Sportsbook News

Pinnacle Sports Alleged Owner Stanley Tomchin Pleads Guilty to Minor Charge

This morning the 29th of July 2014, the criminal prosecution of Stanley Tomchin – featuring an indictment charging Mr. Tomchin with 56 separate felonies – ended quietly with an agreed upon plea to a minor offense with a sentence involving no incarceration or even probation supervision.

Submitted by Press Release on, Jul/29/2014

Numis: William Hill, Paddy Power Should Merge

Broker Numis on Monday suggested that two of the UK’s biggest bookmakers should merge in an effort to offset negative regulatory changes

“This would create a much more attractive investment than either alone,” Numis said. 

“Taking the best from each company would result in a business with outstanding technology and marketing. Plus, we really like Will Power as a name for the company.”

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Jul/28/2014

5Dimes Becomes Latest Online Sportsbook to Accept Bitcoin

Popular 5Dimes.com, a US-facing online sportsbook, has become the latest to embrace the anonymous digital currency bitcoin.

5Dimes began accepting bitcoin deposits early this month but withdrawals via this method will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.

Bitcoin will be converted into US currency at the time of deposit as, as such, customers will not be exposed to fluctuations in bitcoin’s exchange rate.

Over the past month, bitcoin has traded slightly above $600 on average across the various exchanges.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Jul/24/2014

Matchbook.com Exits Canada Market for Unknown Reasons

Canadian customers of the sports betting exchange Matchbook.com have been advised that they must withdraw all funds from their accounts by August 22 (2014).

The decision was made on Wednesday (July 23) to exit the Canadian market though rumors began swirling earlier in the week.  A reason for the departure was not immediately known.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Jul/24/2014

Bwin Activist Investor Jason Ader Wants to Bring Major League Soccer Team to Vegas

An activist investor at one of the world’s largest online gambling firms Bwin.party is floating the idea of bringing a Major League Soccer team to the gambling Mecca of Las Vegas.

BetOnline

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Jul/22/2014

WSEX.com Founder Jay Cohen Assets Sought Ahead of Possible Lawsuit

Gambling911.com intrepid reporter Thomas Somach has learned that an Ohio man who plans to sue now defunct World Sports Exchange (WSEX.com) founder Jay Cohen for almost $70,000 owed plans to hire an investigative team to locate the ex-convict’s assets believed to be hidden around the world.

Cohen served nearly two years behind bars for his role in running World Sports Exchange.  Last year, co-owner Steven Schillinger gave new meaning to the term “deadbeat” when he blew his brains out, at the time owing countless numbers of customers well over a million dollars.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Jul/18/2014

Elizabeth Warren Endorses Tierney: Wife Served Time in Offshore Gambling Case

Massachusetts Senior Senator Elizabeth Warren has endorsed eight-time Democratic incumbent Congressman John Tierney, who is expected to fight a tough primary this upcoming November.

Gambling911.com readers became familiar with Tierney after his wife Patrice was charged for her role in the operation of her brother Robert Eremian’s offshore gambling enterprise.  She served as an accountant for the long established Antigua-based gambling business, Sports Off Shore.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Jun/17/2014

BetFred.com Pulls Out of Germany, Canada, Most Other Markets Ahead of World Cup

Not the best timing as the FIFA World Cup is set to begin this week but BetFred.com customers from variously countries across the globe were advised this weekend they can no longer bet online with the company.  

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Jun/08/2014

Man Serving Time for Property Fraud Indicted for Running Sportsbook

A Minnesota man currently serving a four year prison sentence for property fraud  has been charged with running an online sportsbook with servers based in Costa  Rica.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, May/29/2014

Bwin.Party Executives Acquitted in French Court

Bwin.party chief executive Norbert Teufelberger and the former co-CEO of bwin Manfred Bodner were acquitted in a French court on charges of violating Internet gambling laws in that country. 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, May/19/2014

Paddy Power CEO to Step Down Amidst Two Worst Weekends Ever in Football

Paddy Power, the United Kingdom’s third largest bookmaker, suffered two of its worst weekends in football on record this year.  The company’s stock has dropped 4% and CEO Patrick Kennedy has announced his departure in 2015.  Kennedy has been CEO of Paddy Power since 2006 with the betting firm enjoying huge success throughout much of his tenure.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, May/13/2014

Bookmaker Stan James Could be Charged With Crime Over Defacing of Heritage Site

The popular British bookmaker Stan James was reported to authorities for stenciled graffiti advertising the betting firm was found on the Roman walls of Chester, a Heritage site that has existed since 40 AD.

The company added the graffiti ahead of this weekend’s Chester Horse Racing Festival.  The Chester council has accused Stan James of a “Heritage Crime”.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, May/09/2014

AceSportsbook.com Announces Revamped Affiliate Program: Review

"AceSportsbook.com has announced a revamped affiliate program, with commission percentages up to 25%.  They handle everything, just send them players, and they send you money.

AceSportsbook.com has been a proud advertising partner of Gambling911.com for the past year now.

 

Submitted by C Costigan on, May/06/2014

Ader Highlights ‘Case for Change’ at Bwin.Party: Current Board on ‘Destructive’ Path

Activist investor Jason Ader of SpringOwl on Monday made available its initial presentation highlighting the need for change at Bwin.Party, one of the largest online gambling firms in the world.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, May/05/2014

Traders Betting on Bookies: Shares Climb

(Reuters) - Bid talk and relief about 'less draconian' Government measures lift the bookmakers

Traders were betting on the bookmakers amid a revival of bid gossip and relief that a clampdown on the gambling industry was likely to be less severe than feared.

