Steve Wynn has an incredible knack for creating the ultimate high roller experience. Sure, some also blame him for the corporate culture that invaded Las Vegas with the introduction of the Mirage. I guess those people liked it better when the mob ran Vegas. Regardless of that, Wynn was the main guy that brought Vegas out of the tacky 1970s into the ultra luxury era. After the Mirage can Bellagio, which elevated the standard even further. After cashing out, then he decided to put his name on the building. The Wynn casino wasn’t that much of a leap beyond Bellagio, but it did plant itself as one of the premiere luxury spots on the Strip. If you’re a group of guys or high rollers ready to have a great time in Vegas, then you can’t go wrong at the Wynn.
But now Steve Wynn the person is back in the news, as his ex-wife is threatening his casino empire. BusinessWeekexplains that “Elaine Wynn has asked a federal court for permission to sell the Wynn Resorts (WYNN) shares she was awarded in the couple’s 2009 divorce.” This is a problem as she’s a swing shareholder of the company. Even if she just sells half of her 9.6 percent stake, such a transaction could possibly trigger a series of events that would threaten Steve’s sway over his company according to the article.
It’s funny how little things like a divorce, even a $750 million divorce, can have such a potential impact on a place like Las Vegas. Not that any of us really care. There are so many places in Vegas to gamble, and of course there are now casinos all over the country, and anyone can find awesome places to play online as well like Betfair Casino.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wynn decided to start all over again. Now with Aria and Cosmopolitan, his Wynn casino is now longer the newest luxury hot spot on the Strip. The guy seems obsessed with setting new standards, so maybe all of this drama will lead him to create something new again. That said, the odds may be against that course of action. Vegas is so saturated right now with high end hotels, and the days of the whale from Asia seem to be gone with overseas competition. Still, we love new hotels, so who cares if it’s a financial success for Wynn. He can afford it, even after his $750 million divorce!
We all know that poker is a game of skill. Now others are starting to take note, as a federal judge ruled in a recent decision.
Poker is a game of skill that is not covered under the federal Illegal Gambling Business Act, Eastern District Judge Jack Weinstein ruled yesterday.
Weinstein (See Profile) reversed the jury conviction of Lawrence Dicristina and found that, as a matter of law, Congress did not clearly intend to criminalize poker when it passed the act. Part of the judge’s reasoning was that poker games, in this case Texas Hold’em, are not purely games of chance.
“Bluffing, raising and folding require honed skills to maximize the value of the cards dealt by Lady Luck,” Weinstein said in United States v. Dicristina, 11-CR-414.
In a 120-page decision, Weinstein noted that New York courts have long considered that poker contains a sufficient element of chance to constitute gambling under state laws, N.Y. Penal Law §225.00(2). But the federal law is ambiguous as to whether it federalizes state gambling offenses, he said.
Even the attractive lady above can use her “assets” to help distract players. There are so many factors that go into winning money at poker. It’s nice to see some feds finally agree.
Who is going to win the presidential election? There’s been an endless amount of speculation and tons of arguments between the pundits. The you have new forecasters like Nate Silver who rely on probability analysis by using a complex formula to analyze the polling data and spit out a percentage likelihood of the outcome. Pundits hate this as it gives them competition. They love to present things as a horse race and too close to call.
The other new factor has to do with the betting markets like Intrade. It’s basically the ultimate prop bet, but it’s a market built around big events like these elections. You can see quickly how events like the hurricane can affect perceptions of who is winning, as people can buy and sell contracts on the chance of winning for Mitt Romney and President Obama. Right now, these markets are predicting an Obama victory. Of course these things are not perfect. It measures a perception of how things will play out.
This also fits into our culture, where gambling has always been very popular, but much of it was underground. Now all of that is changing as we start to acknowledge that this is a legitimate recreational activity. Tons of people love to play casino games, and now there are tons of options of where they can play as new casinos spring up around the country and we have more online options. New things like fantasy football and old things like prop bets take on new popularity as well.
So who do you think will win? You can now put up some money to enjoy election night even more.
