Daily Fantasy Sports Apps – Get ’em while they’re hot!
Ten years ago, only hard-core sports fans were familiar with the term “daily fantasy sports”, (or DFS for short). Fantasy sports in general have been around for about three decades, but the truncated variation (i.e. “daily”), which caters to the appeal of instant gratification (as opposed to a season-long wait), didn’t really take off until around 2012. That was the year DraftKings showed up to compete against FanDuel, bringing DFS into the limelight. It was a big market, filled with big opportunities, but not one that the world’s largest casino corporations had much interest in. That is, not until now…
Casinos Buying Up Daily Fantasy Sports Apps
The appeal for DFS mobile apps is greater than ever before. This week alone, two of the largest casino conglomerates this side of the planet spent millions of dollars to get in on the lucrative daily fantasy betting market; a trend that’s expected to continue alongside the growth of the online sports gambling industry in the United States.
Bally’s Scoops Up Monkey Knife Fight
On Monday, it was announced that Rhode Island-based Bally’s Corporation has acquired DFS App Monkey Knife Fight. Bally’s, which owns a dozen casino properties across seven US states, invested $90 million in the all-stock takeover of the daily fantasy brand.
This marks just one of many recent acquisitions for the growing gambling company. Other major moves include the purchase of Bally’s Atlantic City, a partnership with media giant Sinclair Broadcast Group, and the pending acquisition of Bet.Works sports betting software.
Monkey Knife Fight is a DFS mobile app that offers free play and paid betting services. The app currently has about 180,000 registered members, with approximately 80,000 users who deposit real money to play. Bally’s intends to expand Monkey Knife Fight’s presence to serve 37 US states, Washington, D.C., and Canada.
Caesar’s Buys Control of SuperDraft
This morning, word came down that Caesars Entertainment has invested in SuperDraft, another DFS betting app with good potential. Caesars operates more than 50 casino properties in North America, and a dozen more in Europe and Africa. Like Bally’s, Caesars is hoping to expand its presence in all legal US online betting verticals.
The company’s investment in SuperDraft makes Caesar’s Entertainment a minority equity holder, earning the company just enough control to integrate the SuperDraft system in all its iGaming portfolios. If all goes well, the agreement gives Caesars the option to purchase 100% stake in the DFS company at a later date.
SuperDraft isn’t as established as Monkey Knife Fight. In fact, it was probably Bally’s acquisition of the latter that drove Caesars to quickly secure the minority stake in SuperDraft, with the option to buy 100% later on.
Last November, SuperDraft founder and CEO Steve Wang estimated his daily fantasy sports app’s number of total registered users to be about 80,000, with 15,000 active paid accounts. In a statement following the agreement with Caesars, Wang expressed a positive outlook for the company’s future.
“SuperDraft is now well-positioned to accelerate its growth with financial staying power while broadening its consumer appeal with bigger contests and better rewards to players of all interest levels,” said Wang.
TheScore Eyes Future in Canada Mobile Sports Betting Market
It’s virtually guaranteed that single-event betting is on its way into Canadian law books. With it will come a massive new market for sports gambling. Every casino will be looking to install a sportsbook. Assuming federal laws will closely mimic those in the United States, opening the doors to competition between operators, provincial regulators will be racing to authorize and license as many online and mobile sports betting brands as are willing to pay the no-doubt-exorbitant fee.
Our southerly neighbors have already legalized sports betting in 20 states and the District of Columbia (a.k.a. Washington, D.C.) Competition is fierce down south, with big names like DraftKings, FanDuel, WilliamHill, and BetRivers dominating the region’s industry. Those same brands are expected to flock northward when the time comes, but they may find a more formidable foe in Toronto-based Score Media.
TheScore Eyes Canada Mobile Sports Betting Market
Score Media & Gaming, owner of the sports news mobile app and media giant, theScore, and the sports wagering app, theScore Bet, may be flagging against major competitor brands on US soil, but in Canada, its popularity is unrivaled. On Wednesdays, the free sports mobile app jumped into the #1 position on the CA Google Play Store.
According to a report in Bloomberg, Score Media says it currently caters to around 4 million active users, with over 1.4 million logging in from Ontario alone.
Bear in mind, Canadian users are not (yet) able to place bets via theScore’s mobile applications. For now, they are privy only to the popular sports news network. The good news for Score Media is that, being so adored by local sports fans, if and when its Canadian mobile betting app goes live here, it could easily jump into the number one spot, surpassing the biggest companies operating in the U.S. market.
Plans Underway to Launch theScore Bet Canada
Score Media CEO John Levy and his son, COO Benjie Levy, are already making plans to launch theScore’s real money sports betting app in their home country of Canada. For now, the mobile sportsbook app is available only in three US states – Colorado, Indiana, and New Jersey.
The Toronto firm saw its stocks rise 111% on the year. Most of that came in the final weeks of 2020, following the late-November introduction of the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act by Federal Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada, David T. Lametti. That bill introduce the one thing Canadians have never had legal, local access to, straight-up, single-event sports wagers.
According to analysts with Credit Suisse, “Assuming full legalization in Canada, we think this could be a $4 billion revenue opportunity.” The bill, which is being hailed as a sure-thing by political experts, will be a major topic of discussion when Parliament reconvenes later this month.
MP Irek Kusmierczyk (Windsor-Tecumseh) is optimistic that the legislation will move quickly, and with an affirmative response. “We’re hopeful that we can actually move this process along quickly,” he said in a statement. There’s always the possibility of opposition, but Kusmierczyk added, “it does feel as though there’s support among all three parties.”
If and when the Canada mobile sports betting market opens, Score Media CEO John Levy says his company will introduce “the best damn sports media company in the betting space.”
