Evander Holyfield vs. Lou Savarese - Fight Results

In his latest bid for a comeback, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield took on Lou Savarese Saturday night in El Paso, Texas. While many critics doubt his ability to compete at the highest levels of the sport, Holyfield was sharp enough last night to capture a 10-round decision (98-90, 99-87, 96-91).

The 44-year-old ex-champ knocked Savarese down twice, although he had managed to hold his own for the first eight rounds. Holyfield improved to 42-8-2 with the win, and Savarese dropped to 46-7. Afterwards, Savarese said that this would be his last fight.

“I fought hard. I gave it my all,” said a disappointed and swollen Savarese.

THE COMEBACK TRAIL

This was Holyfield’s fourth bout since making a return to boxing following a two-year absence. He has consistently maintained that his goal is to win an record-setting fifth heavyweight title, unify the belts, and then retire from the sport for good. But he is also just three years removed from having his license revoked in the state of New York after an ugly decision loss to Larry Donald.

Still, Holyfield remains confident. “I will be the five-time undisputed heavyweight champion of the world,” he said after the fight.

A TITLE SHOT IN THE WORKS?

Ever the optimist, Holyfield claimed that he believes a title shot will be next for him. But before you scoff, keep in mind that one of the myriad of Russian champs, Sultan Ibragimov, has already expressed interest in fighting “The Real Deal.” Even though he’s a shell of his former self, it’s still likely that Holyfield possesses more drawing power than all of the Russian champions combined.

BODOG BETTING

Bodog had Holyfield a -700 favorite going into the fight. Needless to say, that was hardly a wager worth making. Maybe the odds will be better when he fights someone under 40 years of age.

In the meantime, check out more boxing articles here:

Holyfield vs. Savarese Preview

Hatton vs. Castillo Results

Evander Holyfield vs. Lou Savarese - Fight Results

Bodog Fight - Alvarez vs. Lee, Tara LaRosa and More!

On Saturday, July 14th, Bodog Fight will be holding their first MMA event in the United States. The event will take place at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey and broadcast on ION Television. This card comes on the heels of successful events in Vancouver, Canada and St. Petersburg, Russia.

FIGHT CARD

EXHIBITION FIGHTS

Dan Hawley vs. Nick Cottone (Bantamweight)

Branden Lee Hinkle vs. Roman Zentsov (Heavyweight)

Jorge Masvidal vs. Yves Edwards (Lightweight)

James Binky Jones vs. Nick Agallar (Lightweight)

Chael Sonnen vs. Amar Suloev (Middleweight)

Eben Oroz vs. David Love (Featherweight)

Mark Burch vs. Yoshiki Takahashi (Heavyweight)

5-ROUND TITLE FIGHTS

Tara Larosa vs. Laura D’Auguste (Women’s 135)

Trevor Prangley vs. Yuki Kondo (Middleweight)

MAIN EVENT

Eddie Alvarez vs. Matt Lee

ALVAREZ VS. LEE

Eddie Alvarez (9-1) will be looking to get back on track after losing his welterweight title to Nick “The Goat” Thompson last April. He’ll be taking on Matt Lee (9-5-1), the man who defeated Alvarez’s trainer, Stephen Haigh, last year.

“I beat the teacher, now I’m going to beat up on the student,” said Lee. Of course, Alvarez begs to differ.

“First, I’m going to even the score on behalf of my coach, “said Alvarez. “Second, I’m going to put on a show for all my fans up from Philly. Last, but not least, beating Matt is going to put me a step closer to winning back my championship belt.”

D’AUGUSTE VS. LaROSA

In exciting female MMA action, Laura D’Auguste will try to capture the women’s 135-pound championship belt. But she’s in for a tough fight, as she’ll be taking on New Jersey’s own Tara LaRosa.

“It’s going to be a huge thrill fighting for the title in front of my home fans, and I look forward to hearing them cheer when my arm is raised after the fight,” said LaRosa.

PRANGLEY VS. KONDO

Trevor Prangley (14-4) will also be taking on Japanese legend Yuki Kondo (46-19-6) for the middleweight title. Kondo’s list of opponents reads like a who’s who of the sport, including Tito Ortiz, Wanderlei Silva, Josh Barnett and Dan Henderson. He is also a veteran of the Pancrase organization.

“Trevor is tough, but I’ve fought some of the best fighters in the world, and I believe my experience will serve me well in this fight,” said a confident Kondo.

Not surprisingly, the South African Prangley sees things differently.

“I’m in fantastic shape, and I’m looking forward to putting on a show for the fans in New Jersey,” stated Prangley. “It’s every fighter’s goal to win a title belt, and I won’t let Yuki Kondo stand in my way.”

While Bodog has no odds listed at the moment, you can bet your ass that they will as the fight date gets closer. In the meantime, you can check out some more MMA articles at:

UFC 73 Preview

Slice vs. Mercer Results

Bodog Fight - Alvarez vs. Lee, Tara LaRosa and More!

Japan to Legalize Casinos?

If you’ve ever visited Japan but been disappointed by their lack of casinos, you may want to start planning a trip for the future. It appears as though the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is now considering legalizing casino gambling as early as June 2008.

A BIG BOOST

Not only is the Liberal Democratic Party the leading party of the country, but they also believe that casinos will increase tourism and tax revenues, and generally help to boost the economy. It will also give foreign investors a chance to get in on the ground floor, since Japanese companies may not be ready to take on such a massive operation.

It is estimated that just three major casinos could generate up to 4.3 billion Euros for the nation’s treasury, not to mention the number of jobs that it would generate. And since Japan has recently faced a decline in population and tax revenues, they need all the economic stimulation that they can get.

IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ‘EM…

By bringing in casinos, Japan would be following the model successfully adopted by places like Macau and Singapore. Macau has been so successful, in fact, that it now outstrips Las Vegas as the world’s most popular gambling destination.

And with Russia and China experiencing large economic growth, there’s even the possibility of drawing large crowds of gambling enthusiasts from these nations. If so, revenue for the casinos could be even greater than initially projected.

To discourage locals from gambling, however, the government might also consider charging an entrance fee.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

And while I’m thinking about it, here are 3 really cool things to come out of Japan:

1. Starblazers - The animated Japanese film turned American cartoon series. It still has about the coolest opening theme of all time. Hurry, Starforce!

2. Battle Royale - The movie deals with a group of teenage classmates who are placed on an island and forced to fight to the death at the behest of the Japanese government. Highly controversial and highly entertaining. Nobody does crazy like the Japanese.

3. Ninja Warrior - If you haven’t seen this wacky Japanese television show, check it out on the G4 channel. Brave men and women take on a treacherous obstacle course for the amusement of the public.

Japan to Legalize Casinos?

Evander Holyfield vs. Lou Savarese - Fight Preview and Bodog Odds

On Saturday, June 30th, four-time heavyweight champ Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield will take on Lou Savarese at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. It is being billed as The Road to the Heavyweight Championship.

The fight will be shown on pay-per-view, which is a real shame considering that both these fighters are well past their prime. No doubt, viewers will be asked to shell out upwards of $30 to $40 for a boring fight in the wrecked heavyweight division. It’s this sort of blind greed which has helped reduce boxing to its current state.

But before I go off on a long rant, let’s take a look at both of the fighters and then see what kind of odds they’re getting.

