Poker
Playtech Drops Plans for Acquisitions
(Reuters) - Gaming software group Playtech said first quarter revenues doubled, helped by strong growth at its casino business, and that plans to shift its listing to London's main market were progressing well.
However, the group added that it was dropping plans to buy some social gaming assets owned by founder and Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, and would instead enter software license agreements.
Its plans for a deal with its top shareholder - Sagi still owns 48 percent of the company - were announced in April.
WPT Jacksonville BestBet Open 2012 Down to Three
The WPT Jacksonville BestBet Open 2012 was down to three people last Wednesday evening: James Calderaro, Darren Elias and Shawn Cunix.
All three will receive a hefty six digit payout with 1st getting $400,600, 2nd getting $236,560 and 3rd getting $147,850.
Just before 8:15 pm EST:
Shawn Cunix raises from the button to 150,000, and James Calderaro (big blind) says, "I'm gonna give you one," as he folds A-2 offsuit face up. Cunix takes the blinds and antes.
Seat 1. James Calderaro - 4,455,000
iPoker Revenues Down in 1st Quarter Despite Gaining Number 2 Spot
While the iPoker Network has overtaken PartyPoker as the second most trafficked online poker room in the world over the past month, its 1st quarter revenues fell slightly. iPoker is owned by Israeli-based Playtech.
The poker business made €5.3 million compared to to €5.7 during the same period last year.
Ondrej Vinklarek Named EPT Season 8 Player of the Year
Czech poker pro Ondrej Vinklarek has been named EPT Season 8 Player of the Year. Vinklarek receives a trophy and automatic entry into EPT Barcelona, the debut event for EPT Season 9.
Vinklarek, 28, from Kolin, is often dubbed “the Czech Chris Moorman”. He’s also a Chess Candidate Master and WCOOP champion.
IGT Poker Suffering the Blues in Wake of Purple Lounge Sudden Shutdown
The abrupt shutdown of the Purple Lounge online casino and poker room has left the IGT Poker Network in a quagmire.
IGT Poker (formerly Entraction Network) lost 8 percent of its traffic for the week, according to the traffic monitoring website of PokerScout.com.
Caesars Sees Deep 1st Quarter Losses
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Casino operator Caesars Entertainment Corp. said Tuesday that its first-quarter net loss widened as the company faced costs from a previously halted property development in Mississippi.
The net loss for the quarter ended March 31 widened to $280.6 million, or $2.24 per share, from a loss of $147.5 million, or $1.18 per share.
Income from operations fell 65 percent $138 million, mainly due to the $172 million charge related to the halted Biloxi, Miss., project That was partly offset by a gain of $45.8 million from paying down debt early.
WPT BestBet Open 2012 ‘Unofficial’ Final Table: 'Could be a 'Thrilla'
With the elimination of Peter Campo in 11th place ($25,134) at the World Poker Tour (WPT) BestBet Open 2012, the remaining ten players have just redrawn new seats at the ten-handed “unofficial” final table.
Matt Marafioti and Will “The Thrill” Failla are two of the big names still sitting as of late Tuesday night.
Leaked Email Shows Bernard Tapie Wanted to Hire Away All Key Full Tilt Poker Staff
An email leaked to the website PokerFuse.com on Tuesday showed that one time Full Tilt Poker suitor Bernard Tapie had hoped to lure away key employees of that shuttered organization in order to start his own online poker site “Game Cubed”.
Last week Group Bernard Tapie withdrew its bid to acquire Full Tilt Poker upon learning that the company’s closest rival, PokerStars, had entered into a deal reportedly worth $750m. A deal with the US Justice Department would ensure that $330m of that money go to repay Full Tilt account holders, according to some media reports.
World Series of Poker Australia Coming Down Under in 2013
The World Series of Poker announced five bracelet events to take place at the Crown Casino in Australia beginning in 2013.
The WSOP Asia-Pacific will run from April 4th through the 15th.
The Crown Melbourne has played host to the Aussie Millions since 1998.