Is postponement in the cards for the 2020 WSOP schedule?
An
unprecedented series of events flipped the world upside down in March
2020. Covid-19 went from a shocking news story out of China to a
global pandemic that’s got everyone huddled in their homes; some
voluntarily, some by government mandate. That includes the countless
professional and amateur poker players who flock to Rio All Suite
Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas each year to attend the world’s most
prestigious poker festival of them all – the World Series of Poker.
Last
year, more than 182,000 people turned out for the 2019 WSOP,
registering for one or more of the 90 events in the 50th
anniversary edition of the poker tournament series. This year, just
as many – if not more – were expected to attend. But with the
current situation, it’s not certain what’s going to happen when
it comes time to “Shuffle Up and Deal!”
Postponement in the Cards for 2020 WSOP Schedule?
Seth
Palansky, the WSOP’s Vice President of Corporate Communications,
has been on the phone with numerous media outlets in the past week or
so. The biggest question on the interview docket is an obvious one:
Will there be a 2020 WSOP?
There
are only three possible answers to this question. It can either be
held, canceled, or postponed. Unfortunately, that’s a question Mr.
Palansky has been unable to answer. According to the WSOP spokesman,
that’s not going to change for a while. He doesn’t expect
organizers to come to a decision before May.
That’s
a long wait for the countless poker players who are surely waiting
for a decision. The 2020 WSOP was originally scheduled to run from
May 26 to July 15, with a record-setting 101 gold-bracelet events on
the roster.
To
date, World Series executives have already pulled the plug on 10 WSOP
Circuit events since March 13, when the global pandemic first led to
social distancing. Future Circuit events schedule through May have
already been scratched off the menu, as well. It only makes sense
that the official WSOP bracelet series would be either canceled or
postponed, but to date, officials refuse to make the call.
“We Don’t Need to Make a Decision Now”
Last
week, in an interview with Jim Barnes of the Las
Vegas Review Journal, Seth told the poker community that no
decision will be made until it has to be, and until then, it will
remain business as usual.
“We
keep our heads down, keep planning in place,” said Palansky. “We
don’t need to make a decision now.”
Further
comments pointed towards potential postponement. Palansky said that
the WSOP is normally unable to reschedule, due to the Rio in Las
Vegas having a packed convention slate. Now, with many conventions
being canceled, he says it could give them enough wiggle room to run
the tournament series at a later date.
But
again, no official word has come down, nor does he expect it to
anytime soon. In another interview with CardPlayer Magazine this
week, he reiterated his previous statements.
“Everyone’s
health and safety is paramount in the decision making, and there is
no need to make a decision today,” said Palansky.
As
for what might impact the decision of organizers in weeks to come, he
said:
“There are a plethora of factors to consider, especially when you conceptualize alternatives. That said, the only factor that matters for the WSOP, for it to be held as planned, is the health and safety of guests and staff. So, if we can’t host an event like we have in the past 50 years in Las Vegas, where everyone can participate safely and without risk, we won’t.”
Seth
added that contingency plans are being discussed everyday, but as the
situation constantly changes and evolves, it’s impossible to come
up with a definitive solution at this time. His best prediction for a
final answer to the mystery of the 2020 WSOP schedule is early May,
at best.
Things to see in Nevada when you’re over the Las Vegas Strip;
Reno, Carson City, Silver Springs, and everything in between.
If you’re not
from around the area, you probably don’t realize just how much
there is to see and do in Nevada. Everyone visits Las Vegas to see
the casinos and myriad culture-shock of crowds along the Strip, but
rarely do they ever take the time to see anything else. It’s like
going to Disney World. There is so much to take in, you could spend a
whole week there and never experience even half of it.
Once you get
over the Vegas vibe, don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s
nothing left to do or see in the Silver State. It is a beautiful
place with a more diverse landscape than most people realize. From
desert valleys, to mountainous terrain; deep canyons to breathtaking
lonesome highways; this is not the kind of holiday you want to rush
your way through.
Things to See in Nevada
(besides the Las Vegas Strip)
There’s a
fantastic, triangular region in West Nevada that can deliver the most
amazing experience, without ever coming close to the fast-paced
stress of the Vegas Strip. Whether you’ve been there so many times
(or even once) that you’re over the sights and sounds of Las Vegas
Boulevard, or you have no desire to step foot into what some consider
a cesspool of anxiety, this out-of-the-way Nevada holiday will
inspire and relax you to the core, and still provide a chance to do a
little Vegas-style gambling. Our adventure starts in…
Reno – The Biggest
Little City in the World
Now entering Reno, Nevada
Surely you know
something of Reno. It is the third most famous gambling city in the
United States, after Las Vegas and Atlantic City. What I was
surprised to learn over the years is just how few people actually
know that Reno is in Nevada. I did a little survey of this among ten
purely random people – people I didn’t even know – and only 3
of them knew. Go figure?