Roulette is a popular game that you can find at most online and land based casinos in nearly every country across the globe. Although roulette doesn’t offer you the best odds, it doesn’t necessarily offer the worst either. Here are a few tips for players new to the game of roulette.
Kinds of Roulette Wheels
Roulette has several variations, but all versions involve a gaming table with a built-in wheel that features alternate black and red numbered pockets. A casino employee, called a croupier, is in charge of spinning the wheel and the small metal ball. Players place their wagers on a betting grid laid out on the table.
The two types of roulette most frequently found at casinos are European roulette and American roulette. European roulette has pockets numbering 0 to 36 and the American version features 38 slots numbered 0 to 36 along with a 00.
The two zeroes on the American roulette hike the house advantage up to 5.26% while the European version has a house edge of 2.76%. Unlike some of the other casino games, the house advantage remains the same no matter where you place your bet on the grid. Most experienced gamblers suggest avoiding the American version whenever possible and playing on a European roulette wheel instead.
No matter what version you decide to play, find a game with a live dealer online rather than just playing the computer. One of the perks of roulette is that it is more of a fun, social activity than many of the other casino games.
Playing Roulette
Roulette players buy their chips and place their wagers. Roulette offers a wide range of betting options that fall under inside bets or outside bets.
An inside bet is a wager placed on the inside of the grid’s layout. This can include a “Straight Bet” where you predict one specific number or a “Split Bet” where you predict that the ball will land on one of two numbers. The former offers 35 to 1 odds, while the latter’s odds drop to 17 to 1.
Outside bets are wagers placed on the outer edge of the grid. These wagers can include predicting whether the ball will land on a high or low number, an odd or an even number or even a black or a red number. The odds for these outside bets are all 1 to 1. Another common outside bet is called the “Dozen Bet,” where you predict which dozen numbers the ball will land on. The payout odds for this wager run at 2 to 1.
Once all of the players place their bets, the croupier spins the wheel in one direction and the ball in the other. If the ball lands on a spot you selected, you win the bet. The croupier collects all of the losing bets and then pays the winners.
The payout odds depend on the type of wager you place. Roulette odds can be as low as 1 to 1 or as high as 2,700 to 1. Read and understand the rules of the specific casino and the payout odds before placing any bets.
It’s a good idea to play online roulette for free until you get a good feel for the game. Free-to-play games will help you become familiar with the various wagers and develop your own individual betting strategy. Once you feel comfortable with all of the rules of roulette, you can start to play at casinos that use real money wagers.
Every roulette table has a minimum wager requirement. Make sure that you are comfortable with the table’s stakes before you start playing. Remember that the house always has the edge in roulette. If you are enjoying a winning streak, have the self-discipline to walk away from the table before the house decides to take back your winnings.
If you look at the history of poker, cheating has always been part of the game. This was true even in places like Las Vegas, particularly when one-deck games were prevalent.
Here’s an interesting video that discusses this history and some of the specific cheating scams. It also discusses strategies to help you establish or hide your poker face.
3G Studios, a video game developer in Reno, is betting on online gambling.
The private company, with 47 U.S. employees, has hired almost 80 contractors in India and China and expects to have 200 dedicated solely to making gambling games by the end of the year. 3G is one of a handful of game makers jockeying for gambling business, expecting states, hungry for new tax revenue, to open the floodgates for Internet casinos.
Nevada is accepting applications for online gambling licenses, and in June, Delaware became the first state to approve online casino gambling for state residents, starting next year. Other states, including California and New Jersey, are considering loosening the rules for wagering on the Web after the Department of Justice reversed a longtime ban on many types of Internet betting in December.
Word is out that Zynga is also pushing their poker game for the same reasons.
There will be huge competition for poker players if we see national regulation, and the gamer companies will be battling the traditional casino companies.
While not everyone goes to the casino, most people know what a slot machine is. These flashy, noisy games of chance are synonymous with casinos and are one of their most popular attractions. They appeal primarily to the recreational gamer who wants to experience the excitement of gambling without having to get too serious. Some people have even been lucky enough to win jackpots that number into the millions through slot machines.
Through all of this excitement about slot machines, there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding their function. Some people have a misconception that the house has “rigged” the slot machine to eat more money than it gives away in jackpots. As a result, there are many myths floating that can supposedly increase your chance of winning. In most cases, these “myths” are simply a waste of time.
For the most part, success in slots is a combination of luck and a few basic elements that will ensure you do not waste your time and hard-earned money. Below are a few of these elements to incorporate into your slot playing.
Determine What Kind Of Slot Will Suit You Best
There are a variety of slots available at most casinos. These slots range from penny slots all the way to slots that take multiple dollars per round. As someone who is just beginning, going the route of small change slots are your best bet. This ensures you do not feed too much money into learning the process of playing slot machines. Similarly, trying your hand at slots on no deposit required casino sites is another viable option.
Know Your Betting Limits
Ensure you know your financial limitations. Set a limit prior to playing and monitor that limit accordingly. When you find that you are approaching that limit with few winnings to show, it might be time to break and move to another machine.
Manage Time At Slot
Time management is a commonly overlooked tactic in slots. Generally, you want to spend an average of 15 minutes per machine. When you reach that time, you should have a good idea of how the machine is performing and whether or not it is time to move.
In all, there are many myths surrounding the slot machine. However, aside from a little luck, all you need is a few simple guidelines to ensure you play smart. In doing so, you will eventually win without having lost too much.
If you like poker, you’re probably going to enjoy The Grand, which was recently recommended by Premium Hollywood as a DVD pick. The movie basically spoofs the poker scene in places like Las Vegas and also the various types of poker players that you see regularly at poker tournaments. Check out the video below for examples.
While most sports movies tend to take themselves very seriously, with triumphant underdogs and platitude-filled speeches in their third acts, some sports just inherently lend themselves to comedy. Bowling is a great example of this, as evidenced by the success of films like the Farrelly brothers’ Kingpin and the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski. Poker is another, though the game itself is so relatively inactive that it’s debatable whether it should even be called a sport, and Zak Penn‘s underrated improvisational comedy The Grand takes full advantage of a poker tournament’s many humorous possibilities.
Game developers like San Francisco Zynga have introduced a new era of social gaming. Social games can be played on PC’s, laptops and mobile devices. People can play online with their Facebook friends and Zynga’s games offer several features not found in more traditional online casino games. The advent of social gaming has forced many gaming companies to join the fray or risk being left behind in a rapidly changing industry. Earlier in the year, an article in the Wall Street Journal said that Zynga is making plans to enter the online gaming industry.
Some gaming companies are planning a foray into Zynga’s turf. The gaming companies have been emboldened by December’s ruling by the Justice Department that indicated that many forms of internet gaming could become legal. Gaming companies have been cautious since last April’s ‘black Friday’ seizures of several top online poker sites. The companies had their assets frozen and several people were indicted on a variety of charges. The December ruling has made gaming companies more confident that full online gambling legalization will take place soon.
One of the companies making the move towards social gaming is Las Vegas based International Game Technology, which just shelled out $500 million to purchase Double Down, a company that developed casino style games for Facebook. Although Double Down’s Facebook games don’t involve any actual gambling they are extremely popular with millions of regular players. The games involve the purchase of ‘virtual currency’ that players can spend playing games or for entertainment purposes.
Patti Hart, the CEO of International Game Technology, says that social gaming for real money is “going to come eventually.” Hart added “Think about how big Zynga Poker would be if it were about money, if you could win a jackpot and win a check.” If states allow social and real money gaming to mix the result could be $30 billion global business next year. Estimates say that social gaming revenues in the United States could reach $4.5 billion.
Even without real money bingo and other gambling games, social gaming is already a big business. It has been estimated that people will spend $2.9 billion on virtual goods in 2012. In 2011 people spent about $2.2 billion on virtual goods. The figures so not include revenues from advertising. IGT is planning to bring the company’s extensive collection of real world games to the Double Down casino. Players can access the games using PC’s, iPhones, iPads or through Facebook.
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