MSN Money: Online Gambling Could Take Zynga to the Next Level
This week it was revealed that Zynga’s monthly active user base had expanded to 292 million, up 24 percent from this time last year, while revenues climbed 32 percent year over year to $321 million.
But the real future of Zynga could be tied into the legality of online gambling.
Antigua, USA Play ‘Blame Game’ in Online Gambling Dispute
In a letter presented to the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) last week, Antigua accused the US Government of failing to “observe its international obligations in good faith and with due consideration for the rights of Antigua & Barbuda” as it relates to the island nation’s online gambling industry.
21 of 320 All In at World Poker Tour Jacksonville BestBet Open
Peter Campo was chip leader towards the end of Day 3 at the 2012 WPT Jacksonville BestBet Open.
The Waterford, Connecticut resident has enjoyed some success on the live poker circuit with 40 cashes and over $330,000 in winnings.
Horse Racing Gambling Bill Passes in Minnesota House: More Poker Tables, Higher Limits
Minnesota lawmakers on Monday passed a bill in the House that would allow for more poker tables at horse racing tracks along with higher limits while giving tribal casinos access to racing simulcasts.
The bill, which surfaced over the weekend, passed with a vote of 97-34.
The bill's passage marks a rare moment of unity among the American Indian tribes and race track owners, who have long split over state gambling policy, according to the Associated Press.
25 Players Being Sent to LSOP During May Online Poker Satellites
Americas Cardroom players have 25 chances in May to win a poker vacation package valued at $3,500 to participate in the 2012 Latin Series of Poker, Peru (LSOP). The LSOP Peru is a $500,000 Guaranteed No Limit Texas Hold'em poker tournament hosted at the Atlantic City Casino in Lima Peru from June 6th to 10th.
Naz Al Scores Largest Poker Victory in Minnesota History
Just a week from earning his MBA in organizational management, Naz Al woke at 5 am Monday to take an online test, then drove to Canterbury Park Card Casino in Shakopee to test his poker skills at Heartland Poker Tour’s nationally-televised Final Table. His future looks bright. “There are things you learn in poker that you can take with you to real life,” he said. The 29-year-old student from Mankato, Minnesota passed the test, winning $118,482. The first-place money is the biggest prize ever awarded in Minnesota in a poker tournament.
Mohsin Charania Wins €1,350,000 Million at EPT Grand Final 2012
PokerStars qualifier Mohsin "Chicagocards1" Charania has won the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT Grand Final Main Event for a massive €1,350,000.
Charania, 27, from Chicago, Illinois, beat fellow qualifier Lucille Cailly heads-up to take the title. Cailly, 29, from Paris, was the first woman ever to make the final of the EPT Grand Final and took €1,050,000 for her runner-up finish.
PokerStars Seven Times the Traffic of Nearest Competitor
PokerStars, the largest of the real money online poker rooms, has traffic this week that is more than seven times that of its nearest competitor, the iPoker Network.
Carbon Poker Last Man Standing Doubles Payouts from Top 25 to 50
Popular online poker room and Gambling911.com sponsor Carbon Poker is doubling the payouts on its Last Man Standing promo from the top 25 to the top 50.
Likewise, cash prizes have increased to $27,950 with first place paying $6000 and 2nd paying $4000.
Purple Lounge Online Poker, Casino Abrupt Weekend Closure Follows Salacious Florida Arrest
No word yet on the reasons behind the abrupt closure of UK-based Purple Lounge, an online poker room and casino operated by Media Corporation (not to be confused with the Rupert Murdock publishing empire). Customers were not provided with any prior warning as to the shutdown. Players had experienced slow payouts in recent months despite Purple Lounge’s operation within a mostly Web poker-friendly environment. Purple Lounge had not accepted business from US players.
WPT Jacksonville BestBet Open 2012 Day 2 of Poker Tournament Comes to an End (Video)
The World Poker Tour (WPT) Jacksonville BestBet Open 2012 Day 2 has come to a close with Farid Jattin the chip leader and poker pro James Dempsey right in the thick of things.