EVANDER HOLYFIELD

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Evander Holyfield has a record of 41-8-2 with 27 KO’s. He is 44 years old, stands 6’2 ½” and weighs 218 pounds. He is a former WBA, WBC and IBF cruiserweight champion, as well as the former holder of the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. Ring Magazine selected him as Fighter of the Year for 1996-1997.

Holyfield has fought numerous wars over his career, including three tough fights with Riddick Bowe and a pair of bouts with Mike Tyson. During his career, he’s fought everyone from Lennox Lewis to James Toney. He’s always fought the best, but his competition lately has been a step down. We’re talking fighters like Vinny Madalone and Fres Oquendo.

Also keep in mind that all of Holyfield’s recent fights have taken place in Texas. This is because most other states will no longer grant him a license to compete in the sport.

Strengths

Holyfield is still strong at 44 and can close the show with the best of him. He’s very dangerous inside, and he’s a master at using his head as a weapon to stun or cut opponents. His left hook is particularly effective. Even if everyone else has given up on him, Holyfield truly believes that he will once again be a world champion. This burning desire makes him very dangerous despite his eroding skills.

Weaknesses

Holyfield turned pro back in 1984, and he doesn’t have much tread left on the tires. In fact, some might say that he’s been running on the rims for several years. Most of those close to him are urging him to retire, but he seems intent on getting permanent brain damage. The major states for the sport of boxing will no longer grant him a license to fight. That should have been his first clue that something’s wrong.

LOU SAVARESE

Savarese is from Houston, Texas and has a record of 48-6 with 36 KO’s. He is 41 years old, 6’5” and 249 pounds. While he has held a couple of minor heavyweight belts, he has never won a major title.

While he has fought George Foreman, Mike Tyson and Michael Grant, Savarese has usually lost when faced with quality opposition. In fact, the bulk of his wins were strung together by beating men like Larry Givens, who retired from boxing with a record of 3-46. He has won his last 3 fights, but his opponents were once again suspect.

Strengths

Savarese still has power in his big right hand, so he’s still dangerous. He’s got a puncher’s chance, but that’s about it. Oh, and he usually comes to his fights in excellent condition.

Weaknesses

Savarese is slow and lacks defense. While his chin has usually been pretty durable, it usually just means that he’ll stay in a fight long enough to absorb more punishment than is advisable. His level of competition has been very low for years, and he’s past the 40-year mark.

BODOG ODDS

So what does Bodog have to say about each fighter’s chances? Let’s take a look. Keep in mind that the maximum bet is $500.

Winner of the Fight

Evander Holyfield -700

Lou Savarese +400

Over/Under for the Fight

Over 9 ½ Rounds -110

Under 9 ½ Rounds -130

PREDICTION

Look for Holyfield to get inside and use his head to open up Savarese. As his visibility becomes impaired from the blood, Savarese will eat big punch after big punch until he goes down in the 6th and doesn’t get back up. Holyfield by KO in Round 6.

For more article on boxing, take a look at the following:

Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo

Boxing News

Evander Holyfield vs. Lou Savarese - Fight Preview and Bodog Odds

Grace Park - Babe of the Day

Thursday's Babe of the Day is Grace Park, best known by television fans as Sharon Valerii on Battlestar Galactica and Shannon Ng on Edgemont.

Grace Park - Babe of the Day

Reagan Yun - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is Reagan Yun. All I know about her is that she's a model on the Internet who's not shy about taking off her clothes. If you like big boobs, you will love this babe. And in case you're wondering, Blogger has been having problems with postig images, so that's why I'm making up for the last few days of Babes. Wouldn't want to deprive our loyal readers of their daily fix.

Reagan Yun - Babe of the Day

Crissy Moran - Babe of the Day

This fine little lady is Crissy Moran, former pornstar and erotic model. Sadly, she converted to Christianity in 2006 and left the adult business. Oh, well, we can always hope for a relapse.

Crissy Moran - Babe of the Day

Fantasy Baseball - fantasysportslive.com - Daily Sports Bets

I love fantasy sports.

Fantasy football and fantasy baseball are great ways to bet on your favorite sports. You keep in touch with old buddies and make new sports friends.

The problem many gamblers have with fantasy sports, though, is these wagers play out over an entire year. Making one single wager on a full season may not be enough juice for a hardcore gambler.

Also, fantasy baseball is a lot of work. You have to manage a fantasy team throughout an entire 162 game season, changing the starting lineup, making trades to plug holes and keeping track of the breakout players to add to your roster. One bet...six months of baseball...equals a lot of work.

But that's a thing of the past.

FANTASY SPORTS DOT COM

I've found a site where you can make daily wagers on fantasy sports. You can find it at fantasysportslive.com.

Every day, the bets reset. Pay to make a wager on the games that night. You fill out a starting lineup from the players playing in the games scheduled that night. If you place first, second or third on the wager, you make a lot of money.

fantasysportslive.com combines fantasy baseball with your standard sports betting. The great thing about fantasy betting is it's completely legal. Because the uigea created a carveout for fantasy sports, your bets on these games are legal. You can even pay through Paypal.

The game itself has another built-in advantage over regular baseball wagering. You aren't betting against a line set up by a Las Vegas expert. You are betting against a collection of guys, 1 to 9 players according to the game you choose. These guys aren't experts, but fans like you. So if you have a skill for picking fantasy match ups, you can rake in the money.

HOW FANTASY BASEBALL IS PLAYED

When you join a contest, you fill out a nine man roster. So you choose a pitcher and a position player from each of the positions. This is your baseball team for the night.

The position players receive points for hits, steals, runs, home runs and RBI's. The pitchers receive points for strikeouts and innings pitched, and ten points for a win.

Points are deducted for batter strike outs, losses for pitchers and those kind of negative stats.

THE SALARY CAP

Also, you can choose contests with a salary cap or no salary cap. A salary cap means you have a certain amount of monopoly money to buy players. Standard caps are $450,000 or $550,000, while players cost between $10,000 and $100,000 apiece. Their cost depends on past stats and match ups.

Right now, Alex Rodriguez is going for $170,000, though he is about the only player over 100 thousand I've seen.

I like the salary cap. I think that's the way you can separate yourself from the other players, by adding a couple of bargain sleepers to your roster, allowing you to afford Barry Bonds when other teams cannot.

And if you don't like all that salary cap mess, you don't have to. Either way, you fill out a roster of your favorite players. If they let you down one night, you get an entirely new group of players tomorrow night.

Try out this site. It's one of the first of its kind on the internet, but this is only going to get bigger.

Fantasy Baseball - fantasysportslive.com - Daily Sports Bets

UFC 73: Stacked - Preview and Bodog Odds

On July 7th, the UFC will hold their next major pay-per-view event entitled UFC 73: Stacked. It will take place at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. Stacked is an appropriate title for event, as it features the first title defenses of both middleweight champ Anderson Silva and lightweight champ Sean Sherk. In addition, everyone’s favorite villain, Tito Ortiz, will be taking on Ultimate Fighter 2 winner, Rashad Evans. And don’t forget about the UFC debut of former PRIDE star Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

UFC 73 COMPLETE CARD

The Undercard

Frankie “The Answer” Edgar vs. Mark Bocek

Chris “Lights Out” Lytle vs. Drew Fickett

“The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar vs. Mike Nickels

Jorge Gurgel vs. Diego Saraiva

Main Card

Kenny “KenFlo” Florian vs. Alvin Robinson

“Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. “The Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring

Tito “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz vs. Rashad “Sugar” Evans

Sean “Muscle Shark” Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (Lightweight Championship)

Anderson “The Spider” Silva vs. Nate “The Great” Marquardt (Middleweight Championship)

BODOG ODDS FOR UFC 73

At the moment, here are the current betting lines offered on Bodog. No doubt, more fights will be offered as the event gets closer. There are no parlays, and the maximum bet for each fight is $500.