Yes, Reno is a
city on the western edge of Nevada, situated along the border of
California just north of Lake Tahoe. It is quite literally a
miniature version of Las Vegas. It even has a mini-Strip – they
call it The Row – made up of its three major,
inter-connected casinos – Eldorado, Circus Circus and Silver
Legacy. There are plenty of other interesting things to see and do in
the Midtown District, so take your time and enjoy it. When you’re
done there, rent a car and hop on Interstate 580/Highway 395 South,
where you’ll embark on a picturesque, 40 minute drive to…
Carson City –
Modern Take on a Historical Treasure
Kit Carson Memorial - Carson City, Nevada
Carson City is
the capital of Nevada, so it’s got a big city atmosphere. However,
it’s also got a tremendous amount of historical sights and natural
wonders to behold. If you like trains half as much as I do, the
Nevada State Railroad Museum is a must. The Kit Carson Trail is a
museum and national park all mixed into one – bring a picnic lunch,
then head over to the Shoe Tree Brewing Company to unwind. If you’re
more interested in the nature scene, Washoe Lake and Skunk Harbor are
well worth the visit. Spend the last of your evening at one of the
local bed and breakfasts – far better than any hotel you’ll find
in the city – then get up bright and early for your next drive
to…
Virginia City – A Town atop a Century Old
Silver Mine
C Street in Downtown Virginia City, Nevada - Almay Stock Photo
Did you ever see
a John Wayne movie? How about Wyatt Earp or Gunsmoke? Better yet,
Bonanza – it was filmed on location. Entering Virginia City is like
stepping into one of those historical towns, straight out of an old
western. The drive out, which takes about half an hour via US-50 East
and NV-341 W/342 N, is similar, but is clearly marred by the effects
of time and modernization.
For instance,
you’ll drive through Silver City, which may sound like something
special – and believe me, at one time it was – but is now barely
more than a fueling station and diner along an old desert road. Back
in 1861, when the Sierra was brimming with silver, this bustling
4-hotel city had a population of 1,200. Now, and for many decades
past, the population is listed at around 170 – a Ghost
Town since 1869.
From there
you’ll pass through the Devil’s Gate, a famously narrow, craggy
pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and into Gold Hill, a small town
with a similar history of desolation. A minute or two further along
sets your destination, Virginia City.
The thoroughfare
dividing the boardwalks of downtown may be paved with asphalt now,
but the buildings along this stretch still bleed of the past. Remove
the colorful but deteriorating paint, and the 150 year old hotels,
saloons, and trading posts remain virtually untouched. Make sure to
arrive early – by high noon, the Wild West tourists come piling out
of the woodwork!
Nevada US-50 – The
Loneliest Road in America
If you still
have some time, head back south to US-50 and bear east. Forget
destinations – you don’t have one. Your path is one of
uncertainty and contemplation. Just keep driving for as long as you
feel like it. This stretch of road is what’s known as The
Loneliest Road in America. It goes on for miles and miles – all
the way to the country’s east coast, in fact – but the Nevada
expanse goes on for nearly 400 miles. It can take around 7 hours to
reach Utah, but the breathtaking views will last a lifetime.
Of course, odds
are you’ll get tired of that drive within half an hour or so, at
which point I recommend stopping off in Silver Springs. Once you pass
Stagecoach, you can’t miss it. It’s hard to miss anything that
exists out here in the middle of nowhere – but again, that’s they
beauty of it. There’s not a whole lot to do in this small town, but
there is a cozy little Silver Springs Airport that will fly you back
to wherever you came from.
If you’re planning your first trip to Vegas, don’t bother reading
this. You’ll want to spend your time on taking in the glorious
sites along The Strip and Downtown’s Freemont
Street. On your first visit, it’s not about the games, but the
experience. If you’ve already had that experience, and are looking
for something a bit more, then by all means, continue reading.
I’m going to tell you about the best blackjack games in the city. You won’t find them on The Strip or in Downtown, despite the rampant finger-pointing towards El Cortez. That casino does have some nice games, clocking a 99.82% RTP with the cheapest table limits of $5 and up. If you’re willing to spend $25 per hand, you can do better.
Best Blackjack Odds in Vegas
Head south along Las Vegas Boulevard approximately 10 miles
from the central Strip area (Bellagio /
Caesars Palace); past McCarran International Airport;
beyond South Point and The Grandview. Just as you cross
the St Rose Parkway, you’ll come to the luxurious M
Resort Spa & Casino, sticking up from the vast stretch of
desert floor like a hitchhiker’s thumb.
Its opulence may seem a bit out of place this far south of The Strip.
Technically, you’re not even in Las Vegas anymore. You’re in the
city of Henderson, but once you enter the property, you’ll
never know the difference.
I suggest taking advantage of valet parking, unless you don’t mind
long walks. Once you get to the doors, head inside and take the
nearest elevator to the upper level. Follow the signs to the casino,
and once you’re there, stop the first employee you see and ask them
to point you to the blackjack tables. The pit boss should be easy to
find, standing at his/her central kiosk with a birds-eye view of the
dealers.
Tell this person that you heard the M Resort blackjack odds are the
best in the city, and ask for directions to one of those tables.
There should be three of them It wouldn’t hurt to do this with a
tip sticking up between your fingers, ensuring you get preferential
seating if there’s a line. Once you’re seated…
M Resort Blackjack Odds and Rules
At the right tables, you’ll find rules that dish up a delicious 99.86% RTP. That’s a mere 0.14% house edge. It isn’t some odd-ball game with wacky rules and side bets. It’s a standard game of classic blackjack, with just enough player-friendly rules to deliver the best blackjack game in Vegas.
These games are played with a double-deck shoe, requiring the dealer
to stand on all 17s. Players can double after a split and are allowed
to re-split Aces. By these rules, a basic strategy will deliver that
beautiful 99.86% return. Making these tables even more appealing, the
games have a 0.8 cut card with 60% deck penetration. Deeper would be
great, but in a 2-deck shoe, that’s a nice mark for precision card
counters.
To recap…
Shoe: Double-Deck
Soft 17: Stand
Double: Any 2
Double After Split: Yes
Re-Split Aces: Yes
Blackjack Pays: 3 to 2
Cut Card: 0.8
Deck Penetration: 60%
Min / Max: $25 / $5,000
House Edge: 0.14%
RTP: 99.86%
If you’re interested in testing your skills against the best
blackjack odds in Vegas, set your destination for the M Resort Spa
Casino, located at 12300 S Las Vegas Blvd South, Henderson, NV 89044.
