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Want to Buy a WSOP Bracelet?

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:51:36 +0200

Every winner of a WSOP event gets a bracelet to show they've won one of poker's premier tournaments but a Main Event bracelet is even more special. The $10,000 buy-in Main Event has routinely drew well over 5,000 entrants for the last ten years, with the winner taking home a huge payday and bragging rights as the champion of the poker world's most prestigious event.

Due to the large field sizes the Main Event winner isn't always the best poker player in the field, as luck and random good fortune play a big role in success in a tournament that takes numerous days to play out until there's a champion.

Jamie Gold was a poker amateur who came out of nowhere to win the 2006 Main Event, clamiing nearly $12 million for his victory in the largest Main Event ever held. A crackdown on online poker the following year would cause turnout for many WSOP events to fall dramatically, making the 2006 WSOP Main Event the largest ever held.

After his big win Gold was reasonably active on the poker scene in high stakes cash games but quickly faded from sight, unable to find much success in later years at the WSOP in th handful of tournaments he plays each year.

No reason was given as to why he was selling his Main Event bracelet and accompanying Corum watch that will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions. Bidding for both items will begin in July with a live auction in early August as part of the Sports Signature Auction in Rosemont, Illinois.

Gold's bracelet isn't the first Main Event bracelet to be auctioned off, as Peter Eastgate sold his in 2010 and donated the proceeds to UNICEF. 2007 winner Jerry Yang was reported to have surrendered his bracelet to the IRS to sell as part of a plan to pay off a delinquent tax bill but it remains unclear as to whether or not the IRS actuall sold the bracelet or not.

Celebrity Spotting in Vegas

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:23:28 +0200

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards was the main attraction in town, with Tim Mcgraw, Faith Hill, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Taylor Swift, and Prince just a few of the huge stars of the music world that descended on Sin City.

Aside from the value of being in the spotlight it's not a hard draw as far as convincing celebs to head to Vegas for a weekend. With L.A. just an hour's flight away, plenty of A listers make the hop to Vegas on a regular weekend, much less when a huge event is scheduled.

Vegas was hopping with plenty of other big names for several other events, most notably Tiger Woods' Tiger Jam charity event that ran throughout the weekend. Tiger Jam (which was being held for the 15th year) raises money for Tiger's non-profit that gives scholarships to disadvantaged youths, with a concert and a charity poker event just a few of the events on the schedule.

Woods and his new flame Lindesy Vonn were on hand for all the big events, with Kid Rock and Uncle Cracker the musical headliners for the concert. Saturday saw the action turn to the poker tables, with Woods and Kid Rock just a few of the celebrities that ponied up $10,000 each in the charity event sponsored by the World Poker Tour.

They'd be playing with a mix of amateurs and well-known poker pros such as Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth, with the ultimate goal of raising money for charity.

Vegas is always a good bet for spotting celebrities even on a normal weekend, especially at some of the world-class clubs at Wynn, Encore, and the Palms that attract some fo the biggest names from the music and film worlds.

If you're lucky you might catch celebs in action gambling in the pits, too, as some enjoy craps and roulette and other casino games and often play on the regular floor instead of sticking to the more exclusive high limit gambling areas.

Tiger and Lindsey Shine in Vegas

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:51:47 +0200

The hot new celeb couple have made several public appearances lately with their latest in none other than Sin City for Tiger's charity poker event that was held at Mandalay Bay.

The event was officially dubbed Tiger's Poker Night at Moorea Beach Club Beachside Casino at Mandalay Bay and was sponsored by the World Poker Tour. Lots of other celebs turned out as well as some of poker's biggest names including Phil Hellmuth.

Vonn didn't try her lucks at the table but her new beau Tiger didn't fare very well himself, quickly getting knocked out of the poker action and having to watch from the sidelines. Other celebrities in attendance included Kid Rock, Mark Cuban, Mehki Phifer, and Chris Paul, with the bank Lifehouse playing later on to really get the party started.

The poker event was part of a weekend-long celebration called Tiger Jam that's designed to raise funds for the Tiger Woods Foundation, his non-profit that provides scholarships and educational opportunites for disadvantaged youths.