Anderson Silva (-170) vs. Nate Marquardt (+140)

Sean Sherk (-220) vs. Hermes Franca (+180)

Tito Ortiz (-140) vs. Rashad Evans (+110)

For more MMA previews, see the following:

Ultimate Fighter 5 Preview

Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer Preview

UFC 73: Stacked - Preview and Bodog Odds

2007 ESPY Awards

For all you sports fans out there, don’t forget about the upcoming ESPY Awards. This year’s ceremony will be broadcast July 15th from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and LeBron James.

The winners are selected entirely through fan voting, so be sure and pick your winners before the deadline. There are 38 categories in all, and they range from the obvious (Best Male Athlete) to the more eclectic (Best Bowler, Best Angler). By the way, the Indianapolis Colts lead the way with six nominations this year.

NEW AWARDS AND SPECIAL HONORS

A new award for Best Finish has been added this year. Also, the category of Best Boxer has been renamed Best Fighter to reflect the growing popularity of mixed martial arts.

In addition, there are two awards given out which are not decided on by the fans. The first is the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, presented to individuals whose contributions transcend sports. Second is the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, awarded to a person whose performance evoked emotion and provided inspiration to the sports world.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE…

Here are just a few examples of the categories which you can vote on:

Best Male Athlete

Tiger Woods - Golf Pro

Payton Manning - Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Ladainian Tomlinson - Running Back, San Diego Chargers

LeBron James - Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers

Roger Federer - Tennis Pro

Best Female Athlete

Lisa Leslie - Center, LA Sparks

Taryne Mowatt - Pitcher, University of Arizona Softball

Lorena Ochoa - Golf Pro
Candace Parker - Forward/center/guard, Tennessee Lady Vols Basketball

Best Team

Florida Gators Basketball - Final 4 Champs

Florida Gators Football - BCS Champs

Indianapolis Colts - Super Bowl Champs

San Antonio Spurs - NBA Champs

St. Louis Cardinals - World Series Champs

Tennessee Lady Vols Basketball - Final 4 Champs

Best Fighter

Miguel Cotto - WBA Welterweight Champ

Randy Couture - UFC Heavyweight Champ

Quinton Jackson - UFC Light Heavyweight Champ

Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Super Lightweight Champ

Manny Pacquiao - WBC Super Featherweight Champ

Best Moment

Tiger Woods - British Open - Tears of Joy

New Orleans - Monday Night Football - Saints Beat Falcons

Tony Dungy vs. Lovie Smith - SuperBowl’s First African-American Coaches

Derek Fisher - Father First, Utah Jazz Second Family

For more sports articles, see the following:

Tour de France Odds

Chris Benoit and Family Found Dead

2007 ESPY Awards

Playboy to Open Mansion in Macau

It looks like things are going to get even hotter in Asia, as Playboy has just announced its intentions to open the 40,000 square foot Playboy Mansion Macau. This follows on the heels of the opening of a Playboy club at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas in October.

The new mansion, scheduled to open in late 2009, will feature a pool and grotto, dozens of gaming tables, a villa-style hotel and even female dealers dressed in revealing “bunny” outfits. It is expected to be twice the size of the Las Vegas club.

MACAU…THE NEW VEGAS

Playboy is no doubt hoping to take advantage of the boom in the Macau gambling industry. Since the government ended a monopoly in 2002, it has went on to surpass even Las Vegas as the world’s biggest gaming market.

And Playboy already has a presence in Asia. They sell clothing in 620 outlets in China and run boutiques in both Tokyo and Bangkok.

Playboy Mansion Macau will be part of a planned $2 billion Macau Studio City, which will be a 3.7 million square foot complex combining malls, hotels, casinos, movie sets and television studios.

PLAYBOY IN TROUBLE?

Playboy is looking for a shot in the arm after reporting financial losses in 2005 and only $2.3 million in profit for 2006. With the continued growth of the adult entertainment industry, their traditional businesses such as magazines and video sales have struggled. In this way, they look to regain ground.

It also marks a return to the roots of the company. Back in the day, Playboy ran successful clubs in 22 cities such as Tokyo, Chicago, Manila and New York. But by 1991, all the facilities had closed, and the company concentrated on other business ventures.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

I would love nothing more than to see this new business venture become an overwhelming success for Playboy. Maybe then they would consider opening the old Playboy Clubs back up. I’m far too young to remember them, but I’ve seen programs on television about the heyday of the Playboy empire. Just imagine a club with beautiful women dancing, cocktail waitresses in bunny outfits, cool music, cigars, and anything else a manly man could wish for. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.

Playboy to Open Mansion in Macau

2007 Tour de France - Bodog Odds

The 2007 Tour de France will begin on July 7th and last until July 29th. It’s the world’s best known cycling race, a fact which has been greatly aided by Lance Armstrong’s seven consecutive wins. This year’s event will begin in London and then make its way into France. Broken into stages (from one town to the next), the cyclist with the best cumulative time will be crowned the winner.

CONTROVERSY

Last year’s winner, Floyd Landis, tested for unusually high levels of testosterone and is not considered the champion by Tour officials. However, he is still listed as the winner and is currently involved in a campaign to maintain his innocence.

Charges of doping have plagued the event in recent years. Due to this fact, the Tour de France will now be requiring riders to sign a new anti-doping charter. Anyone who refuses will not be allowed to participate. The charter states that a cyclist who tests positive for drug use will pay a year’s salary on top of the standard two-year ban.

BODOG ODDS

So who’s going to win this year’s event? Will it be Russian cyclist Vladimir Karpets, who recently captured the Tour of Switzerland race, or will another American rise up to piss off the Europeans? Thankfully, Bodog has provided odds for the upcoming race. There are no parlays, and the maximum bet is $500.

Alberto Contador 25/1

Alejandro Valverde 5/2

Alexandre Vinokourov 3/2

Andreas Kloden 9/2

Andrey Kashechkin 14/1

Cadel Evans 12/1

Carlos Sastre 10/1

Christophe Moreau 25/1

Cyril Dessel 25/1

Denis Menchov 12/1

Frank Schleck 18/1

George Hincapie 70/1

Haimar Zubeldia 50/1

Iban Mayo 35/1

Levi Leipheimer 10/1

Markus Fothen 30/1

Michael Boogerd 40/1

Michael Rasmussen 50/1

Michael Rogers 20/1

Oscar Pereiro 30/1

Samuel Sanchez 50/1

Tadej Valiavec 50/1

Thomas Lovkvist 40/1

Yaroslav Popovych 40/1

Field (Any Other Cyclist) 5/1

For more sports wagering with an international flair, check out the following:

CFL Season Odds

America’s Cup Odds

2007 Tour de France - Bodog Odds

Paris Hilton's Interview with Larry King - Bodog Odds

There are two events which mankind awaits with bated breath - the second coming of Jesus Christ and the release of Paris Hilton from jail. One of those happens on Tuesday (I’ll let you guess which one).

