Featured Articles Archive - Page 533

Ashman's short-handed hold'em, global racing by Shuback on target

High-stakes no-limit hold'em short-handed and heads-up play are areas this newer generation of players requests. They want books on the fast-paced version of hold'em, and pro player Danny Ashman has written a good one. Titled Secrets of Short-Handed No-Limit Hold'em (206 pages, paperbound, $24.95), it deserves a spot in the intelligent player's library.For horseplayers who enjoy attending races in other countries while vacationing, Alan Shuback's Global Racing -- The Complete Guide to the Greatest Foreign Racecourses (370 pages, hardbound, $24.95) is a fine resource, covering more than 100 tracks in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and three South American nations, Argentina, Brazil and Chile.Ashman's poker book contains eight major sections including those on mental discipline (avoiding tilt), strategic conditions (including playing live vs...read more

Analysis | Betcha.com Wins Big

The Court of Appeals of the state of Washington -- the state that makes it a felony to play poker on the Internet -- just ruled that gambling is not gambling if the loser is not required to pay the winner. The case started in 2004, when Nick Jenkins came up with the idea for Betcha.com. Here’s how the Court of Appeals described it: “Betcha.com is the creation of its founder and CEO Nicholas Jenkins...read more

Appeals court says Betcha.com is not gambling

Nick Jenkins, the founder of a person-to-person Internet betting exchange called Betcha.com, scored a huge victory when a Washington state appeals court ruled 2-1 Tuesday that his site was not a gambling operation. The ruling overturned a 2007 decision by a lower court that said Betcha.com's activities amounted to professional gambling...read more

PokerStars has 25 billion reasons to celebrate

PokerStars is close to hitting another milestone and is inviting everyone to the bash. The world's biggest poker site is about to deal its 25 billionth hand and is hosting the "25 Billion Bash" to celebrate the achievement. Of course, the winner of the "Mega Milestone Hand" will come away with a bonanza of prizes. But even for PokerStars, the prize package is huge...read more

LV Sands profits continue to plummet

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Declining revenues in Macau and one-time charges sent Las Vegas Sands Corp. to a net loss of $111.3 million in the fourth quarter, the company said Wednesday. The casino operator said its overall company revenues were up 4.3 percent because of increases in business at The Venetian and Palazzo on the Strip...read more

News not all that bad for Ameristar

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Wall Street found positive news in Ameristar Casinos' fourth-quarter earnings announcement Tuesday despite the Las Vegas-based casino operator's net loss of $101.1 million. Ameristar, which does not operate a Las Vegas resort, reported a loss of $1.77 per share, reversing net income of $8.2 million, or 14 cents per share, a year earlier...read more

Playing It Smart: Setting rational goals for your next playing session

Casinos are built on the laws of large numbers that validate the veracity of averages. The theoretical models and the associated math are rock-solid. With enough bets over enough time, on propositions whose probabilities are known precisely, the bosses and their bean counters know what fraction of the action they'll keep...read more

Wynn scores big again with unveiling of Encore

LAS VEGAS – From the outside they mirror each other with their striking, bronze towers that rise high into the Las Vegas skyline. Step inside Wynn Las Vegas and the newly opened, Encore Las Vegas, however, and it's quite clear that the two casino-resorts are far from identical twins...read more

Penn National still interested in Strip property

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Casino operator Penn National, which quashed rumors last month that it was buying The Mirage, said Thursday it was still interested in owning a casino on the Strip. During a conference call with analysts and investors, Penn National Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter Carlino said prices were too high. "We would love to get a Strip property," Carlino said...read more

Wynn gets praise for cuts

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Not surprisingly, Wall Street lauded plans by Wynn Resorts Ltd. to reduce expenses by $75 million to $100 million annually at Wynn Las Vegas and the recently opened $2.3 billion Encore. The casino operator said Tuesday it will cut salaries, trim workweeks and suspend 401(k) contributions, but not impose layoffs, something casinos operated by other Strip gaming companies instituted throughout 2008. "Wynn's decision .....read more