Featured Articles Archive - Page 308

Top-10 ways to bet on hockey

The NHL season got underway on Saturday night after a four-month-long lockout. The lockout has created labor peace (we hope) and a 48-game shortened season. Hockey fans in North America and around the world celebrated the return of the game they love Saturday, and even beleaguered Toronto Maple Leaf fans like me could celebrate, if only for a night, as the Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 to open the season.Hockey isn't the most popular sport to bet on in the sportsbooks (brick and mortar or online), and there are several reasons for that...read more

There's free agency - even in gaming

LAS VEGAS -- If the casino industry were Major League Baseball, the current crop of big-name executives that have been cut loose since December would constitute a high-priced free-agent market.The only difference?These guys aren't going to see the Albert Pujols or Josh Hamilton-sized pay hikes shelled out over the past two years by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.In the casino business, high-six-figure-a-year salaries are not in tremendous demand, especially on the Strip.The two highest-profile positions on the market are top executive jobs with Canadian-based Gateway Casinos in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the Seneca Nation of Indians, which owns casinos in upstate New York and Ontario, Canada."I'm telling these guys, there are only two or three jobs that pay in the $650,000- to $700,000-a-year range," said Mark Wayman, a gaming industry executive placement recruiter."And those big jobs? We're only seeing maybe two or three a year come open," Wayman said.The names in the current free-agent pool are somewhat surprising.In early December, Aria President Bill McBeath, who had been with the CityCenter flagship hotel-casino through its construction and opening, resigned to "step back and reassess his career goals," according to a statement from MGM Resorts International...read more

Nevada Gaming Control Board members travel to Macau on fact-finding mission

LAS VEGAS -- Nevada's three Gaming Control Board members traveled to Macau this week in an effort to re-establish the relationship with their regulatory counterparts in the world's largest gambling market.Nevada State Gaming Control Board Gaming Commission Chairman A.G...read more

What's the difference between taking bets "down" or "off" at craps?

Question: A long-time craps player told me to take my place bets "off on the next roll" but not "down" if one or both of the dice go off the table. He said shooters throw more sevens than normal in this situation. What's the difference between "off" and "down," and is there more chance of a seven when this happens?Answer: Taking bets "off" means leaving your checks on the layout but out of action...read more

Deal Me In: Slots held on a very short leash

Dear Mark: Before a machine is placed on the casino floor, who tests the machines to see if they are working properly? Brad H.Every gaming jurisdiction, Brad, has its own set of guidelines about testing the reliability of a slot machine before you get a crack at it.Being most familiar with Nevada, I can tell you that Nevada was but one of just a few states that maintained its own testing lab...read more

Loveman-led panel suggests sweeping changes to Social Security, Medicare

An association of influential chief executive officers, which includes Caesars Entertainment Inc. Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman, suggested several changes Wednesday to Social Security and Medicare that would protect both programs.Loveman, chairman for the Washington, D.C.-based Business Roundtable's health and retirement committee, outlined the recommendations during a news conference at the organization's offices...read more

Wall Street likes PokerStars deal to buy Atlantic Club, but what will New Jersey say?

Wall Street is sold on the parent company of online gaming giant PokerStars taking ownership of a downtrodden casino in Atlantic City.The question that remains is whether or not New Jersey gaming regulators will sign off on the deal.On Tuesday, Isle of Man-based The Rational Group, which owns PokerStars.eu and Full Tilt Poker, filed papers with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, seeking approval to purchase The Atlantic Club - Atlantic City, NJ from Resorts International Holdings.There is now a 90-day period in which the Division of Gaming Enforcement will conduct an investigation and then report its findings to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission...read more

PokerStars moving forward to purchase Atlantic Club Casino

The parent company of online gaming giant PokerStars is moving forward with a purchase of The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel, the Press of Atlantic City reported late Tuesday afternoon.The newspaper said Isle of Man-based The Rational Group, which owns PokerStars.eu and Full Tilt Poker, filed papers with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement seeking regulatory approval to purchase the Atlantic Club from current owner Resorts International Holdings.As a first step, the Rational Group filed an application with the DGE seeking preliminary approval to acquire the Atlantic Club, a process known as interim casino authorization.“The division can confirm that an application requesting interim casino authorization and other relief was received from Rational Group,” the agency told Press of Atlantic City in a statement Tuesday.The sale would close after another agency, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, followed with final regulatory approval.In a statement sent to the Review-Journal, Eric Hollreiser, the head of corporate communications for the Rational Group, confirmed the agreement to acquire the casino.“The acquisition of The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel will secure up to 2,000 jobs and maintain the economic benefits the casino brings to New Jersey,” Hollreiser said...read more

Top-10 poker player appearances on reality TV

Last week, Daniel Negreanu was one of the people looking for new love on The Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo. Negreanu's appearance on the show was the latest in a series of reality television appearances for professional poker players. Poker players are great for reality TV because they are pseudo-celebrities, so their fans are likely to watch the show, and their lifestyle is interesting, even to those who don't follow the game.Here's a list of the top-10 reality television appearances by poker players.10...read more

Casino industry lobby elects representatives

The chief executive of Deutsche Bank Securities was elected to serve as a director of the American Gaming Association (AGA), the Washington D.C.-based lobbying arm of the casino industry.Richard Byrne, previously director-elect, was elected for a one-year term as an at-large director.William Newby, global head of gaming investment banking at Jefferies & Company Inc., was selected by the AGA board as a director-elect for the coming year.At the association's annual meeting in December, four board members were re-elected to three-year terms: Bally Technologies Chairman Richard Haddrill, Caesars Entertainment Chairman Gary Loveman, Aristocrat Leisure Ltd...read more