The hotel heiress has been serving a highly-publicized 45-day sentence for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. Of course, due to overcrowding and good behavior, she’ll only end up serving 24 days in all.

MY NAME IS KING….LARRY KING

One day after her release, Paris will appearing on CNN’s Larry King Live to talk about her experiences in the slammer. The entire hour of the show will be dedicated to everyone’s favorite party girl.

In an official statement, Hilton said, “I am thrilled that Larry King has asked me to appear on his program to discuss my experience in jail, what I have learned, how I have grown and anything else he wants to talk about. Larry King is not only a world-renowned journalist, but a true American icon. It will be an honor to do his show.”

Excuse me while I go throw up. Isn’t the host of the show the one who’s supposed to do the ass-kissing? Not to worry, though, as Larry will be doing plenty of that on Wednesday night.

BODOG ODDS

Never ones to miss out on a pop culture event, Bodog is taking odds on several possible occurrences during the Larry King interview. These wagers will not be settled until official transcripts of the show are released, and the maximum bet for each is $50.

How many times will Paris Hilton say “hot” during her first interview on Larry King Live?

Over 4 ½ -120

Under 4 ½ -120

Will Paris Hilton discuss finding God while in jail during her interview with Larry King?

Yes -300

No +200

Will Paris Hilton discuss her mental health issues while in jail during her interview with Larry King?

Yes -300

No +200

Will Larry King or Paris Hilton mention the website ParisExposed.com during her interview on Larry King Live?

Yes +150

No -200

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

Paris Hilton Goes Back to Jail

Paris Hilton Prop Bets

Paris Hilton's Interview with Larry King - Bodog Odds

B.J. Penn vs. Jens Pulver - Full Results

The season finale of UFC’s Ultimate Fighter 5 took place on Saturday night at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event saw head coaches “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn and Jens “Little Evil” Pulver compete in a bout. Here’s what happened:

ULTIMATE FIGHTER 5 FULL RESULTS

Matt Wiman vs. Brian Geraghty (Lightweight) - Wiman won by TKO at 2:09 of the 1st round.

Leonard Garcia vs. Allen Berube (Lightweight) - Garcia won with a rear naked choke at 4:22 of round one.

Rob Emerson vs. Gray Maynard (Lightweight) - No contest. Maynard knocked himself out during a takedown, but Emerson also submitted due to a rib injury.

Cole Miller vs. Andy Wang (Lightweight) - Miller won by TKO at 1:10 of round one.

Joe Lauzon vs. Brandon Melendez (Lightweight) - Lauzon won with a triangle choke at 2:09 of round two.

MAIN CARD

Roger Huerta vs. Doug Evans (Lightweight) - Huerta won via TKO at 3:30 of round to.

Thales Leites vs. Floyd Sword (Middleweight) - Leites won with an arm triangle at 3:50 of round one.

Nathan Diaz vs. Manvel Gambaryan (Lightweight) - Diaz won at :20 of round two after his opponent suffered a dislocated shoulder and could not continue. Diaz won the Ultimate Fighter tournament.

B.J. Penn vs. Jens Pulver (Lightweight) - Penn won with a rear naked choke at 3:12 of round two/

For more MMA action, check out the following:

Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer - Full Results

Shamrockvs. Baroni - Full Results

B.J. Penn vs. Jens Pulver - Full Results

Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo - Fight Results

On Saturday night, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton took on Jose Luis Castillo for the IBO junior welterweight title and vacant WBC International 140-pound belt.

RESULTS FOR HATTON VS. CASTILLO

In the early going, both men looked ready for a war. The two fighters looked to get inside, and each man unloaded with every punch in his arsenal. The 4th round, however, would prove to be a critical point in the match.

At 2:53 of the 4th, Hatton landed a pair of right uppercuts to the chin of his opponent. Hatton pushed his advantage, but he suffered a low blow from Castillo at the 1:36 mark of the round. Referee Joe Cortez stopped the action and deducted a point from Castillo for repeated low blows.

Hatton came right back and muscled his opponent into the ropes and then unloaded with left hooks to the ribs and right hands to the midsection of the Mexican legend. With 1:01 left in the 4th, Hatton landed a sharp left hook to the liver and Castillo went down. At the count of four, he was able to shove his mouthpiece back in. Unfortunately for Castillo, that was all he was able to do, and he kneeled near the ropes while Cortez completed the 10 count.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR HATTON?

After the knockout, Hatton said, “I just touched him to the head and slipped round and found the gap behind the elbows. From the very first round I thought I was stronger than him. So that was my key, keep it on him and hopefully break him.”

Hatton, who entered the fight as a -190 favorite according to Bodog, expressed interest in a possible fight with pound-for-pound champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. Of course, Mayweather is technically retired at the moment, but a load of cash would no doubt force him to reconsider. For the sake of professional boxing, let’s hope it happens.

For more boxing articles, check out the following:

Hatton vs. Castillo Fight Preview

Cotto vs. Judah - Fight Results

Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo - Fight Results

Chris Benoit and Family Found Dead

Sure, it may have nothing to do with betting, but we here at Dare to Gamble wanted to pause for a moment and acknowledge the passing of one of our favorite wrestlers. On June 25th, Chris Benoit was found dead in his home, along with his wife Nancy (formerly known as Woman) and son Daniel.

While details are still sketchy, the WWE has released the following statement:

“World Wrestling Entertainment is deeply saddened to report that today Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in their home. There are no further details at this time, other than the Benoit family residence is currently being investigated by local authorities.”

Benoit was highly respected in the wrestling world for his technical ability and skill in constructing a match. With his trademark toothless grin and ripped physique, he was certainly a fan favorite. Originally from Canada, he performed in ECW, WCW, WWE, and numerous foreign companies. He was a former WWE champion.

Monday night’s RAW was canceled and replaced with a tribute to Benoit, including matches and comments from others in the wrestling community. Many of the clips can be found on the excellent DVD entitled Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story, which I highly recommend.

Fayette County, Georgia police are investigating Benoit’s house following the discoveries of the bodies. Lieutenant Tommy Pope told ABC news that it was being investigated as a “possible double murder-suicide,” and the police were not searching for any suspects outside the home, as the instruments of death were located at the scene.

Chris Benoit and Family Found Dead

Catalina Cruz - Babe of the Day

This porn actress bills herself as a fitness model gone sexually crazy. Originally working as JennaZ, she has starred in a number of adult films, as well as appearing in Splat Magazine, MuscleMag International, and American Curves. She also runs a website where she teaches other adult models how to properly perform fellatio. You've gotta love a woman who likes to give back to the community.

Catalina Cruz - Babe of the Day

Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer - Full Results

On Saturday night, Cage Fury Fighting Championships 5 went down in Atlantic City, New Jersey. What happened? Well, let’s take a look.

FULL RESULTS

Al Buck vs. Brian Demuro - Buck won by unanimous decision.

Lyman Good vs. Doug Gordon - Good won by unanimous decision.

Nick Catone vs. John Howard - Catone won by unanimous decision.

