Casino City’s Friday Five: Sports betting scam and jackpots edition

A former World Series of Poker bracelet winner found his name in headlines for the wrong reason this week after he pleaded guilty in a sports betting scam. Before we get into those details, we have a pair of jackpot wins from a New Orleans casino, a near $1 million win from Florida, a high-limit slots room opening up at a Washington property, and a historic PokerStars women’s poker event.

Let’s begin with a few six-figure wins:

5. Two jackpots hit at Caesars New Orleans Hotel and Casino
Caesars New Orleans Hotel & Casino kicked off Thanksgiving week with a celebration as a guest now residing in Alaska hit the Mega Progressive Jackpot on Mississippi Stud last Tuesday morning.

The winning hand — a king and 10 of spades paired with the dealer’s jack, queen and ace of spades for a Royal Flush — brought the excitement of the holiday season to a whole new level. The Mega Progressive Jackpot stood at $131,301 and her hand also earned her an additional $25,000.

The excitement didn’t end there. Thanksgiving week at Caesars New Orleans was full of big wins, culminating in another thrilling jackpot on Black Friday. One lucky guest walked away with $118,868 after hitting big on a Dragon Link slot machine.

4. Guest wins nearly $1 million at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee
Michael of Naples took home a jackpot totaling $996,852.25 22 November at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee in Florida. He won the jackpot on a Tree of Wealth Jade Eternity slot machine.

Winning players at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee have claimed more than $315 million in total jackpots during 2024.

??JACKPOT ALERT ????This one is a stunner! Congratulations to Michael for hitting a jackpot of $996,852.25 on Tree of Wealth! #moreinparadise #jackpot #slots #casino #winner #treeofwealthslot pic.twitter.com/2oSu5yJNN5
— Seminole Casino Hotel IMK (@SemCasImmokalee) November 23, 2024

3. Tulalip Resort Casino reopens high-limit slots room
The latest highlight in Tulalip Resort Casino’s on-going expansion and renovation includes more gaming excitement with the reopening of the high-limit slots room and upgrades at multiple dining venues.

The casino’s 70,250-square-foot addition is underway with an anticipated completion in late 2025 for the expansion and late 2026 for all major renovations throughout the property.

The 4,000 square-foot room features 73 machines with 22 themes, new titles and a new bar with five bar top slots. The betting range is $5-$500. Popular titles include Triple Fortune Dragon Rising, Golden Rooster Unleashed, Mega Meltdown, Dangerous Beauty, Cannonball Express and more.

Currently spanning 200,000 square-feet, the Washington casino’s expansion and renovation will feature additional gaming opportunities and amenities.

2. PokerStars Women’s Winter Festival sets record
The inaugural Women's Winter festival, sponsored by PokerStars, entered the history books after attracting a record-breaking turnout to become the largest women's poker event ever held outside of Las Vegas.

Held at The Hippodrome Casino London, the festival saw 271 female players enter the $400 buy-in Main Event, which had a £100,000 guaranteed prize pool. Argentinian poker pro Maria Lampropulos won the Main Event for a £20,000 top prize and the PokerStars trophy.

In addition to the Main Event, the Women's Winter Festival featured PokerStars first Women's High Roller event and the unique 50/50 event, which saw an equal field of female and male players take to the felt.

1. Poker pro pleads guilty in multi-million-dollar sports betting scam
On Wednesday in federal court in New York, Cory Zeidman pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud prospective sports bettors in New York and Florida by claiming to have inside information on sporting events.

When sentenced, Zeidman faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as forfeiture and restitution of approximately $3.6 million.

As alleged in court documents, Zeidman helped run an organization that placed national radio advertisements to lure prospective bettors to retain the organization for sports betting advice. Using fake names and high-pressure sales tactics, Zeidman and his partners falsely led the bettors to believe that their organization had access to non-public information—bettors were often told, for example, that Zeidman’s organization had access to non-public player injury information, “dirty” referees, or that professional sporting events were “fixed” and that media executives’ shares predetermined outcomes with Zeidman’s organization.

The 63-year-old Zeidman is from Syosset, New York and, according to the Hendon Mob website, has over $692,000 in live poker earnings, including 17 WSOP cashes. He won his bracelet during the 2012 WSOP in a $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event, which resulted in a $201,559 pay day.

Poker pro Cory Zeidman has pleaded guilty to a $25 million scheme in which he defrauded prospective gamblers by pretending to have inside information.

The 63-year-old Zeidman faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for his 14-year betting tips fraud scheme.

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— Front Office Sports (@FOS) December 5, 2024