Judging a Safe Online Casino by its
Cover: Why licensing jurisdiction is everything.
When you were
growing up, did your parents or mentors every teach you don’t
judge a book by its cover? I’m sure you understand the
meaning of this age-old idiom. And in many ways, it is excellent
advice. You should never judge or negatively label anything or anyone
without giving it a chance; finding out for yourself if it’s worthy
of appreciation. That’s all well and good for most things in life,
but not online gambling.
Joining a
disreputable casino site can be a devastating experience. It can
result in anything from identity theft to financial ruin; both of
which have long-lasting consequences. If you’re lucky, the rogue
operator takes your first deposit and disappeared into the great blue
yonder. If not, you could end up investing time and again into games
that are fraudulently designed to rip you off – much more so than
the legitimate, low-edge casino games we choose to play.
Any educated
gambler knows very well that every single casino game is built to
favor the house. Only knowing we have a chance to win makes it fun.
It provides an entertaining experience that’s worthy of our spare
cash. Take away that reasonable chance, and what you’re left with is
disappointment, despair, and downright illegal activity.
Judging a Safe Online Casino by its Cover
In years past,
evaluating the legitimacy of an online casino was a tedious task.
There were multiple features you had to look for, sifting through a
website’s many pages and terms of service, reading the fine print…
Who wants to do that?
While this method
was extremely effective for those who took the time to do it right,
most people didn’t. Instead, they went to one of thousands of the
world wide web’s online gambling review websites and trusted the
information they found there. But iGaming affiliates are comparable
to the online casino industry. Some sites are safe, and some are not.
Some affiliate
reviews sites are great. They’re honest, diligent in their reviews,
and updated regularly with helpful information. Others are biased,
lacking any integrity, saying anything and everything they can to get
players to click their links. And why wouldn’t some do this? Let’s
not forget, just like the casinos, affiliates are looking to make
money. So if you can’t trust every casino, you can’t trust every
review, either.
The good news is,
thanks to the increasing rate of iGaming regulation in some parts of
the world, no one has to go through all that trouble anymore. In
fact, the whole process can be narrowed down to the evaluation of one
single item.
Jurisdiction of License and Regulation
If you want to
know if an online casino is safe, go to its website, scroll down to
the bottom of the page, and look for the licensing info. The
jurisdiction in which an operator is licensed and regulated is more
telling than Kim Kardashian playing poker in mirrored sunglasses…
yeah, she really did that.
There are good
jurisdictions and bad ones. Any province of Canada (B.C., Ontario or
Quebec) is good. Each hosts its own self-regulated iGaming website,
but you must live in that province to access its home-grown gambling
operation. Any US state that regulates iGaming is also good, but the
same stipulation exists. Outside of these, you’re looking for any
country in Europe.
If you come across
a country name you don’t know, look it up on Google or Wikipedia to
find out where it is. There are several small island nations off the
coast of Europe that North Americans may not be familiar with, and
several of them make good business out of licensing iGaming
operations. So if you’re not sure, look it up! It only takes a couple
of seconds.
Safe Licensing Jurisdictions
The UK is
top of the line. UKGC sets the standard for bet practices, player
protection, anti-fraud and anti-money laundering, the works. Malta
and Isle of Man are right up there, too. Gibraltar, Alderney,
Estonia, Cypress, Latvia – pretty much
anywhere in Europe. France, Italy and Spain are
also top-notch, but they are ring-fenced like Canada, so you
can only access those sites if your physically located within their
respective borders.
The same goes for
any direct regulation by a US state. Acceptance of American
players means nothing. If a US-facing operator isn’t regulated in the
US, it can’t possibly be licensed and regulated by a responsible
authority. Which brings us to…
Lax Regulatory Jurisdictions
Anything that
doesn’t qualify under the description above is not a jurisdiction
that you can put 100% trust in. Costa Rica, Curacao,
Panama – places like these love to dole out licenses and
collect fees for them, but they take no responsibility for the
legitimacy of the companies they license. They offer little, if
anything, in the way of a legal framework.
Costa Rica, for
example, has only one rule – do not accept players from within
Costa Rica. Anything else goes. Operators can appear one day,
disappear the next, taking all player account balances with them. So
long as they don’t violate that one rule, Costa Rica’s government
won’t do a thing about it. There are absolutely no player protections
in place; no one to turn to if the worst happens.
Similar licenses
are sold in Panama. Curacao isn’t as bad, but it’s not much better,
either. The fact that Curacao licensees can accept American players
is very telling. Look at it this way. If it’s illegal for people in
New York to gambling online, and a Curacao licensed site is accepting
New Yorkers, it’s pretty clear the regulations aren’t all that tight.
Double Check the Credentials
Once you’ve
scrolled to the bottom of the online casino’s homepage and determined
where it is licensed, you can go one step further to make sure the
license is genuine. The safest online casinos will provide a logo for
the licensing jurisdiction, and link it back to their licensing info
on the regulatory body’s website. Clicking this logo should prove the
license is valid and active.
If there is no clickable link or logo, you can take a moment to look up the regulatory authority’s website. For instance, if it’s in Malta, search for “Malta Gaming Regulator”, or “Malta Gaming License”, etc. These searches will lead you directly to the Malta Gaming Authority, found at www.mga.org.mt.
Then, from the
regulator’s website, you should be able to search for the casino name
or the owner/operator company, generally listed in the copyright info
(bottom of homepage).
Of course, if
you’re not finding the information you’re looking for – no license
info, no name of owner/operator, no valid license number – if any
of this is difficult to find, you know it’s time to move on. Don’t
waste your time on a website that isn’t making this search easy for
you. Remember, it should be a quick, one step process. If the website
seems like it has something to hide, it probably does. It’s not a
safe online casino.
Winning the lottery is all fun and games, until the bank runs dry.
How many of you out there have ever dreamt of winning an enormous,
multi-million dollar lottery prize? I’d be willing to bet most of you
have. Anyone who has bought a lottery ticket has surely considered
what they would spend all that money on if they ever struck it rich.
The list often starts out the same. We would buy a new house, or
pay off an existing mortgage. We would buy a new vehicle. Maybe even
two of them – one for practical purposes, and one for joy riding.
Most of us would designate a portion of the money to help out others,
either paying off the debts of family, granting cash to loved ones,
and/or donating some to a worthy charitable cause.
These are the things most of us say we will do if ever that
fateful day comes. Sometimes, we throw in college funds for the kids
or grand-kids. We may even promise to invest a large portion,
ensuring our wealth continues to grow for generations to come. But
just as our dreams of becoming a lottery winner are usually only
fantasies, for many people who actually win the prize, those
honorable intentions go up in smoke.
When Winning the Lottery Isn’t All Fun and Games
Once a player wins the lottery, we don’t usually hear anything more about them. They go on to live their lives, for better or worse. The only cases we hear about far down the line tend to be those with extreme endings, and unfortunately, those extreme endings are rarely good.
There are at least two dozen tales of “riches to rags”, in
which lottery winners suffered a terrible fate. These are some of
their stories…
Fast and furious financial burn…
By far the most common reason for ruin is burning through all of
the cash in a fast and furious reign of exotic purchases. Luxury
homes, sports cars, personal jets and yachts, elaborate vacations –
the most expensive things life has to offer can drain millions in
just a few months time.
Evelyn Adams was once considered one of the luckiest women in the
world, winning a pair of lottery jackpots in 1985 and 1986, worth a
combined $5.4 million. She spent it nearly as fast, spending,
gambling and giving it away. She now lives in a trailer.
Gerald Muswagon blew through the $10 million he won in 2011,
spending it on himself and a fast-growing list of ‘friends’ who
showed up nightly at his new party house. A few years later he was
broke, working on a farm to support his girlfriend and six children.
In 2018, he hung himself in his parents basement.
Sharon Tirabassi won Canada’s $10.5 million Lotto Super 7 jackpot in 2004, and managed to sift through the entire sum in just two years. She paid no attention to dollar signs, by anything and everything her heart desired. Countless homes, cars, vacations and handouts later, her seemingly bottomless barrel of wealth dried up. In 2013, she was back to riding the bus to work to suport her children.
The young and the reckless…
Mickey Carroll and Callie Rogers are two of the youngest lottery
winners of all time. Mickey was 19 when the young Brit collected his
£9.7 million winnings in 2002. He tore through the cash so fast, he
earned the nickname ‘Lotto Lout‘. Most of it was spent
partying with drugs and prostitutes. The rest was lost on exorbitant
material purchases.
Callie suffered a similar fate in 2003 when she won £1.8 million.
She was only 16 at the time. Excessive partying, plastic surgery and
lavish purchases left her penniless. In August 2019, she was calling
for the UK to raise the age limit for lottery ticket sales, and
despite now making just £12k/yr as a caregiver, says “I am the the
happiest I have ever been.”
Generous to a fault…
Every lottery winner in history has been bombarded by friends and
family, all hoping for (if not demanding) a hand out. It’s one reason
so many winners find their families torn apart. You’re either too
stingy, and everyone hates you, or you’re too generous, and the money
disappears.
Jack Whittaker, Janite Lee and Billie Bob Harrell Jr. all fell
into the latter category.
Whittaker won a $314 million Powerball jackpot in 2002. He was a
generous man all his life, and once he had the ability to help so
many people, he couldn’t stop himself. Jack was passing out huge
stacks of cash to family members, friends, strangers, the local
church, and leaving king-sized tips for everyone from diner
waitresses to strippers.
Lee’s story was similar, following an $18 million haul in 1993.
She gave to charities, social causes, education and political
campaigns. She was originally receiving annuities, but changed her
agreement to a lump0sum for the remainder. By 2011, she was $2.5
million in debt and filing for bankruptcy.
Billie Bob Harrell Jr won the Lotto Texas for $31 million and
immediately began donating fantastic sums of money to his church and
individual members of the congregation. Combined with purchase of new
homes and cars for he and his wife, and all of their family members,
the money was gone, and his marriage over, within just two years.
Harrell Jr. was so distraught, he committed suicide.
Lottery money – the root of all poison…
Suicidal tendencies are the only reason some lottery winners turn
up dead. Ibi Roncaioli and Urooj Khan were both poisoned after their
would-be-fortunate windfall.
Ibi won a $5 million jackpot in Canada in 1991. She and her
husband were already doing well; he being a gynecologist. But after
the win, Ibi became a reckless problem gambler and alcoholic. In
2003, she dies. In 2008, her husband, Dr. Joseph Roncaioli, was
convicted of her murder. The horrid tale that finally emerged was
that Mr. Roncaioli poisoned his wife after discovering her expensive
double life.
Urooj Khan’s fate was similar in as much as he died of a lethal dose of poison in 2012. However, his fate between winning the lottery and dying was entirely different. In fact, the Chicago businessman dies just weeks after he won – before he received a single dollar of his $1 million winnings. At first, his death was reported to be natural causes, but his family insisted on an investigation into the 46 year old man’s sudden demise. An autopsy found the true cause to be cyanide poisoning. His murder case remains unsolved.
Drug addiction leads to destitution…
Having a sudden and seemingly endless supply of money can
certainly lead to irresponsible behavior. Sometimes that behavior can
harm more than the lottery winner’s finances. Drug abuse is
unfortunately and exceptionally common. When it stems from, and/or
leads to, addiction, it can be all the more devastating.
In 1989, when the crack cocaine epidemic was as its worst, Willie
Hurt won the Michigan Super Lotto for $3.1 million. He was already
suffering from an addiction to the drug, and having access to so much
money only fueled the problem. Within two years, his life was in
shambles. He was penniless, undergoing divorce proceedings, and
fending off a murder charge after allegedly killing a woman during
one of many drug and alcohol binges.
In 2001, Kentucky resident David Lee Edwards won the Powerball for
$27 million. He and his wife were so excited, they literally blew
through $1 million a month for the first year. It was irresponsibly
innocent at first – exotic cars, a mansion, a personal plane. Five
years later, these materialistic things no longer satiated their
appetite. Both fell into a deep drug addiction from which they never
recovered. In 2013, at just 58 years of age, David died alone in the
care of hospice.
Death and deception…
Sometimes, it takes a monumental shift in one’s circumstances to
reveal who they really are. The truth isn’t always pretty. That’s
what happened when these people won the lottery.
In 1996, Thomas Rossi was a happily married man – or so he
thought. One day, out of nowhere, his wife, Denise Rossi, demanded an
immediate divorce. Shocked and utterly confused by her marital
discontent, he soon found out that 11 days earlier, Denise had won an
$11 million lottery. She was hoping to divorce Rossi quickly enough
to keep all the cash for herself.
The Pennsylvania Lottery paid out $16.2 million to William ‘Bud’
Post in 1988. He also suffered from the unfortunate irresponsibility
of greed, buying anything and everything he desired all at once.
Another chunk was lost to his long-time girlfriend, who successfully
sued him for her fair share after he dumped her in favor of the cash.
His own brother hired a hitman to kill him hoping to inherit a
portion of the money. Post lost it all. He was $1 million in debt
within a year, and according to the most recent reports, is now a
product of the welfare system.
Then there’s Jeffrey Dampier, winner of a $20 million Illinois Lottery jackpot in 1996. He wasn’t a terrible investor at all. In fact, following he and his wife’s amicable divorce and 50/50 split of the winnings, he remarried, moved to Florida and opened a very successful popcorn business. Jeffrey was very generous with his new wife’s family, ensuring they never went without. He was especially helpful towards her younger sister Victoria, who he subsequently began having an affair with. Eventually, Victoria grew tired of Jeffrey – but not his money. In 2005, Victoria’s new boyfriend came up with a plan, and she was all too willing to help. She called Jeffrey, faking car trouble to lure him to a secluded road. There, she and her beau demanded he turn over his wealth. When he refused, they murdered him.
Good luck turned bad…
Lisa Arcand of Massachusetts thought she had it all figured out
after she won a cool $1 million playing the state lottery in 2004.
She did everything you would expect, buying a new house, going on a
couple of well-deserved (if not a bit exorbitant) vacations, and most
importantly, investing in her future. Lisa followed her dreams by
opening a restaurant in her hometown. Unfortunately, the business
bombed. Within four years, all of the money was gone and she was
forced to close up shop.
Roger and Lara Griffiths had it even worse. They were a happily
married couple with a daughter, living a typical life in Great
Britain, when they suddenly won a £2.19 million jackpot prize. It
changed their lives forever, but not for the better. Roger spent
copious amounts of money chasing an adolescent pipe dream of becoming
a rock star. Needless to say, that didn’t pan out. Lara became an
instant high-class shop-aholic, buying a lavish home, exotic cars,
designer clothes, jewelry, and anything else her heart desired. The
two sent their daughter to an expensive private school. Like Lisa
Arcand, they also thought it wise to invest in a business, pouring
hundreds of thousands into a posh salon. Ironically enough – after
their carefree lifestyles led to bitter divorce – the former Mrs.
ended up working at the very salon she once owned.
If you didn’t think their bad luck could get worse, think again.
Alex Toth of Florida could have lived comfortably for the rest of his
life after winning a $13 million lottery. He did what most of us
would consider the smart thing, taking 20 years worth of annual
payments instead of a smaller lump sum. However, that worked out to
an ominous $666k per year. Whether that figure had anything to do
with her unfortunate future is hard to say, but the story is far from
a happy one. Alex soon left his wife, agreeing to split the money
with her. He then began squandering away his portion as fast as it
came in. So fast, he didn’t bother to pay the taxes on it. After
being charged with tax evasion by the IRS, the penniless Mr. Toth
checked himself into a mental institution. He died in 2008 at the age
of 60.
Do You Really Want to Win the Lottery?
There are many more stories like these – stories of drug overdoses, contract killers, families ripped apart by greed and irresponsibility. It makes you wonder if its worth winning the lottery at all, if you’re better off where you are now?
Personally, I’d still want to win, and odds are everyone who reads
this will say the same. What I would recommend, however, is that you
put a bit more planning into your future, should your ticket ever
come up a multi-million dollar winner. Maybe not quite so much
planning as Bon
Truong of Edmonton, Alberta, who just claimed his prize after
purposely sitting on a $60 million winning ticket for 10 months –
but far more than the people detailed in the above context.
The legal NFL sports betting outlook across North America.
With the 2019-20 NFL Preseason well underway and the
Regular Season fast approaching, we thought it might be
a good time to take a closer look at the current legal status of
sports betting across the US and Canada. For some it’s legal.
For others it’s illegal. And as usual, there are a few in-betweens
that require greater explanation.
As many of you know, a cursory glance will cover our situation in the
Great White North, so we’ll get to that one first. Our neighbors to
the south, however, have a lot more legal fluctuation to deal with
these days. Some are even scrambling to get their sportsbooks open
before the first official NFL kick-off of the season on September 5,
2019.
Legal NFL Sports Betting in Canada
Above the 49th parallel, the situation has maintained
status quo for years. We can bet on sports till the cows come home,
but it’s more like buying a lottery ticket. You grab a slip at your
local retailer, fill out a series of picks (3 to 6 in most
provinces), and hand it to the cashier for purchase. The odds aren’t
too appealing, since we’re forced to bet parlay style, where all
picks have to be correct or the entire bet is lost.
Yes, straight up betting is still illegal in Canada. But that
statement means more than meets the eye. You can’t bet on a single
even “in” Canada, but you can bet on a single event at any
reputable online sportsbook “outside” of Canada.
That makes two advantages we have over most Americans.
US Sports Betting Laws to Date (Aug 13, 2019)
Following last year’s reversal of PASPA, state
governments immediately began legalizing, or debating legalization
of, sports betting. So far, 10 states have a lawful sports betting
market – some with mobile offerings, some without. They include, in
order of implementation:
Nevada: Legal since 1949,
Nevada was the only state to offer legalized sports betting during
the 26-year reign of PASPA (1992-2018). Local sportsbooks are
available within most of the state’s casinos. In 2010, mobile sports
betting was added, giving punters the ability to place a legal bet
from anywhere in Nevada.
Delaware: This state’s
sports betting laws went into effect the moment PASPA’s 26-year
reign ended in May 2018, thanks to a 2009 law giving DE Lottery the
right to expand its parlay products. Only PASPA stood in the way.
Therefore, upon its repeal, sportsbooks were instantly legal.
However, wagers may only be placed at one of the state’s three
land-based casinos, Delaware Park, Dover Downs or Harrington
Raceway. While mobile sports betting is technically legal, no
authorized provider has launched an online or mobile sports betting
app.
New Jersey: Sports betting
was legalized in New Jersey as quickly as the governor could get his
signature on the bill. Within 72 hours, the first bets were taken at
land-based casinos. By July 2018, online and mobile sportsbooks went
live.
Mississippi: Legalization
of sports wagers had been on the agenda since 2017 in Mississippi.
Once legislation was capable of moving forward, it did so, going
into effect on August 1, 2018. Like all other forms of gambling in
the state, sports betting is limited to physical casinos, on land or
on water, but not online.
West Virginia: Punters in
West Virginia have been able to access retail sportsbooks since
August 2018, and online sportsbooks since December 2018. However, a
legal dispute caused the state’s sole mobile sports betting app to
shut down that same month. No additional mobile offerings have
appeared since.
New Mexico: While the state
of New Mexico has not legalized betting on sports, one tribal
casino, the Santa Ana Star, offers a legal sportsbook under its
Class III gaming license. The state isn’t happy about it, but would
have to amend existing laws to put a stop to it.
Pennsylvania: Technically,
sports betting became legal in Pennsylvania the moment PASPA was
lifted, but regulatory guidelines were nowhere near ready. The first
sports bets were not accepted until November of 2018. Likewise, the
first online and mobile sportsbooks appeared until May of 2019.
Rhode Island: Sports
wagering was passed in June 2018, with the first bets taken at the
very end of 2018. In March 2019, legislation was updated to approve
mobile sports betting. Launch is pending, with the goal of offering
a mobile sports product before the starts of the 2019-20 NFL regular
season.
Arkansas: Some would say
Arkansas is late to the game, but better late than never, right? The
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort is currently the only casino to offer
sports betting in the state, accepting its first wagers in July
2019. Others are planning to follow suit in the coming months.
New York: On the law books
since 2013, it took New York until July 2019 to finalize regulations
and authorizations for sports betting. The first land-based
offerings came along last month, but so far, the state has no plans
to integrate online or mobile sports betting.
Legal But Pending Launch
The following list of US states have already moved to legalize the
activity, and are currently racing to deliver a legal NFL sports
betting product before September 5.
RTP comparison reveals the best paying slot machines in Nevada.
When it comes to gambling, people have developed conceptions over the
years as to how and where they can achieve better odds of winning.
Some say it’s the games you play. Others say it’s the casino in which
you play them. I (and everyone else with a higher education in
gaming) say it’s both. But if there’s a specific game you want to
play, location is everything!
I’m talking specifically about slot machines. Everyone knows
these aren’t the best paying games overall. If you want the highest
possible RTP, you have to play blackjack or video poker with a
perfect strategy. That takes time and mental energy that some players
simply aren’t willing to expend.
Slots fans play for the simplicity and entertainment value above all
else. For these players, you won’t convince them there’s a better
overall game out there. And since choice of game is out of the
question, location becomes the primary focus. And with that, we’ve
drug up statistical data that reveals…
…the best paying slot machines in Nevada.
Las Vegas, Nevada is the gambling mecca of the western
hemisphere. When we think of casino hubs, The Vegas Stripis the first place that comes to mind. But it’s not the only
place in the Silver State that caters to gamblers. There’s many more
– some more famous than others. Downtown Vegas, North Las Vegas,
Reno, Carson City, Henderson, Laughlin, Boulder Strip, Silver
Springs, the list goes on and on.
When you compare the best paying slots from one area to the next,
there are two locations that rank highest, appearing consistently on
the list more than any others, Downtown Vegas and
Boulder Strip. And then there’s the two obvious choices
to compare – Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Strip.
If you think Las Vegas and The Strip are the same thing, think again.