Jim Miller vs. Anthony Morrison - Miller won with a triangle choke in the 1st round.

Nick Serra vs. Mike Varner - Serra won with an armbar in the 2nd round.

Dante Rivera vs. Alexis Aquino - Rivera won in the 2nd round after securing a straight ankle lock on his opponent.

Gregor Gracie vs. Josh Lydell - Gracie looked good en route to a 1st round victory via rear naked choke. Very fast hands.

Devidas Taurosevicius vs. Kevin Roddy - Taurosevicius won with a rear naked choke in the 1st round.

Josh Rhodes vs. Noah Inhofer - Rhodes got a TKO win in the 2nd round after brutal strikes to Inhofer forced the referee to step in.

Kimbo Slice vs. “Merciless” Ray Mercer - Bodog had Slice as a -215 favorite, although it was bet down a bit on fight day. Slice looked good throwing knees in the clinch. The fight eventually went to the ground and Kimbo Slice won with a guillotine choke in the 1st round.

For more MMA articles, take a look at the following:

Shamrock vs. Baroni - Full Results

Ultimate Fighter 5 - Ultimate Finale

Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer - Full Results

Navi Rawat - Babe of the Day

Today's Babe is Navi Rawat. She is best known for her roles as Theresa Diaz on The O.C. and Amita Ramanujan on Numb3rs. You can also see her kick ass in the low-budget horror film Feast.

Navi Rawat - Babe of the Day

Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni - Full Results

Friday night, June 22nd, Strikeforce and EliteXC combined to present a mixed martial arts show entitled Strike force - Shamrock vs. Baroni. As the name suggests, the main event of the show was Frank Shamrock taking on Phil “The New York Badass” Baroni for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title. Here are the full results:

FULL RESULTS

Sam Spengler vs. Seth Kleinbeck - At 2:55 of the 2nd round, Kleinbeck forced the match to be stopped with wicked shots to his downed opponent. Seth Kleinbeck gets the TKO victory.

Chris Cariaso vs. Anthony Figueroa - Cariaso wins a unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

Rex Richards vs. Ray Seraille - Richards gets a quick win in 34 seconds after landing a right to the jaw of his opponent.

Jason Von Flue vs. Luke Stewart - In the first round, Stewart got several takedowns but couldn’t do anything with them. In the second, Stewart dominated and kept his opponent on his back through much of the round. In the third, Stewart got him down again and started landing punches. Enough got through that it was stopped at 2:17 of the third.

Mike Pyle vs. Aaron Wetherspoon - The first round saw both men exchange punches, but Pyle’s offense was stronger. In the second, both men opened up their offense and threw effective punches and kicks. This round could go to either man. Pyle took control in the third, landing a takedown and connecting with some punches and elbows on the ground. The judges score it 30-27, 29-27 and 30-27 for Mike Pyle. Wetherspoon looks really beat up.

Nikk Covert vs. Nik Theotikos - Theotikos dominates from the opening bell with punches, and the match is stopped at the 1:13 mark. Covert is placed in a neck brace and taken out on a stretcher.

Victor Valenzuela vs. Edson Berto - Berto wasted no time in locking on a heel hook, and this one was over in 47 seconds.

Paul Buentello vs. Carter Williams - Tough first round, with both men working hard. Buentello punishes him with knees and Williams looks to fade near the end of the round. Ten seconds into round two, it was all over after two uppercuts from Buentello. The crowd was really into this one.

Joey Villasenor vs. Murilo Ninja Rua - This is for the vacant EliteXC middleweight title. The first round was a real slugfest, with both men rocking their opponent at various times. Ninja got several takedowns. The second round was more of the same, with both men punching the hell out of each other. Ninja finally landed one that put his opponent away in the second.

Josh Thompson vs. Nick Gonzalez - The match went to the ground pretty early, and Thompson got a choke. He cinched it in and forced Gonzalez to tap at the 1:42 mark.

Cung Le vs. Tony Frycklund - Le landed a ton of kicks and punches in the first round, but Frycklund took everything he threw at him. One MMA expert said it looked like a fight out of a movie (this was a compliment). Le looked to tire as the round wore on but was very dominan.

Le continued to pick his opponent apart with kicks. He’s tired, but still seems fast enough to control the match.

In the third, Le continued his dominance and finally put Fryklund down with a couple of side kicks and a right hand. The fight was stopped and Le got the TKO victory.

Duane Ludwig vs. Paul Daley - After a back-and-forth exchange, Daley was finally able to drop him with a punch and finish him on the ground with more punches.

Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni - The last time I checked, Baroni was a -140 favorite on Bodog. Huge ovation for Shamrock.

Baroni tried to end it quick, but Shamrock wisely moved away. Baroni got in a couple of takedowns, but Shamrock worked well on the ground and was let up. Shamrock with strong punching. Baroni looked to tire as the match wore on. Shamrock had a point deducted for punching to the back of the head. Exciting round.

To start the second, Baroni landed several blows and hurt Shamrock. Both men were tired at this point. The two stood and traded. Great action. Baroni missed a takedown and Shamrock got his back and cinched in a choke. Baroni wouldn’t tap, but he eventually passed out. Shamrock wins.

Afterwards, Baroni stormed out of the arena. It was then revealed that Shamrock had blown out his knee last week during training. He had to be helped out of the ring.

If you missed this one, you might want to order the replay, as it was an incredible card from start to finish. For more MMA articles, check out the following:

Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer

Ultimate Fighter 5

Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni - Full Results

Babe of the Day- Jesse Jane

Today's Babe is adult actress Jesse Jane. She can be seen in such excellent films as Pirates and Beat the Devil.

Babe of the Day- Jesse Jane

2007 WSOP - Strokes, Meth, Fights and More!!

When the WSOP takes place, you can bet that there will be plenty of “characters” present. This year is no exception. And if there’s one thing that characters are good for, it’s generating lots of colorful stories. So let’s pause from the usual WSOP synopsis and take a look at some of the more interesting events which have taken place in Vegas over the past 22 days.

PAUL CLARK - DIE HARD

Paul “Eskimo” Clark (pictured) is a Vietnam vet with a love for cards. In fact, he’s been making a living at them for decades, as his three WSOP bracelets can attest to. But this year’s event has been particularly hard on him, as he has collapsed at the table on three separate occasions..

The last two times were earlier this week while playing $1,500 Razz. And both times, Clark held the chip lead. On the most recent occasion, an EMT checked him out and Clark refused to leave the table.

Kenny Johnson, an old friend of Clark, confirmed that the episodes were all the result of mini-strokes, and that Clark has had half a dozen in the last 6 months. During one collapse, Johnson also revealed that Clark had fractured his foot, but he refused to get treatment and miss the tournament.

Clark would later finish 4th in the event, earning $31,186 in the process. Here’s hoping that some of that money goes towards medical bills.

VINNIE VINH - MISSING IN ACTION

Throughout the tournament, Vinnie Vinh has been mysteriously disappearing for several days at a time. On one occasion, he failed to show up for day two of an event….when he was the chip leader!

In fact, he has finished two tournaments this year in 20th and 22nd place, both while not bothering to show up for the second day (many thought he would be found dead in his hotel room). This has led to speculation about various drug habits, with the favorite rumor involving crystal meth. While that is unconfirmed, the one thing for sure is that something incredibly unusual is going on in the life of Vinnie Vinh.

