the tournaments to start, you might also want to check another video game related article about the upcoming Guitar Hero 3.

2007 World Cyber Games - Let Your Geek Flag Fly!

Lindsay Lohan - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is everyone's favorite red-headed tabloid cover girl, Lindsay Lohan. Her movies keep bombing, but Lindsay just keeps on partying (and maybe doing a little coke for good measure). At this rate, it should be less than a decade before we get to see if the carpet matches the drapes in the pages of Playboy. Now I have something to live for.

Lindsay Lohan - Babe of the Day

Heroes Season Finale and Bodog Odds Recap

The season-ending episode of the hit NBC series Heroes aired on Monday, May 21st, and fans watched the show’s finale with great anticipation. Would Sylar succeed in killing all the heroes? Would New York City be destroyed by a massive explosion? These questions and many more would be answered, and new mysteries would be introduced in preparation for Season 2.

Of course, Bodog bettors were watching with particular interest due to odds offered on several possible events in the show’s final 5 episodes. Some time back, we here at Dare to Gamble reported on 7 of these prop bets. So without further delay, let’s wade right in and see which wagers were winners and which were losers..

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD

1. The Final Fate of Mohinder Suresh - Bodog posed the question of whether or not everyone’s favorite genetics professor would die and not come back in the final 5 episodes. Judging by the odds (-140 for NO), most felt that he would survive.

Sure enough, he made it through the season intact. While he didn’t do much in the season finale, his intervention in “Landslide” saved the life of young Molly Parker. Even though he doesn’t have powers, this action (among many others throughout the season) proves him to be a true hero.

2. Family Reunion - Another option was whether or not the Texas cheerleader with regeneration powers, Claire Bennet, and her adoptive father, Noah Bennet, would be reunited in the final 5 episodes. At -220 for “yes,” it seemed that most felt the two would get back together.

If you followed the masses on this one, you would have been right. In the episode entitled “The Hard Part,” Claire spots Mr. Bennet as he walks toward the plaza with Ted Sprague and Matt Parkman. She wastes no time in rushing forward and giving him a hug. How touching.

3. Niki vs. Jessica - Part assassin and part Internet stripper, how can you not love Niki Sanders and her badass split personality, Jessica? Bodog certainly liked her enough to include her in the betting, asking customers to wager on whether or not Niki would overthrow Jessica and regain control of her body in the final 5 episodes.

At the time of our article, the odds were -180 for “yes” and +140 for “no.” Once again, the favored bet turned out to be the correct one. Not only does Niki get control of her body, but she also gets Jessica’s super-strength in the process and uses it in the season-ending confrontation with Sylar.

4. The Exploding Man - For several episodes, viewers have been aware that Peter Petrelli might very well explode and take a good section of New York City with him (all part of the evil Mr. Linderman’s plans to “save” the world).

Now wanting to miss out, Bodog asked bettors to try and predict if Peter would die and not return in the final 5 episodes . It certainly seems that most fans wanted a happy ending for the character, as the odds at one point stood at -160 for him not dying and +120 for Peter buying the farm. So what actually happened?

Well, Peter did explode, but he didn’t destroy New York in the process. His brother Nathan flew in at the last minute and carried him high into the sky. As to whether or not he died, that’s somewhat inconclusive, as Peter also has the ability to regenerate from massive amounts of damage (already coming back from the dead in previous episodes).

I strongly suspect that Bodog will rule that he did not die, although I could very well be wrong. It will be interesting to see what they decide on this somewhat vague outcome.

5 - 7 Sylar and Hiro - The last several bets are all tied together. Bodog posed the following questions:

Will Sylar die and not come back in the final 5 episodes?

Will Hiro and Sylar battle to the death in the final 5 episodes?

If they do battle to the death, who will win?

Much like #4, the results of these were a bit open to interpretation. First of all, Sylar was run through by Hiro’s sword, but near the end of the episode, we see a trail of blood leading down into the sewer. I’m guessing that this means Sylar isn’t dead, which will no doubt disappoint those who bet on him checking out (at -110).

But the good news is that the final showdown could hardly be considered a “duel to the death” between Hiro and Sylar. That should make all those who bet against the showdown at -200 happy.

And finally, the question of the winner of their duel is rendered moot. Hope you didn’t sink any money into this one.

That’s it for this season of Heroes, but you can bet that they’ll be back for Season 2. In the meantime, you can read about more entertainment proposition bets by clicking on the following articles:

Will Michael Moore Get Arrested?

Spider-Man 4 Prop Bets

Heroes Season Finale and Bodog Odds Recap

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Odds Update

A new month brings another UFC event, and this one promises to be particularly exciting. Dubbed UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson, this MMA event from the MGM Grand in Vegas will feature the long-awaited rematch between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell (with Liddell‘s Light Heavyweight title on the line).

The odds makers have been busy on this one, and we here at DaretoGamble wanted to give you an update on how the betting was shaping up. Keep in mind, of course, that the odds discussed in this article will change as the fight approaches (it’s scheduled for Saturday, May 26th), especially on the day on the fight.

KARO PARISYAN VS. JOSH BURKMAN

At the moment, odds have been posted for two fights on the card. The first is Karo “The Heat” Parisyan versus Josh Burkman. Parisyan is a UFC veteran with a record of 6-2 and an overall MMA record of 16-4. His primary style is judo, but it has been modified over the years to be more effective inside the octagon. His last fight was on December 13th, 2006, when he captured a unanimous decision win over Drew Fickett on Spike TV’s UFC Fight Night 7.

Burkman, on the other hand, has a background in wrestling. He was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 2, and he’s 4-1 in the UFC with an overall MMA record of 8-3. Most recently, he defeated Chad Reiner by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 8.

With two submission specialists in the octagon, expect this one to go to the ground early and stay there. While anything is possible, I’d be surprised if this one didn’t go to the judges. This may not be the most crowd-pleasing fight on the card, especially considering the usual short attention span of the Vegas crowd.

Odds for the Fight

Bodog.com (Max Bet $500)

Karo Parisyan -325

Josh Burkman +250

BetonFighting.com (Max Bet $500)

Karo Parisyan -320

Josh Burkman +260

Betus.com

Karo Parisyan -300

Josh Burkman +220

With Parisyan having the greater experience (and higher caliber of opponents), he’s the clear favorite in this bout. However, I seem to remember that Mirko Cro-Cop and George St. Pierre were both expected to roll over their opponents in the last couple of UFC events, too.

CHUCK LIDDELL VS. QUINTON JACKSON

These two met in the semi-finals of PRIDE’s 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix, with Jackson beating Liddell so bad that his corner was forced to throw in the towel. Rampage would then go on to get knocked out later in the night by a series of knees from Wanderlei Silva.

Since that night, Jackson is 7-2, including a second tough loss to Silva. Liddell, meanwhile, has won all 7 of his fights since losing to Jackson, including two wins apiece over Tito Ortiz and current Heavyweight champ Randy Couture. Along the way, he has become the face of MMA in America.

Odds for the Fight

Bodog.com ($500 max bet)

Chuck Liddell -190

Quinton Jackson +155

BetonFighting.com ($500 max bet)

Chuck Liddell -200

Quinton Jackson +160

Betus.com ($500 max bet)

Chuck Liddell -210

Quinton Jackson +165

It’s no surprise that Liddell is the favorite to win. He’s been fighting in the U.S. for years, while Jackson has made most of his reputation in Japan. But anyone who has seen his matches against Ricardo Arona and Liddell knows that “Rampage” is a force to be reckoned with.

In the world of MMA, everyone is bound to suffer defeat sooner or later, and Liddell has been on top for a while. It may simply be his time to lose, and Jackson has all the tools needed to make that happen. In this fight, it’s my opinion that the underdog is every bit as skilled as the favorite. My money is on Quinton Jackson.

For more on the UFC, check out the following articles:

UFC 71 - Preview of Liddell vs. Jackson

UFC 70 Results

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson - Odds Update

Babe of the Day - Pamela Anderson

What more really needs to be said about Pam Anderson? This pic speaks for itself.

Babe of the Day - Pamela Anderson

World Series of Poker News

The 2007 World Series of Poker is just around the corner. Here are several stories associated with this year's WSOP.

JOE HACHEM JOINS WPA BOARD

Card Player reports that 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Joe Hachem is in the news once again.

Hachem is the newest member of the World Poker Association board. He will be the secretary of the board. Hachem is expected to be the public face of the WPA, which intends on a massive membership drive in the coming months in years. The World Poker Association currently has only 900 members.

The WPA will have a booth at this year's World Series of Poker. Hachem says the WSOP booth will be manned by many of the stars of professional poker, who will give poker tips and stories to those attending. The World Poker Association attempts to promote professional behavior in the poker community.

WSOP TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR RESIGNS
In other WSOP News, Bob Daily, the tournament director of the 2005 and 2006 World Series of Poker, resigned from Harrah's Entertainment this week. This means that Daily is out of the coordination loop this year. He had been a major part of planning for the 2007 WSOP.

The 2005 and 2006 tourneys were by far the biggest ever, so losing a major part of the team which organized those tournaments could be important. Daily released a memo saying he had complete confidence the current team would put on a sterling tournament. He has left for DG Holdings.

THE NEVADA CANCER INSTITUTE

Meanwhile, Harrah's will be sponsoring a fundraising event during this year's World Series of Poker. Harrah's is setting up a players lounge at the WSOP this year. Any player can enter the lounge; there's only one catch, though.

To have access to the VIP lounge, a player must donate at least $1,000 to the Nevada Cancer Institute. This gives a player some privacy during the event, while also helping a worthy foundation.
OTHER STORIES

Gambling News - Odds and Ends
Gambling News From Around the World

World Series of Poker News

Card Player Freeroll to World Series of Poker

It's a good time to be an employee of Card Player. Barry Shulman, owner and CEO of Card Player Media, organized a $10,000 WSOP freeroll for all of his full-time employees.

The winner of the freeroll gets an all-expense paid trip to the 2007 World Series of Poker. This year's winner is John Grinzivich, who will represent Card Player Media at the WSOP.

CARD PLAYER MEDIA'S CHAMPION

If Grinz finishes in the WSOP Main Event money, he gets 20% of the prize. The rest of the prize money goes to other employees of the money.

For instance, second place finisher gets 15%, third place get 10% and fourth gets 5%. The rest of the employees get 1%.

That's a great way for Shulman to inspire camaraderie among his employees. The Card Player offices instantly become John Grinzivich's biggest fans. Apparently, the tournament itself created excitement and buzz around Card Player Media for the last several weeks.

Good for Jeff Shulman (who is pictured above with his father, Barry).
BIG GRINZ

I imagine it also puts a lot of pressure on Grinz. Imagine going back to work after you busted out of the WSOP, knowing everyone in the office had money riding on your success. I guess it's house money, at least.

At least Grinz has experience in money tournaments. He finished in the money earlier in the year at the Venetian's $300 Buy-In Event, taking home $7,000. Grinzivich is in marketing at Card Player.

Card Player Freeroll to World Series of Poker

Chelsea Defeats Manchester United 1-0

In a follow up of an earlier post, Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 to win the FA Cup on a late goal by Didier Drogba.

Both teams were scoreless through regulation time. It appeared the match was heading to penalty shots, when Drogba took a pass from Frank Lampard and buried a goal in the net with 4 minutes remaining in extra time.


Wednesday is the Champions League Final, pitting Liverpool vs. AC Milan.

Check out the English language coverage of this match with continuing previews at either BBC Sport or ESPN.

Dare To Gamble will continue to cover English football wagers as they appear on Bodog in the coming months. For other stories from the world of gambling, check out The Best of Daretogamble.com.

Chelsea Defeats Manchester United 1-0

Citadel Commerce has Millions Seized by Department of Justice

Well, it looks like our friends (and I use that term with all possible sarcasm) at the Department of Justice are at it again. This week, it was announced that they had seized $9.25 million in funds from British Columbia-based online payment processor Citadel Commerce. Most of this money, by the way, belongs to Internet gaming merchants.

The announcement came via a press release from ESI Entertainment Systems (of which Citadel Commerce is a principal subsidiary). According to their statement, all but $941,000 of the seized money came from merchants’ reserves. The remaining funds constituted Citadel Commerce’s own capital. These funds had been frozen in late April by Citadel Commerce’s financial transaction processor in the United States. But apparently that wasn’t good enough for the DOJ.

Citadel Commerce had been a leading third-party vendor in America for online poker players, right there with NETeller and FirePay. After the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act went into effect in October 2006, FirePay stopped service in the U.S. market, but Citadel and NETeller kept right on doing business. Big mistake.

In January 2007, NETeller co-founders John Lefebvre and Steve Lawrence were arrested. After this turn of events, Citadel Commerce finally wised up and stopped offering their services to U.S. customers. But it was too late, as they had already incurred the wrath of the American government.

This news comes after the announcement of the DOJ’s indictment of seven individuals and four companies involved with online sports gambling. No doubt, the government is looking to send a clear message as the World Series of Poker draws near.

Citadel Commerce has Millions Seized by Department of Justice

Poker Players Alliance Approaches 500,000 Members

Just four short months ago, the Poker Players Alliance had around 120,000 members. Now they are rapidly approaching the prestigious 500,000-members mark.

So why the huge jump? Well, several things have factored into the group’s newfound popularity. First off, there’s the outrage over the U.S. government’s arrest of Internet gambling executives and the seizure of millions of dollars in funds. The appointment of former Senator Alfonse D’Amato as the chairman of the board has also added credibility to the organization, and let’s not forget about the freerolls from PokerStars which automatically registered players as members.

Linda Killian, Director of the Boston University Washington Journalism Center, believes that the addition of D’Amato is the key ingredient.

“Former administration members and Congressman are at the top of the lobby pyramid,” she said. “They spend three to five years in the capital, build up a wealth of connections, and instantly they become very valuable as a lobbyist.”

But money is also very important to the success of the group. Last year, the PPA spent $560,000 in lobbying efforts, which equals an increase of 100% over the previous year (for more detailed info, take a look at the excellent open secrets.org). According to Killian, “People on Capitol Hill respond to two things, money and votes.”

But despite the large amount of money that the gambling money is pumping into lobbying efforts, the most effective tool for change may be the average person. According to Massie Ritsch, Communications Director for the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington D.C., “Certain members of Congress will pay attention and be impressed by the membership number alone. But most are savvy enough to see when it's really an industry behind the effort. When it comes down to it, will one of these online poker players be willing to put in the effort to write a letter or come to Washington? Will they be willing to skim some of their winnings to make a contribution? If they do, who knows, there may be an election or two that swings on a candidate's online gaming position. But online poker players have not established themselves as an influential group the way senior citizens, gun rights, and abortion opponents have."
"In the end, it comes down to how much the members are willing to do.”

So if you’re not already a member of the Poker Players Alliance, now’s the time to become one. And if you are a member, take a little time out of your week and write a letter or phone a politician. Your actions could make all the difference.

For more on the PPA, take a look at the following articles:

D’Amato and Lederer Speak on PPA

Alfonse D’Amato Becomes Chairman of PPA

Poker Players Alliance Approaches 500,000 Members

Babe of the Day - Jennifer Lopez

Really, what could better than waking up next to Jenny-from-the-block and her luscious Latin booty?

Babe of the Day - Jennifer Lopez

Babe of the Day - Kathy Feldman

Today's Babe is another lovely fitness model. Her name is Kathy Feldman, and just get a load of those abs (and everything else, for that matter)! I'd love to find her in my shower.

Babe of the Day - Kathy Feldman

The Best of DaretoGamble.com - Top Ten Lists and Football Finals

Welcome to the latest installment of The Best of Daretogamble.com. This is the time every week that we direct you to the essential news and stories from the gambling world.

We try to cover a lot of ground here at Dare To Gamble, so the "Best of..." segment tries to direct readers to the whole spectrum. We try to have something for every gambler.

GAMBLING NEWS

We start out with gambling news from around the world. This article included links to a story on the stances Google and Yahoo! have taken on internet gambling, an update on Ladbrokes troubles with the Finnish legislature and news of Cryptologic's latest slot machine format.

Dare To Gamble also featured articles about the ongoing gambling legislation debates in Louisiana and Texas.

This site also endorsed a Vice Presidential candidate in the form of none other than 2004 World Series of Poker champion Greg Raymer.

There were also a legal updates story that the Department of Justice is handing down a whole new slew of gambling indictments for those involved in credit card processing for online gambling.

Meanwhile, the man handing down those indictments is under fire for his own unethical conduct. We featured an update on a Bodog bet involving whether U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will resign in disgrace or be fired.

BODOG PROPOSITION BETS

Speaking of Bodog bets, a bunch of new bets came online this week.

If you are from the other side of the Atlantic, you might be interested in the European football or snooker bets.

Bodog has moneyline bets on Manchester United and Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, along with Liverpool and AC Milan in the Champions League Final.

Also, we gave an update of a former proposition bet on the Snooker Championship.

For those who prefer Americana, we featured several Dale Earnhardt Jr. proposition bets and an American Idol 6 Final wager.

If you like a little bit of America and a little bit of Europe, we had a story combining props bets for Guitar Hero 3 and this year's Cannes Film Festival.

To help keep our readers informed of the mixed martial arts world, we had an update on some MMA news. Bodog is offering UFC and Pride bets all the time.

TOP TEN LISTS

And finally, for those who like Top Ten Lists, we had two gambling lists this week. The first detailed the ten craziest auctions won by Golden Palace.

The second involved our list of the ten greatest gambling songs ever, compiled from our list of hundreds of gambling tunes.

Keeping reading this blog for more gambling news, futures bets, props and top ten lists.

The Best of DaretoGamble.com - Top Ten Lists and Football Finals

Alberto Gonzales Resignation Bet Update

Here's an update of the Bodog political proposition bet involving U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Gonzales has been under fire for the Justice Department's firing of 8 U.S. attorneys in 2006. Critics have said the firings were politically motivated, because several of the attorneys fired were probing misconduct claims on the part of Republican politicians.


The Attorney General Gonzales resignation bet poses whether he will resign or be fired before July 4, 2007. Here's the odds.

Yes +135
No -175

Alberto Gonzales has said he will not resign, that President Bush will have to ask him to resign. President Bush says that he has no intention of doing so.

Political pundits claim that Bush has no reason to force Gonzales out, since he is unlikely to change opinions of himself or his past actions by forcing Gonzales to quit. But a growing chorus of Republicans in Congress are calling for Gonzales to resign.

These calls got louder yesterday when a former U.S. Assistant Attorney General under John Ashcroft accused Gonzales of further unethical conduct.

In a Breitbart.com article, James Comey claims that Gonzales approached Ashcroft while he was in a hospital I.R. unit, trying to coerce the AG to sign off on President Bush's controversial domestic eavesdropping program.

After the testimony, more Republicans called for a Gonzales resignation.

This sets up a "no confidence" vote in the U.S. Senate next week. Insiders claim that up to 70% of the Senate may vote against Gonzales on the "no confidence" call. This would mean nearly 20 Republican senators, or 40% of the G.O.P. in the Senate, would be sending a message to the White House that they want Gonzales to go.

It's uncertain whether Gonzales and Bush could withstand such pressure from their own party members, who are concerned how the appearance of unethical conduct at the highest levels of government will affect their reelection chances in 2008.

While it seemed a long shot that Gonzales would resign before July 4th, now I'm beginning to think that Alberto Gonzales might be on his way out of Washington. You might consider heading to Bodog to get in on this wager.

George W. Bush Veto Bet

Alberto Gonzales Resignation Bet Update

Louisiana Poker Bill Fails - Kathleen Blanco Strikes Again

The Louisiana state legislature failed to pass a gambling law yesterday. The law would have expanded gambling into establishments with a liquor license.

Bars and private clubs would be allowed to organize poker tournaments one night a week. These establishments could not collect "juice" off of the action. The advantage to these businesses is it would drive customers to them on a slow night of the week, probably in the midweek sometime.

WARREN TRICHE

Representative Warren Triche was one of the outspoken supporters of the bill. Rep. Triche says that the bill will come before the legislator again. He says that 10 representatives were not present. Had they been, the bill would have passed.

The bill needed 53 votes to pass. Even without the 10 missing legislators, it gained 46 votes in a 48-46 contest. With such a close vote, it certainly wouldn't hurt to give it one more try at a later time.

I applaud Representative Triche for his work on behalf of this bill.

Meanwhile, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco is an outspoken opponent of a gambling expansion in her state. Blanco had suggested she might veto the gambling bill if it passed. Her threats have killed video poker bills in the past.

KATHLEEN BLANCO SARCASM

Well, maybe we should listen to Governor Blanco. She is a paragon of responsible government.

Her performance during the Hurricane Katrina Crisis was so inspiring that we should take her word on this one, too. If Kathleen Blanco says we shouldn't have gambling in Louisiana bars, then you know it's a bad thing.

Actually, I don't understand why politicians have to take these ridiculous stands. This would allow the local bar to hold a poker tournaments one night a week. Every Wednesday, The Hole-In-a-Wall Bar has a poker tournament. People can go enjoy themselves for a small buy-in fee.

There's no way people paying a small fee to enter a poker tournament is going to break people. If a gambler pays ten dollars to enter a bar tournament, that same gambler won't be blowing hundreds of dollars on a back room cash game.

The disappointing thing is that Kathleen Blanco is a Democrat. I guess Southern Democrats have to watch their P's and Q's or they end up getting voted out by those moderates who skew a little to the right. But, really, if screwing up the Katrina aftermath doesn't get Blanco voted out of office, then I don't figure much of anything will.

Maybe I'm wrong.

THE COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT

If you want to send Kathleen Blanco an e-complaint, her is a link to the Kathleen Blanco website.

OTHER GAMBLING LEGISLATION

Texas Gambling Law
Wexler and Berkley Gambling Bills

Louisiana Poker Bill Fails - Kathleen Blanco Strikes Again

American Idol 6 Final and Bodog Bets

American Idol 6 is down to the final two contestants: Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis.

The American Idol Final is next week, and all of America will be watching. Well, everyone might not be watching, but they won't be able to escape the post-game analysis.

Bodog is offering a simply and straightforward bet on the outcome of next week's final. I will offer the wager and my analysis.

Who will be the winner of American Idol 6?

Jordin Sparks -400
Blake Lewis +250

JORDIN SPARKS

Jordin is the daughter of former New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys defensive back, Philippi Sparks. Jordin was born on Staten Island, New York, and spent her first ten years living around New York City.

After her father retired from the Cowboys in 2000, the family moved to Glendale, Arizona. This is where Jordin resides and attends high school.

Jordin is the winner of Arizona Idol and one of two winners of the Phoenix Torrid "Next Plus Size Model". She appeared on a full page ad of Seventeen Magazine in 2006. Jordin has performed the national anthem at Phoenix area sporting events, including the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks home games.

TOURING CAREER

Jordin has a unique touring careeer.

Though she is only 17, she has toured with such disparate individuals as Alice Cooper and Christian contemporary star, Michael W. Smith. Jordin finished second in the Music in the Rockies national competition for contemporary Christian artists. Jordin is said to have deep Christian values and is reported to be pro-life.

While on American Idol, Jordin has performed songs by Christina Aguilera, Pat Benatar, Tracy Chapman, Diana Ross, No Doubt, Tony Bennett, Gloria Estefan, Martina McBride, Rogers and Hammerstein, Bon Jove, Donna Summer, the Bee Gees and Barbra Streisand.

ODDS

Jordin is the odds-on favorite to win American Idol 6. Most people thought she would be competing with Melinda Doolittle in the finale, so Bodog installed her as a huge favorite to take the crown.

BLAKE LEWIS

Blake Lewis is a 25 year old singer from Seattle, Washington.

He competed in singing competitions during high school. He began beatboxing, the technique he is most known for, while still in high school. He picked up this technique after watching Matthew Selby of the L.A. area a cappella group, M-Pact. Rudy Cardenas, himself a one time American Idol finalist, was once a member of M-Pact.

After finishing high school, Blake joined KickShaw, an a cappella band. He would remain a member of this group for the next four years.

BSHORTY

These days, Blake Lewis performs under the stage name Bshorty. He has talents in singing, beatboxing, guitar, drums and piano. Blake is also a composer of music, and has shown talents writing new arrangements for pop standards.

Blake appeared on a 2004 album named "Human Element: The World's First Human Beatbox Compilation". He appears on two tracks under the name Bshorty.

BLAKE AND AMERICAN IDOL

Before he tried out at the Seattle regional for the American Idol, Blake had never seen the show. During the American Idol 6 competition, Blake became good friends with fellow competitor, Chris Richardson.

While on American Idol, Blake has performed songs by Keane, Jamiroquai, 311, Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Zombies, The Cure, Marc Anthony, Ryan Adams, John Lennon, Bon Jovi, Bee Gees, The Police, Maroon 5 and Robin Thicke.

ODDS

Blake is the underdog in this final. The conventional logic is he has little chance to win the event. The numbers would support this.

Take last year, for instance.

Eliot Yamin was the 3rd place finisher. Most people expected Catherine McPhee to win. But I suggest that the people who voted for Eliot the week before were more likely to vote for another man, which gave Taylor Hicks the votes he needed to win American Idol 5.

If you follow that logic, then the Melinda Doolittle votes are more likely to go to Jordin Sparks than a male beatboxer like Blake.

ANALYSIS

That being said, I think Blake has a chance to win.

When Chris and Blake stood onstage and told America they were best friends, that was a way of endorsing their friend to their voting constituency. American Idol comes down to a vote, so a political endorsement from a fellow competitor has some clout. It's possible that Blake has had more votes in the weeks since Chris was voted off, simply because the Chris voters have gone whole-heartedly for Blake.

Also, while Jordin seems like a nice kid, she seems (in my opinion) a little fake. She's only seventeen, so my impression probably comes from watching a teenager without a whole lot to say. Or it might be the mannerisms of someone who has been in a lot of singing contests and has the "pageant speak" down.

Say what you will about Blake, he seems geniune and unique. That usually doesn't work, though.

It didn't work for Bo Bice in American Idol 4. It didn't work for Chris Daughtry in American Idol 5. Only a certain amount of Americans are going to like someone being "different".

Ultimately, though, Jordin's odds at -400 are terrible for someone betting on her. If I'm going to bet on this final, I'll take the +250 on the underdog. I don't think Blake is a lock to lose.

OTHER TELEVISION PROPS BETS

Dancing With the Stars
The Sopranos

American Idol 6 Final and Bodog Bets

Is Casino Gambling Coming to Texas?

It’s hard to believe that the state most identified with cowboys and the Old West wouldn’t have casinos, but that’s certainly the case in Texas. However, that could change as early as December if Senators John Corona (Dallas) and Rodney Ellis (Houston) have their way.

The two men have proposed a bill which would allow voters to decide whether or not they want casino gambling to be legal in The Lone Star State. The bill also calls for the legalization of slot machines at horse and dog tracks. This last part is especially important, as these facilities have slowly been losing business to out-of-state casinos.

According to Corpus Christi Greyhound Racetrack GM Jaques Triplett, “We’re hoping and praying. Without it, all horse and dog tracks are slowly fading into the dust.”

While critics of the bill drag out the same tired old moral arguments, supporters point to the massive yearly revenue that Texas is losing to nearby states like Oklahoma and Louisiana, which both have some form of legalized gambling. Corona and Ellis believe that an individual who wants to gamble will find a way to do it. But they also believe that state taxes on the increased revenue would greatly assist Texas schools and other worthwhile projects.

The ultimate goal of the bill is the construction of 12 casinos to be built in locations around the state. The locations have yet to be determined, but Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio would almost certainly be on the list. It has also been mentioned that at least two of the casinos would be constructed on “resort island destinations.”

As a resident of Texas who enjoys gambling, I would certainly jump at the chance to actually be able to vote on this topic. Of course, I’m sure some activist group composed of overweight soccer moms will be all-too-happy to stand in my way.

For more on the subject of gambling and the law, please read the following:

Legal Updates from the World of Gambling

Texas Poker Bill is Dead

Is Casino Gambling Coming to Texas?

Babe of the Day - Jamie Frontz

This perky blonde fitness model is Jamie Frontz, our Babe of the Day. Don'tmind us, Jamie. You just keep right on with what you're doing.

Babe of the Day - Jamie Frontz

Rules for 2007 World Series of Poker

The World Series of Poker is only a few short weeks away (starts on June 1st), and it looks at though WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel has some changes in store. You see, Mr. Effel sat down at his computer and personally cranked out the rules for this years event. Okay, he probably had a secretary type it, but you get the point. - there are some changes coming to the WSOP in 2007.

There are 93 rules in all, and you can view them in their entirety by going to the WSOP official site. Here's a brief rundown of a few of the more interesting ones.

NEW RULES FOR THE 2007 WSOP

1. Etiquette Violations - Repeatedly touching another player's card or chips will result in a penalty. This rule also punishes those who delay the game or engage in excessive chatter.

2. Apparel Rules - There is to be no advertising of any habit-forming drug, tobacco product, handgun or handgun ammunition. Well, there goes my sponsorships, as I was going to be representing a bong manufacturer and hollow-point bullet maker. Damn you, Jack Effel!

The rule also states that clothing must not contain any words or phrases that are defamatory, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.

3. The F-Bomb Rule - Directing profanity at another player, dealer, or tournament staff member will result in penalties. This one should be common sense, but there are a lot of hot-headed idiots at the WSOP.

4. Foreign Objects - No foreign objects may be kept on the table except for one card cap no larger than 2 inches in diameter and a half-inch in depth. This would eliminate family photos as good luck charms, Greg Raymer's fossil, and numerous other items.

5. Cell Phones - If you want to use a cell phone this year, you will have to step away from the table to do so. If you are on a cell phone or texting a message when you receive your first card of the hand, then you will be considered to have a dead hand. Cell phones can't be placed on the poker table.

6. Show One, Show All - At the end of a hand, if a player exposes one hole card, then they must also show the other hole card if asked to do so by any player.

Remember, that's only 6 out of 93. I highly recommend that you read them all. And while you're in the mood for reading, you might also want to check out the following WSOP articles:

WSOP Bets from Bodog

New WSOP Payouts

Rules for 2007 World Series of Poker

10 Craziest Auction Wins from Golden Palace

Golden Palace is the online casino when it comes to crazy promotional stunts. Nothing is too odd for these folks, and while such gimmickry may cause some to roll their eyes, it does accomplish the goal of getting them more publicity.

Their favorite tactic is the online auction. They literally seem willing to buy and sell anything, the stranger the better. In fact, many of these pieces can be found touring the nation in a traveling museum. So in honor of their bizarre devotion to free publicity, let’s pause for a moment and take a look at the 10 craziest auctions from Golden Palace.

THE 10 CRAZIEST AUCTIONS FROM GOLDEN PALACE

1. The Haunted Cane - A seller on eBay believed that the spirit of her dead father inhabited his walking cane. After scaring her son on several occasions, the woman decided to, what else, sell the item. What better way to put your loved one’s spirit to rest than by auctioning them off to a complete stranger? Of course, Golden Palace had to have the item, and they were willing to shell out a whopping $65,000 for the cursed cane.

2. Goth Babe Boobs - A green-haired goth babe from Miami offered to place advertising from the highest bidder across her chest, cleavage and breasts for 120 hours. Golden Palace couldn’t resist, and they won the auction for $4999.99.

3. Forehead Tattoo - “The Human Pincushion” Brent Moffatt auctioned off his forehead on eBay. The winning bidder got to permanently tattoo their company’s name on his bald dome. The auction amount in unknown, but one has to wonder if it even mattered to Moffatt, a man so covered with piercing and tattoos that he was included in the 2005 edition of The Guinness Book of World Records.

4. Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese - One of the auctions which they’re most known for, our pals at Golden Palace bought a grilled cheese sandwich on eBay for $28,000. But this was no ordinary grilled cheese sandwich. Nope, it had the image of the Virgin Mary on it. Who could resist an item like that?

5. Knoxville Name Change - Terri Ilagen, a Knoxville, Tennessee resident, decided to auction off the rights to permanently rename herself. The mother of 5 was surprised when you-know-who swooped in and won the auction for a nice chunk of change - $15,199, to be exact. From now on, she will legally be known as GoldenPalace.com. I wonder if her husband yells out the casino’s name during sex?

6. The Popemobile - When Pope Benedict XVI’s 1999 Volkswagen Golf went on sale, you can imagine who was right in the thick of the bidding. With over 8.5 million visitors to eBay’s auction page, this became the most viewed item in the site’s history. When the dust had cleared, Golden Palace had walked away with the car for the modest price of $244,590.83.

7. Captain Kirk‘s Kidney Stone - When actor William Shatner passed a kidney stone, Golden Place saw a “golden” opportunity (couldn’t pass that one up). They contacted the actor and offered him $15,000 for the stone. He turned them down, but made a counter-offer of $25,000 (which would all go to Habitat for Humanity). They jumped at the chance and became the envy of Star Trek geeks everywhere.

8. Suri Cruise‘s Poop - In the kind of bizarre move you would expect from Tom Cruise, his daughter Suri’s first solid bowel movement was cast in bronze, made into a sculpture, and then auctioned off to raise money for charity. The online casino picked up this wacko memento for $10,000.

9. Authentic Sea Monster - Supposedly found on a beach in Florida, this obviously fake sea monster with enormous fangs was bought on eBay for only $637.00. It is now part of their traveling museum of oddities. Let’s hope more of these monstrosities don’t wash up.

10. Assassin Bathtub - Ever wonder what happened to the bathtub that James Earl Ray stood in to fatally shoot Martin Luther King, Jr.? Well, wonder no more. Golden Palace picked up this morbid piece of history for $7,600. Let’s hope nobody ever puts a price tag on the gun Lee Harvey Oswald used to kill JFK. If they do, you can bet where it will end up.

10 Craziest Auction Wins from Golden Palace

Greg Raymer for Libertarian Vice President

Greg Raymer might run for Vice President on the Libertarian Party ticket in 2008.

That's right. A fellow gambler is getting politically active.

Raymer is said to have a lot in common with Wayne Allyn Root, a sports handicapper and candidate for the Libertarians' presidential nomination. Now, a Root-Raymer ticket appears a likelihood. Greg Raymer has announced he might run for Vice President.

WAYNE ALLYN ROOT

Root, who was a "libertarian" Republican until last year, has left the GOP to become a champion of the individual against government power. He announced his intention to seek the Libertarian nomination for 2008.

Online gambling could be a positive issue for the Libertarians, who hold to the idea that all governments should be out of the private lives of indidivuals. Libertarians believe that each human being is sovereign over his or her own life, liberty and property.

THE LIBERTARIAN VIEW OF ONLINE GAMBLING

Therefore, Libertarians naturally would support the online gambling industry, which argues the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is an intrusion into the private lives of citizens. Americans should be able to spend our hard-earned money any way we choose, so long as we aren't hurting someone else by spending it.

Americans should be able to sit in the comforts of our own home and gamble on the internet. When the Federal government writes laws that tell us we cannot do that, it is an intrusion into our homes.

WHY NOT GREG RAYMER?

Politics and poker have a lot in common. Politicians "bluff" at least as often as your average poker player. In theory, a successful poker player should make a successful politician. But let's look at the specifics.

There seems to be two prerequisites to become a Washington politician.

One, you need to be a lawyer. Two, you need to be a millionaire. Greg Raymer is both.

Greg Raymer is a former patent attorney. When he won the 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event, he became a multi-millionaire. So he's imminently qualified for the position.

Heck, other noted gamblers have become politically active. Look at Bill Bennett, for instance. If that self-righteous blowhard is considered an authority on politics, why not list to a champion of the World Series of Poker Main Event?

SERIOUSLY, THOUGH

Greg Raymer seems like a really smart guy. What's more, I've heard from friends he's a heckuva nice guy. So Greg Raymer is one step ahead of most lifelong politicians.

I'm hoping Raymer runs for Vice President. Readers can consider this to be an endorsement.

DareToGamble endorses Fossilman for VP.

OTHER POSTS WHERE POLITICS AND GAMBLING MEET

Howard Lederer on Online Gambling Laws
Alberto Gonzales Resignation Bets

Greg Raymer for Libertarian Vice President

2007 World Series of Poker Bets on Bodog

If you love the World Series of Poker, but don't have the money to enter, you can still have a vested interest in the 2007 event.

Bodog is posting WSOP bets involving some of the biggest stars in professional poker. The odds for these wagers should come online in the coming days and weeks.

Maybe you have a favorite professional poker player. Maybe you really like Doyle Brunson and would like to have a rooting interest in his tournament. Or maybe you like bad boys like Phil Hellmuth, Jr.

Either way, you can place a bet on your favorite guy.

Here's what Bodog has posted so far.

Which of the following poker pros will last longer in the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event?

Doyle Brunson
Todd Brunson

Which of the following family duos will earn the most money through the 55 events of the 2007 World Series of Poker?

Doyle & Todd Brunson
Marco Traniello & Jennifer Harman
Barry Greenstien & Joe Sebok
Annie Duke & Howard Lederer
Which of the following poker pro duos will earn the most money in the 2007 World Series of Poker events #39 and #55? (#39 is the H.O.R.S.E. event and #55 is the Main Event.)

Doyle Brunson & Chip Reese
Phil Ivey & Daniel Negreanu
David Williams & Michael Mizrachi
Allan Cunningham & John Juanda

Which of these former World Series of Poker Main Event champions will last longer in the 2007 WSOP Main Event? (One player must finish in the money for the bet to have action.)

Joe Hachem
Chris Moneymaker
Jamie Gold
Greg Raymer
Doyle Brunson
Phil Helmuth
Chris Ferguson
Juan Carlos Mortenson

Which of these former World Series of Poker Main Event 2nd runner-ups will last longer in the 2007 WSOP Main Event? (One player must finish in the money for the bet to have action.)

Steve Dannenmann
David Williams
Paul Wasicka
Sam Farha
T.J. Cloutier

OTHER WSOP ARTICLES

Free Trips to the World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker Payouts

2007 World Series of Poker Bets on Bodog

Legal Updates from the World of Gambling

As the Bush administration continues its campaign to save us from the evils of gambling (hey, how about saving us from the evils of high gas prices, pointless wars and crappy healthcare?), there are a couple of new legal developments that you might be interested in.

KAPLAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY

First off, Gary Kaplan, the founder of BetonSports who was arrested and extradited to the U.S. in March, pled not guilty on Monday to charges of federal fraud, tax evasion and racketeering. While still in custody in St. Louis, Kaplan will have a bail hearing later this month. Since he’s quite wealthy and has a residence in a foreign country with no extradition laws, I would bet that bail will be denied.

Besides the criminal charges and corresponding penalties, the U.S. is also looking to snag $4.5 billion in forfeitures and seizures from Kaplan and his BetonSports associates. They are also levying a $5000 a day fine against BetonSports for failure to appear in court. Hey, we’ve gotta pay for the war in Iraq somehow!

DOJ ISSUES MORE INDICTMENTS

A few days ago, our friends at the Department of Justice issued a press release regarding the indictments of seven individuals and four companies for their involvement in the dreaded practice of online gambling. This mostly stems from their involvement in processing credit card and Western Union transactions between US residents and Internet gambling websites.

The companies indicted were:

CurrenC, LTD.

Gateway Technologies

Hill Financial Services

BetUS

And the seven individuals indicted were:

Baron Lombardo

Richard Carson-Selman

Henry G. Bankey

Francisco Lombardo

Count C. Lombardo (wow, they have a Baron and a Count in the family)

Tina I. Hill

Kimberlie Lombardo

The 34-count indictment states that the defendants misclassified credit card transactions to Internet gambling sites in order to disguise the nature of the transactions to US banks. The companies also used a company in the Philippines as a clearing house for Western Union wire transfers between Internet gambling sites and US online bettors.

The defendants have yet to be taken into custody. If convicted, the maximum penalties for the charges include 20 years for racketeering conspiracy, 30 years for bank fraud, 2 years for transmission of wagering information and 20 years for money laundering. Meanwhile, Michael Jackson and O.J. run free. Yep, the legal system is definitely working.

In addition to the charges, the US is seeking to get their greedy little hands on $150 million as well as real estate, vehicles, and funds in various bank accounts. That should be just enough cash to help build that robotic body that Dick Cheney has always wanted.

To read more about the US government and their wacky war on gambling, check out the following articles:

Gary Kaplan Arrested by U.S. Agents

Bush Administration Ignores WTO Ruling

Legal Updates from the World of Gambling

Charisma Carpenter - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is the lovely Charisma Carpenter. You might recognize her from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or its spin-off Angel. She's also appeared in the pages of Playboy, which is always good news.

Charisma Carpenter - Babe of the Day

MMA News - Card for K-1 Dynamite!! USA

Saturday, June 2nd will see the debut of yet another MMA organization in America. This time, it will be K-1 Hero‘s, and the event will be known as K-1 Dynamite!! USA. The event is to be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum. While K-1 has put on kickboxing shows in the United States, this will be the first time that they‘ve done a show through their Hero‘s MMA arm.

The show is the result of a partnership between K-1’s parent company FEG, ProElite, Inc., and Showtime Networks. The undercard will be shown for free on Showtime, and then the main portion of the card will appear on Showtime’s pay-per-view channel.

Fans of MMA should be in for a real treat, as the show will feature 2 main events. In the first, former NCAA amateur wrestling champion and WWE title holder Brock Lesnar will be making his MMA debut against the 7-foot-2-inch goliath from South Korea, Hong Man Choi. While Choi is a former K-1 champion, Lesnar appears unfazed. According to him, “He’s a big guy. He’s got a big head, which makes for a big target.”

In the other main event, two legends of the MMA world will meet in a rematch. Royce Gracie (13-3-3) will take on Kazushi Sakuraba (21-9-1). The two first met in May of 2000 during at the PRIDE 2000 Grand Prix Finals, with Sakuraba getting the win after Gracie’s corner threw in the towel after the match had went an incredible 90 minutes. This time around, the match will consist of 5 five-minute rounds.

Former USC and Detroit Lions wideout, Johnnie Morton, will also be making his MMA debut on the card. If he’s successful, can Herman Moore be far behind?

K-1 DYNAMITE!! USA COMPLETE CARD

Royce Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba

Brock Lesnar vs. Hong Man Choi

Mighty Mo vs. Mu Bae Choi

Melvin Manhoef vs. Dong Sik Yoon

Jake Shields vs. Ido Pariente

Gina Carano vs. Jan Finney

Javier Vasquez vs. Katsuhiko Nagata

Brad Pickett vs. Hideo Tokoro

As the date for the fight gets closer, be sure and check out Bodog for the various odds. In the meantime, you can see more MMA news by clicking on the following links:

UFC Flashback - UFC 2: No Way Out

UFC 70 Results

MMA News - Card for K-1 Dynamite!! USA

Babe of the Day - Laura Lester

Here's Tuesday's belated Babe of the Day. Her name is Laura Lester and she's a fitness model. Sorry for being late, but Blogger has been really hit or miss lately about accepting posts.

Babe of the Day - Laura Lester

Win Free Trips to the World Series of Poker Through Bodog

Bodog offers free trips to the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour circuit tournaments. Simply go to Bodog Poker and select the Tournaments link. Here you will find a schedule of tournaments which provide the winner a chance to move on to professional live tourneys.

WSOP

Bodog has both Sit and Go tournaments and the Multi Table Tournament. There are several entry options.

For $1, you can play in one of the qualifier tourneys. The winner of this event moves into a quarterfinals tournament.

If you want a straight trip to the quarters, you pay a $29 entry fee. Win a quarterfinals event and you get a free trip to the semifinals.

The semifinal entry fee is $270. If you win this tournament, you get a $12,000 all-expense paid trip to the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Actually, "semifinals" is kind of a misnomer. It makes it sound like you have to win another event to get to Las Vegas, but the finals is the Main Event itself.

If you don't have the 12,000-some-odd dollars to buy into the WSOP, plop down your money for a chance to get into the big event. I personally think the $29 tournament is a solid starting level. The price isn't prohibitive, but you have one less level to complete.

THE WPT

Bodog also has a World Poker Tour tournament package. It pretty much follows the same pattern. Buy-ins can be as low a $1, while you can buy your way into a semifinal for a chance to make it to a WPT event.

OTHER WORLD SERIES OF POKER STORIES

World Series of Poker Payouts
World Series of Poker ESPN Schedule

Win Free Trips to the World Series of Poker Through Bodog

Entertainment Props - Guitar Hero 3 and Cannes

As you might expect, Bodog has all the latest entertainment props for you to wager on. Here’s a look at a couple of the newest additions to their site:

GUITAR HERO 3 PROP

The premise of the Guitar Hero games is simple - use a specially-made guitar to play along with a wide number of popular songs by pressing down on color-coded buttons (located on the neck of the guitar). Timing is critical, but advanced players will often find themselves performing all sorts of showy maneuvers while they play.

The current Guitar Hero 2 has been a huge hit, and word has come down that a third game will be released sometime in the fall of 2007. Which, of course, begs the question:

Which song will be added to Guitar Hero 3?

“Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne 7/1

“Hotel California” by The Eagles 15/2

“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin 8/1

“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ‘n Roses 10/1

“Master of Puppets” by Metallica 7/1

“Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult 15/2

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana 10/1

“Back in Black” by AC/DC 15/1

“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynryd Skynyrd 15/1

“Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd 15/1

“Are Solar” by Neurosonic 18/1

“Walk this Way” by Aerosmith 20/1

2 or More Songs from the List 10/11

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL PROP

Held yearly in the French town of Cannes, this international film festival has been around since way back in 1946. Attended by scores of celebrities, this event is viewed as an excellent way to debut a new film and attempt to find distributors around the globe.

The highest prize given during the festival is called the Palme d’Or (or “Golden Palm”). While the judges are often criticized for awarding it predominantly to filmmakers from the United States and Europe, many deserving films such a Pulp Fiction, The Pianist and Fahrenheit 9/11 have been recognized in recent years.

But 2007 brings a whole new group of films to the festival, and you can actually make some money while you pull for your favorite independent Russian movie. The bet limit is $50.

Which film will be awarded the Palme d’Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival?

My Blueberry Nights 10/1

The Banishment 11/1

No Country for Old Men 11/1

Persepolis 11/1

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 11/1

Paranoid Park 13/1

Alexandra 13/1

Import/Export 13/1

Breath 13/1

An Old Mistress 13/1

We Own the Night 14/1

Promise Me This 14/1

Silent Light 14/1

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days 14/1

The Love Songs 14/1

The Man from London 15/1

Zodiac 15/1

Mogari No Mor 15/1

Yasamin Kiyisinda 15/1

Secret Sunshine 15/1

Death Proof 16/1

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

Will Michael Moore Get Arrested?

Prop Bets for Spider-Man 4

Entertainment Props - Guitar Hero 3 and Cannes

Liverpool and AC Milan in the Champions League Final - Bodog Betting

Well, at least we got one English club in to the Champions League Final. With 3 of the 4 semifinal teams, one would have hoped to see an all-England final. The Italians had to foul things up, as usual.

That being said, Liverpool and AC Milan have a recent history of highly entertaining matches. I expect another scintillating Champions League Final in 2007, as this is probably one of the more evenly matched finals in a while.

Here are the Bodog odds for Liverpool vs. AC Milan.

Champions League Final

AC Milan +130
Liverpool +170
Draw +200

AC MILAN VS. LIVERPOOL

AC Milan is the slight favorite in this match. The 25-year old Kaka is coming into his prime and it's time to make a statement with a Champions League title. Clarence Seedorf, Kaka and Andrea Pirlo will control the midfield, making it difficult for Liverpool to build up an attack.

I want Liverpool to win this match. I think it's criminal that AC Milan got a slap on the wrist for the match-fixing scandal. 8 point deduction? You're kidding me. If Milan hadn't been caught fixing matches before, I might understand. But this is the second time in 25 years. That's a joke.

So I'm definitely pulling for Liverpool to take the trophy, though I don't have a whole lot of faith. Going into the second match between Milan and Manchester, I was convinced that Manchester, holding a 1-0 lead after the first match, was ready to advance.

When Liverpool dropped out of 1st place contention in the English Premeir League, they began to focus on a European title. So while Manchester and Chelsea battled down to the wire in the Premeir League, Liverpool was channeling its energies to advancing in this event.

As always, Peter Crouch will present match up difficulties for the opponent. When you're 6'7", you're going to give just about any defender headaches. It all depends on Crouch battling to get position and a teammate delivering a strong cross.

THE ISTANBUL MATCH

If Liverpool is to have a chance, team captain Steven Gerrard is going to have to play lights out. Like Kaka, Gerrard is in the prime of his career. And luckily, he's pulled out miracles against Milan before.

I'm hoping for a repeat of the legendary 2005 Champions' League final between these two teams in Istanbul. The Istanbul Final saw AC Milan go up 3-0 at halftime, only to see Liverpool roar back with 3 goals in a 6 minute span to tie the match.

We can all hope the 2007 Champions League Final comes close to matching the 2005 final match. Bet AC Milan if you're going with your head, but I hope Liverpool delivers the upset.

OTHER ENGLISH FOOTBALL POSTS

Manchester and Chelsea FA Cup Final

Liverpool and AC Milan in the Champions League Final - Bodog Betting

Manchester United and Chelsea in the FA Cup - Bodog Bet

I was disappointed when Manchester United lost to AC Milan in the semifinals of the Champions League. I wanted to see an all-England final, with ManU facing either Chelsea or Liverpool.

Let's be honest. English football is just more exciting than Italian soccer, which tends to be too defensive for my tastes. Okay, Chelsea can be a little ponderous, too, when they go into their defensive shell. So let me say I was hoping for another classic Manchester-Liverpool showdown.

Oh, well. At least we get United vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup. Here are the current Bodog odds on this match.

England - FA Cup

Chelsea +160
Manchester United +150
Draw +200

Both teams started at +155, but Manchester has been bet as the slight favorite in this match. This is only natural, since ManU is the most popular team in the world and they just cinched their Premeir League title. But losing their hold on the Premeir League might motivate Chelsea to take the FA Cup as some consolation from this season.

CRISTIANO RENALDO AND WAYNE ROONEY

Cristiano Renaldo is one of the most annoying players to watch when he's on the other side. His propensity to dive drove me crazy during World Cup 2006. But when Renaldo is playing for Man U, I become a big fan. Funny how that works. Renaldo is one of the top players in the world at the moment and he will be a key factor if Manchester is going to win.

Another key factor will be fan favorite, Wayne Rooney. The striker seems to have patched up the hard feelings between himself and Renaldo caused at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In a quarterfinal match between England and Portugal, Rooney was ejected from the match after a questionable call following a dive by Renaldo, who was playing for his native Portugal at the time. Despite rumors that Cristiano wanted to be traded after the ManU fans soured on his play, he has since reversed his position.

Rooney, on the other hand, continues to produce for his team. Though he had a bit of a slump to start the season, Rooney came back to lead the Premeir League in production. He has also taken care to stay out of the book more than in his previous years, perhaps having learned his lesson from the World Cup incident. Together with Louis Saha and Cristiano Renaldo, Wayne Rooney makes the Red Devils one of the most dangerous opponents in the world.

CHELSEA

Since the London-based team was bought in 2003 by Roman Abramovich, Chelsea has spent more than any team in the world on players. The two-time defending Premeir League champions just lost that title to Manchester United, so it's time to take a measure of revenge.

This team has an international all-star cast. Andriy Shevchenko and Didier Drogba give Chelsea striking power. Frank Lampard will set up his teammates from the midfield, while team captain John Terry anchors the defense. Michael Ballak and Ricardo Carvalho are out of the match, giving an added advantage for Manchester.

TAKE MANCHESTER

Manchester looks like the healthier team at the moment. Chelsea might be more motivated to salvage something from their season. After a 2nd place finish in the Premeir League and a semifinal flameout against Liverpool in the Champions League, this talented club needs something to show for 2007. That being said, Manchester is just as talented, has the momentum and simply seems healthier at the moment.

Take United.

OTHER ENGLISH FOOTBALL POSTS

Liverpool and AC Milan Champions Cup Final

Manchester United and Chelsea in the FA Cup - Bodog Bet

10 Greatest Gambling Songs

There’s plenty of music to choose from out there, but most regular readers of Dare to Gamble will no doubt be partial to songs about the art of gambling. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of the 10 greatest gambling songs of all time. Whether you listen to them in the shower or during a high stakes poker game, these songs are bound to get you psyched up. They are, in no particular order:

1. “Casino Queen” by Wilco - I don’t know if the members of this alternative/country/rock group have won any money gambling, but I doubt it. Just look at some of the lyrics from this up-tempo ode to losing it all at the casino:

“I hit the second deck and I spend my paycheck,

And my wife that I just met, she’s looking like a wreck.”

2. “The Jack” by AC/DC - Nobody can write a song with double entendres like AC/DC. This song came out during the early Bon Scott years and tells of a woman who gives the narrator the clap. However, all the imagery in the song is described with card-playing terms.

"Her deuce was wild, but my ace was high.”

Add Angus Young’s excellent guitar work to the mix, and you’ve got yourself one of the all-time great gambling/venereal disease songs.

3. “Shape of My Heart” by Sting - With a slower tempo than most songs on our list, this masterfully crafted Sting song is about a gambler who plays to discover some deeper meaning to life. Most gamblers don’t happen to be philosophers in their spare time, but the former lead singer of The Police makes it all seem perfectly believable. Beautifully arranged with noteworthy lyrics, this one is required listening.

4. “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead - The biggest hit for Lemmy and company, this song is all about risk, loss, and the devil-may-care attitude personified by rock and roll icons like Motorhead. The ace of spades was also a key ingredient in the “Dead Man’s Hand” (the poker hand held by gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok just before he was shot in the back of the head). If you like softer music, then this is one you may want to avoid. Otherwise, crank it up.

5. “Rambling, Gambling Willie” by Bob Dylan - With his unique voice and phrasing, Bob Dylan sings the tale of the greatest gambler who ever lived. With twenty-seven children, Willie O’Conley played cards anywhere a game was to be had. Tragically, he was shot in the face during a game (his cards revealed that he had the infamous “Dead Man’s Hand”). Of course, Mr. O’Conley was a work of fiction, but it’s still a damned entertaining song.

6. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band - Sure, this song doesn’t really involve a game of cards or craps, but it does revolve around a young boy named Johnny making a wager with Satan. If that’s not gambling, then I don’t know what is! On the line is a golden fiddle and Johnny’s soul, but before the outcome is revealed, the audience is treated to some of the best fiddle playing ever heard. This one is bound to make you tap your feet.

7. “Luck Be a Lady” by Frank Sinatra - The Chairman of the Board croons this classic song about Lady Luck and her latest beau. Just take a look at some of the lyrics:

"Luck let a gentleman see,

Just how nice a dame you can be.

I know the way you’ve treated other guys you’ve been with,

Luck be a lady with me."

The entire song evokes images of smoky gambling halls and a Las Vegas from days gone by.

8. “Blackjack” by Ray Charles - Wailing this song about his losses at the Blackjack table, Ray Charles once again proves why he’s one of the great musicians of the modern age. You can literally feel the agony in his voice as he sings lines like, “How unlucky can one man be?”.

9. “Viva Ls Vegas” by Elvis Presley - The definitive song about the city of Las Vegas, The King of Rock and Roll is in rare form on this recording. As he sings about roulette wheels, pretty girls and loads of cash, you’ll have to tie yourself down to prevent an impromptu trip to Sin City. The rhythm of the song is also about as addictive as a craps table. This one just can’t be beat.

10. “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers - Released in the late 70s, this song tells the story of an old gambler who boards a train and encounters a much younger card player. As the trip wears on, the old man shares his wisdom before finally passing away in his sleep. Of course, one piece of advice is the famous line, “You’ve gotta know when to hold’em and know when to fold’em.” In my opinion, this is the greatest gambling song of all time (as well as being the most recognizable).

10 Greatest Gambling Songs

Texas Poker Bill is Dead

Bad news for poker players in Texas. House Bill 3186 has died. Filed by State Representative Jose Menendez of San Antonio, this piece of legislation would have allowed establishments to have up to four live or electronic poker tables. This would have made Texas Hold’em legal and required the Lottery Commission to regulate it. The bill would have also allowed charitable poker to be played for a wide array of important Texas issues.

Many had hoped that HB 3186 might also act as a catalyst towards legalizing gambling in the state. Despite its vast size and close proximity to states like Oklahoma and Louisiana, there are no casinos in Texas.

The measure was dropped from further consideration after it failed to reach the floor for its second reading before the midnight deadline. It didn’t help that it was placed way down the 23-page calendar, which includes hundreds of items for discussion.

Supporters like Mike Lavigne, treasurer of the Texas Poker Political Action Committee (dedicated to encouraging safe and legal poker in Texas) were present at the Austin State Capitol to watch the clock slowly tick its way to midnight. Not surprisingly, many supporters present went away wondering if Texas would ever get with the times.

In an interview with ESPN Radio in Dallas, Rep. Menendez said, “I’m very disappointed. A lot of my colleagues are afraid that this voting for legalizing poker might hurt them in their next election. In particular, my Republican friends are the ones that are afraid of their primary voters.”

Menendez went on to add that the bill was intended to create highly structured regulations for a pastime widely supported by Texas residents in numerous public opinion polls. He did not say if he would attempt to reintroduce the legislation.

For more articles on gambling legislations, please read the following:

Rep. Shelley Berkley Introduces Online Gambling Legislation

Asian Countries to Legalize Casino Gambling

Texas Poker Bill is Dead

Babe of the Day - Alyson Hannigan

Today's Babe is red-headed sexpot Alyson Hannigan. While she's often cast as a nerd (Buffy the Vampire Slayer or American Pie), one look at the picture above should dispel that notion. She can currently be seen on the CBS show How I Met Your Mother.

Babe of the Day - Alyson Hannigan

Pokerface 2007 Final Table Set at Binion's Horseshoe

The final table of Pokerface 2007 is set.

Pokerface 2007 is an event being held at Binion's Horseshoe. The eventual winner has a chance to become a professional poker player for a year. That player will be bankrolled by The River Card Dot Com to the tune of some $100,000. This will give them the ability to play in tournaments both in their home country and throughout the world.

The other eight entries at the final table will receive an all-expense paid ticket to the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. Each package will be worth $12,000.

Here's the final table and the chips standings at present.

Georges Coustillas – Seat 1 - $117,500
Valentijn Oostburg – Seat 2 $20,100
Yucel Eminoglu – Seat 3 - $53,500
Maik Andre Dahling – Seat 4 - $116,600
Nicholas Leszkowicz – Seat 5 - $80,600
Stephane Pleuchot – Seat 6 - $19,900
Emil Ericsson – Seat 7 - $14,000
Finnbjorn Vang – Seat 8 - $113,000
Scott O'Reilly – Seat 9 - $64,800

I like the interesting dynamics this set-up creates. In most final tables, you want to hang on until one of the final three or four spots, because the difference in the money is so much greater than the 8th or 9th spot.

In Pokerface, busting out at 9th is the same as finishing 2nd. You get your trip to the WSOP Main Event, but you all get the same prize. It really is first place and everyone else in second.

Knowing that, the player's will play the game a lot differently. I imagine some will still try to hang on, hoping to outlast everyone else. But others will go for broke, knowing that the eventual winner will need to build up a sizable chip stack for the late stages of the final table. This should produce some captivating poker.

ITV1's POKERFACE

Pokerface 2007 should not be confused with the ITV1 television series, PokerFace. The ITV1 series is a quiz game based on the ability of players to bluff. After a successful first season in the UK, it's popular second season is winding to a finish.

OTHER CHEAP WAYS TO GO TO THE WSOP

Rent a Poker Player
News Article - The Cheapest Way to the WSOP

Pokerface 2007 Final Table Set at Binion's Horseshoe

PokerStars Sunday Million and Bodog $100,000 Guarantee Results

The Mother's Day holiday hurt the numbers of the Sunday night online poker tournaments. The PokerStars Sunday Million was down nearly a thousand players from the week prior.

That being said, 5,900+ players is still quite a field to navigate through. The prize money was well over a million dollars at $1,183,000. The winner of this week's event was Hold Em 888, who came from the middle of the pack at the final table to win.

Ocrowe and DuyTheMaster had the biggest stacks as the final table opened, but Hold em 888 was able to build his stack by pushing out a couple of opponents. When it came down to the final three, he was ahead of DuyTheMaster by less than a million. The final three agreed to split the pot according to percentages.

At this point, all that was left was to see who would win the stipulated $30,000 remaining. Holdem 888 finished of his opponents to win the overall top amount of money.

1. $141,519 - Hold em 888
2. $95,582 - Himclip85
3. $109,929 - DuyTheMaster
4. $52,078 - ocrowe
5. $40,242 - bachelor_80
6. $28,998 - kattkroken
7. $20,713 - mcc3991
8. $12,427 - drahma
9. $7,811 - chimpy07

The attendance at the Bodog $100,000 Guarantee was also down due to the holiday. That being said, there were 650+ entrants and sizable payouts for the final table. If you're looking for a Sunday tournament, one advantage to Bodog is that it won't take 12 hours to get a winner. Also, you don't have to defeat 6,000 other contestants to get into the money.

Here are the final results of the Bodog Sunday tournament.

1. $25,000 - pokerskibum
2. $14,300 - Ozone23
3. $9,200 - intervention
4. $6,900 - Jeff “HB_HITMAN” Anderson
5. $5,500 - finchdog
6. $4,500 - zurswierding
7. $3,500 - Jay “BigB1r” Koeller
8. $2,500 - TheLost
9. $1,600 - Unita Beaten

You can also find the results of the Ultimate Bet $200,000 and the Full Tilt Online Poker Series $750,000 No-Limit Texas Holdem event at this Cardplayer article.

OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT ENJOY

World Series of Poker Payouts
The Best of Daretogamble.com

PokerStars Sunday Million and Bodog $100,000 Guarantee Results

Rent a Poker Player!

If you’ve always wanted to be part of a high-stakes poker tournament but just don’t have the skills, RounderAuction.com has a great alternative. Basically, the site allows you to “rent” a poker pro.

The site is set up with numerous auctions, and many of them involve poker players who are looking for some kind of sponsorship. The site provides information about the pros, available tournament and cash game deals, tips on how to evaluate a player, and even a sample sponsorship contract.

So how does it work, exactly? Well, let’s look at a current auction as an example.

Professional player Scott Neumen has put himself up for auction. Scott was formerly sponsored by Golden Palace and has made 65 final tables in various tournaments such as the $1000 No Limit WSOP at Harrah’s Atlantic City and the Borgata Winter Poker Open.

He’ll be playing in the upcoming CEO Poker Tour Tournament at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. One of the events that he can compete in is the $525 buy-in event. And that’s how much the auction will cost you. Basically, you’re paying Scott’s way into the tournament. If he loses, then you’re out $525. But if he finishes in the money, then you’ll spilt the cash 50/50 after taxes. By the way, there’s a $150,000 prize pool for the event, so there’s a chance to make some real money here.

Admittedly, this kind of deal is not a sure thing. But then that’s why they call it gambling, isn’t it?

And don’t forget that the 2007 World Series of Poker is just around the corner. There will be plenty of poker players willing to offer up 50% of their winnings to anyone who can help them raise of portion (or all) of the $10,000 entry fee.. Sure, you’re not going to be able to sponsor Phil Hellmuth or Daniel Negreanu, but who had ever heard of guys like Chris Moneymaker or Jamie Gold before their big wins?

If this site can hang around for a while and gain momentum, you might even see some bigger name stars make appearances from time to time. Personally, I’d love to sponsor Evelyn Ng for a private dinner for two.

Rent a Poker Player!

Florida to Raise Betting Limit on Poker!

In Florida, a bill was recently passed which raised the maximum betting limit in the state. Unless it gets vetoed, this new law will go into effect on July 1st, 2007. No doubt, high rollers in Florida couldn‘t be happier.

Poker is legal in Florida, but the maximum betting limit has traditionally been limited to $2, with a maximum of three raises allowed in any round of betting. The new law will increase that limit to $5 per raise. No Limit Texas Hold’em will also be allowed as long as the buy-in does not exceed $100. Rules for tournament poker are also included, with buy-ins (including rebuys) limited to less than 10 times what a player could wager on one hand of non-tournament poker.

While the new law does not increase casino hours, it does allow the casino to set their own hours of operation instead of having them dictated by the state. Pari-mutuel cardrooms can also now operate on any day, although licensing fees have increased.

There may be some room to maneuver for serious poker players, as the new law only specifies the limit of the “required” buy-in. Since tournament buy-ins are tied to the maximum amount that a player can wager on one hand in a No Limit game, there’s the possibility that cash games may be able to be increased by a far greater amount than is spelled out in the law.

Insiders expect a wave of $2/$4 games to spring up, and one cardroom is considering the introduction of a $2.50 chip for a $2.50/$5 game (this would be similar to the limit at the Tropicana in Atlantic City).

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

Amateur Poker Tour Offices are Raided

Missouri Senate Eliminates $500 Loss Limit

Florida to Raise Betting Limit on Poker!

Gambling News - Interesting Odds and Ends

It seems as though there’s something constantly going on in the world of gambling. In this article, I wanted to touch on a number of these subjects, as well as provide you with some links for further reading. And be sure to check back with us daily for the latest updates.

NEWS FROM THE GAMBLING PRESS

Google is sticking to its guns when it comes to their ban on gambling advertisements. This comes after UK business Sky launched a new search campaign which directs users to a Sky Poker-branded page which streams footage from the Sky Poker TV Channel.

Despite the clever loophole, the link does show real people gambling with real money. Don’t expect this to be up on Google for long.

Yahoo! has also announced that “existing advertisements are currently being reviewed for compliance an we expect this process to be completed by mid-June. If your advertisement is found to be non-compliant, you will be notified by email and it will be suspended until the necessary changes are made.

Given the fact that Yahoo! recently entered into the real-money poker world, it’s clear that this move is designed to help put a squeeze on the competition.

Be careful of emails offering “sensational” deals on seats at the World Series of Poker. They are most likely a scam. Crooks have been assaulting gamblers with these bogus emails, often offering as much as a 40% discount on what’s normally a $10,000 value. Just remember what they say about something that’s too good to be true.

And you can learn more from the Gambling Press by clicking on the link.

THE LATEST FROM ONLINE CASINO NEWS

BackgammonMasters.com has purchased the trunks of heavyweight boxer Roman Greenberg for $100,000 and will be auctioning them off for charity. The proceeds will help Arab and Jewish youths in trouble. This will also give Greenberg the needed funding to continue his quest for a world title. And at 25-0, the kid’s got a legitimate shot.

British bookmaker Ladbrokes ran into a brick wall when they tried to expand into the Finnish market. The government there rejected their application for a gaming license, citing the law which states that only a single license can be operational at one time. Not surprisingly, the Finnish government holds that license and uses it for their state-run lottery and gaming company. Ladbrokes contends that this is a breech of European Union rules which support the free movement of goods and services.

You can read more about these stories over at Online Casino News.

NEWS FROM GAMBLING PLANET

And finally, this little tidbit comes from the fellas over at Gambling Planet. It seems that CryptoLogic, the leading software developer for Internet games, will soon be bringing the first-ever version of Jewel Quest to a slot machine format. This will mark the third in their casual games series, following slot adaptations of other popular online games like Cubis and Bejeweled. Jewel Quest has been downloaded more than 40 million times since its debut in 2004.

And for other news about the world of gambling, you might be interested in the following links:

Gambling News from Around the World

Asian Countries Legalize Gambling

Gambling News - Interesting Odds and Ends

2007 World Snooker Championship - Final Results

For regular readers of DaretoGamble, you know that we’ve given several updates on the 2007 World Snooker Championship. Now that the event is in the books, we thought it was high time to reveal the winner of snooker’s most prestigious tournament.

John “The Wizard of Wishaw” Higgins won his second World Championship after fending off a comeback from the very competitive Mark Selby. Held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, the finals saw Higgins gain a 12-4 lead only to have it whittled down to 14-13 by his opponent in the best-of-35-frames final.

But Higgins responded by playing the kind of quality snooker which allowed him to win his first World Championship nine years ago. Over the next four frames, he shut out Selby and secured a win by an 18-13 margin.

Not only is he now the #1 ranked player for the 2007/2008 season, but he also walked away with the 220,000 pound first prize. To reach the finals, Higgins defeated Michael Holt (10-4), Fergal O’Brien (13-4), Ronnie O’Sullivan (13-9) and Stephen Maguire (17-15). Any way you look at it, that’s a very impressive list of opponents.

According to Higgins, “I’ve won a lot of tournaments, but a lot of people only watch the World Championship and they ask you in the street ‘what has happened to you?’ - and you might have won two or three tournaments during the season.”

According to Bodog at the start of the tournament, Higgins was 10/1 to win. Here’s hoping you put down a few hundred on him to win.

For more on the 2007 World Snooker Championship, please read the following stories:

World Snooker Championship Update

World Snooker Championship Odds from Bodog

2007 World Snooker Championship - Final Results

Adriana Lima - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is Brazilian cutie Adriana Lima. She is best known for her work with Victoria's Secret, but she is also a world-famous fashion model.

Adriana Lima - Babe of the Day

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Leaves Dale Earnhardt Inc. - Searches for New Racing Team

Dale Earnhardt Jr. made it final yesterday. He is leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company started by his late father nearly 30 years ago.

Junior's departure came after a couple of years of speculation. Dale Jr. had been negotiating with the current ownership of DEI for the past year. That ownership group is led by Dale's step-mother, Teresa Earnhardt.

Most experts believe that Junior couldn't compete at the top levels of NASCAR due to the stinginess of DEI. Now that he's a free agent at the end of the 2007 season, it's expected 32-year old will sign with one of the top racing teams in the business.

The question is, what racing team will that be?

If you believe you have the answer, run to Bodog and lay a wager. Here are the propositions.

Which racing team will Dale Earnhardt Jr. next sign with for the 2008 NASCAR season?

Hendrick Motorsports -110
Richard Childress Racing -130
Joe Gibbs Racing +325
Any Other Team +350

Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. drive the #3 Car in 2008?

Yes -120
No -120

Will Budweiser continue to be Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s sponsor next year (2008)?

Yes -500
No +350

THE EVIL STEPMOTHER

I have to rant for a minute. Dale Jr. should never have had to make this decision.

Most people blame Teresa Earnhardt for this breakup. Word has it that Jr. demanded 51% of DEI and therefore the controlling interest to stay, but the NASCAR public believes that's a reasonable demand.

One, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was on record saying he wanted his children running DEI when he died. Two, the NASCAR public believes that Teresa hasn't and won't take the steps needed to maintain the greatness of DEI. Fans have noticed that Earnhardt's widow won't even attend NASCAR events, even the one twenty minutes from her house. As a gauge of how unpopular the stepmother is, fans often compare Teresa to Yoko Ono.

At a time, she was considered a tough businesswoman. Now she's considered an idiot for letting Junior get away. He is the largest merchandizing franchise in NASCAR and has been for years. Before the announcement, DEI was said to be valued at $57 million. After the announcement, it's said that DEI is worth have that much. No sound business person lets their business lose 50% in one day's time.

But enough of Teresa Earnhardt. Let's analyze the bets.

THE KING OF BEER SPONSORSHIPS

Dale says he wants to continue to be sponsored by Budweiser. Since Dale Jr. is the biggest draw in the sport, there is no reason to believe Budweiswer will want it any other way.

Bud has the option of remaining with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated or leaving with Dale Jr. This seems like a no-brainer for Budweiser. Of course, the odds reflect that reality. If you want an easy 20 bucks, lay a hundred on Budweiser staying with Junior.

THE #3 CAR

It's a 50-50 proposition that Dale Earnhardt Jr. lands in his father's old #3 car.

The #8 car is a thing of the past. It is owned by DEI. Despite the warm words at the press conference yesterday, there are hard feelings stemming from this split. Junior made #8 iconic in its own right, but now it's time to go another direction.

If Dale Jr. ends up with Richard Childress Racing, you have to think he slides into the #3. Dale Sr. joined Richard Childress at the age of 32, so this would be like history repeating itself. There are signs that Dale Jr. will join RCR.

JUNIOR'S NEW RACING TEAM

Which brings us to the big question: who does Dale Jr. race for next year? The NASCAR rumors are flying around as to what his next move will be.

Dale Jr. says that he wants to race in a Chevrolet car. That means there are three major options, which are reflected in the bet: Hendrick Motorsports, Ray Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing.

Joe Gibbs Racing has a rule against alcohol sponsors. If Dale Jr. is loyal to his sponsor, then you won't see him racing for JGR.

Hendrik Motorsports would have an awesome lineup if they added Jr. Just imagine having Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in one stable. That remains an option, though HM would have to dump one of its other drivers, Casey Mears or Kyle Busch. NASCAR has a rule that racing teams can only field four cars.

As you can see, that's the option which the Bodog odds have as most likely. If Jr. wants to compete for NEXTEL Cups, there's really no better option.

Of course, the fan favorite option is a partnership with Richard Childress Racing. RCR is rumored to be considering a fourth car, as they only field three at the moment. Richard Childress and Dale Jr. have had a relationship going back decades, to when Childress partnered with Dale Sr. for a historical run of NEXTEL titles.

Most speculation has Earnhardt heading home. So if you want to bet Budweiser, bet #3 and bet Richard Childress Racing, those aren't bad options.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Leaves Dale Earnhardt Inc. - Searches for New Racing Team

The Best of DaretoGamble.com - Gambling in Asia - De La Hoya Fight - Paris Hilton in Jail

In our latest installment of "The Best of Dare To Gamble", we cover an absolutely huge range of topics.

GAMBLING NEWS

The World Series of Poker announced a new payment schedule for the 2007 WSOP. Payments will be spread more evenly among those who finish in the money. Those at the final table will win a little less, but those who survive the first several thousand cuts will make more.

Another of the big names of poker, The World Poker Tour, announced the WPT Season 6 schedule this week.

We also covered the Pokerstars Sunday Million, in one of our ongoing segments. Every week, we cover not only the Sunday Million, but all the other big Sunday online poker tournaments.

Dare To Gamble launched another new segment this week, where we offer Quick News Hits from around the gambling world. These are links to gambling news stories which you might find interesting, from cheap ways into the WSOP to studies of the economics of gambling.

LEGAL NEWS

Daretogamble remains dedicated to informing the public about the Bush administration's continuing nonsense involving gambling. We had a story about the U.S. ignoring a WTO ruling involving online gambling.

DTG also featured stories about two U.S. representatives, Shelley Berkley and Robert Wexler, who are trying to do something on behalf of online poker enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, one story covered the state of gambling in Asia, including initiatives to build new casinos in China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Singapore.

We included a seperate story about the legalization of gambling in Papua New Guinea.

BOXING NEWS

We saw the highs and lows of professional boxing this week. The fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather was the largest grossing pay-per-view match in boxing history. I saw where DeLaHoya is likely to take in $45 million dollars for himself.

In sad news from the boxing world, Diego Corrales died in a motorcycle accident. Corrales, known for taking chances both inside and outside the ring, died when hitting a car head on while trying to pass in traffic. People will remember Diego for his Rocky like comeback victory over Jose Louis Castillo. Corrales, with both eyes nearly closed, got up from two 10th round knockdowns to score a TKO over Castillo.

Rest in Peace, Chico.

BODOG BETS

We offered an update on a Bodog bet of a few weeks ago. This was the Paris Hilton celebrity proposition bet, based on whether she would spend time in jail. Check here to see the latest on stardom's wackiest heiress.

Dare To Gamble also covered other wagering, including a similiar prop bet on whether Michael Moore would be arrested.

To complete our Bodog coverage, we included new wagers on the NFL Rookie of the Year awards.

...AND 5 GAMBLING MOVIES YOU SHOULD SEE

Finally, we offered up our list of five gambling movies you should see. These are some of the finest gambling-related movies of yesteryear, ranging from the famed to the obscure. Enjoy.

The Best of DaretoGamble.com - Gambling in Asia - De La Hoya Fight - Paris Hilton in Jail

Will Michael Moore Get Arrested? - Bodog Has the Odds

Oscar-winning director Michael Moore looks to be in hot water with the Bush administration (big surprise). He’s currently under investigation for taking a number of 9/11 rescue workers to Cuba to receive medical treatment. This may very well constitute a violation of the US embargo on traveling to the island.

The trip was filmed as part of his upcoming movie on the healthcare industry entitled Sicko.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control informed Moore that he was under investigation. According to the letter from the office’s chief of general investigations, “This office has no record that a specific license was issued authorizing you to engage in travel-related transactions involving Cuba.”

Moore has 20 business days to provide their office with various information about his trip, including his date of travel, point of departure, reason for visiting, his itinerary, and the names and addresses of those who accompanied him. Moore has yet to respond to the letter, but Meghan O’Hara, the producer of Sicko, issued a statement on Moore’s official site which contained the following quote, “President Bush and the Bush Administration should be spending their time trying to help these heroes (the 9/11 rescue workers) get health care instead of abusing the legal process to advance a political agenda.”

Sicko is scheduled to open in the U.S. on June 29th.

BODOG OFFERS ODDS

Bodog is currently taking wagers on the outcome of the investigation. The maximum bet is $50.

Will Michael Moore be arrested for breaking the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel-related transactions in Cuba before the release of his new movie Sicko?

Yes +150

No -200

For more celebrity prop bets, check out the following:

Who Will Replace Rosie on The View?
Paris Hilton Prop Bets

Will Michael Moore Get Arrested? - Bodog Has the Odds

5 Gambling Movies That You Should See

Without a doubt, my two favorite hobbies are watching movies and gambling. Therefore, I’m especially thrilled whenever a film about the subject hits the local theater or video store. From The Hustler and The Sting, to Casino and Vegas Vacation, I try to see them all.

Of course, some of these films can be a bit obscure. Sure, we’ve probably all seen The Color of Money, but there are plenty of gambling movies out there which you might not be familiar with.

The following are a list of 5 gambling movies that you might want to watch. Maybe they use a casino as the backdrop for the story, or perhaps the plot revolves around a bet. Whatever the case, gambling is an important part of the story.

FIVE GAMBLING MOVIES THAT YOU SHOULD WATCH

1. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) - This gritty English film provides lots of laughs and plenty of action. The story revolves around a card shark who gets in debt to a local crime boss during a game of three card brag (a British card game similar to poker). He only has a limited time to pay off the debt, so he and his friends decide to rob the violent gang who happen to live next door. Directed by Guy Ritchie, this film is packed full of colorful characters and snappy dialogue. It also introduced actors Vinnie Jones, a former soccer star, and Jason Statham to an international audience.

2. Diggstown (1992) - As soon as he gets out of prison, conman Gabriel Caine (James Woods) heads to Diggstown and makes a wager with the seedy businessman who owns most of the town (Bruce Dern). In order to win the wager, Caine must find a fighter who can defeat ten Diggstown boxers in a 24-hour period. Caine selects 48-year-old pugilist “Honey” Roy Palmer (Louis Gossett Jr.) to act as his champion. What follows is a series of cons, counter-cons, and enough great boxing scenes to have you on the edge of your seat. Also starring Oliver Platt, Heather Graham and Randall “Tex” Cobb.

3. House of Games (1987) - This film about con men marked David Mamet’s directorial debut. In it, a respected psychologist (Lindsay Crouse) comes into contact with a charismatic grifter (Joe Mantegna), and slowly finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into his world of cons. The dialogue is top-notch, but what else would you expect from the man who wrote Glengarry GlenRoss? This is one film that will truly keep you guessing until the final frames. Also starring Ricky Jay and J.T. Walsh.

4. The Cooler (2003) - William H. Macy plays a man whose luck is so terrible that he makes a living by passing it on to others at a casino. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with a waitress (Maria Bello), his luck begins to turn. Needless to say, this does not sit well with his mafia-connected employer (Alec Baldwin). Great performances and steamy sex scenes highlight this surprisingly solid gem. Also starring Ron Livingston, Joey Fatone and Paul Sorvino.

5. Tin Cup (1996) - While the film is mainly about love and golf, it seems that someone makes a bet on something every scene, so I felt obliged to include it. Kevin Costner plays Roy “Tin Cup” McAvoy, a once-promising golf player who now runs a driving range in the sleepy Texas town of Salome. It’s there that he meets Dr. Molly Griswold (Rene Russo), a clinical psychologist who comes to him for golf lessons. When he learns that Molly is involved with an old college rival (Don Johnson), McAvoy’s competitive fires are rekindled. The film’s climax occurs at the U.S. Open, as Roy attempts to win the game and Molly’s heart. Loaded with charm and quirky characters, the film also stars Cheech Marin.

5 Gambling Movies That You Should See

Jessica Simpson - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is everyone's favorite dumb blonde, Jessica Simpson. While her pipes may be suspect, there's no doubting that her body is as ripe and juicy as a delicious peach. But here's hoping that she shows better taste when selecting her next husband. The combined mediocrity of she and Nick Lachey was almost too much to bear.

Jessica Simpson - Babe of the Day

Asian Countries to Legalize Casino Gambling

Gambling seems to be on the march everywhere but in the United States. If there's life on other planets, I bet online gambling is really taking off there. That is, unless the Bush administration has anything to do with it.

Nowhere is the gambling revolution growing faster than in Asia. Asian gambling laws are being considered in virtually every leading far eastern nation. For those who haven't been paying attention, Las Vegas is no longer the gambling capitol of the world. Macau is.

MACAU

Macau, or Macao, has long been a gambling mecca. Since the 1850's, gambling has been legal in Macau, which is a Chinese administrative district down the coast someways from Hong Kong. In the insensitive parlance of yesteryear, it was known as the "Monte Carlo of the Orient".

But the last few years have seen Macao transcend its traditional status as a center for gaming. According to published reports, Macao now has surpassed Las Vegas in gambling revenues.

ASIAN GAMBLING LAWS

Other Asian states have taken notice. Asian online gambling has been booming for years. With that popularity, land-based casinos are starting to gain acceptance.

In the search for state revenues, economically robust governments in South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore have begun to consider gambling-friendly legislation. It won't be long before east Asia is a gamblers paradise.

THE PHILIPPINES

In the Philippines, the government is planning a big casino complex in Manila Bay. They expect gambling revenues to exceed one billion dollars per year in the Philippines.

JAPAN

Japan is considering motions to legalize casino gambling. Long a hotbed for pachinko gambling, Japan is considering legalized casino gambling to draw in more tourist dollars.

CHINA

And while China allows gambling only in Macau, it is considering a second gambling location on Hanan Island. As the article states, Chinese have "gambling in their blood".

THE UNITED STATES

Which makes one wonder why the United States is going in the opposite direction. While Asia and Europe make it easier for land-based and online gambling interests, U.S. lawmakers passed the UIGEA, which banned most online gambling.

It would seem that, like so many other issues, the U.S. is swimming against the stream. That would be fine, if everybody else was crazy. But it seems like the rest of the world is going about the gambling issue the smart way.

I guess we're the country which tried Prohibition, so this is nothing new.

Meanwhile, gambling history marches on the Asian side of the Pacific rim.

Asian Countries to Legalize Casino Gambling

Gambling News From Around the World

These stories have little in common, except they involve some aspect of gambling. This is a boom time for gaming, unless you live in the United States. Otherwise, welcome to The Gambling Renaissance.

GAMBLING EXEC OUT OF PRISON

A British gambling executive recently was released from prison. The Wembley PC exec, Nigel Potter, served 3 years in prison for bribery. He was convicted of offering the former Rhode Island House Speaker $4 million. This supposedly would have secured Speaker Bucci's support in placing slot machines at a Lincoln, Rhode Island casino. The bribe would have assured Bucci's opposition to a rival Indian casino.

GAMBLING NOT LINKED TO LOCAL ECONOMY

A recent survey shows that gambling revenues are not directly linked to the economy. The survey, which covered 11 U.S. states, showed that gambling revenues rose even in states where the economy was taking a downturn. The American Gaming Association released the study.

NETELLER ISSUES NEW DEBIT CARD

Neteller has released a new debit card for the Europe and Asian Pacific regions. This new Neteller card has fewer built-in transaction fees. A secondary advantage over the old debit card is that this one is not tied to Canadian currency.

U.S. SPORTS AGAINST BARNEY FRANK LEGISLATION

Continuing our coverage of the Barney Frank gambling legislation, it appears the Big Four sports in the U.S. are against the newest bill in Congress. College sports is also against Frank's legislation. The NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and the NCAA are lobbying against the bill. This is their typical hypocrisy, where they distance from gambling while releasing injury reports to help gamblers make their picks. Congressman Frank says he has offered to write excemptions to address the major leagues' concerns.

THE CHEAPEST WAY TO THE WSOP

If you're looking for a cheap way to get to the 2007 World Series of Poker, let me direct you to the cheapest ticket to the WSOP. PlayersOnly is offering the WSOP Low Bid Auction. At auction is a package trip to the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, along with a hotel accomodations and airfare. The person who offers the lowest unique bid wins the package.

For example, if you bid 1 cent, but someone else bids 1 cent, you do not win the bid. But if you bid 2 cents and no one else does, then you win the auction package. The trick is bidding a low amount that no one else will bid. One recent auction for another event went for 53 cents.

Heck, I might bid on that one, myself.

Gambling News From Around the World

Paris Hilton Prop Bets from Bodog

As of late, Paris Hilton’s life has been a real mess. Let’s review.

Last Friday, Hilton appeared in court and was sentenced to a 45-day jail term for parole violation stemming from an alcohol-related driving offense last year. More specifically, her license had been suspended, but she was caught driving by the police.

During the hearing, Hilton told the judge that she had learned her lesson and was sorry. She then went on to blame her publicist, saying that he had told her is was allowable to drive with a suspended license if it fulfilled work obligations. Her publicist even took the stand in her defense, but the judge was less than impressed.

On Sunday, her publicist issued a statement saying that he was no longer representing the blonde heiress and star of television‘s The Simple Life. But by Monday, this decision had already been reversed.

Hilton has posted on her MySpace site and urged everyone to sign an online petition which asks California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to grant her a pardon. So far, the petition has received over 12,000 signatures. Here are a few choice lines from the petition (which was written by a Hilton supporter):

“She provides hope for young people all over the U.S. and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives.”

“We, the American public who support Paris, are shocked, dismayed and appalled by how Paris has been the person to be used as an example that drunk driving is wrong.”

“She is sincere, apologetic, and full of regret for her actions, as she explained tearfully to the judge handling her case in court yesterday. She is distraught and understandably afraid.”

This farce just keeps getting better and better. Therefore, it’s little wonder that our friends at Bodog have decided to get in on the action by offering a number of Paris Hilton proposition bets. The maximum bet on each of these is $50, but you might as well get some reward for having to be bombarded with this silliness that loosely passes for news.

PARIS HILTON PROP BETS

Over/Under: How many nights will Paris Hilton spend in jail?”

Over 1 ½ -150

Under 1 ½ +110

Will Paris Hilton get into a physical altercation while in jail?

Yes +700

(NOTE: Keep in mind that Paris will be kept away from the general population.)

How many nights will Paris Hilton spend in jail?

0 - 2 6/5

3 - 7 2/1

8 - 15 7/2

16 - 30 7/2

31 or more 3/1

Will California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger issue Paris Hilton an official pardon?

Yes +425

No -800

For more on Paris Hilton, take a look at the following articles:

Paris Hilton in Trouble

Is Paris Hilton Going to Jail?

Paris Hilton Prop Bets from Bodog

WSOP Announce New Payouts

The World Series of Poker has announced that payouts for their 2007 events have been flattened out so that most players who finish in the money will receive a higher percentage of the winnings. It also means that those who reach the final table will receive slightly less.

This comes on the heels of numerous complaints last year from players who finished in the money with very little to show for it. Of course, is it really surprising that professional gamblers would be greedy when it comes to money?

According to Harold Greenbaum, a bigwig with Harrah’s Entertainment, “The new schedules are designed to increase the rewards to players who finish in the money but don’t reach the final table.”

He also added, “Our goal is to keep more money circulating among more people in the poker community.” That’s probably a good idea considering that people like Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth are dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars on prop bets away from the table.

The same number of players will still get paid, but the overall totals will be greatly affected. Last year, for example, 846 players would have won more money that they actually did, but the top 27 players would have finished with less money. In fact, let’s take a closer look at what players last year would have received if this year’s new structure were being used.

Last year, players who finished in 873rd through 775th place received either $14,605 or $15,512. By the new system, they would have received $22,266.

Places 82 through 73 received $66,010. They would have taken home $126,173 under the new guidelines.

The runner-up in 2006 got $6,105,900. Their winnings would drop to $5,442,769 in 2007.

The winner of the Main Event received $12 million. That would now be reduced to $10,028,715.

This means, of course, that those who finish in the money won’t be complaining in 2007. Those who finish in the top 27, however, will no doubt voice their displeasure.

For more details on the payout schedule, you can log onto the WSOP official site. Keep in mind that the final payout schedule will depend on the final number of entrants.

The 2007 WSOP will be presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light and gets started on June 1st at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

WSOP Announce New Payouts

Cardplayer.com Article on the WTO Court Case Between U.S. and Antigua

There's a wonderful synopsis on Cardplayer.com of the U.S.-Antigua battle over online gambling.

Dare To Gamble has been covering the ongoing crusade of the Bush administration to destroy online poker in America and overseas. We have an entire series of articles dedicated to the various moving parts of this issue.

One of the most dramatic parts of this story is the role of the tiny nation of Antigua. Antigua won a World Trade Organization court case against the U.S. in 2005. The Bush administration agreed to abide by that decision, but has changed its position numerous times since then.

A few months ago, the U.S. appealed the decision before the WTO, saying the UIGEA had solved the problem. The WTO ruled that, far from clarifying its position, the new anti-gambling law had further muddied the waters. The U.S. lost the appeal and is further stalling the consequences.

THE ARTICLE

The article covers why Antigua filed its lawsuit against the United States, along with the U.S. position in this dispute.

Cardplayer gives background on what the World Trade Organization is, along with the post-WWII organization it replaced in 1995. The article discusses the GATS Agreement, which is the crux of the dispute between the U.S. and Antigua.

Additionals subjects covered include the concept of remote betting and the history of Antigua's economy.

JOHN VERONEAU

The article points out one of the "masterminds" of the U.S. diplomatic and legal strategy in this dispute, a man named John K. Veroneau. Before becoming an administration expert on foreign trade, Mr. Veroneau was the Legislative Director for former Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist.

As those who followed the anti-gambling legislation know, Frist was the evil genius behind passage of the UIGEA. In other words, Cardplayer points out that it's a small world when it comes to stupid gambling legislation.

For those who want to see our coverage of gambling legislation in America, check out these links.

U.S. Ignores WTO Ruling
Antigua Wins WTO Case Against U.S.

Cardplayer.com Article on the WTO Court Case Between U.S. and Antigua

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year on Bodog

Bodog.com has set a new series of NFL proposition bets.

Who will be the 2007-08 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year?

Calvin Johnson - 9/2
Marshawn Lynch - 5/1
Adrian Peterson - 13/2
JaMarcus Russell - 7/1
Brady Quinn - 9/1
Brandon Jackson - 10/1
Ted Ginn Jr. - 14/1
Dwayne Jarett - 15/1
Anthony Gonzalez - 18/1
Robert Meachem - 18/1
Sidney Rice - 20/1
Dwayne Bowe - 20/1
Chris Henry - 24/1
Craig Davis - 25/1
Kenny Irons - 25/1
Michael Bush - 25/1
Steve Smith - 30/1
Greg Olsen - 30/1
Brian Leonard - 40/1
Zach Miller - 40/1
Field (Any Other Player) - 6/1

QUARTERBACK

Two of the last three winners of this award were quarterbacks. Before that, you have to go back to 1970 and Dennis Shaw to find a quarterback winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Rookie quarterbacks struggle. I mean, 1970 is going back a long way. Joe Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino, Brett Favre...you name them, and they didn't get rookie of the year. Peyton Manning struggled as a rookie. He threw something like 29 interceptions that year. So take this bet at your own risk.

If you choose a quarterback to become Rookie of the Year, Jamarcus Russell has the most skills to impress. He's got the arm that can throw it 80 yards and could well be starting from the start of the season.

BRADY QUINN

If Brady Quinn gets on the field in the first month of the season, he has weapons around him like Kellen Winslow Jr., Braylon Edwards and Jamal Lewis. The Browns offensive line should be the best it has been in years, with the additions of Eric Steinbach, LeCharles Bentley (back from injury) and Joe Thomas as the 3rd pick of the draft.

But I wouldn't go this direction. You can't count on something as rare as the next Roethlisberger, and the comebacks Vince Young led last year were almost as freaky. Bet on a running back.

RUNNING BACK

Runners make contributions quick, because toting the ball is a purely athletic skill in football. Sure, running backs need to learn the blocking schemes so the quarterback doesn't get his head caved in. But runners don't have to get intricate timing down the way quarterbacks and receivers do. They don't have to worry about coverages. Runners get the ball and run with it, so they can make instant contributions to teams.

Sixteen of the last twenty one NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year awards have gone to running back. I'll repeat that. 16 of the last 21 NFL Offensive RoY have gone to runners. If you want the best bet on the board, bet on one of the running backs.

FORMER ROOKIES OF THE YEAR

The problem is, these guys sometimes come out of nowhere. When Anthony Thomas won Rookie of the Year in 2001, he wasn't the highest drafted runner by any means. Clinton Portis was a 2nd rounder in 2002, while 2000 award winner, Mike Anderson, was a 6th rounder.

That being said, there are good bets on those guys who will have a chance to carry the ball right away. Marshawn Lynch, who should be the #1 instantly, is a good candidate. Adrian Peterson will (presumably) be sharing time with Chester Taylor. Though Peterson is the most talented runner in the draft, he will have less chances to make a mark than Lynch.

Brandon Jackson was drafted in the 2nd round by the Green Bay Packers. Because the Packers lost less in the offseason, Jackson might have a better team around him than Marshawn Lynch. Though a player doesn't have to be on a winning team to win RooY, it helps.

WIDE RECEIVER

Among wide receivers in the last twenty years, only Carl Pickens, Randy Moss and Anquan Boldin have been NFL Rookie of the Year. Receivers tend to have a harder transition to the NFL than running backs. There's just more to learn to master the position.

I'm tempted to say that those who make an instant impact are the speedy guys who make big plays down the field, like Randy Moss in 1998. But Boldin isn't a speed burner. He's dropped into the 2nd round due to a lack of speed, then caught a hundred balls his rookie year. Boldin is a talented possession receiver, so there's really no pigeon-holing these guys.

DON'T DO IT

I would stay away from betting a receiver. While one of these pass catchers might come out like Marques Colston last year, it's almost impossible to say which one will. You can lay odds on Calvin Johnson being just that special, but unless the Lions come out like the 1998 Vikings, he's still going to be sharing the limitations of the Lions offensive production with Roy Williams.

Check out the odds on the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year on Bodog

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year on Bodog

Here's a new set of NFL player proposition bets on Bodog.

Who will the the 2007-08 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year?

Patrick Willis - 7/1
Gaines Adams - 8/1
Jamaal Anderson - 12/1
Lawrence Timmons - 12/1
Anthony Spencer - 12/1
LaRon Landry - 14/1
Adam Carriker - 15/1
Amobi okoye - 18/1
Darrelle Revis - 18/1
Paul Posluszny - 18/1
Brandon Merriweather - 20/1
Jarvis Moss - 22/1
Reggie Nelson - 25/1
Justin Harrell - 30/1
Michael Griffin - 30/1
Aaron Ross - 30/1
Ikaika Alma-Francis - 30/1
Jon Beason - 30/1
Alan Branch - 35/1
David Harris - 35/1
Leon Hall - 40/1
Victor Abiamiri - 50/1
Field (Any Other Player) - 4/1

DEFENSIVE ENDS

Defensive ends make good rookie of the year candidates. First of all, you can easily measure the impact of a pass rusher. Tally up the sacks and you have a good, though incomplete, picture of the contribution a defensive end is making. That's easy for the media to wrap its collective brain around. If one kid gets 10 dramatic sacks, he's a candidate for rookie of the year.

Two, pass rushing is an athletic skill. Sure, there are techniques to learn. Some players need to gain strength or quickness to fully realize their potential. But a natural pass rusher doesn't have to learn the defensive scheme to contribute to the team. Some pass rushers hit the ground running.

Julius Peppers and Jevon Kearse are a couple of DE rookies of the year in the last ten years. So if you are betting on a guy, look at one of these fellows as the prototype for what to bet on. You can either go the Peppers route, the quick yet overpowering type; or you can go the Jevon Kearse type, the fellow so quick that offensive tackles have trouble adjusting to him.

THE DE CANDIDATES

Gaines Adams, Jamaal Anderson and Jarvis Moss have potential to win the award. Adams is considered the most talented DE in the draft, mainly because he combines pass rushing ability with a larger frame than Jarvis Moss or Anthony Spencer. Gaines Adams probably fits the mould of Julius Peppers, in this regard.

Jarvis Moss is more in the way of a Jevon Kearse. He is a pure pass rusher going to a perennial playoff contender in Denver. The Broncos are like the Cowboys; their defense is considered talented, but needs a better pass rush. If Moss is the difference maker, he could be a Rookie of the Year candidate on a playoff contender.

LINEBACKERS

Six of the last seven NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year awards have gone to linebackers. If you look for the best bet among these selections, choose a linebacker.

Americans have a love affair with the linebacker. The linebacker is the quintessential defensive football player. He's the big, tough guy in the middle of the field, terrorizing quarterbacks, running down running backs and ambushing receivers crossing over the middle.

When choosing one of these guys, there are two options: the pass rusher and the tackling machine.

Pass rushing OLB's like Terrell Suggs and Shawn Merriman have won in recent years. If you are looking for that type of player, consider Anthony Spencer of the Dallas Cowboys.

THE CASE FOR ANTHONY SPENCER

Mel Kiper is Spencer as the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Spencer will need to learn the other skills to make him a complete oLB in the 3-4, but he's a natural pass rusher. Placed opposite Demarcus Ware in Wade Phillips' defensive scheme, and you have a kid who could collect a lot of sacks. The Dallas defense showed promise in the first half of the season last year, but fell apart when Greg Ellis went down with injury. Many think the Cowboys D has the talent to be special, but needs a better pash rush to cover up Roy Williams' deficiencies in coverage. If Spencer is that man, he could be Rookie of the Year.

If you are looking for a tackling machine, there are several of those on the list. Paul Posluszny should start in Game 1, due to the fact the Bills let most of their linebacking corps go in free agency. Posluszny fell in the draft due to lower production in his senior year, but this was due to a position change and injuries. When healthy and in the right position along the Bills front seven, I predict he will become a fan and media favorite.

The Bills lost a lot in the offseason, so they might be behind a lot this year, too. If that's the case, then teams will run it a lot to run out the clock. That means a lot of tackles for the Bills linebackers and safeties. Demeco Ryans is the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year as a backer for the Houston Texans, based mainly off of the same dynamic.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Cornerbacks and safeties are a little like defensive ends. Due to the interception stats, they have a measurable which can help them as rookie of the year candidates. This is especially true of cornerbacks, though many of them struggle in their first look at the NFL.

Rookie corners are usually picked on by offenses. Quarterbacks like to test the new guys. That means rookie cornerbacks could wilt under the pressure, or have lots of chances for interceptions.

Look at Darrelle Revis. If he's really the most talented corner in this draft, he could be in a great spot for rookie of the year consideration. He's in New York City, so if the Jets have another strong year and Revis makes a couple of dramatic interceptions at the right time, he could be touted. The problem is, Revis is going to play in a division full of big play receivers. Rookies tend to have difficulties in coverage, so I wouldn't spend too much money on this, but the New York factor should always be considered as a tiebreaker.

REGGIE NELSON

A few of the safeties have solid chances. Reggie Nelson is my favorite, because he will be a Day 1 starter on one of the strongest defenses in the league. That means Nelson should be protected from some of the ordeals a rookie goes through. He should be freed up to roam the field looking for big hits and bigger interceptions.

All in all, though, I wouldn't bet on a d-back as rookie of the year. It has been 1998 with Charles Woodson since a defensive back has won this award. Only three in the past twenty years has won. It's just a bad bet.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year on Bodog

Monica Starr - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is sexy fitness model Monica Starr. I don't know about you, but that junk in the trunk drives me wild!

Monica Starr - Babe of the Day

World Poker Tour - Season 6 Schedule Revealed

The World Poker Tour announced its official Season 6 tournament schedule today, and there have been several new and exotic locations added to the roster. It’s a good thing, too, as the first event is only about a week away.

There will be 19 regular poker tournament stops, plus themed events like Ladies Night 5 (in which a group of hot poker babes play each other). Other themed events will be announced later in the season.

New additions include a stop on the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos, as well as a visit to beautiful Barcelona, Spain. Closer to home, many viewers will get their first look at the newly renovated Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Since the WPT was unable to work with France’s regulations, that country has been scratched from the list. It’s a real shame, since it was originally looked at as a perfect place to kick off the new season. Instead, the series will now debut with the Mirage Poker Showdown on May 19th.

According to Steve Lipscomb, Founder and President of the WPT, “By adding WPT stops in beautiful locations around the world coupled with our move to a gaming-dedicated network like GSN, season six is poised to be the best year yet.”

Season 6 will air Monday nights in 2008 on GSN. The full schedule is listed below:

WPT SEASON SIX SCHEDULE

The Mirage Poker Showdown

The Mirage, Las Vegas, NV

May 19 – 23, 2007: Final Table: May 23

Mandalay Bay Poker Championship

Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV

May 29 – June 2, 2007: Final Table: June 2

Bellagio Cup III

Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV

July 10 -15, 2007: Final Table: July 15

Legends of Poker

The Bicycle Casino, Los Angeles, CA

August 25 – 30, 2007: Final Table: August 30

WPT Ladies Night V

The Bicycle Casino, Los Angeles, CA

August 18, 2007: Final Table: August 31

Gulf Coast Poker Championship

Beau Rivage, Biloxi, MS

September 6 – 9, 2007: Final Table: September 9

Borgata Poker Open

Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Atlantic City, NJ

September 16 – 20, 2007: Final Table: September 20

Turks & Caicos Poker Classic

The Players' Club, Club Med, Turks & Caicos

September 25 – 30, 2007: Final Table: September 30

WPT Spanish Championship

Casino Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

October 12 – 16, 2007, Final Table Oct. 16

North American Poker Championship

Niagara Fallsview Resort Casino, Niagara Falls, Canada

October 26 – Nov 2, 2007: Final Table: November 2

World Poker Finals

Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, CT

November 8 – 13, 2007: Final Table: November 13

Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic

Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV

December 13 – 18, 2007: Final Table: December 18

World Poker Open

Gold Strike, Tunica, MS

January 20 - 23, 2008: Final Table: January 23

Borgata Poker Classic

Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Atlantic City, NJ

January 26 – 30, 2008: Final Table: January 30

L.A. Poker Classic

Commerce Casino, Los Angeles, CA

February 23 – 28, 2008: Final Table: February 28

WPT Celebrity Invitational

Commerce Casino, Los Angeles, CA

March 1 – 3, 2008: Final Table: March 3

Bay 101 Shooting Star

Bay 101, San Jose, CA

March 10 – 14, 2008: Final Table: March 14

World Poker Challenge

Grand Sierra Resort Casino, Reno, NV

March 25 – 28, 2008: Final Table: March 28

Foxwoods Poker Classic

Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, CT

April 4 – 9, 2008: Final Table: April 9

WPT World Championship

Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV

April 19 – 25, 2008: Final Table: April 25

World Poker Tour - Season 6 Schedule Revealed

Diego Corrales Killed in Auto Accident

The fight world has suffered a great loss with the passing of 29-year-old former super featherweight and lightweight boxing champion, Diego “Chico” Corrales. He was killed in a motorcycle accident early Monday evening in Las Vegas. According to reports, Corrales was traveling at a very high rate of speed when he collided with the back of a car. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

While his life was cut short by a tragic turn of events, Corrales was also no stranger to tragedy in his teenage years. The son of a Columbian father and Mexican mother, Chico was raised in Sacramento, CA and soon found himself running with street gangs. This culminated with him witnessing his best friend’s death via drive-by shooting at age 13.

Afterwards, he turned to boxing as a release for his anger and showed an aptitude for the sport. As an amateur, he compiled a record of 105-12. In 1995, he captured a bronze medal at the 1995 Pan American Games.

After turning pro, he gained attention when he knocked out previously unbeaten Robert Garcia to capture the IBF 130-pound crown. He then successfully defended the title 4 times, scoring wins over the likes of Angel Manfredy, Justin Juuko, Derrick Gainer and John Brown.

With a record of 33-0, Corrales challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBC super featherweight title. Corrales was knocked down 5 times, and his corner was forced to stop the fight in the tenth round. This was not only his first defeat, but also the first time that he had been knocked down in his career.

After being accused of assault against his pregnant ex-wife, Corrales accepted a plea bargain and spent the next 14 months in prison. After a lengthy layoff of over two years, Chico would return to the ring and beat respected fighters like Joel Casamayor and Acelino Freitas.

In 2005, he had the biggest win of his career after climbing off of the canvas to score a 10th round TKO on Jose Luis Castillo. With his left eye almost completely shut and having already been knocked down twice in the round, Corrales exhibited the kind of heart and never-say-die attitude which defined his career.

Sadly, this win would be the last high note in Corrales’ career. He was knocked out in 4 round by Castillo in the rematch, and then failed to make weight and lost a split decision to Joel Casamayor. His final fight saw Chico move up to welterweight and take on Joshua Clottey. Corrales was knocked down twice and lost a unanimous decision.

His career record was 40-5, with 33 wins coming by knockout. He is survived by his wife, Michelle, and the couple were residing in Las Vegas at the time of his death.

Corrales was the kind of fighter (like Arturo Gatti) that always wanted to give the fans everything that he had. His knockout power coupled with a tendency to stand and trade made him a sensation in the boxing world. And even though his career was winding down, there’s no doubt that Chico still had some excitement left to give.

Rest in peace, Chico. You will be missed.

Diego Corrales Killed in Auto Accident

Bush Administration Ignores WTO Ruling over Antigua Gaming

The Bush Administration is refusing to comply with a recent WTO ruling. The WTO ruled that the United States is in violation of international law when it bans online gambling companies in Antigua from providing its services to U.S. players.

According to the WTO ruling, if a county allows its own native companies to provide a service to its citizens, it cannot bar companies of another country from providing the same service. This goes to the heart of free trade issues and protectionism.

A FREE TRADE ISSUE

Since the U.S. allows horse racing interests to run online wagers, it cannot ban online casinos in Antigua from taking U.S. players. If it does, the World Trade Organization says the United States is providing unfair protections for American gambling interests.

This fact wouldn't matter, except the U.S. signed a treaty some ten years ago saying we would engage in free trade. Being a member of the WTO implies the U.S. will abide by its rulings on international law.
A BAD PRECEDENT

If the U.S. doesn't respect WTO decisions, it is difficult to lecture countries like China when the WTO rules it is in violation of civil rights clauses of the WTO treaties. By ignoring court rulings, we lose the moral highground in dealing with other illegal actions.

According to the court ruling, which was the states' second legal loss to Antigua in the last few years, Antigua can pursue sanctions against the United States for its failure to abide by the decision.

GAMBLING ISN'T RECREATION

A Bush administration official claims that "confusion" has been caused by an oversight on the original treaty. This supposed oversight is that the administration believes online gambling is not a recreation, though it is covered in the WTO agreement as such. The U.S. wants to rewrite the treaty to stipulate that online gambling isn't classified as a recreation.

Basically, the Bush Administration refuses to discuss international law with foreign organizations. It wants to write a gambling law and then impose it on neighboring countries like Antigua.

Bush Administration Ignores WTO Ruling over Antigua Gaming

Brooke Burke - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is Brooke Burke, the former host of Wild On! and the current host of CBS' Rock Star. Hard to believe that she's had two kids. Talk about a MILF!

Brooke Burke - Babe of the Day

Prop Bets for Spider-Man 4

Spider-Man 3 opened on Friday and broke numerous box office records. The previous opening-day record was held by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man‘s Chest at $55.8 million. Spidey 3 brought in $59 million. The opening weekend record was also held by Dead Man’s Chest at $135.6 million, but Spidey beat that as well with $148 million.

The movie opened overseas last Tuesday and has since taken in $227 million in foreign markets. In less than a week, it has grossed $117 million more than its sizeable $258 million production budget.

And how’s this for putting it in perspective? In just one day, Spider-Man 3 made more than 6 times the box office gross of the highly-touted Tarantino/Rodriguez film, Grindhouse.

The big question now is whether or not we’ll see the return of director Sam Raimi and actors Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire. All three have previously stated that Spider-Man 3 would be their last time to work on the series. Of course, Columbia Pictures will no doubt throw a ton of cash at them, so it will be interesting to see if they can resist.

Luckily, out friends at Bodog are giving you a chance to make a little money on this hotly contested subject. Currently, there are two prop bets available concerning Spider-Man 4. They are:

SPIDER-MAN 4 PROPOSITION BETS FROM BODOG

Will Tobey Maguire sign on to star in Spider-Man 4?

Yes -120

No -120

If Sam Raimi doesn’t sign on to direct Spider-Man 4, who will be the new director?

Zack Snyder 5/1

Tim Burton 6/1

Sam Mendes 7/1

Bryan Singer 8/1

George Lucas 8/1

James Cameron 9/1

Peter Jackson 9/1

Brian Helgeland 10/1

Ang Lee 10/1

Steven Spielberg 11/1

Quentin Tarantino 15/1

Uwe Boll 30/1

Prop Bets for Spider-Man 4

Man Killed by Bomb in Las Vegas!

Early Monday morning, a device exploded in the parking garage of the pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas, killing a man who tried to remove the item from the top of his car.

The device detonated shortly after 4am, according to police spokesman Officer Bill Cassell. He would not elaborate on the nature of the device, but he did refute earlier reports which placed the device inside a backpack.

"We believe the victim of this event was the intended target," Cassell said. He went on to add that the case was being treated as a homicide, and that another person with the victim escaped injury and was cooperating fully with the police.

While the victim did work inside the Luxor, he was not employed by the company. At this time, no threats have been made against the hotel-casino.

After the blast, entrances were blocked and all vehicles were searched by bomb-sniffing dogs. Local law enforcement were assisted by agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance video from in and around the two-story structure in the hopes of identifying who planted the device.

For more stories on unusual events related to the gambling industry, read the following:

Poker Player Murdered in Las Vegas

Man Commits Suicide in Casino

Man Killed by Bomb in Las Vegas!

Justene Jaro - Babe of the Day

Today's babe is Justene Jaro, an Internate hottie and model. Yummy!

Justene Jaro - Babe of the Day

Robert Wexler and Shelley Berkley Consider Their Own Gambling Legislation Initiatives

A couple of Democratic members of Congress besides Barney Frank are addressing the issue of the online poker.

A representative from Nevada, Shelley Berkley, is introducing a motion in Congress which calls for a comprehensive study of online poker playing. She calls for research by the National Academy of Sciences. This study would last for over a year. Berkley suggests it would help to address many of the questions posed by partisans on either side of the debate.

The study would discuss effects of online poker on minors and addicted gamblers, the extent to which online gambling helps criminals and terrorists launder money, a study of the uniformity of gambling laws in all U.S. jurisdictions, how the UIGEA has affected online gambling in America and which technological innovations could help improve regulation in the future.

I don't know that most gambling advocates are interested in this study. It sounds like a wasted year to study online gambling issues which will be in dispute a year from now.

A SHORT RANT

Personally, I find it ludicrous when people argue that online poker should be banned because it contributes to terrorism. While there may be an instance where some online casino launders money for a terrorist cell, that hardly means that the vast majority of online casinos and their affiliates aren't exactly what they appear to be--a source of income for average, law-abiding citizens who don't want to spend their lives toiling in a corporate office.

I imagine there are banking institutions which launder money for terrorists. You don't see Congress writing a law to close down all banks until the extent of this involvement is studied. If you want to keep gambling money from going to criminals and terrorists, the last thing you want to do is drive the legitimate, publicly-traded companies out of the industry.

That's what the UIGEA is doing.

BOB WEXLER

In perhaps the most encouraging news for online poker advocates, Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida is reported to be working on a bill that would cut out a niche in the UIGEA for internet poker.

There are few details about this proposed bill, so I would caution advocates of online poker to avoid getting their hopes up. But since this specifically deals with the issue which most poker players have--that the UIGEA forgot poker but created exemptions for lotteries, race tracks and even fantasy--Wexler's legislation could be the most important piece of news for online casinos and their American affiliates.

Robert Wexler first came to national prominence during the 2000 Florida election crisis. He was one of the most vocal voices in favor of Al Gore's stance during the crisis, since Wexler represented a couple of the districts in dispute.

In the six years since the crisis was resolved, Wexler has advocated better paper trails for electronic voting machines and better election technology in general. As a member of the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property, Wexler has taken an interest in how the Congress's anti-gambling bill has affected online gamblers.

WEXLER ON THE UIGEA

Here's an article with comments by Wexler at the time of the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. You will need to scan down the page towards the end of the article to see them.

Jon Kyl spouts off his usual nonsense in the article, though there is no mention of Jim Leach, who lost his seat in Congress largely due to his support of the online gambling bill.

Robert Wexler and Shelley Berkley Consider Their Own Gambling Legislation Initiatives

Pokerstars Sunday Million Results for May 6, 2007

Pokerstars is coming off another successful Sunday Million. Nearly 6,700 players joined the event this time around, which was won by a newcomer named JB_Dog.

JB_Dog was the big stack coming to the final table. He had nearly 45% of the table chips and more or less bullied the final table for the big win. The Dog put out half of the final table and was never in danger of losing the chip lead.

TheSeraph was active at the final table, pushing out a couple of opponents along the way. That roll came to an end when the game became a three-way. TheSeraph lost chips over the first ten minutes of this phase, then fell victim to JB_Dog on an all-in.

Typically, players in the Final 2 negotiate a percentage finish with their opponent. This wasn't the case with JB-Dog and berdyfish, who decided to play it out to the bitter finish with $52 million and $14 million, respectively. I applaud this decision, which in my mind is how a No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament is supposed to end.

POKERSTARS SUNDAY MILLION

1. $191,742.92 - JB_Dog
2. $99,871.66 - berdyfish
3. $71,870.26 - TheSeraph
4. $56,002.80 - Colombo218
5. $42,802.14 - oceania99
6. $30,668.20 - Cougfan1987
7. $22,001.10 - EndlessJ
8. $13,334 - copi
9. $8,267.08 - Assassinater

FULL TILT $400,000 GUARANTEE

The FullTiltPoker Sunday Guarantee rose to $470,000 last night. Full Tilt had a field of several thousand players. KanyeSouth had a come-from-behind victory to take down the big prize.

1. $86,221.50 - KanyeSouth
2. $52,922 - Josh “pbdrunks” VanDuyn
3. $34,639 - Marco725

ULTIMATE BET $200,000 GUARANTEE

Ultimate Bet had a record-setting event on Sunday. This week's $200,000 Guarantee was the largest single Sunday event UltimateBet has held to date. The field swelled to well over 1,000 players. Here are the top three winners.

1. $44,352 - moseley9
2. $25,966.08 - Ryan “RML0422” LeWinter
3. $17,942.40 - Loeppenthin

BODOG $100,000 GUARANTEE

Bodog held an 810 player event on Sunday. A late entry into the Sunday millions tourneys, Bodog had a healthy field of players, only 200 behind Ultimate Bet. Here are the final three finishers.

1. $25,000 - madkey
2. $14,000 - Joe 8877
3. $9,000 - Killa_Tyven

For a full rundown of results, take a look at the Cardplayer.com coverage of the Sunday night online poker tourneys.

OTHER SUNDAY MILLION RESULTS

Pokerstars Sunday Million 4/29/07
Pokerstars Sunday Million 4/22/07

Pokerstars Sunday Million Results for May 6, 2007

Results for De La Hoya vs. Mayweather

On Saturday night, a crowd of 16,200 (with many more watching on PPV) watched “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr. and “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya meet in the ring for De La Hoya’s WBC 154-pound title. As many expected, Mayweather used his speed and defensive skills to cruise to a 12-round split decision. The scorecards were 116-112, 115-113 for Mayweather and 115-113 for De La Hoya.

Neither fighter was knocked down, and Mayweather seemed happy to avoid a brawl with the stronger De La Hoya. “I landed the harder, crisper punches,” said The Golden Boy. “If I hadn’t pressed the fight, there would be no fight.”

Ringside punch stats credited Mayweather with landing 207 of 481 punches, while De La Hoya landed 122 of 587. Mayweather also had the advantage in power punches, landing 138 to De La Hoya’s 82.

Mayweather, still unbeaten as a pro, maintained after the fight that he was now going to retire from boxing. He received $10 million for the fight, plus a percentage of the pay-per-view revenue.

De La Hoya received at least $25 million and said after the fight that he would weigh his options. Before the fight, however, he said that he would fight again regardless of the outcome.

Betting was brisk at many online sports books like Bodog. Mayweather was installed as a 2/1 favorite early on, but De La Hoya fans put enough money on their hero to make him a late 3/2 favorite.

Bodog also offered a ton of prop bets on the fight. Let’s take a quick look at a few of the winners and their betting lines going into the fight:

BODOG PROP BETS

Final result of the fight?

Mayweather by decision +115

Will fight go the distance?

Yes -250

Round props for the fight

Mayweather wins fight by decision EVEN

Will either fighter be knocked down or out?

No -200

Now that this mega-fight is over, Don King can go back to sucking the life from the sport. Way to go, Don!

For more on De La Hoya/Mayweather, take a look at the following articles:

Mayweather vs. De La Hoya - Fight Preview

Mayweather vs. De La Hoya - Bodog Props

Results for De La Hoya vs. Mayweather

Babe of the Day - Heidi Klum

Today's Babe is none other than German supermodel and Victoria's Secret/Sport's Illustrated favorite, Heidi Klum. Enjoy!

Babe of the Day - Heidi Klum

Rep. Shelley Berkley Introduces Online Gambling Legislation

On Thursday, Rep. Shelley Berkley introduced another bill which involves online gambling. But unlike the one introduced a week before by Rep. Barney Frank, this bill does not seek to immediately overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Instead, it calls for a one-year study of online wagering to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences.

“One of the advantages of this legislation is that it doesn’t take a side,” said Berkley. “It doesn’t say Internet gambling is good or bad. It says ‘Let’s study the issue.’” Berkley, however, went on to admit that she did want to see a repeal of the Internet gambling ban which was approved last year by Congress and signed into law in October.

The hope is that a careful study will reveal that online gambling can be safely regulated without having to prevent in entirely. According to Joseph Kelly, a professor of business law at Buffalo State, “One you have a study that comes out and says ‘Internet gambling can be safely regulated to ensure the suitability and solvency of all licensees, and under aged people can be kept out, etc.,’ then I think there’s a good chance of legislation such as Barney Frank’s bill being taken very seriously.”

Besides introducing this bill, Berkley also happens to be a co-sponsor of Frank’s bill. The Massachusetts representative has called her bill “perfectly complementary” to his own.

And while Frank’s bill has 11 co-sponsors to this point, Berkley’s has 60 co-sponsors.

According to the bill, The National Research Council, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, would conduct the study and do the following:

1. Examine technological methods employed by other countries which license and regulate Internet gambling.

2. Analyze recent rulings on Internet gambling by the World Trade Organization.

3. Assess the impact of the ban approved last year.

For more about the UIGEA and efforts to repeal it, read the following articles:

Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act Gets Criticism

New Gambling Legislation from Barney Frank

Rep. Shelley Berkley Introduces Online Gambling Legislation

Is Paris Going to Jail? - Update

Weeks ago, we posted odds from Bodog on whether or not Paris Hilton would serve any jail time after being caught driving with a suspended license (a violation of her parole for a prior DUI arrest). Well, the verdict is in, and it appears that the blonde socialite and amateur porn star will be spending 45 days in a county jail.

Before the sentencing, Hilton gave this not-so-eloquent plea to Judge Michael T. Sauer. “I’m very sorry, and from now on I’m going to pay complete attention to everything. I’m sorry, and I did not do it on purpose at all.” Come to think of it, I think that was exactly what Jeffrey Daumer said.

Hilton must report to the jail in suburban Lynwood, California by June 5th. If she fails to do so, she will face 90 days in jail. While incarcerated, she will spend most of her time in a 12 by 8 foot cell, with at least one hour allotted each day to shower, watch television, talk on the telephone, or participate in outdoor recreation. As a high-profile inmate, she will be segregated from the general population for her own safety.

Hilton and her parents looked less than pleased as they left the courtroom. In fact, their lawyer said he planned to appeal. “I’m shocked, I’m surprised and really disheartened in the system that I’ve worked in for close to 40 years,” he said. Good grief. This guy makes it sound like they just gave her the electric chair.

The odds were +500 that she would spend time behind bars and -800 that her high-priced lawyer would help her weasel out of it. Of course, she must spend 24 hours behind bars for the bet to be valid. Even though she’s been sentenced, she hasn’t served any time yet. She’s got about a month until she has to report, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next. No doubt, the tabloids are loving this one.

For more on Paris Hilton, check out the following articles:

Will Paris Hilton Go to Jail?

Paris Hilton Autopsy - Bizarre New Sculpture

Is Paris Going to Jail? - Update

Babe of the Day - Katie Price aka Jordan

Today's Babe of the Day is Katie Price, whol also goes by the name Jordan. She's quite the sensation in the UK, and she routinely appears on the front of tabloids and newspapers. Model...actress...babe....Jordan is a woman of many talents.

Babe of the Day - Katie Price aka Jordan

A Good John Grochowski Article on a Bad Blackjack Strategy - CasinoCityTimes.com

Watch out for rogue betting systems.

It seems like everybody has their own system for their favorite casino game. If you look around the internet, you'll find dozens of so-called experts, insiders and gurus who claim to have the secret to gambling wealth. You'll find hundreds of amateurs who have their own tips or rituals they use when they enter the casino.

I read an article on CasinoCityTimes.com by John Grochowski, detailing one of the wackiest gambling systems I've heard about in a while.

Grochowski told about a friend of his who brought him a blackjack system he picked up at a casino. As this friend was walking away from a blackjack table, a man handed him a two page memo on beating blackjack.

The memo suggested you should use the same strategy as the dealer. Stand on 17 and hit on 16. Furthermore, you should never split pairs and never double your bet. Argh!

As the article goes, at least the guy doesn't have the audacity to sell his advice. I wondered for a second if the guy wasn't a casino employee. That would be a terrific scam.

MY 90-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

Seriously though, every day people sell all kinds of betting systems. Most of these aren't going to make you rich. They are going to make the expert rich selling you the system.

If someone actually made all the money they claimed they do on their gambling system, they wouldn't waste time writing ebooks on the subject to sell for a few dollars. Remember that the next time you see a gambling system being shilled.

Whether it's the zig-zag method or the Martingale or the anti-Martingale, you are being told the house edge doesn't really exist. That just defies logic.

CASINOS MAKE A PROFIT? NEVER!

Casinos exist because they make a profit. They make a profit because they have a built in house edge.

The house edge in blackjack is that the player goes first. If you bust, the dealer wins. Even if the dealer busts and loses to the other players around the table, if you busted on your turn, you lose. That is a house edge.

If you employ the same strategy the dealer uses, you will lose your money even quicker. You lose several advantages inherent in the game to help lower the house edge.

I would suggest you read John Grochowski's column at Casino City Times. He's one of the wise men of online gambling.

THE BEST OF DARE TO GAMBLE

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A Good John Grochowski Article on a Bad Blackjack Strategy - CasinoCityTimes.com

Video Blackjack at the Mohegan Sun

Video blackjack, who would have thought?

Mohegan Sun Casino soon could be featuring 10 blackjack machines near their lobby. These machines will serve up to five blackjack players at once, foregoing the need for a live dealer.

These machines play like a real game of blackjack. The players won't be competing against one another, but against the "dealer". In this case, there is a virtual dealer, with its own hard 17 rules built into the program.

THE SET UP

Actually, these machines could be set to play any number of games. The Mohegan Sun will set them to play blackjack, because it is the only game which are legal on the machine by Connecticut state law.

If it comes to pass, the managers of the Sun think this will be popular with their patrons. Management believes blackjack is perfectly suited for machine play, where the dealer does little more perform an increasingly automated shuffle, deal cards to players and plays a hand based on rigid rules.

Assuming casinos can convince players that the deal is fair, there is nothing standing in the way of an automated blackjack revolution. In an age where more players play at an online casino all the time, trusting a computer to run a fair game becomes less and less of an issue. Networked games seem to be the way of the future.

VIRTUAL DEALERS

With the labor issues cropping up in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, I'm sure this is a bad turn of events for blackjack dealers. Casinos eventually might find a way to get rid of blackjack dealers altogether. Somehow, I'm sure casino managers will find a way to extract a tip from players.

Some players like having a dealer in front of them. Gamblers might even grumble that they don't go to a land-based casino to have a computer deal them cards. Why not stay home and play online, if that's the case?

Newbie players might like having a dealer in front of them to prompt them or correct them on mistakes. But people so disinterested in blackjack that they don't know the rules aren't the players the casino wants to please.

I imagine those who want a quick game of blackjack without any interruptions will look at this as any interesting alternative, at the very least. If the local authorities allow it, Mohegan Sun is going to give the concept a try. Customers might look for these machines near the lobby.
MOHEGAN SUN INFO

Mohegan Sun is found in Montville, Connecticut. It is the second largest casino in the world. Mohegan Sun rests on a the Mohegan Indian reservation. Its size can be traced to the fact that it welcomes customers from all over Connecticut, the state with the largest per capita income. Perhaps more important, it is a casino getaway for New Yorkers.

Video Blackjack at the Mohegan Sun

Papua New Guinea Legalizes Online Gambling

There’s good news for the gambling community, as Papua New Guinea has passed a gaming law to allow casinos and online gambling. Titled The Gaming Control Bill 2007, it will allow each of the country’s 20 provinces to hold a casino license for a decade. It will also allow overseas-based lottery products and online gaming.

This law was put into place in order to boost the economy, and citizens shouldn’t have to wait long. A Korean consortium plans to build a $35 million hotel and casino there, and the project has already been approved by the Papua New Guinea cabinet. Considering that the gaming market in the Asian-Pacific region is expected to reach $7 billion by 2010, this is certainly substantial.

In addition to these revenues, casino operators will be required to pay 20% of gross profits in taxes, and another 5% in a community benefit levy. Provisions are also included to keep out criminal exploitation and impose strict entry requirements. Large casino entry fees will also be in place in an effort to keep the locals from gambling.

But despite the economic benefits and the unanimous 61-0 vote in parliament, there are those who do oppose the new law. In fact, eight members (including the Treasurer and Community Development Minister) walked out of the chamber before the vote. The law has also come under fire from church and women’s groups and former Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta vows to repeal the law if he is returned to power in the June elections.

Current Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare remains optimistic, however. “Casinos will contribute substantially to the national economy in terms of new employment, investment, taxes and foreign currency,” he told parliament.

So is Papua New Guinea destined to become the next offshore gaming hotbed? Considering that foreign investors are already making plans to build a casino, there’s a high probability that it will be. But ultimately, it will come down to the local residents and the June elections.

Keep your fingers crossed, fellow gamblers.

For more articles on gambling laws and issues, be sure and read the following:

Barney Frank Introduces New Gambling Legislation

Missouri Senate Eliminates Casino Loss Limit

Papua New Guinea Legalizes Online Gambling

Shakira - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is the sultry siren, Shakira. As her hit song says, "Hips don't lie." Amen to that.

Shakira - Babe of the Day

The Best of Daretogamble.com - Dumb Props Bets - Gambling Legislation - Fight Night

Welcome to another weekly installment of The Best of Daretogamble.com. In this segment, I direct the readers to some of the best stories of the week. This blog covers the whole world of gambling, so we should have something for every gambler.

GAMBLING LEGISLATION

Dare To Gamble continues up-to-the-minute coverage of the ongoing internet gambling debate. Representative Barney Frank has introduced legislation to counteract the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Some in the online gambling world have criticized Rep. Frank's new bill, so take a look at the criticisms of the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act.

In a follow up story, we reported that Cardplayer.com was running a video interview with Howard Lederer and Alphonse D'Amato. Lederer and D'Amato two of the most outspoken supporters of the IGREA.

FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 71

Gambling and fighting sports go hand-in-hand. So Daretogamble offers a sneak preview of the upcoming UFC 71, which pits UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Chuck Liddell, in a revenge match. Liddell squares off with Quinton Jackson, a former Pride champion who defeated Liddell several years ago in a 2nd Round stoppage. Jackson is the only loss Liddell has never avenged.

If you prefer a traditional fighting sport, there's also a preview of the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather fight this Saturday. Let's face it, we all figure Mayweather will school De La Hoya. I kind of wonder what will happen to Mayweather stepping up yet another weight class, though. Mayweather's power seemed to suffer a bit at the 147 level, so what happens when he steps up to 154? Oscar is on record saying he was outclassed at the higher weight against Hopkins, and he hopes he can lure Mayweather into the same trap.

More likely, Oscar gets whacked. Check out our Mayweather-De La Hoya coverage here.

GUIDES AND LISTS

I also offered a guide to finding cheap poker tournaments in Las Vegas. If you want your share of the glory, but don't have the bankroll, we've got you covered. If you want some Sin City action, but you just don't have a lot of spare cash, then read the article on cheap poker tourneys.

I enjoy everything to do with gambling. There's nothing I enjoy more than finding the dumbest online prop bets. Do you want to bet on social issues like the next Imus scandal or global warming? Do you want to lay a wager on Michael Jackson or Brittany Spears? This strange selection of bets has everything from Right Said Fred to the Scripps Spelling Bee.

BODOG

Speaking of proposition bets, there are the usual series of Bodog bets on the docket.

We covered a Rosie O'Donnell career prop wager, which sounds pretty strange in-and-of itself. If entertainment isn't your thing, Bodog has a couple of political proposition bets involving everyone's favorite current sitting U.S. president, George W. Bush.

Along the sports front, the field of the Kentucky Derby is set and the odds are posted.

And finally, there's our voluminous coverage of the 2007 NFL Draft and the team odds on the 2008 Superbowl. We have an article with grades for each of the 8 NFL divisions, along with the Top 10 Steals of the NFL Draft and an article on how the draft affects the 2007 fantasy football season.

Enjoy.

The Best of Daretogamble.com - Dumb Props Bets - Gambling Legislation - Fight Night

10 Dumbest Online Prop Bets

I enjoy bizarre and unusual prop bets. These wacky wagers allow you to risk money on which celebrity will be the latest to get pulled over for drunk driving or who will be next to knock up Britney Spears. They’re a lot of fun, but they can also be pretty dumb.

So I scoured the Internet and come up with a list of the 10 dumbest online prop bets currently available. Maybe they seem trivial, or maybe they’re just flat out insulting. Whatever the case, you’re guaranteed to lose a few I.Q. points while perusing this list.

10 DUMBEST ONLINE PROP BETS
1. From our friends at Bodog, we get the following classic prop bet: Will it be proven that Eddie Murphy is the father of Melanie (Scary Spice) Brown’s baby?

It appears that ol’ Eddie was getting it on with the only chocolate-covered member of the Spice Girls, and now she’s got a bun in the oven. It also appears that he’s trying to dodge a paternity test. Perhaps the only thing more pointless than a prop about a deadbeat dad is a prop about a washed-up member of a pop band.

And if the betting line has any bearing on this case, it appears that Mr. Pluto Nash may be in some trouble. At the moment, he’s a -250 favorite to be Mel B’s baby-daddy. By the way, Eddie already has 5 kids by his ex-wife. Take that, Evander Holyfield and Shawn Kemp!

2. In the wake of the Don Imus controversy, BetUs decided to treat us to this little gem.

Which minority/activist group will be the next to call for a public persona’s resignation?

This kind of thing is annoying enough when I have to hear about it on the news. Seeing it in a sportsbook takes it to a whole new level. Why can’t we all just get along?

In case you’re wondering, the current favorites to bitch about something are members of the African American community. Sitting at -200, they’re actually the only group with a negative betting line (I didn’t make up the line, so don’t complain to me). According to BetUs.com, the least likely to try and take someone’s job are the Catholics (+100,000), Caucasians (+100,000), and the NRA (+50,000). The Neo Nazis must be cranky as of late, as they are second only to the African Americans with +300.

3. BetUs is also running a Global Warming Special. Without a doubt, there’s nothing more heartwarming than the parasitic gambling community taking a stand about the environment. Of course, if the polar ice caps melt and everyone dies, who’s going to be left to gamble? I can see their dilemma.

One of their global warming questions asks if any of the following will occur:

Hollywood will be underwater before 2015.

A major motion picture studio will be underwater before 2015.

A celebrity sea-side will be underwater before 2015.

“Water World” will become a reality.

This, of course, begs the question about how someone would actually collect their winnings if they were caught up in a dangerous power struggle between Kevin Costner and Dennis Hopper?

4. While we’re on the subject, here’s another dumb prop from BetUS.com about the issue of global warming. In this one, they ask the penetrating question, “Will polar bears become extinct by 2010?” It might be worth a shot, as the line is sitting at a generous +10,000.

Since polar bears are incapable of speech, I wanted to personally thank BetUs on their behalf. This may be the first time in gambling history that this overlooked minority has been featured in a prop bet. That’s what I call progress.

5. Never ones to quit while they’re ahead, BetUs also brings us this little stinker.

"What will Rosie O’Donnell do next?”

I guess it’s a legitimate enough question, but I’m so sick of Rosie that it makes me nauseous. For the last year, she’s been everywhere with her lame attempts at humor and crackpot theories (she thinks that the World Trade Center was imploded). Now just when I think I’m going to get a little peace and quiet, she starts turning up on the sportsbooks.

While the most likely result is that she will start her own TV talk show (-8000), there are other, crazier, options. For example, there’s a chance that Rosie might compete in beauty pageants (heh, +15,000), give etiquette lessons (+300), or get a job selling trailers (+15,000). Personally, I like the last option the best. Maybe she can sell a trailer to Donald Trump.

6. Another celebrity who I’d like to see just disappear is Michael Jackson (maybe he could make an extended journey to find his real nose). Unfortunately, he just won’t go away. His most recent bout with weirdness involves reports that he intends to raise $635 million dollars and built a leprechaun-themed amusement park in Ireland. You read that right. A leprechaun-themed amusement park in Ireland. To say that he’s insane is such an understatement.

But that never stopped our pals at BetUs. Thanks to them, you can wager on which part of Ireland Jacko will built his whacked-out theme park. The favorite is Dublin at +250, while the betting line says that residents of Meath (+2500) have the fewest reasons to lock up their children.

7. And here’s a final clunker from BetUs.com. As if Rosie and Wacko Jacko weren’t enough, you can also ponder this sphinx-like riddle: What will be the outcome of Britney Spears’ seemingly unstoppable downward spiral?.

This is no doubt a hot topic amongst the academic community. While the headlines surrounding Brit Brit are trite and increasingly irritating, I’m far more likely to cut her some slack. Why? Because she’s hot as hell, that’s why. She’s also still in her twenties, so you’ve gotta give her a bit more slack than fossils like Jackson and O’Donnell.

At the moment, the leading candidates have her either coming out as a lesbian (a yummy +200) or getting arrested for a DUI (+200). Less likely outcomes have her becoming a Hare Krishna (+5000), marrying Michael Jackson (+15,000), or joining the cast of Hollywood Squares (+10,000). While I’m pulling for the lesbian option, I’m not too optimistic about any of these.

8. Here’s a truly bizarre political prop available on Ladbrokes.com. Who will be the next Folkpartiet leader after Leijonborg?

Huh? Yeah, I had to look this one up. Apparently, the Folkpartiet are the People’s Party in Swedish politics.

You can choose from such scintillating choices as Nyamko Sabuni (5/1), Birgitta Ohlsson (40/1), or Jan Borland (1/5).

Is there anyone outside of Sweden that actually gives a damn?

9. Do you remember Right Said Fred?

Probably not, although they’re still big in Germany (along with David Hasselhoff). They sang the #1 hit “I’m Too Sexy,” which was sung from the perspective of a vain male fashion model.

The people at BetFred.com have issued a particularly dumb prop (no doubt enamored with the name similarity) which asks, “Will Right Said Fred top the UK singles chart in 2007?" The odds are 10/1 that they will, although I think the Baha Men (“Who Let the Dogs Out?”) and Gerardo (“Rico Suave”) have an equally decent chance.

10. And finally, Intertops offers the most cynical wager currently available.

Will the winner of the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee be male or female?

There’s nothing quite like tainting an event for children with the greedy ambitions of adults. Of course, I guess one could argue that the often obsessive parents of some of these kids have been doing that for years.

Still, I’m amazed that they decided to stop there. Why not post odds for the Special Olympics? Or how about the success rate for specific heart surgeons? Man, there are just so many untapped opportunities.

10 Dumbest Online Prop Bets

Finding Cheap Poker Tournaments in Vegas

In Vegas, a city known for its 24/7 activities, it’s not hard to find yourself a poker tournament to enter. Finding one with a hefty prize pool and low buy-in, however, can be a bit more challenging. But take heart, fellow gamblers. A little research can pay off big dividends down the road.

When searching for a tournament, be sure to take the following into account: starting chips, rebuys, add-ons, structure, and the amount of fees taken from the prize pool. And to get you started, here are a few tournaments that might pique your interest.

GENEROUS TOURNAMENTS WITH REASONABLE BUY-INS

Caesars’s Palace holds a great tournament every day of the week at noon. It’s an $80 buy-in, and blind levels don’t increase until the 40 minute mark. Players receive $1500 in chips, but you can also rebuy or add-on for $50 and receive an extra $3000. 81% of the fees go back to the players, which is a very generous percentage.

At 2 pm every Saturday and Sunday at Binion’s Casino, there’s a $10,000-guaranteed tournament. For a $70 buy-in, you’ll get $2000 in chips, with an extra $1500 available for $40 within the first hour of play. For each $70 buy-in, $20 is taken out for the casino. Everything else, however, goes to the players. And the winner is guaranteed to win $10,000.

Another popular tournament is held at The Orleans every Friday through Sunday at 7 pm It’s a $65 buy-in, and that gets you $1250 in chips. This can be increased y an extra $250 through a $5 dealer add-on (nice way to keep the employees happy), and a $40 rebuy or add-on will also increase your stack by $2000, as long as it’s done within the first hour of play. There’s a 200 player limit, and that will generally always be met on Friday (with maybe 100 to 150 on the weekend). Blind levels are 20 minutes long, and antes are also included in the blind structure. First place can usually expect to win about $5000, but the top 25 will go away with something.

If you’re near Harrah’s around 3:30 pm or 7:30 pm, be sure and stop by for their tournament. It’s a $100 buy-in, and there are usually around 40 players present. The casino takes $15 of every buy-in, but that still leaves enough for a nice pay-out. Players start with $3000 in chips, and blinds go up every 15 minutes.

At 10am, 1pm, and 8pm of every day (except 10am on Saturday), The Riviera has a tournament which only costs $47 to enter. A whopping 85% of that fee is returned to the players in the form of prize money. Blinds increase every 15 minutes, and they come close to doubling at every level. Players start with $1500 in chips, but a $3 tip to the staff will raise it another $500.

Finally, there’s the Sahara, which offers a $42 buy-in every day at 11am, 7pm, and 11pm. Players get $3000 in chips but can increase that by $2000 within the first hour for a $20 rebuy or add-on. Blinds go up every 20 minutes, and 66% of the fees go back into the prize pool.

For more information on tournaments, check back with us or pick up a copy of Card Player magazine. They have a list of tournaments conveniently located in the back of their magazine.

For more on poker, check out the following articles:

WPT Championship Recap

PokerStars Sunday Million Results

Finding Cheap Poker Tournaments in Vegas

Croc Bites Off Arm of Zoo Worker

I came across this while surfing about, and I just had to share it. Seems a zoo worker in Taiwan was feeding a crocodile when the scaly bastard got a little greedy. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! (Yeah, I couldn't resist that one.)

Croc Bites Off Arm of Zoo Worker

2007 Kentucky Derby Odds on Bodog - Post Position is Set

The post position was drawn yesterday for this year's Kentucky Derby. The Derby goes off on Saturday afternoon, so here's you last chance to place a Kentucky Derby bet at Bodog.

The maximum bet is $100. The numbers are the post positions for the individual horses.

1. Sedgefield - 70/1
2. Curlin - 9/5
3. Zanjero - 25/1
4. Storm in May - 40/1
5. Imawildandcrazyguy - 75/1
6. Cowtown Cat - 25/1
7. Street Sense - 9/2
8. Hard Spun - 12/1
9. Liquidity - 28/1
10. Teuflesberg - 50/1
11. Bwana Bull - 70/1
12. Nobiz Like Shobiz - 8/1
13. Sam P. - 25/1
14. Scat Daddy - 9/1
15. Tiago - 17/1
16. Circular Quay - 9/1
17. Stormello - 40/1
18. Any Given Saturday - 14/1
19. Dominican - 19/1
20. Great Hunter - 20/1

CURLIN

This year's favorite is Curlin, at 9/5. He received a solid post position, taking the #2 spot. If Curlin can avoid being pinned inside, he should have the shortest route of the field. Another Steve Asmussen trained horse, Zanjero, goes from the #3 spot. Having a familiar horse next to him might help.

Curlin skipped his 2-year old season and has only raced three times. He has won those three races by a combined 28 links, though. Curlin is a complete wild card this year.

STREET SENSE

If you prefer more seasoned horses with your mint julip, Street Sense is just an half-step behind Curlin in the odds. Street Sense won the Juvenile Breeders Cup, so it has a history of winning against big competition. This horse has a decent post position, starting at the #7 spot. He is trained by Carl Nafzager.

OTHER OPTIONS

Nobiz Like Shobiz and Circular Quay are each listed at 8 to 1. They go off at the #12 and #16 spots, respectively. Hard Spun and Scat Daddy have mid-level odds and are also well-situated.

Strangely, three of the biggest names in horse training won't field a horse at Churchill Downs this year.

D. Wayne Lucas and Bob Baffert are sitting this one out, so the race has lost a couple of its big personalities. Lucas has trained a winning horse four times and Baffert has three winners to his credit. Nick Zito, with two Kentucky Derby winners to his credit, is also absent.

2007 Kentucky Derby Odds on Bodog - Post Position is Set

Babe of the Day - Monica Bellucci

Our Babe of the Day is the lovely Italian actress, Monica Bellucci. You may recognize her from roles in such high profile films as The Matrix Reloaded and The Passion of the Christ.

Babe of the Day - Monica Bellucci

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC South

The AFC draft recaps continue with the AFC South. Here is also a quick rundown of the Bodog odds for each AFC South team's chances to win the Superbowl.

BODOG SUPERBOWL TITLE ODDS

Indianapolis Colts - 8 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars - 30 to 1
Tennessee Titans - 40 to 1
Houston Texans - 100 to 1

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

1st - Anthony Gonzales - WR - Ohio State
2nd - Tony Ugoh - OT - Arkansas
3rd - Daymeion Hughes - DB - California
3rd - Quinn Pitcock - DT - Ohio State
4th - Brandon Condren - DB - Troy
4th - Clint Session - LB - Pittsburgh
5th - Roy Hall - WR - Ohio State
5th - Michael Coe - DB - Alabama State
7th - Keyunta Dawson - DE - Texas Tech

Grade: C

The Indianapolis Colts have been bleeding defensive players in the offseason, so I expected to see them reload on defense through the draft. 6 of their last 7 picks were defense, so you could say that was the case. But what the heck were they doing in the 1st two rounds, when they could have added a stud or two to that side of the ball?

It's not like the defense was rock steady last year. At one point, it was setting records that you don't want your defense to set. The Indie D got it in order in time for the playoff run, but that was a shock to most of America. Sure, the Colts D had injuries in the regular season last year, but some of the guys who helped in the Superbowl push are now gone.

ANTHONY GONZALES

Drafting a 3rd receiver and a backup tackle in the first two rounds was a big surprise.

Anthony Gonzales will be one heck of a 3rd receiver. He can eventually replace Harrison, I guess. But they have been pretty fine with questionable 3rd receiver play, while a lack of safeties and linebackers could really hurt. Heck, haven't the Colts lost both of their starting corners from last year?

Anyway, the Colts added some depth on defense, but I wonder about the quality of that depth. Anthony Gonzales is the most talented 3rd receiver the Colts have ever had, but I can't grade higher than a "C" for a 3rd option in the passing game.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

1st - Reggie Nelson - S - Florida
2nd - Justin Durant - LB - Hampton
3rd - Mike Walker - WR - UCF
4th - Adam Podlesh - P - Maryland
4th - Brian Smith - DE - Missouri
5th - Uche Nwaneri - G - Purdue
5th - Josn Gattis - DB - Wake Forest
5th - Derek Landri - DT - Notre Dame
7th - John Broussard - WR - San Jose State
7th - Chad Nkang - LB - Elon
7th - Andrew Carnahan - OT - Arizona State

Grade: B

Reggie Nelson is a perfect fit for the Jags. Their rough and tumble defense just got more rough and tumble.

To trade down a few spots, still get the guy you're looking for and be able to add a couple of extra picks is smooth. That allowed them to take a punter in the 4th round, which I would normally deduct points for.

More than half of the Jags picks were defense, which might surprise some fans. But despite the ability of that unit to dominate at times, Del Rio wants to take that unit to another level next year.

Jacksonville has spent an awful lot of high picks on offense in recent years. Going back to the Leftwich draft, the Jags have added players like Matt Jones, Reggie Williams and Maurice Jones-Drew with Day One picks. So I'm not going to roast the Jags with not drafting offense high, despite their seeming lack of offense last year.

WILL LEFTWICH LEAVE?

Let me criticize the Jags for one non-move. With Byron Leftwich in the final year of his rookie contract, it seems like the Jags could have stashed another quarterback option on the roster.

Otherwise, the Jaguars added the kind of players who allow them to play their type of game: a tough, field position kind of game. Hopefully, they can produce enough offense next year to make this work. Leftwich staying healthy (for once) would be a huge boost to that effort, but you can't really predict that.

I'll give the Jags a "B" for a better than average draft. These weren't sexy picks, but sexy doesn't always win championships.

TENNESSEE TITANS

1st - Michael Griffin - DB - Texas
2nd - Chris Henry - RB - Arizona
3rd - Paul Williams - WR - Fresno State
4th - Leroy Harris - C - North Carolina State
4th - Chris Davis - WR - Florida State
5th - Antonio Johnson - DT - Mississippi State
6th - Joel Filani - WR - Texas Tech
6th - Jacob Ford - DE - Central Arkansas
6th - Ryan Smith - DB - Florida
7th - Mike Otto - OT - Purdue

Grade: C+

No draft has received a larger difference of opinion than the Titans draft. I have seen some respected figures grade the with an "A". I have seen others say that Vince Young will have to be Superman+ if the Titans don't want to have the #1 pick next year.

So what's the truth? Probably somewhere in between.

Michael Griffin adds a solid strong safety to the team. One of the biggest changes in the last few years is how teams draft safeties. At one time, safeties weren't drafted in the 1st round. Now, every team seems to want a stud safety. This coincides with a drop in the value of 1st round running backs.

CHRIS HENRY

Speaking of running backs, the drafting of Chris Henry is one of the most controversial picks in years. Henry has the stats to make him a 2nd rounder, but the intangibles all seem against him.

For one, he sat the bench his first three years at college. When he got the chance to start, Henry promptly got suspended for a game, then amassed a lethargic 200+ yards in the next 8 games. He finished the season strong, averaging nearly 100 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game in his final four starts in college. When a new offensive coordinator was brought in at Arizona, Henry decided to leave college a year early. This was a questionable move, so the Titans saved him a lot of money by drafting him ahead of higher rated runners.

With issues surrounding Lendale White, Chris Henry could be the starter in Tennesse at some point next year. )You fantasy football guys should put him on your list.) But there are so many questions about Henry, it's hard to say anything but the Titans took a flier on this guy.

THE LOWER ROUNDS

Otherwise, Tennesse drafted linemen and receivers. They drafted 3 out of 5 receivers at one point in the draft, underscoring their need to give Vince Young some targets. Too bad the Titans didn't draft one of the elite recievers, which they could have with their pick in the 2nd round.

Chris Henry might well make or break this draft, but I'm saying it's not such a good bet for Tennessee.

HOUSTON TEXANS

1st - Amobi Okoye - DT - Louisville
3rd - Jacoby Jones - WR - Lane
4th - Fred Barnett - DB - South Carolina
5th - Brandon Harrison - DB - Stanford
5th - Brandon Frye - OT - Virginia Tech
6th - Kasey Studdard - G - Texas
7th - Zach Diles - LB - Kansas State

Grade: C-

Amobi Okoye is one of the best stories in this draft. It's easy to get caught up in that story. But I wonder how this pick turns out.

Okoye showed talent at Louisville, but he wasn't a consistent performer. One of the reasons he rose throughout the draft process was his stated age; 19. He's the younger player to ever be drafted. That means Okoye has room to grow and development.

DANNY ALMONTE?

But who can say how old Amobi Okoye really is? Anyone who has experience with select soccer or international Little League baseball knows that you can't always trust the ages on kids from foreign lands. They might fudge a little bit on the birth records. Most of the time, it doesn't matter. But when you are drafted into the NFL, every stat is important.

I wonder where Okoye would have been drafted if he were listed as 21 years old. Maybe it didn't matter, but I get the idea that it did.

Impressed by Devin Hester's rookie season for the Bears, the Texans jumped on the bandwagon and grabbed kick return specialist, Jacoby Jones, in the 3rd round. Houston followed up with two defensive backs.

IT'S THE OFFENSIVE LINE, STUPID!

My big problems with this draft is one that Houston fans will have. The Texans waited until the 5th round to address their offensive line problems. That's insane.

Say what you will about David Carr, but he never had a decent offensive line in front of him. At least with Matt Schaub, you'll get a fair comparison. Schaub will have the same sorry offensive line unit in front of him. That's just a bad idea.

Okoye and Mario Williams might turn into perennial Pro Bowlers. That would be a good thing, because that Texans defense will have to keep the team in a lot of games.

OTHER DRAFT RECAPS

AFC West
NFC South

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC South

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC West

Here is our continuing coverage of the 2007 NFL Draft.

BODOG SUPERBOWL CHAMPION ODDS

San Diego Chargers - 6 to 1
Denver Broncos - 15 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs - 30 to 1
Oakland Raiders - 80 to 1

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

1st - Craig Davis - WR - LSU
2nd - Eric Weddle - S - Utah
3rd - Anthony Waters - LB - Clemson
4th - Scott Chandler - TE - Iowa
5th - Legedu Naanee - WR - Boise State
7th - Brandon Siler - LB - Florida

Grade: D

The Chargers reached on their first two picks. Craig Davis has all of the measurables, but never quite lived up to his potential in college. He was constantly overshadowed by Dwayne Bowe, who now resides with division rival Kansas City.

Eric Weddle is a smart safety whose workouts weren't as impressive as the first round safeties. He fills a need in San Diego and could be a solid leader on the defense. But to spend four picks on Weddle seems crazy to me. He might have slipped to the Chargers. Even if you wanted to trade up to secure Weddle, the Chargers probably could have traded up 10 picks later and kept a couple of those picks.

NORV

Sounds like Norv Turner is making the mistakes that costs him his job in Washington. He's a solid coordinator, but his personnel moves eventually cost the Redskins on the field. The Chargers are uber-talented right now, so giving up four picks for a 2nd rounder won't matter right now. But that will eventually catch up to this franchise.

The rest of the draft was a sleeper, though I applaud the Chargers adding Brandon Siler to the mix. As a 7th round investment, they drafted a player. Though he won't be a star at the next level, he should be a solid backup.

BODOG BET

I can't believe the Chargers have better Superbowl odds than the defending champs. San Diego is 6/1 and the Colts are 8/1. Amazing. By the way, I'm not sure if the Chargers did much to help their Bodog odds with this draft.

DENVER BRONCOS

1st - Jarvis Moss - DE - Florida
2nd - Tim Crowder - DE - Texas
3rd - Ryan Harris - OT - Notre Dame
4th - Marcus Thomas - DT - Florida

Grade: D

Don't get me wrong. I applaud the Broncos drafting replacements for all those former Cleveland Browns on their roster. Their entire defensive line came from Cleveland over the last two years, and the Broncs still made playoff pushes. But they needed a talent infusion to go with the defensive backfield they've been building.

Champ Bailey and company are great, but they need a pass rush to put them over the top. Enter Jarvis Moss. He is a monster rushing the passer, something Denver has needed for years. Tim Crowder and Marcus Thomas should strengthen the line. The only question mark is whether the two former Florida teammates, Moss and Thomas, will act up in the NFL. Both had discipline problems in college.

WHAT ABOUT THE OFFENSE?

My biggest concern with this draft is that the Broncos didn't even address their offensive problems. It used to be the Broncos offense was a powerhouse. But the offense sputtered under Jake Plummer last year, then came to a complete halt for several games when Jay Cutler came in to start.

I had figured the Broncos would add one of these stud receivers to help replace the ancient Rod Smith eventually. I guess there's always next year. That's my one complain with Mike Shanahan in the personnel department. He is always fixing last year's problem, instead of looking into the future and charting a future championship course. He always ends up focusing in too much on one aspect of the team, usually trading too many picks to get the job done. Shanahan is reactive, not proactive.

That being said, I think Travis Henry could be a sleeper candidate for those fantasy football owners this year. Perhaps Shanahan decided Henry and Ben Watson were all that were needed to help Cutler. Maybe Cutler's growth is enough to improve the offense.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

1st - Dwayne Bowe - WR - LSU
2nd - Turk McBride - DT - Tennessee
3rd - Demarcus Tyler - DT - North Carolina State
5th - Kolby Smith - RB - Louisville
5th - Justin Medlock - K - UCLA
6th - Herbert Taylor - G - TCU
7th - Michael Allen - TE - Whitworth

Grade: B

The Chiefs had a solid draft. Though I think Carl Peterson might be insane for trying to trade away perennial stars like Larry Johnson, Trent Green and Dante Hall, I have to give him credit for addressing several needs the Chiefs had. (Okay, the Chiefs deny trying to trade Johnson, but I'm not believing them. There were too many rumors involving too many teams.)

They finally broke down and spent a 1st rounder on a receiver. Dwayne Bowe should give Damon Huard a legitimate deep threat. Kennison was a deep threat ten years ago.

STRENGTHENING THE D LINE

Turk McBride and Demarcus Tyler made Ryan Sims expendable. He was traded to the Bucs yesterday for undisclosed draft picks. Year after year, the Chiefs Defense seems to disappoint. Even though they have tried to address that weakness in recent drafts, it has yet to pay off.

Now they're in a tough situation. They've spent so many high draft picks on the defense, that the offense has gotten old and retired. Losing three linemen in the past two years is a disaster. I would grade this draft higher, if the Chiefs had spent more than a 6th rounder on an offensive lineman. Sure, Kolby Smith is a value pick in the 5th round, but they could have used a lineman more than a backup for Larry Johnson...unless the Chiefs are going to trade him.

Okay, I'm joking. But kickers and backup runners aren't important as finding replacements for Willie Roaf and Will Shields. This wasn't a deep draft for offensive linemen, so I'll cut Kansas City slack on that count.

The next couple of years will tell us if they should have OT Joe Staley instead of Dwayne Bowe in the 1st round, though I can't really say too much, given that I have criticized them in years past for not drafting a receiver high. The players the Chiefs did draft were solid, though.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

1st - JaMarcus Russell - QB - LSU
2nd - Zach Miller - TE - Arizona State
3rd - Quentin Moses - DE - Georgia
3rd - Mario Henderson - OT - Florida State
3rd - Johnny Lee Higgins - WR - UTEP