Featured Articles Archive - Page 523

Deal Me In: Happenstance or cheating?

Dear Mark: I was recently in Vegas for New Years. I changed $100 to play blackjack at a $10 table, breaking my bets into five $20 bets. It was just me versus the dealer, pushed a couple of times, and I lost eight straight hands without winning one single hand (the last $20 was broken down into two $10 bets). Here's the part that keeps me up at night...read more

Progessive Gaming misses debt deadline

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Troubled technology provider Progressive Gaming International Corp. is headed toward extinction. A foreclosure sale of the company's assets was rescheduled for today, according to a company spokesman. Las Vegas-based Progressive Gaming did not meet a Thursday deadline to pay $17 million in obligations to one of its lenders. Sources said that a "major slot machine manufacturer" was attempting to acquire Progressive Gaming's more valuable assets, including patents for gaming systems technology and radio frequency identification technology, commonly referred to as RFID. Ed Rogich, a spokesman for Reno-based slot machine giant International Game Technology, which loaned Progressive Gaming $15 million last August through a convertible note and had other technology-related joint ventures with the company, said he couldn't comment. The majority of Progressive Gaming's upper management left in the past few months, including longtime CEO Russel McMeekin in September and CFO Heather Rollo, who resigned earlier this month to take a job with Ameristar Casinos...read more

Dancer is on target with new video poker book

His name is almost legend in video poker circles, and Bob Dancer, who has created software, books and strategy cards, has begun the new year with a solid, fresh book on the games. Titled Video Poker for the Intelligent Beginner (237 pages, paperbound, $24.95), the book does not cover advanced strategy for any one game, but Dancer says if you follow his advice in his newest work you'll have an easier time with his Winner's Guide series, which offer that extra material. Few books have been written on video poker in recent years, possibly because of the ever-changing variations and paybacks that appear on casino floors, so this title is quite timely...read more

Vanessa Rousso to be left out of SI swimsuit edition

LAS VEGAS -- It looks like an appearance by Vanessa Rousso in the Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue next month just isn't in the cards this year. Rousso announced in her PokerStars video blog on Jan. 4 that she was going to be photographed in the Bahamas that day by SI...read more

Basketball legends to host TV show at Wynn sportsbook

LAS VEGAS – The venue has changed dramatically, but Billy Packer will once again be providing analysis for the NCAA men's basketball tournament this spring. Packer, 68, abruptly left his television job at CBS last year following the tournament, ending a string of 34 years in the booth...read more

Wine entrepreneur takes center stage at Affiliate Summit

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -– Wine entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk was making his keynote address at the sold-out Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas Monday morning when in the midst of his spirited speech he began dropping a few expletives. "There's no editor of a magazine out there today that can look at your content and say, 'You're writing sucks,'" said the 34-year-old, who has developed a cult-like following to his daily WineLibraryTV.com...read more

One week in Costa Rica for a wedding, one week in Bahamas with Pokerstars and…YOU'RE BANNED!

Beautiful Costa Rica I leave the office for two weeks and look what happens?! Banned from all CAP Euro events, Warren says. I mean, what the...why me? Great question!! I have done nothing to bring this on except for the fact that I work for Michael Corfman, the GPWA Executive Director and Casino City CEO who is trying to clear up the confusion around Card Spike ownership management and payouts...read more

Penn National dispels Mirage deal talks

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Penn National Gaming sources said Tuesday the regional casino operator is not buying The Mirage, a hot rumor that has been circulating around the Strip much of the past month. For now. Penn National's management is committed to acquiring a Strip resort, potentially in 2009, giving the casino and race track operator, with 19 facilities in 15 jurisdictions, a foothold in the Las Vegas market. Reports of a potential deal between MGM Mirage and Wyomissing, Pa.-based Penn National surfaced soon after MGM Mirage signed an agreement Dec...read more

Lanni leaves on his terms

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Terry Lanni didn't take a victory lap. He didn't stop for the applause and he didn't wait for the accolades. Instead, Lanni told the world on Nov. 13 he was retiring as chairman and chief executive officer of gaming industry giant MGM Mirage after 13 years at the helm...read more

Murren making his mark on MGM Mirage

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Clearly, MGM Mirage is now Jim Murren's company. Fifteen days after taking over as chairman and chief executive officer, Murren helped engineer the sale of Treasure Island to Phil Ruffin for $775 million, which will reduce the company's Strip holdings to nine casinos when the deal closes in June...read more