BILL CHEN - THE COLOR OF MONEY

Event #21 had a controversy, as Bill Chen negotiated with an opponent to give him 25 % of his earnings in the event in exchange for Chen moving on to the next round. He even called the tournament director over and had him verify what was going on. The deal was approved.

Unfortunately, it’s against the tournament rules to make deals with other players, and Chen, a brilliant mathematician and published poker author, was eventually disqualified. Along the way, a lot of pros seemed to take exception with the behavior, despite the fact that such deals are made all the time. It’s just that they’re normally not made with the tournament director’s knowledge.

You have to at least give Chen credit for being up front and honest.

VANESSA ROUSSO, CHAD BROWN AND AARON BEEN - READY TO RUMBLE

There was some sort of drama between poker eye candy Vanessa Rousso and frequent 2+2 forum contributor Aaron Been. The details are mostly “he said, she said,” but generally revolve around one or the other acting like an ass at the table. Rousso reportedly left the game nearly in tears (but details are once again sketchy).

Later, Rousso and boyfriend Chad Brown passed Been in a hallway, and Brown wanted an apology from him. When Been declined, Brown wanted to fight. Been also declined that offer and walked away. Let’s hope Brown got some extra special sex for his primitive display of masculinity (insert Tim Allen grunts here).

The 2+2 Forums have a thread dedicated to the incident (over 60 pages long), with comments by both Rousso and Been. Brown would have responded, but he was busy fending off a saber-toothed tiger and inventing fire.

For more news from the WSOP, click the following:

Hellmuth Makes History

WSOP - Day 14 Recap

2007 WSOP - Strokes, Meth, Fights and More!!

Antigua Demands Billions from U.S.

The Caribbean nations of Antigua and Barbuda are taking no prisoners when it comes to their treatment of the United States. After U.S. officials failed to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling that found their Internet gambling restrictions illegal, the tiny nations are demanding that America be fined more than $3.4 billion dollars per year. This compensation would come by withdrawing intellectual property protection for U.S. trademarks, patents and industrial designs.

OTHER COUNTRIES GET IN ON THE ACTION

Japan and India also joined in the fun, adding extra pressure by filing compensation requests as a result of Washington’s attempt to alter the details of their obligations under the 1994 General Agreement on Trade in Services. After Antigua raised such a stink, the U.S. simply removed the section on Internet gambling from their part of the agreement.

The European Union also filed a request similar to that of Japan and India earlier in the week. They stated that they wish to see the U.S. open up other trade sectors in order to compensate for deleting part of the treaty.

SO WHAT’S THEIR BEEF?

Antigua maintains that online gambling in their country provided income for hundreds of citizens and reduced their reliance on a weakened tourism industry before the U.S. introduced their ban. When the Republican party had the bright idea to stop U.S. banks and credit card companies from processing payments to online gambling business outside the country - thus eliminating half of the online gamblers in the world - Antigua and many other countries felt a major impact on their national economy.

THE WTO WEIGHS IN

In December, the WTO ruled that the law unfairly focused on offshore casinos, while American remote horse betting was unaffected. No doubt, anyone with any sense smelled the payoffs and corruption from a mile away. The WTO was happy to permit Washington’s new policy if it would only be applied fairly. This has yet to happen.

And don’t hold your breath, Antigua.

For more articles on gambling and politics, check out the following:

Online Casino Law Summary

Hearings on IGREA Bill

Antigua Demands Billions from U.S.

Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo - Preview and Odds

On Saturday night, June 23rd, former IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton will face off against former two-time WBC lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. HBO will be broadcasting the fight for free at 10 pm EST (free, that is, if you already have a subscription to HBO).

Before we get to the betting line, let’s take a moment and look at both fighters.

RICKY “THE HITMAN” HATTON

Hatton hails from Manchester, England and has a perfect record of 42-0 with 30 KO’s. He is 28-years-old, stands 5’6” and currently fights at 140 pounds. He trained by Billy Graham and managed by his father, Ray Hatton. Notable fights include his TKO of Kostya Tszyu and decisions against Juan Urango and Luis Collazo.

Hatton is an aggressive fighter who always looks to press the action. He throws tons of punches, and his most effective punch seems to be a wicked left hook to the body. His heart and determination are also formidable weapons, as The Hitman doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the word ‘quit.’ In many ways, he is very much the picture of an old school fighter.

On the flipside, Hatton does have a bad tendency to put on lots of weight between fights. He is also a bleeder due to scar tissue around his left eye. Also keep in mind that Hatton is stepping up in weight for this fight.

JOSE LUIS “EL TERRIBLE“ CASTILLO

Castillo fights out of Mexicali, Mexico and has a record of 55-7-1 with 47 KO’s. He is 33-years-old, stands 5’8” and weighs 140 pounds. He has notable wins against Stevie Johnson, Joel Casamayor, Juan Lazcano and Julio Diaz. He lost two very close decisions to Floyd Mayweather Jr. He also suffered a dramatic loss to the late Diego Corrales in 2005 (which won the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year).

Castillo is a fighter who will throw everything at you, including his head. He likes to cut off the ring and work over opponents with left hooks inside and overhand rights. He will give everything he’s got until the final bell and is the epitome of the cagey veteran.

Castillo has been in a lot of wars over his career, and that takes a toll on any fighter. Many critics have wondered how many upper-echelon fights El Terrible has left in him. Like Hatton, he also tends to cut and has had problems with his weight between fights.

PREDICTION

On paper, these two fighters sound similar in many regards. Tough fighters who push the pace, throw lots of punches, cut easily, and never take a step backwards. The biggest difference, however, may be the fact that Hatton is five years older.

This is going to be a slugfest, and boxing fans should be in for a real treat. Personally, I like Ricky Hatton to win a bloody brawl by a 9th round TKO.

BODOG ODDS

Bodog also gives you a chance to express your opinions on the outcome of the fight. There are no parlays, but the maximum bet is a very generous $1000 for the overall winner and $500 for the over/under on rounds.

Who will win?

Ricky Hatton -190

Jose Luis Castillo +155

Total Number of Rounds?

Over 11 ½ -200

Under 11 ½ +150

For more boxing articles, take a look at the following:

Results for Cotto vs. Judah

Boxing News

Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo - Preview and Odds

Babe of the Day - Vera Jordanova

Today's Babe is Vera Jordanova. She's a professional model, as you might well have guessed. Currently, she's also causing movie screens to smoke as a sinister Eastern European babe in Hostel 2.

Babe of the Day - Vera Jordanova

Age of Love - Kitten or Cougar? - Bodog Odds

Mark Philippoussis has a life that most of us simply dream about. He’s tall, wealthy (over $6 million in career earnings), a former model and a professional tennis player. The native Australian also has 13 women desperately chasing after him.

You see, Mark is the latest in a long line of semi-celebrities to star in his own reality show. In this case, it’s called Age of Love and airs Monday nights on NBC. Mark Consuelos serves as the host, by the way.

But wait - did I mention that there’s a twist?

Mark thinks he’s on a run of the mill reality dating show. As he prepares to meet his seven potential love matches, he seems nervous. He mentions that he usually dates women in their twenties. Suddenly, the glass elevator containing the women begins to lower. The tension mounts.