Submitted by Reuters on, Apr/29/2014

ASA Says Paddy Power ‘Made Joke’ Out of Domestic Violence, Mocked Amputees

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Irish online bookmaker from ever promoting bets on the Oscar Pistorious trial.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Apr/22/2014

Gibraltar Easter Day Explosion Halts Online Bets for Sunday Sporting Events

William Hill, BetFred and Ladbrokes were just three of the big name online bookmakers that operate from Gibraltar where an early afternoon generator fire and subsequent explosion knocked each of these businesses offline.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Apr/20/2014

Massive Explosion Brings Down PartyPoker, Ladbrokes, William Hill Sites

An explosion in Gibraltar has resulted in Gibtelecom service disruptions and down time at the popular poker sites PartyPoker along with other online sports betting companies including Stan James, Ladbrokes and William Hill.  Some of the biggest names in online gambling operate from Gibraltar. *Just a quick correction, we initially reported that PokerStars had been affected, however, they operate out of the Isle of Man and were not impacted by the explosion.

Submitted by Ace King on, Apr/20/2014

Pay Per Head Sports Betting Software: The Real Bookies Benefit

God only knows there are several dozen Pay Per Head software platforms out there.  You can check out the endorsed pay per heads right here on the Gambling911.com website.  

Submitted by Payton on, Apr/20/2014

Florida Bookie Tied to Legends Sports Bust Avoids Additional Jail Time

A Florida man tied to what authorities call a billion dollar illegal sports betting ring was sentenced in a New York State district court to time already served.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Apr/16/2014

How Do I Become a Bookie? Build Volume, Love Your Customer and Play Golf

How does one become a bookie, you might be asking?  Or do you really want to be a bookie?

It doesn’t matter the time of year, gamblers will always find something to bet on and bookies…well…they will always be lining their pockets (since the house never loses).  So, yes, becoming a bookie can be a lucrative business.

Submitted by Ean Lamb on, Apr/10/2014

Ladbrokes Buys Australian Betting Firm BetStar

(Reuters) - Bookmaker Ladbrokes (LAD.L), facing regulatory and tax pressures in its British home market, has expanded its Australian business by buying online betting company Betstar for 12.4 million pounds.

The deal announced by Ladbrokes on Wednesday follows a similar-sized acquisition last September when Ladbrokes - Britain's second-biggest bookmaker - bought online company Bookmaker.com.au and launched a website in Australia.

Submitted by Reuters on, Apr/09/2014

GVC Looks Towards More Acquisitions Following Sportingbet Success

(Reuters) - GVC is looking at further acquisitions after turning around the Sportingbet businesses it acquired last year, the online gambling company said on Wednesday.

GVC, one of the smaller players in the sector and listed on the AIM stock market, said operating profit more than doubled to 38.3 million euros ($52.8 million) in 2013, boosted by moving Sportingbet into the black.

"We are now ready for the next stage in our corporate development and further geographic expansion through organic growth and acquisitions," Chief Executive Kenneth Alexander said.

Submitted by Reuters on, Apr/09/2014

Intrade Co-Founder Brings Back TradeSports Prediction Market Platform

Originally debuting as TradeSports, the now defunct Intrade is being reincarnated using the original branding strategy.

Intrade Co-founder Ron Bernstein is starting a test phase for his company on Monday (April 14, 2014).

“Sports are always going to be the best laboratory for prediction markets,” he says. “All those things now are just recorded and data-mined and discussed.”

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Apr/08/2014

Ladbrokes Made £1Billion in One Month From 'Crack Cocaine' of Gambling (Video)

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his administration is about to embark on a crackdown of the so-called “crack cocaine” of gambling, high speed, high stakes gambling machines that have, until now, proven especially profitable for bookmakers.

Just how profitable?

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Apr/06/2014

Former Legends Sportsbook Employee Deported Back to Panama

A high level former employee of the now defunct Legends Sportsbook will be deported back to Panama after serving nearly a year in home confinement in the USA.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Apr/01/2014

PPH Baseball Betting: Status of Kershaw, Pujols Will Impact L.A. Teams

The man who was considered to be the favorite to win the National League Cy Young award at WagerHome.com was Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but there is some question as to whether PPH bettors may have to recalculate. 

Submitted by Don Shapiro on, Mar/31/2014

Paddy Power Takes Bets on Which Animal Will be Killed Next at Copenhagen Zoo

In recent weeks, when one thinks of the word “shameful” throughout Europe, three things come to mind:  Putin, Copenhagen and Paddy Power, and not necessarily in that order.

BetOnline

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/28/2014

William Hill, Ladbrokes Shares Hit Again Following UK Budget Woes, Downgrades

Leading UK bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes witnessed yet another share decline on Monday following a downgrade and unfavourable football results over the weekend.

BetOnline

Hill dropped 1.33% Monday, Ladbrokes dropped 0.53%.

Submitted by Gilbert Horowitz on, Mar/24/2014

What is the Minimum Money Amount to Open an Online Betting Account?

Many Gambling911.com readers ask this question:  What is the minimum to open an online wagering account to start betting?

While the amount differs between sportsbooks, typically $25 to $50 is required to fund an account before you can start wagering.  $50 to $100 is usually the amount needed to take advantage of bonus offers.

Actual bet minimums can be as low as $1 though $10 to $25 is the average wager placed online ($50 via the phone).

Examples from various online sportsbooks appear below. 

Submitted by Don Shapiro on, Mar/20/2014

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Do You Have What it Takes to Be a Bookie?

It's the second oldest profession but over the last decade bookmaking has evolved to the point where anyone can do it....you just need the proper tools and support.