As far as reports from the state’s gaming regulators are concerned,
Las Vegas refers to the casinos that are “off the Strip”.
Downtown Vegas is the area North of the Strip, including Freemont
Street. The Boulder Strip isn’t a single location, but rather a
series of 30+ casinos that appear along a long strip of the Boulder
Highway, from Downtown Vegas to Henderson and beyond.
Now that you know where they are, let’s compare the average slot
machine RTP (return to player) between these four locations, based on
recent data from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). For absolute
accuracy, we’ll divide the payout ratios by coin denominations (penny
slots, nickel slots, quarter slots, etc).
Highest Paying Slots by Denomination
Location
RTP of 1¢ Penny Slot Machines
The Strip
88.38%
Las Vegas
90.88%
Downtown Vegas
89.15%
Boulder Strip
90.38%
Location
RTP of 5¢ Nickel Slot Machines
The Strip
91.64%
Las Vegas
95.29%
Downtown Vegas
93.40%
Boulder Strip
96.21%
Location
RTP of 25¢ Quarter Slot Machines
The Strip
89.35%
Las Vegas
96.41%
Downtown Vegas
94.25%
Boulder Strip
96.13%
Location
RTP of $1 Dollar Slot Machines
The Strip
92.43%
Las Vegas
95.39%
Downtown Vegas
94.63%
Boulder Strip
96.13%
Location
RTP of All Slot Machines Combined
The Strip
91.96%
Las Vegas
93.53%
Downtown Vegas
92.67%
Boulder Strip
94.34%
Best Paying Slots are Off The Strip and Off the
Grid
The table above clearly shows that the Las Vegas Strip is, in fact
(and as rumored), the worst place to play slot machines. The best
paying slot machines in Nevada are found on the Boulder Strip, with
Off-Strip casinos in Las Vegas coming in a close second.
Not surprisingly, the penny slots are the worst of all. No matter
where you play them, the best average RTP in the reporting period was
only 90.88%. The highest average, 96.41%, was found on quarter slots
in off-Strip Las Vegas casinos. But overall, Boulder Strip casinos
had the highest RTP average out of all categories.
On a final note, you’ll find similarly high RTP slot machines
entirely off the grid. The online casino industry is famous for
housing the highest paying slots of all. For the month of May 2019,
Royal
Vegas Casino recorded an average slots RTP of 96.87%. That’s
higher than any of the slot machine RTPs recorded by the NGCB in a
similar time frame.
Canada iGaming firm The Stars Group is teaming with New York’s Akwesane Mohawk Casino for live and online sports betting; online poker to follow?
The legalization of sports betting in New York has caused quite a
stir, not just in the Empire State, but across the border into
Ontario and Quebec, Canada. New York happens to have a few tribal
casinos near its borders, granting rather convenient access for
Canadian sports fans to enter the country and place all the wagers
their hearts desire.
Here in Canada, it’s not illegal to bet on sports, but it is highly
restrictive. We are forced to make bets with long odds – parlays,
they’re called. Multiple picks, and they must all win, or the bet is
lost. For years, many Canadians have trusted offshore gambling
websites to place the bets they really want. But now – or rather,
very soon – New York will present the same single event betting
opportunities we crave, live and in person.
Oddly enough, it’s one of our own who will operate the first
sportsbook across the St. Lawrence River. The Stars Group
(TSG, formerly Amaya Inc.) of Toronto have inked a deal with the
Akwesane Mohawk Casino Resort to run the property’s upcoming
sports betting business.
Canada iGaming Firm TSG Signs with NY’s Akwesane
Mohawk Casino
TSG’s benchmark contract gives the Canadian firm a foothold in the
budding iGaming business of New York. The group’s contract gives them
operational rights over an online sportsbook for the property, and
will also see them performing support services for the casino’s
retail sportsbook.
TSG’s newly appointed CEO, Robin Chhabra, comments:
“We are excited to announce this agreement with Mohawk, which further strengthens our market access as we work to build our Fox Bet business into one of the leaders in the emerging U.S. online betting and gaming market.”
The terms of the agreements are extensive, giving Stars Group the
right to launch its online poker and online casino offerings as well,
if and when New York takes the next step to legalize those iGaming
activities. TSG is, of course, the owner of PokerStars, the world’s
largest online poker room. And if more casinos sign sportsbook
contracts with major operators like TSG, maybe it will help motivate
New York legislators to move in that direction, based on the success
in neighboring New Jersey, if nothing else.
At this point, it’s been widely speculated that New York will become
the fifth US state to regulate online poker. No doubt Stars Group is
banking on it, hoping to tap into yet another lucrative market on US
soil. For the time being, their focusing on the growth of their US
sports offers via another recent partnership with Fox Sports,
which has the two brands collaborating on the production of Fox
Bet.
PokerStars Events Getting Closer to Home?
It’s worth noting that single-event bets aren’t the only thing off
limits to Canadian players. PokerStars is another area of legal
contention in the Great White North. While the operator claims to
accept Canadian customers, it’s no secret that their doing so teeters
of the border of unlawful internet gambling.
Canada’s iGaming laws are known to be far less restrictive than our
neighbors to the south. The only thing we must abide by is the law
that states no entity with a physical presence in Canada may provide
gambling services without a provincial license to do so.
With Toronto being home to TSG headquarters, and having no license
from any provincial regulator in the country, Canadian players would
be wise to keep their distance from the online poker room. But what
about PokerStars Live? If the New York casino were to open a live
branded poker room so close to the border, it could open the flood
gates for Canadian poker pros to hit up new PokerStars sponsored
events a lot closer to home. It’s all speculation for now, but I have
no doubt the gears are turning in the minds of TSG executives.
