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      Online poker to your state?

      January 18, 2012 /

      The Obama Justice Department has upended the entire online poker debate with a recent opinion that basically limited the scope of federal laws. Now the question is whether Congress will get involved, or whether it will let the states move forward.

      The gambling lobby has a message for Congress as states line up to cash in on a White House ruling that in-state online lotteries and poker won’t violate a federal Internet betting ban: Deal now or get stuck with a bad hand.

      A Justice Department opinion issued before Christmas has created a now-or-never dynamic on the Hill for lawmakers and lobbyists pushing for a federal Internet poker law as state and regional officials move ahead with online gambling plans.

      Come April, D.C. plans to offer online poker and blackjack. Illinois intends to be selling lottery tickets on the Web by then, too.
      ****
      “The writing is on the wall. The states are going to do this,” John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, told POLITICO. “The first three or four months of the year is going to be pretty important for Congress to act.”
      All bets are on some key lawmakers — some backed by Las Vegas casinos — trying to do an end-run around the DOJ opinion by pre-empting it with a federal law. That could set up a showdown pitting states vs. the feds.

      Supporters of a federal bill say states aren’t equipped to handle the complexities of Internet gambling, and Congress needs to step in.

      State officials say that’s hogwash, and the Obama administration has already taken the wind out of the sails of a federal Internet poker bill by clearing the way for states to start setting up their own systems.

      The DOJ opinion dealt states already pushing in the direction of legalization — like California and New Jersey — a couple of aces by saying a ban on intrastate Internet gambling only applies to sports betting.

      That frees up those states and several others — including Iowa and Connecticut — to follow Illinois and D.C. in the coming months by passing online gambling laws during state legislative sessions. Passage in each Legislature will be complex, but state lawmakers are extra motivated in tight budget times to find new revenue streams.

      Regardless of what happens, it looks like momentum is heading in the right direction. Poker is clearly a game of skill, so policy makers need to concede that point and come up with a logical system.

      Casino Games, Casinos, Poker

      Where “Shotgun” Came From and How to Rock At It

      January 6, 2012 /

      “Calling shotgun” is a classic game that can take the form of innocent dibs or intense competition. Whether you use it to invoke fairness or simply like to try to defeat your friends every time you’re headed to the car, shotgun is fun and easy to play.

      Origin

      Rumors are that the term “riding shotgun” comes from the Old West when people would sit next to the wagon driver while holding a shotgun and protecting the coach. This is true — for the most part. However, the shotgun-wielding men would ride on top of the coaches to protect the wagon. Imagine how great your car insurance rates would be if you could scare off bad drivers with your shotgun-wielding passengers?

      It’s unclear when the term first came into existence, though. The author of the “Riding shogun” entry on phrases.org.uk says the earliest reference of someone calling shotgun in real life was in The Ogden Examiner in 1919: “Ross Will Again Ride Shotgun on Old Stage Coach.”

      Rules

      Calling shotgun means calling dibs on the front passenger seat of a vehicle. The most basic, well-known rule is that whoever says it first gets to claim that seat for the ride (though it doesn’t usually include the ride back). According to shotgunrules.com, restrictions can get a little more detailed:

      • The word “shotgun” must be heard by at least one other participant.
      • You must be finished with your “deed” before you can call shotgun.
      o For example, leaving your house, leaving the mall, etc.
      • The deed usually starts when you leave the building the deed took place in.

      Some random rules include that if a significant other of the driver is involved, he or she automatically gets the right to sit up front. Also, if two people call shotgun at the same time, they must break the tie with Rock, Paper, Scissors.

      Tips

      If you want to be the master of the passenger’s seat, make sure to hone your skills and develop new tactics. Wait, you’re thinking, how can you actually train to play Shotgun? Oh, it’s possible, if you’re serious enough about it.

      First, because different people may have various ideas of what the rules are, establish a set of guidelines with people you usually drive with. Don’t let arguments and confusion later ruin the fun.

      Second, don’t get too angry or too competitive. If you’re angering your competition, they’ll be more likely to try to call Shotgun first just because they want to spite you.

      And third, develop Rock, Paper, Scissors strategy, as this is often the way ties are broken and you can come out on top when draws occur.

      Conclusion

      Now that you’re an expert on Shotgun, inform your friends and family and tell them to prepare for some serious competition. Just make sure you think about what rules you want to implement. Are there any other awesome rules you use that I didn’t mention?

      Travel

      No Need to Reinvent the Wheel with Blackjack

      December 21, 2011 /

      One of the great dynamics regarding online blackjack is that many of the newer players to the game get caught up in its speed and begin to make bets with strategies that simply defy the laws of mathematics. Many new players get cleaned out fast with blackjack and it is important to remember that blackjack, whether it be online or in person at a Las Vegas Strip casino, has the same odds and mathematical physics that will never change. The fact that playing blackjack online is a much faster pace makes respecting the odds and math even more critical in importance.

      For the smart player, blackjack is an open invitation to the best and fairest odds that can be found in a casino. In fact many players admit that if the casino businesses were starting from scratch today, blackjack would not be offered because sharp players can whittle the odds down to near virtually even with the house, taking away almost all of the edge.

      Where casinos make money on blackjack is with the ignorant, the sloppy, and the players that play with wild intuition rather than with respect for the odds and math. To make matters even better for the casinos and worse for such players, these action addicts that seem to be ramped up on an overdose of caffeine, go wild and binge on blackjack by playing multiple hands at the same time. So not only do you have a virtually insane group of action addicts that are playing multiple hands and multiple tables, you have a group of wild players that are not playing smart. And the casinos know there are far more of these types of players than the smart ones, thus their willingness to offer up blackjack despite the fair odds.

      For the smart player, online blackjack remains a game of “three yards and a cloud of dust.” It is a basic game that should be played with a basic strategy rather than with grand designs that do not overcome the math of the game. Superstitions, feelings, and intuition have no place at the blackjack table. Solid math, great money management skills, and respect for the game and odds are what will make for the most successful blackjack players.

      There has never been a better time to get involved in online blackjack as sign up and play bonuses are higher than ever and the games themselves have never had more appeal.

      Casino Games, Casinos

      “Rounders” is the ultimate poker movie

      November 28, 2011 /

      Before the poker craze took root in the past 10 years, “Rounders” came out in 1998 and provided a window to the world of high stakes poker. Bullz-Eye.com included the new Blu-ray of the movie in its Holiday Gift Guide for movies.

      Before the poker craze swept the nation, Matt Damon and Edward Norton gave us a fascinating look at the life of Mike McDermott (Damon), a reformed gambler who hits the tables again to help his friend, Lester ‘Worm’ Murphy (Norton), pay off his own gambling debts. Damon and Norton are both fantastic in these early career roles as we watch Worm drag Mike, a promising law student, back into the life he had left behind, with the duo looking for a game wherever they can find one and reviving some of their old tricks with very mixed results. “Rounders,” the second of three modern classics released to Blu-ray by Lionsgate this past August, also features memorable performances from John Turturro and John Malkovich, and includes some great extras, including a behind-the-scenes special, champion poker tips, and commentary from the cast, crew and even professional poker players.

      This Blu-ray definitely makes a perfect gift for any poker fan.

      Poker

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