Mark gives a sigh of relief when he realizes that the women are normal and he hasn’t fallen victim to some sort of gag. Then they start introducing themselves, and the bombshell drops. All the women are in their forties!

They are referred to on the show as the Cougars, and Mark has a hard time hiding his disappointment. “Okay, I get it now. They’re older,” he says, still seeming a bit shellshocked.

YET ANOTHER TWIST

After taking several of the Cougars out for a date and, like in all good reality shows, eliminating one, Mark is then let in on yet another twist. Besides the Cougars, he will also be able to select from six women in their twenties (dubbed the Kittens)! As you can imagine, Mark seems very happy with this news.

BODOG ODDS

Of course, the questions is whether Mark will ultimately choose a Cougar or a Kitten? Luckily, Bodog is more than happy to provide us with a betting line on that very question. The maximum bet is $50.

Kitten -300

Cougar +200

I don’t think the producers of the show actually think that Mark will select one of the Cougars. I think they’re far more interested in watching the female contestants bicker and fight. Certainly, the Kittens will be smug and overconfident, while the Cougars will most likely be bitter and envious. This is what passes for entertainment in the modern age. Can televised gladiatorial games be far behind?

For more news on television prop bets, see the following:

Sopranos Prop Bet

America’s Got Talent Prop Bet

Age of Love - Kitten or Cougar? - Bodog Odds

Phil Hellmuth Makes History...Again!

Phil Hellmuth is certainly on a roll at this year’s World Series of Poker. Having already moved ahead of Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan after winning a record 11th WSOP bracelet, Hellmuth has now reached another career milestone.

His final table appearance in Event #28 moved him into a first-place tie with TJ Cloutier for most career final tables at the WSOP. Both men now have 39 such appearances.

Phil showed up late for the event, as usual, but by that point he only needed to outlast one player to tie the record. With a couple of short stacks at the table, it was only a matter of time. Eventually, Luke Vrable’s pocket Nines fell to Ben Fineman’s pocket Queens, and Phil Hellmuth had made history once again.

But the master wasn’t done yet. Phil continued on, no doubt looking for a 12th WSOP bracelet. Pocket Aces helped him along the path, but Phil finally ran out of luck during a showdown with Beth Shak. Phil went all-in pre-flop holding an A-10. Shak had a K-Q. Another King was turned over later, and the Poker Brat was out in sixth place.

For his finish in Event #28, Hellmuth won $76,464. Unfortunately, he also dropped an undisclosed amount to Phil Ivey in side bets. Nonetheless, it was a good day for Hellmuth.

In fact, legendary player TJ Cloutier was on hand to congratulate Phil on his accomplishment. You know you’re damn good when players like Cloutier are doling out the congratulations. Never at a loss for words, Hellmuth stated, “There is the world, and then there is me.”

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

WSOP Day 14 Recap

Phil Hellmuth at the WSOP

Phil Hellmuth Makes History...Again!

Babe of the Day - Carmen Luvana

Today's Babe is 34C-22-32 Carmen Luvana. She has starred in such adult films as Pirates and Tailgunners. In 2006, she also won the Howard Stern Pornstar Beauty Pagent, beating out beauties Taylor Wayne and Taryn Thomas.

Babe of the Day - Carmen Luvana

Bingo - 10 Interesting Facts

Whether people are playing online, competing in person, or just watching National Bingo Night on television, there’s no doubting that bingo is a game which continues to grow in popularity. With its so-simple-a-child-can-understand-them rules and the allure of all sorts of prizes, it’s no wonder why bingo halls across America and Europe are packed every evening.

But even those who’ve already caught bingo fever might be surprised to learn some of the interesting facts which surround the game. For your enjoyment, I’ve compiled 10 of them below. Enjoy!

10 FACTS ABOUT BINGO

1. Ninety-six percent of bingo players have won at some point while playing the game.

2. When polled, fans of the game listed ‘enjoyment’ as the number one reason why they play bingo. ‘Winning money’ finished 5th.

3. The first bingo game played in North America was held to raise money. It was played at a church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

4. The largest bingo game in history took place at New York’s Teaneck Armory. There were 60,000 players in all, with an additional 10,000 being turned away at the door.

5. An average game of bingo takes between four and four and a half minutes.

6. The game was originally called “Beano” due to the dried beans which were used to cover the numbers on the cards. A woman mistakenly called “Bingo“ instead of “Beano,” and the name stuck.

7. 8% of the European populations enjoys playing bingo (5% men and 10% women).

8. There are 2.5 million regular female bingo players.

9. The first version of the game was a 16th century Italian lottery game known as Lo Giuco del Lotto d’Italia. The modern game dates back to 18th century France, when cards, tokens and numbers were introduced.

10. Bingo was popularized in the United States by a toy salesman named Edwin S. Lowe. He charged game organizers $1 a year to use the idea and the name ‘Bingo.’ He also employed a math professor to come up with 6000 unique bingo cards. According to legend, the poor professor want insane after completing his task!

For more gambling articles, please take a look at the following:

Florida Poker Bill Becomes Law

Internet Poker Editorial Links

Bingo - 10 Interesting Facts

Babe of the Day - Briana Banks

Today's Babe is adult star Briana Banks. With measurements of 34DD-26-30, this beauty stands 5 feet 10 inches tall and claims to have the longest legs in the business (36"inseam).

Babe of the Day - Briana Banks

2007 CFL Season - Bodog Odds

Fans of the Canadian Football League have to be excited, as the start of the 2007 season is right around the corner. For those of you not familiar with the most popular football league in Canada, let’s take a closer look.

FACTS ABOUT THE CFL

Founded in 1958 (but dating back to around 1860), the CFL is comprised of eight teams which are divided into two divisions (East and West). The league has a nineteen-week regular season that runs from Canada Day weekend until early November. Once the regular season is over, the six teams with the best overall record advance to the three-week single-elimination playoffs. This culminates in the Grey Cup championship (established in 1909), and it is the country’s largest television event. The 2007 Grey Cup will be held in Toronto on November 25th. The CFL is second only to the NHL in popularity.

TEAMS OF THE CFL

East Division

Hamilton Tiger-Cats - Based in Hamilton, Ontario, the Tiger-Cats were established in 1950 and have 14 Grey Cup wins. They are led by QB Jason Maas.

Montreal Alouettes - Based in Montreal, Quebec, the Alouettes are led by QB Anthony Calvillo. Established in 1996, they have 5 Grey Cups wins to their credit. In 2006, they made it to the Grey Cup but were defeated by the BC Lions, 25-14.

Toronto Argonauts - Based in Toronto, Ontario, the Argonauts have Damon Allen as their QB. Established in 1873, they have 15 Grey Cup wins.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Established in 1930, the Blue Bombers are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They have 10 Grey Cup wins, and this season will see QB Kevin Glenn lead them onto the field.

West Division

British Columbia Lions - Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions were established in 1954 and have racked up 5 Grey Cup wins in that time. Led by QB Dave Dickenson, they are the defending Grey Cup champions, having defeated the Montreal Alouettes by a score of 25-14.

Calgary Stampeders - Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Stampeders were founded in 1935. So far, they have 5 Grey Cup wins under their belt. Their starting QB is Henry Burris.