Tiger and Lindsey have been taking their relationship much more public in recent weeks, including a less-than-stellar debut at the Met Gala earlier in May that saw a drunk Tiger stumbling around by the end of the evening.

He appeared to be much more in his element in Vegas for the charity poker event, hobnobbing with other athletes and celebs and getting to rub elbows with some of the world's best poker players.

Athletes and poker have always been a popular pairing, with plenty of games springing up between teammates as well as big names such as Michael Phelps and A-Rod well known for their love of playing high stakes poker in Vegas and other cities.

Did You Win the Powerball Jackpot?

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:00:03 +0200

Lottery officials pegged the total jackpot at $590.5 million, making it the largest Powerball jackpot ever in the U.S. The addition of Powerball ticket sales to California in April have juiced the lotto jackpots for Powerball, with the current huge prize growing very quickly.

Only one winning ticket (numbers 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and a Powerball of 11) was sold for Saturday's record drawing and was sold at a supermarket in Zephyrhills, Florida. Florida's been prime Powerball winner territory in the past, with six Powerball winners coming from the Sunshine State so far.

There was no word as to whether a winner had stepped forward yet, which isn't unusual with huge lotto jackpots as winners often wait days or weeks before stepping forward and claiming their prize amidst much fanfare and hoopla.

If the winner selects the cash option to get a one-time payment, the total amount won will be over $375 million before taxes, with Uncle Sam usually taking about a third of that in taxes when it's all said and done.

The odds of winning were about 1 in 175 million but a winner was virtually guaranteed based on the sheer volume of tickets sold. Lottery officials said that the huge humber of tickets bought had covered about 75% of the total combinations of number possible.

It won't quite be the largest lotto win in U.S. history as the Mega Millions drawing back in March 2012 clocked in at $656 million. The odds are good, however, that a Powerball drawing will soon eclipse that, as increased sales from California alone have added an extra $100 million in ticket sales since the state joined up with the Powerball drawing in April 2013.

Spain's "El Gordo" lottery held every Christmas claims the title of world's biggest lotto drawing, topping $2 billion euros in some years.

Money is the Highest Paid Athlete

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:45:09 +0200

The Sports Illustrated list always involves some guesswork but no matter how you slice it Mayweather is doing pretty well for himself, even with some rumored massive sportsbetting losses in the last few years thrown in.

Mayweather took the top slot with an estimated $90 million in projected earnings for 2013, well ahead of LeBron James in second with just over $56 million. Mayweather not only collects big fight purses but also gets the lion share of pay-per-view revenues which is where the real money comes into play.

Drew Brees was #3 on the list with $48.7 million, followed by Kobe Bryant ($46.9 million) and Tiger Woods ($40.8 million). LeBron hauled in the most in endorsements, with an estimated $39 million from his various deals, while Phil Mickelson wasn't too far behind him with $36 million in endorsements.

Mayweather was the only boxer in the top ten, with fairly equal representation for golf, the NFL, the NBA, and MLB. No female athletes made it into even the top 50, the fifth year in a row that's been true.

Mayweather has been fond of Tweeting photos of big winning sportsbetting tickets and wagers that he's made but he claims that some of the rumors that he's bet and lost $2 million+ on several college football games aren't true.

In a March interview with Jim Rome he admitted that his biggest lost was probably around $1.2 million and that he lost $900,000 on the infamous Seahawks-Packers game that saw replacement refs have a huge impact with incorrect calls.

Mayweather is a frequent Twitter user and seems to enjoy tweaking his fans and haters alike, not only posting big sports bets he's won but also posing with several of his high end luxury cars in his custom garage.

Top 5 Golf Destinations in Las Vegas

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:16:49 +0200

But trust us. There are over 50 top notch golf courses in Las Vegas – and some of them are considered among the best in the whole world.

If you're a golf fan at all you might be familiar with names like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer or Robert Trent Jones Jr. They all have their own designed courses in Sin City.

Is it cheap? Well, that's up to your bankroll to decide. Some of the courses are only for private members and some can cost you up to $500 for just one round.

You will, however, get the kind of service you expect if you pay that kind of premium.

Check our list of the five top choices for golf enthusiasts in Vegas below.

#5 Bear’s Best Golf Club

Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, also known by his nickname Golden Bear, has really done some amazing here for all of his fans.

Choosing the holes that he thinks are the greatest ones around the world and putting them together on one course is something that no golfer going to Vegas can skip.

This course is one of those you will never forget in your life. For many players, this even goes straight to number one of all courses played.

Also, a good thing about Bear’s Best Golf Club is the value. Tee times start from $89 and it can honestly be considered a fair price for the conditions and service.

At Bear’s Best you can also be certain about the quality of the course. The 18-time major winner has designed over 300 courses all over the planet and at Bear’s Best you get his idea of a masterpiece.

#4 Rio Secco Golf Club

The Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino is well known for hosting the World Series of Poker, so while you might visit the casino and hotel complex during the poker events you can also get a great chance to play one of the most dynamic desert layout courses in Las Vegas.

Deep canyons, cactuses and that desert feeling follows players throughout the whole course. At Rio Secco you really remember that Las Vegas was built on a spot completely surrounded by desert.

For a hardcore golf fan it might be worth it to mention that Tiger Woods’ former personal swing coach, Butch Harmon, has his own School of Golf located right there at Rio Secco.

When it comes down to fees there are two categories. On weekdays you can get around for $100-$175, but be ready to put down $295 if you want to enjoy playing on a weekend.

#3 TPC Las Vegas

Formerly known as TPC at the Canyons, this course has since changed its name to just TPC Las Vegas.

The course has hosted professional competitions like the Las Vegas Invitational so you can imagine there's plenty of challenge for amateur players.

A very dry course that fits well in the desert, TPC Las Vegas is considered one of the most authentic courses you can visit in Las Vegas. Only one lake on the course brings the water aspect on play.

TPC Las Vegas is a long course and holes are mostly straight and forward, so it's not the biggest surprise in the world that golf’s bad boy John Daly has the course record 62 under his belt.

You can play this magnificent course for $119-$199 during the week but as usual during the weekend prices can go up to $219.

#2 Royal Links Golf Club

A part of the famous Walters Golf facility, Royal Links Golf Club brings the feeling of a real links course straight to the Nevada desert.

The course is a mix of re-structured holes from famous courses like Turnberry, Royal Troon and of course from the mother of all courses – St. Andrews.

A Scottish-design course is a one-of-a-kind experience in Las Vegas. Giving it even more merit is the fact that course record 67 was shot by Tiger Woods.

The rumor is even when Tiger played this course he remembered how every single hole played since he obviously has played all the holes copied in this great course.

So how much does it cost to play the famous “Road Hole” in Sin City? Expect to pay around $117-$225 during the week and pretty much the same during weekends. Reserving a tee time is a must though.

#1 Paiute Resort, Las Vegas

Last in our list is Peter Dye’s designed Paiute Resort. This course requires a golfer to use every single skill he or she has.

Check that you have all your clubs in your bag, because you're going to need them.

Soft greens, four lakes and fairway bunkers provide a good test for every golfer who wants to push their skills on this great course.

While playing this course you'll also get a good chance to see the true "nature" of Nevada.

Yucca plants and Joshua trees can be found all over the course and Dye has made it all work perfectly for anyone who wants to experience a great “Dye-quality” course in Vegas.

You might even be surprised by the prices.

Weekdays will cost you only around $89 per round and weekends a maximum of $139, so that makes this course one of the most value-friendly courses in Las Vegas.

Don't Take Google Glass to Caesars Palace

Mon, 13 May 2013 02:57:58 +0200

Google Glass is a wearable device similar to glasses that lets users interact with information and data shown on a display in front of their eye. Google Glass prototypes were just released to developers but applications have already been designed to let users easily take photos, record video, and calling up data and info with simple voice commands.

While geeks around the world are rejoicing at the possibilites casinos are taking an entirely different stance, with Caesars Palace the first casino to make it clear that guests wouldn't be allowed to wear Google Glass while gambling.

"Nevada gaming regulations (and those in other states, as well) prohibit the use of computers or recording devices when gambling. As a result, we cannot allow guests who are gambling to wear Google Glass," was the official response of the casino to the website The Verge for a recent article.

The move isn't exactly a surprise as most casinos ban any form of cameras or recording devices to be used on the gaming floor, with other casinos in Vegas and around the U.S. likely to issue similar stances.

Casino cheats have used cameras, miniature computers, and other similar technology to try to get an edge over the house for decades, with some of the very first blackjack cheats using computers strapped to themselves with toggle switches hidden in their shoes.

In recent years several roulette cheating rings have been busted for secretly recording and relaying video of a roulette wheel and ball as it rotates, with that data enough for remote co-conspirators with a computer to analyze the path and speed of the ball and relay back the general group of numbers which are likely to hit.

These cheating methods aren't a guarantee of any individual win but the successful ones are able to give the cheaters an edge of up to 5% over the house, which is sufficient to pay off to the tune of millions for some successful cheating rings.

It's still early days with Google Glass but it could pose interesting privacy concerns, with some bars and clubs also likely to ban the devices due to concerns over whether their patrons would appreciate potentially being filmed and recorded while cutting loose and enjoying themselves.

Biggest Online Poker Losers Ever

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:59:00 +0200

We hear plenty of stories about players lucky enough to win millions hitting big online slots jackpots but there's another side to the coin of high stakes gambling, which are some pretty eye-popping losses in some cases.

There's no real way to track wins and losses at online casino games but poker is a different story, as different software packages make it possible to track hands and report on who is online poker's biggest winners and losers.

Since players can play under different account names on numerous sites it's impossible to say exactly how much any player has won or lost across all sites, it is possible to track individual accounts. Below you'll find the five accounts that have lost the most playing online poker.

1. Gus Hansen: -$9,535,729

2. noataima: -$7,067,935

3. lady marmelade: -$6,632,177

4. patatino: -$5,924,546

5. Niki Jedlicka: -$4,449,287

#1 on the list needs no detective work to determine who they really might be, as Gus Hansen has been a high-profile poker pro for years. He's known for playing in the biggest online games and has had a pretty terrible 2013 (he's lost over $6 million in 2013 alone) to cement his place at the top of online poker's biggest losing accounts.

#2 on the list is also well-known as well, as "noataima" is the online account that Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte played under in the past. The billionaire is known for donating lots of cash to high stakes poker games in Vegas so it's no surprise to see that he's lost a ton playing online, too.

While it never was confirmed 100%, rumors abounded that Laliberte also played under the accounts "lady marmelade" and "patatino" too; if true that'd put his collctive losses at close to $20 million and bump Hansen down to second.

Niki Jedlicka is the account of online whiz kid Nikolaus Jedlicka who stormed the online high stakes games in late 2009, running up some big sessions that saw him win $2 million or more but eventually flames out after losing millions and largely disappearing from the high stakes scene.

Top 5 Highest Paid DJs in Las Vegas

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:14:34 +0200

You can go the high-roller route and hit the tables, gambling thousands of bucks, and then follow up with a “Hangover” kind of night. Or you can save a few bucks and put yourself in the hands of one of these guys for a night you won't forget either.

Thier job is exactly that - to make you dance, jump and sweat your stress out in a way you wouldn't imagine is possible.

Based on the money they make, and the tens of thousands of people they drag to the floor to worship them, it might be a sign they know how to take you into a new realm of experience.

Vinyl enthusiast Andrea Domanick, a reporter at the Las Vegas Sun, knows what partying in Vegas means. She recently went around the local DJ scene to sort out who the true party heroes are that make Vegas live up to expectations as the #1 entertainment city in the world.

#5. Steve Hiroyuki Aoki

Born in Miami in 1977, Steve Aoki is the son of former Japanese wrestler and founder of Benihana restaurants chain Hiroaki Aoki.

After finding his way into the musical industry thanks to Dim Mak Records (which he founded himself back in 1996), Aoki is considered one of the most talented Djs in the world and has worked together with internationally acclaimed artists including Bloc Party, The Kills and Infected Mushroom.

Those willing to discover what it means to have Aoki at the console can find him at the Wynn, where he is one of the resident Djs.

As for his salary, according to Forbes Aoki piled up over 200 gigs in 2012 and earned something like USD $12 million.

#4. David Guetta

By far the most known (and probably commercial) on this list, Parisian David Guetta is an icon in today’s DJ scene.

Around the music scene since the ‘80s, Guetta has managed to sell over six million albums and over 15 million singles all over the world. In 2012 he earned something like USD $13.5 million thanks to his gigs and his undeniable talent.

A father of two and married to a night club manager, David Guetta is one of the resident DJs at the Wynn properties along with Aoki.

#3. Swedish House Mafia

Another bit of Europe hitting the stage on the Las Vegas club scene, Swedish House Mafia hail from Stockholm and started performing only in 2008.

Named “the faces of progressive house music” by EDM Lounge, the now-defunct Swedish House Mafia officially included Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell and Steve Agnello but also featured other artists as Tinie Tempah (Miami 2 Ibiza), Pharrell Williams (One) and Usher (Euphoria).

The three DJs together earned something like USD $14 million in 2012 and can still be found performing “solo” in Las Vegas in 2013.

Agnello is going to be a regular at XS and at the Encore Beach Club during the coming summer while Ingrosso is slated to become resident DJ at Light Vegas, the new super club opening in May at Mandalay Bay.

#2 Skrillex

Getting his start in the post-hardcore band “From First to Last," Sonny John Moore (his real and lesser-known name) made the cover of Alternative Press as one of the Top 100 bands you need to know.

Nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, the former punk kid who started off his DJ-ing career by giving away his work for free from his MySpace page is now a serious money-machine able to make USD $15 million in 2012 according to Forbes.

After having spent some time animating the floor of Surrender and XS, Skrillex is going to join Sebastian Ingrosso (former Swedish House Mafia) at the soon-to-open Light Vegas.

#1 Tiësto

Tiësto, or Tijs Michiel Verwest – if you can pronounce that – is a Dutch DJ who today is making something like $250K USD per gig according to Pollstar.

Seriously committed to philanthropic activities, Tiësto is the official worldwide ambassador of Dance4Life - a foundation active in HIV and AIDS awareness promotion – and often performs for free at fundraising events.

Nevertheless, the great success he's achieved over the years brought him to earn something around USD $22 million in 2012 thanks to gigs around the world.

In a recent interview in Rolling Stone Tiësto explained that he thinks 2013 is going to be the best year for top DJs in Las Vegas and that he is going to devote himself to Sin City for at least the next couple of years.

Those interested in seeing what it's like to dance to the sounds of a USD $250k/night DJ can head to Hakkasan, the club he just signed a residency contract for.

U.S. Casinos Win a Ton of Money in 2012

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:07:23 +0200

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has released its annual report on the state of gambling at casinos in the U.S. and the news was mostly good, with gambling revenues strong in states such as Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

The $37.3 billion in gambling revenues also don't include the results of tribal casinos on Native American land, which are estimated to add another $25 billion to the total as far as gambling revenues throughout the U.S. in 2012.

Business has slowly returned to Nevada and other areas after the recession in the U.S., with the all-time record of $37.5 billion six years ago well within reach and likely to be broken in 2013.

New casinos in Pennsylvania and Ohio are leading the gains, with expanded wagering options in Florida and new projects breaking ground in Massachusetts and other states paving the way for even more slots, blackjack, poker, and roulette action in the future.

Slots remain by far the most popular choice for casino goers, responsible for the majority of the money wagered. Blackjack was the second most popular game in 2012, followed by poker and roulette.

Roughly one-third of Americans visited a casino at least once in 2012, with a record high 85% of Americans saying that they had no issues with brick-and-mortar casinos.

The sizable tax revenues generated by casinos have caused many states to embrace gambling much more openly than in the past, including a new wave of states such as Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware who are now leading the charge in offering online poker and casino games for state residents.

Ultimate Poker was the first legal U.S. online poker site to open its doors in early May, letting Nevada residents and visitors play legally sanctioned poker in the U.S. for the very first time.