WSOP Champ Jamie Gold Reveals Ghost Fetish (Video)
Jamie Gold's greatest fear is that his dead grandmother's ghost will see him naked!
Gold, winner of the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event, has stared down some of the toughest card sharks in the world, and gone all-in with the best of them.
He's endured the pressure that comes with the WSOP Main Event televised final table, earning pro poker's largest-ever cash prize--$12 million.
But when it comes to spooks, spirits, ghosts, ghouls or poltergeists, he's ready to fold every time.
Locals Recount Amarillo Slim as ‘Nice Man’: Once Asked Newspaper Boy to Change $100 Bill
Sunday’s sad news of poker legend Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston Jr.’s passing spread through his home town of just under 200,000. Amarillo is the 14th largest city in Texas, but by that state’s standards, it’s more akin to a village where many of the locals know one another.
Lucille Cailly Makes Final Table of EPT Grand Final Season 8
French female poker player Lucille Cailly has made the final table of the EPT Grand Final Season 8.
Cailly has excelled mostly online. From the Poker Stars blog:
Remembering Poker Legend Amarillo Slim (Video)
Poker legend Amarillo Slim (real name Thomas Preston) passed away early Sunday morning at the age of 83 with family at his side.
Preston had been in a hospice near his Amarillo, Texas home for the past few weeks.
Poker Icon Amarillo Slim Passes Away
Poker legend Amarillo Slim, whose real name was Thomas Austin Preston, Jr., passed away early Sunday morning (April 23, 2012) at the age of 83.
Gambling911.com had been reporting on Preston’s declining health over the past two weeks.
Geert-Jan Potjik Leads EPT8 Grand Final Main Event
We are down to the final 26 at the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT Grand Final and it's Dutch online cash game pro Geert-Jan Potijk in the lead with 1,320,000.
Also still in with a chance of taking home the €1.5 million first prize are French PokerStars qualifier Lucille Cailly (the last woman remaining), British pro Ben Vinson, Italian Sergio Castelluccio, EPT Prague High Roller winner John Andress, EPT Deauville champion Vadzim Kursevich, Mohsin Charania, Vadzim Markushevski and Clayton Mozdzen. All 26 players left are guaranteed at least €35,000.
WPT Jacksonville Best Bet Open 2012: Matt Marafioti Takes the Chip Lead (Video)
The WPT Jacksonville Best Bet Open 2012 kicked off Friday (April 27) just a few months after the opening of this new poker room. Matt Marafioti enjoyed the chip lead by Saturday evening.
Marafioti is a successful poker player from Toronto, Canada, who has won just shy of $2 million in live tournaments to date.
Two Plus Two Poker Posting Forum Expected to be Down Two to Four More Days
The popular poker posting forum Two Plus Two became a victim of a serious security breach this past Thursday, forcing a temporary shutdown of the message board.
A statement read as follows:
On April 26th at approximately 11:20 AM pacific time, the Two Plus Two Forums were closed as a result of a hacker who has displayed the ability to access e-mail addresses and encrypted passwords. He also indicated the ability to decrypt passwords.
Doyle Brunson Kicks Phil Hellmuth’s A** at Tiger Woods Poker Night
The Texas Dolly proved he still has what it takes to beat arguably one of today’s best poker players, Phil Hellmuth. Doyle Brunson beat the World Series of Poker record bracelet holder at Friday night’s Tiger Woods.
Poker Night, an event to help raise money for Tiger’s charity foundation.
Classic Find: Disgraced Poker Pro Howard Lederer on Business Ethics (Video)
Credit a poster from the CardChat Poker Forum with finding this rare jewel: Poker pro Howard Lederer on “Business Ethics”.
Considering what we know today, this is pretty sad watching.
Lederer is accused by the US Justice Department of running an elaborate ponzi scheme as a stakeholder in Full Tilt Poker.