Edmonton Eskimos - Established in 1949, the Eskimos have 13 Grey Cup wins to their credit. When they take the field in Edmonton, Alberta, QB Ricky Ray leads them into battle.

Saskatchewan Roughriders - Based in Regina, Saskatchewan, the Roughriders have an excellent QB in Kerry Joseph. But while established in 1910, they only have 2 Grey Cup wins in team history.

BODOG ODDS FOR THE CFL

Bodog takes bets on everything, and the CFL is no exception. In fact, they’re not only taking bets on who’ll win the Grey Cup, but you can also wager on the winners of the East and West divisions. There are no parlays, and the maximum bet on any of these is $600.

Odds to win the 2007 CFL Grey Cup

BC Lions 3/1

Calgary Stampeders 3/1

Edmonton Eskimos 10/1

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20/1

Montreal Alouettes 5/1

Saskatchewan Roughriders 6/1

Toronto Argonauts 5/1

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 4/1

Odds to win the 2007 Eastern Division Championship

Hamilton Tiger-Cats 8/1

Montreal Alouettes 2/1

Toronto Argonauts 2/1

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 9/5

Odds to win the 2007 Western Division Championship

BC Lions 3/2

Calgary Stampeders 3/2

Edmonton Eskimos 11/2

Saskatchewan Roughriders 5/1

For more football news, check out the following:

Fantasy Football News

Chad Johnson Races a Horse

2007 CFL Season - Bodog Odds

Ultimate Fighter 5 - The Ultimate Finale

The Ultimate Fighter is a reality series produced by the UFC and broadcast on Spike TV. On the show, 16 prospective MMA fighters are divided into teams and put together in a house near Las Vegas. Each team is trained by a MMA superstar, and a single elimination tournament is held. The winner of this tournament gets a six-figure UFC contract.

The 5th season is a bit different, as only lightweight fighters are featured on the show. On past editions, fighters from all weight classes were involved.
On Saturday, June 23rd, the 5th edition of The Ultimate Fighter will culminate in a fight card from Vegas. Called The Ultimate Finale, fans will not only see the conclusion of the single elimination tournament, but also a showdown between the two head coaches , former UFC welterweight champ B.J. Penn and former UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver.

ULTIMATE FINALE FULL CARD

Main Card

Jens “Little Evil” Pulver vs. B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn

Manvel “Pitbull” Gambaryan vs. Nathan Diaz (Tournament Final)

Roger Huerta vs. Doug Evans

Thales Leites vs. Floyd Sword

Preliminary Card

Brandon Melendez vs. Joe “Creepy Joe” Lauzon

Andy Wang vs. Cole “Magrino” Miller

Rob Emerson vs. Gray “The Bully” Maynard

Leonard Garcia vs. Allen Berube

Brian Geraghty vs. Matt Wiman

B.J. PENN VS. JENS PULVER

B.J. Penn

B.J. Penn is the first American-born winner of the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the black belt category. He is a former UFC welterweight champ, and winning that title marked his crowning achievement in the world of MMA. To capture the title, he jumped up in weight to take on Matt Hughes, who was a five-time defending champ at the time. Penn won in the first round via a rear naked choke.

He has career wins over Matt Hughes, Renzo Gracie, Duane Ludwig, Matt Serra and Takanori Gomi. His recent career has not been so bright, though, as he has lost 3 of his last 4 fights (to Matt Hughes, Georges St. Pierre and Lyoto Machida). Winning this fight could very well get his career back on track and allow him to move on to even bigger matches (and perhaps a 3rd match with Hughes).

Jens Pulver

“Little Evil” is noted for his defensive wrestling and boxing, which has become known as “sprawl and brawl” in the MMA world. He is also highly respected for the knockout power contained in his left hand - specifically his devastating left hook.

Pulver has defeated Caol Uno, Dennis Hallman and B.J. Penn during his career, but his last fight at UFC 63 ended in a first round KO at the hands of Joe Lauzon. He has also lost to Duane Ludwig, Takanori Gomi and Hayato Sakurai.

In 2002, Pulver defeated Penn by majority decision to retain his UFC lightweight belt. Despite the fact that Pulver was the champ, Penn was heavily favored to win. It has been said that this didn’t sit well with Pulver, and there has been bad blood between the two men ever since.

BODOG ODDS

Currently, the only odds offered by Bodog are on the Penn/Pulver fight, but others will no doubt be added as the fight date approaches. Keep in mind that there are no parlays, and the maximum wager is limited to $500. Currently, the betting line stands at:

B.J. Penn -330

Jens Pulver +260

For more MMA action, take a look at the following:

Cage Fury 5 - Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer

UFC 72 - Full Results

Ultimate Fighter 5 - The Ultimate Finale

Fantasy Football News - Sunday Ticket, Vick, and More!

The world of fantasy football never slows down, and we here at Dare to Gamble do our best to keep you informed of all the latest happenings. So sit back, grab a soda, and take a look at the latest news items from the NFL.

Chris Brown is a Titan - The Tennessee Titans have reached an agreement to bring back free-agent RB Chris Brown. As you might remember, Brown played the first four years of his career with the team. The contract is said to be a one-year deal worth $1.8 million. With just rookie Chris Henry and LenDale “The Blimp” White to beat out, Brown could very well be a nice surprise this year.

Portis Continues Rehab - Redskins RB Clinton Portis says that his shoulder and knee rehab are ahead of schedule. This bears watching, though, as Portis seems to have really dropped in most fantasy magazines.

Arrington Hurt in Accident - According to ESPN, free-agent LB LaVar Arrington broke bones in his arm and leg after being involved in a motorcycle accident on Monday. You would think players would have learned a lesson from Kellen Winslow Jr. and Ben Roethlisberger - stay off of freakin’ motorcycles. Looks like Arrington won’t be helping out any teams this season.

Dolphins Cut Wilkinson - The Dolphins have cut DT Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson. They tried to trade him to the Broncos for a 6th round pick a few months ago, but Wilkinson never showed up for the physical to seal the deal. Many believe all this is an effort by the veteran to avoid off-season workouts, so look for him to wind up somewhere closer to the start of the season.

Raiders Draw Complaints - The Oakland Raiders cancelled the final week of their off-season training program after complaints from the Players’ Union over the intensity of their practices. It seems that players were already engaging in contact, which is clearly prohibited this early in the year under league rules. Looks like Lane Kiffin’s stint with the Raiders is already off to a rough start, especially when you consider that one of the team’s players was the one who lodged the complaint.

Vick Controversy Continues - Michael Vick is now cancelling personal appearances due to the amount of questions he’s been getting on the dog fighting incident. Pencil him in right now to have a disastrous season and not be with the Falcons this time next year.

Sunday Ticket Price Increase - The cost of getting the NFL Sunday Ticket package has gone up to $249 for the Early Bird special. It also features 8 less games than usual (thanks mainly to the blasted NFL Network). If you are a current subscriber, however, I’ve heard that you might be able to get $100 knocked off of the price if you call and threaten to cancel your subscription (citing the price increase). I’m not certain that this will work, but I’ve seen other subscribers claim that this tactic worked for them.

For more NFL news and odds, take a look at the following:

Fantasy Football News

Best Overall NFL Record - Bodog Odds

Fantasy Football News - Sunday Ticket, Vick, and More!

Cage Fury 5 - Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer