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Online Gambling Companies Remain Strong despite Faltering UK Economy

Even in the face of a suffering economy, UK online gambling companies, William Hill, Rank Group and Ladbrokes all managed to actually rise within the London stock trade. The continued success of these corporations has lead economic analysts to suggest that gambling may be one of a small number of businesses able to stay resilient in such conditions.

The early 1990s were the last major time of economic disparity in Great Britain and even then, before the internet’s ascent to mainstream popularity, gambling industries such as bingo halls, casinos and sports betting outlets continued to keep profits high within their sector. Financial analyst Dresdner Kleinwort commented on gambling’s status as a veritable ‘staple diet’ of many people, regardless of their reduced income. This observation certainly fits a climate wherein almost every business but those associated with gaming have suffered significant profit losses. Comparing last decade’s UK to contemporary times surely seems to offer a reinforcement of the very argument put forward by Kleinwort.

This is good news for those intimately associated with either the online or brick-and-mortar gambling industry. Rank (as well as its Mecca bingo halls and Grosvenor casinos), William Hill and Ladbrokes have all witnessed an increase in their trading worth within the last financial quarter rather than any kind of loss.

Two Online Poker Training Sites Ready for Company Merger

StoxPoker and CardRunners, two of the foremost online poker training websites have announced plans for an amalgamation of their services. The merger is set to create what will soon become the internet’s most comprehensive poker training service when it fully finishes the crossover in the near future.

Both of the sites have been running special promotions to ready their users for the imminent change. StoxPoker has decided to stay open for a limited time with drastically reduced registration costs while CardRunners will retain its name during the merger (as well as offering a free, trial membership until the end of September). Combined, the two services are set to become the webs largest archive of articles and videos regarding poker strategy, something that is sure to attract many visitors toward becoming full-time members. Online coaches from each service will also be consolidated to one site too which is expected to give every member more time chatting with seasoned tutors and professionals.

Taylor Cadby, co-founder of CardRunners told press that he was excited for the upcoming change and that both companies were enthusiastic about the combined resources they’re set to offer for members. Those in need of a poker training site owe it to themselves to check out the new CardRunners and browse through the immense library of material.

Indian Online Casino Gets Competitive with MyPlayWin.com Cards

MyPlayWin is a recently launched site from Mumbai-based company, the Pan India Network Infravest and have just announced the launching of new gaming cards which will be used to facilitate easy and enjoyably internet gambling. The group plans to further expand their enterprise by showing the nation just how safe and easy online gambling can be.

The usage of these new cards is projected to increase business at MyPlayWin by at least ten percent in the next year. MyPlayWin’s new system is the creation of Indian media leader, Subhash Chandra (who also launched the nation’s first satellite television company, Zee TV to great success) and aims to increase traffic while stressing safe and extremely functional gaming. Chandra, with the aid of the Essel promotion group, hopes to continue the success captured by providing accessible innovations to those Indian states where gambling is legal.

Pan India Network Infravest Managing Director, Amar Sinha stated that the move into gaming cards as a method of demographic captivation has been prompted by a need to show ordinary people the possibility of large wins. If MyPlayWin is able to fully breach the Indian market, sheer population numbers may skyrocket the site into one of the most popular worldwide.

UK Actress, Michelle Collins Backs Gala Bingo Charity Fundraiser

The annual fall charity fundraiser, spearheaded by Gala Bingo and supported by thousands of British gaming fans is just about to kick-off for 2008 and has now announced a surprise celebrity endorsement. Former “Eastenders” and “Two Thousand Acres of Sky” star, Michelle Collins was revealed as a supporter for the cause this week, a move that should bring even more publicity to the worthy events being undertaken.

Collins has already started to generate some buzz for Gala and the slew of supported charities by performing some outrageous publicity stunts designed with maximum attention as the goal. Last week Collins posed for photos in a ball gown dress composed entirely of bingo tickets and apparently has some other tricks up her sleeve to take out as the fundraising continues forward. She expressed her interest in the annual bingo charity in the press and urged supporters to come forward and donate in any capacity available to them. British bingo players have traditionally done a fantastic job of raising money for the proceedings and should be able to repeat their efforts this season as well.

Last year, Gala Bingo was able to rally enough attention to raise £2.75 million for the designated charities, an overwhelming amount which will go a long way toward helping out the community. The 2008 fundraising is set for a £3 million goal which may not be too far out of reach as time goes on. Anyone interested in donating to a charity should head over to Gala Bingo today for more details.

Paddy Power Earns Recognition through Oggs.Com

Oggs.com is a renowned service which only reviews (what they consider to be) the finest of online gambling websites. With the addition of a Paddy Power review, the Irish site has received both a tremendous compliment and the potential for a massive influx of traffic from discerning internet players.

A spokesman from Oggs.com listed a number of Paddy Power’s business and service approaches which helped them reach the decision for inclusion. Among the many positive points listed was Paddy’s attention to responsible gambling. The site enforces a deposit policy that requires players to set their personal restrictions and wait a full week before any changes can be made toward increasing the limit. Paddy Power’s use of the solid, Wagerworks software system along with outstanding customer service also formed significant reasons for their acceptance as an Oggs.com reviewed site.

The process of reviewing a website for addition on Oggs.com can take up to two years due to careful attention regarding quality consistency. Paddy Power was able to complete the addition time quicker than many competitors which is, in itself, a remarkable feat. Paddy offers a wide array of online gambling and bookmaking options through it’s service, including poker, bingo, slots and casino gaming.

Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott to Star in Five-Part Poker Television Series

Welsh television broadcaster, ITV Wales has announced the upcoming release of a five-part poker series starring professional player and industry star, Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott. The show, entitled, “How to Become a Poker Millionaire” premiered Thursday, September 4th at 10.35pm and will continue on through completion as an elimination-style reality program.

The premise is a novel one that wisely takes advantage of Devilfish’s legendary status in the poker world to further its reputation. In, “How to Become a Poker Millionaire”, the producers of the show take four negligible players and put them under Ulliott’s tutelage through the half-hour episodes. The series promises to demonstrate the bad players becoming excellent ones (or being cast off) which should provide for a solid mix of gaming tips and pure entertainment. “How to Become a Poker Millionaire” will see even more celebrities than Devilfish as well with it having already been confirmed that interviews with his famous professional ‘friends’ will be featured in each episode.

Devilfish told press that the show was a lot of fun to make and should appeal to a wide demographic as he instructs players in a dramatic, ‘poker boot camp’. With the winning student receiving a seat at Las Vegas’ World Series of Poker there will be a lot on the line and plenty of reasons for viewers to tune in to check out the series.

Dublin, Ireland Named Best European Poker Destination

Popular industry magazine, Bluff Europe has just announced the winners of their annual, ‘European Poker Capitol’ award to the delight of Irish fans. Dublin, capitol city of Ireland won the prestigious title for 2008, beating out other culturally and historically vibrant EU centers as the best continental destination.

The 2007 contest saw Dublin place second behind London, England but further improvements to the city’s poker infrastructure have now established it as the foremost option. Aside from a solid assortment of poker rooms and leagues, poker is growing on a largely grassroots level within the city. As more and more players start enjoying the game, poker is growing into a massively popular pastime in Ireland with much of the action concentrated within the urban center of Dublin. ‘Gentleman’ Liam Flood, an Irish poker fanatic interviewed by Bluff for the feature stated that Dublin was a great place to play due to the friendly, communal culture of Irish players.

London saw a reversal in fortunes this year, coming in second to Dublin in the poll. Vienna came in third, Amsterdam in fourth and Barcelona fifth through the rest of the article. Although many European players are already aware of the Irish capitol’s strengths as a poker destination, Bluff Europe’s award should help get even more traveling players heading to Dublin to check out the scene.

Bingos.com Offices Find New Home in London

Bingos.com owner and interactive gaming firm, NetPlay TV has spoken to press about a number of large decisions regarding the immediate fate of the popular platform, chief among them the future move of the company from Mallorca, Spain to corporate headquarters in London, England. The change is due to a number of different factors as management have recently dealt with redundancies and a need to consolidate all acquired businesses in one physical location.

Bingos.com was purchased by NetPlay TV in March of this year for $10.63 million and has continued to function as a key asset for the firm as the year has gone on. The decision to move from Spain to England shouldn’t worry industry observers or fans of the popular online bingo site but rather give them hope for the future of the corporation. Martin Higginson, NetPlay TV’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman has even stated that the company on a whole has experienced significant growth within the last year but has felt a need to have all important staff in one centralized location.

With the London consolidation, NetPlay has also announced a greater concentration on their technical team for upcoming months. This change may ultimately result in further improvements to their existing bingo software and site functionality so Bingos.com fans should be excited toward what the future holds for their gaming service.

Increased Online Bingo Ads Demonstrate a Healthy Industry

UK web users are no longer the only ones being bombarded by a massive amount of internet bingo advertisements as national televisions have now found themselves swept up in the booming industry. The increase in TV adverts is being seen by industry observers as a wider pattern reflecting the growth and continued profitability of online bingo within Britain.

Much like how the 1960s saw physical bingo halls consistently marketing the popular game through televised advertisements, the new wave of online bingo has taken advantage of the medium in efforts to bring players over to their companies. Prominent services such as, Mail Bingo, Bet365 Bingo, Sun Bingo and Tombola Bingo can all be seen within the typical hour or two of primetime British television, giving an example of just how immense these marketing efforts have become. This trend probably isn’t in any danger of disappearing in the near-future either as online bingo continues to replace or become the only option left for players in light of rapidly closing, physical bingo halls across the UK.

All of this advertising is, of course, good news for online bingo fanatics as the business competition which even the largest sites now have to face means better rewards and promotional offers for players. Even if the flashy efforts of major bingo corporations may wear thin over time, overall this is an excellent period in which to be a fan of the game.

Full Tilt Host High-Stakes Games to Attract Online Pros

Full Tilt Poker has always maintained a reputation for providing excellent, high-stakes options for their players and with a recent decision to increase their upper echelon games the company has apparently remained committed to this facet of their business. Premier poker sites which offer rich gambling opportunities are also known to attract gambling pros which may have provided incentive to Full Tilt as well.

Although legendary poker professionals such as, Phil Ivey, Brian Townsend and Cole South can already be found in the high-stakes Full Tilt games the company has remained committed toward continuing to attract celebrities and rich poker fans alike. The ‘nosebleed’ section of stake offerings are already starting to increase with the addition of tables such as the recent, $500/$1,000 No Limit and $200,000 buy-ins. These stand out as a substantial increase against the formerly highest fare provided in Full Tilt’s $200/$400 No Limit rounds.

The approach is working as Full Tilt has already reported the presence of Tom ‘durr’ Dwan and World Series of Poker bracelet holder, Phil ‘OMGClayAiken’ Galfond at the new tables. Although many of us don’t have the bankroll to take part in the action it’s still exciting to have a chance to watch the big players sit down at their computers.

BoylePoker’s International Poker Open Hosts €100,000+ Prize Pool

The prize pool for Dublin’s International Poker Open has now swelled to an excess of €100,000 through generous sponsorship and overwhelming fan support. BoylePoker devotees and global poker enthusiasts alike are swarming from across the globe to get a chance to play for the big prize, generating more support than the event has ever seen.

Although there are some 1,200 available seats for the enormous tournament, seven hundred have already been sold with the remaining entries projected to run out by the end of the month. Aside from BoylePoker’s sponsorship contribution, part of every registrant’s entry fee (twenty percent of the overall rake) has been added to the pot which has helped to generate much of the buzz surrounding the festivities. The International Poker Open is set to take place at the Regency Airport Hotel in Dublin, Ireland from October 17th to 19th and will be played out through €135 + €15 buy-ins to the No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em games. The prize pool is set to grow to an ultimate €200, 000 amount which is bound to create fierce, quality competition.

The event’s spokesperson, Paul Spillane told press that the event is exceeding expectations and should be a fantastic time for everyone involved. For those interested in grabbing up one of the few seats left, registration and qualification satellites are available at the BoylePoker.com lobby until October 16th (or upon being sold out).

Speedpay and Sportingbet UK Announce Partnership

Sportingbet has announced a partnership with Affiliate Speedpay, currently one of the best companies dealing in electronic payment systems. The one-day, global payout technology developed by Speedpay will mean that gambling affiliate sites will be able to further ramp up business and increase productivity.

For any affiliate site hosting Paradise Poker, Sportingbet, Miapuesta or Superbahis these changes will come into effect on commissions within the next few days. Sportingbet’s decision to join with Affiliate Speedpay should have a big impact on their business, helping to drive more traffic toward their sites while improving the experience of those creating affiliate services for their network. Commission payments will now be sent and received almost instantaneously, allowing for affiliates to increase their profits and re-circulate the money into other projects without spending downtime awaiting finances. This partnership will lead the way toward better public visibility of the Affiliate Speedpay system, a process which could ultimately lead to greater efficiency and functionality within the industry for everyone involved.

Gamblers wondering how this partnership will affect their own time playing online only need to know that an increase in affiliate sites can mean an appropriately positive growth in user rewards and quality when looking into new online casinos, poker and bingo rooms or bookkeeping services. Affiliates of Sportingbet UK should notice a drastic increase in payout speed within the next few days.

VivaMacau Launches New Gambling Tutorials and Strategies

Popular online casino, VivaMacau has recently shifted interests toward providing a veritable gambling university for fans of the site. A recent increase in tutorials and strategy guides has been widely publicized by the company in an effort to draw further attention to the service.

Over one hundred pages of new content were added to the site in the past few days, part of a larger business plan enacted by VivaMacau owners. Guides are available for more than fifty games, including baccarat, roulette, blackjack, craps, poker and more. Mong Ha Media, the Costa Rica-based owners of VivaMacau maintain that they have intended this approach every since the sites inception. True enough toward supporting this statement it's worth noting that VivaMacau has always offered a healthy number of free games and help for the uninitiated. Now, the tutorials will accompany the ability to play no-cost games without even having to download or register.

Sam Casteel, Public Relations Director for Mong Ha Media spoke to press regarding the decision to incorporate such a large number of guides. He stated that one of the primary goals of VivaMacau will be to foster novice and intermediate gamblers into great ones through plenty of instruction and practice. Anyone interested in this approach should check out the site and see what they think.

PartyPoker Kicks-Off Second Annual Women’s World Open

The second annual PartyPoker Women’s World Open is set to start this Friday, October 3rd in London and run until the following Monday (October 6th). Thirty-six poker competitors from across the world have traveled to England for the chance to take first place and a prestigious bracelet by taking down each game scheduled for this weekend.

PartyPoker has assembled a decent enough $108,000 prize pool which the players will be competing for a share of. Buy-ins are set at $3,000 and the first place winner of the entire tournament series will be rewarded with an impressive $50,000 sum. Among the contestants gearing up for play this weekend is last year’s champion, Bev Pace. She is the wife of another professional poker player (and comedian), Norman Pace and hopes to repeat her success yet again by sweeping the event. Pace managed to take down Jen Mason at the final game to retrieve the $50K prize while simultaneously establishing herself as a formidable presence in the poker world.

Although it may still only be a small event in light of the larger mixed-sex tournaments which take place during the rest of the year, PartyPoker should be commended for their work toward bringing greater visibility to those female poker professionals who are still greatly ignored in comparison to their male counterparts. The company announced that last year’s Women’s World Open received fantastic international television ratings and that the 2008 installment should prove no different.

LazerWagon Closes Due to Continued Problems

It can be extremely difficult for new websites to compete within the industry of online gambling, a business which is financially successful but also growing more crowded by the day. After only one year of operation, LazerWagon, a multi-faceted betting and gaming service has been forced to close down due to an inability to survive amidst tough rivals and technical issues.

The site offered an ambitious range of services, including sports betting and a casino with live dealers. Problems began to arise with financial processing systems, an issue which decreased traffic and ultimately damaged assets to the point in which continued operation was no longer financially viable. LazerWagon management staff apologized for the closure and detailed the various efforts made by administrators to keep the site alive throughout difficult times. They noted that their youth in the business kept them from being able to rebound from problems that larger, established sites have been able to bounce back from in similar situations. After technical issues cost LazerWagon relationships with affiliates, vendors and users, closure was the only possible option.

Although the casino and bookkeeping client was hoping to stay open for the lucrative fall American football season, no further registrations or transactions are scheduled to take place effective immediately. Any players with accounts at LazerWagon should visit the site immediately to have their remaining balances processed before complete closure takes effect.

Cryptologic Expand Service to Russian Gaming Sites

Cryptologic has established themselves as perhaps the best software development company currently working in online gaming and, with their decisions to branch out to Russian sites, they’re set to expand on their reputation even further. A partnership with one of the region’s most prominent gambling companies will soon see the developers creating gaming platforms for a large majority of the immense financial market in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Through a deal with Russian online gambling platform, Kurastica, Cryptologic is about to embark on a business opportunity which should see their name and software become familiar to millions of potential new fans. The agreement has promised Cryptologic exclusive licensing for Kurastica and should see better virtual casinos, poker rooms and further options spreading through Eastern Europe in the near future. Both companies told press that they were excited about the multi-million dollar business agreement. Cryptologic’s CEO and President, Brian Hadfield remarked that they were thrilled to begin to offer work for Kurastica and the population of the CIS in Russia.

Kurastica will begin to release live implementations of Cryptologic’s software beginning in the first quarter of next year. The network has a vast penetration within the area, owning gaming franchises which extend into countries including Armenia, Belorussia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Georgia. A rapidly growing internet economy coupled with such a high population should see the deal result in enormous success for both of the companies involved.

Microgaming Unveil Three New Casino Software Titles

Premier software developers, Microgaming have recently announced three new titles set for future release. The company has long been producing some of the best casino programs currently running and this news means that players will ultimately see the arrival of some brand new, exciting ways to gamble online.

The first of the new titles is the next edition of the company’s “Multi-Level Poker” series and is a “Deuces Wild Level-Up Poker” video poker game. This program will allow players much larger multipliers along with a more engaging system of climbing levels and taking risks for large payouts. “First Past the Post” is a horse-racing themed, five reel and twenty-five payline video slot machine which pays out through betting on specific colours or suits. The last of the completed games is entitled “Sir Winsalot” and is a medieval take on video slots (with the same reel and line specifications as “First Past the Post&rdquoWinking. It uses bonus rounds and icons in addition to regular slot play.

Online casino players should expect to see these new titles popping up in Microgaming-based sites soon. Given the company’s track-record it won’t be surprising if the trio of games become immensely popular soon however. The Isle of Man based programming team has firmly established themselves as an on-demand firm and these titles should be no different.

Peterborough Woman Hits Second Jackpot at Online Casino

Some people have all the luck it seems. Case in point; a Peterborough woman has made headlines by winning her second jackpot in two months from popular internet casino, William Hill. Her total winnings have turned the player into one of the most successful gamblers within such a short period of time.

The woman, Sophie M, has now won almost £200,000 in total from the site by way of a nearly unbelievable streak of good luck. Sophie first won £102, 000 through the Pharaoh’s Treasure slots at William Hill last month and has now added to her bank account again with an additional £84, 978 at the Gold Rush Showdown slots. She qualified for a bonus round and played the game to completion whereupon the extra eighty thousand was awarded. The lucky gamer was apparently in disbelief and stated that she and her husband had to wake up the next day and confirm the win before believing that it wasn’t all a dream.

Jennie Prest, a spokesperson for William Hill commented that this was the first double-win in the company’s Vegas site history. Sophie M told press that she was incredibly shocked after her repeated good fortune and planned to use the money to finish paying her house’s mortgage then save the rest for her children’s future.

BetFair Poker Lags behind Competition despite High-Profile Sponsorship

One of the most highly regarded online poker agents, BetFair Poker has been struggling to keep traffic and tables stocked even in light of their overall success within the industry. Despite solid sponsorships for the company’s poker offerings, management have expressed concern regarding the site’s ability to push ahead of competition.

BetFair were able to secure yet another year’s sponsorship of the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) but have been disappointed by a lack of traffic growth thus far. The company has signed impressive acquisitions and made their poker client a well-known name within the UK but are still falling behind other industry giants like PokerStars. BetFair Poker was able to reach a high level of notoriety from the site’s inception just by virtue of its reputable betting service but has had a hard time drawing and keeping traffic at their poker service. Similarly, Ladbrokes, a well-known bookkeeping brand has had to fight a loss of revenue from their poker site even though they are still ranking just head of BetFair.

Although some may think that BetFair’s lack of growth could be attributed to an inability to enter the American market, the top five online poker clients in the world are currently composed of three other businesses which struggle with this same issue (PartyPoker, the iPoker Network and OnGame). The company seems to be hedging their bets on a signing of current player commodity, Michael Phelps but the Olympic athlete may be more likely to join DoylesRoom than the dwindling BetFair Poker.

2008 Poker Kings Tournament Gives to Players and Charity

Buildings second charity poker tournament is set to debut in mid-October as another push toward providing annual entertainment for gamblers along with aid for children in need. Last year’s edition of Poker Kings was an overwhelming success and now organizers are hoping to repeat their charitable efforts.

The event will be held at Grosvenor Victoria Casino for one day and requires a £250 ticket (which includes an all-access pass to the proceedings along with complimentary food and drink). The 2008 Poker Kings is set to host a series of games with one third of the overall proceedings going to the ‘Wishes 4 Kids’ foundation. Wishes 4 Kids provides hope for Leicestershire children who have experienced serious medical trauma or been diagnosed with a terminal illness or HIV. Sponsorship is being provided by Doyle PLC with the company chairman, Stef Stefanou offering up his own watch for anyone who can knock him out of the tournament.

Last year saw Willie ‘the dice man’ Tann playing against Tony McWalter (a former Labor Party MP) at the end of the proceedings and raised considerable funds for the same charity. Interested poker players in the area should check it out. The tournament is being held on Thursday, October 16th and is available for any of the interested public with the purchase of a ticket.

Dave Cain Attempts World Record for Poker Endurance

UK poker player, Dave Cain has currently been awake and taking out opponents at poker tables for a little over three days with no sign of stopping in sight. All eyes are on him as he continues to work toward raising money and establishing the world record for continuous poker playing in the process.

Cain is attempting to play out a solid one hundred hours of cards from a table at the Lincoln University and is already well on his way toward completion. Different opponents are flocking toward the venue to try their luck at knocking him out or just contributing to the record affair. The money raised from the effort is set to go toward charitable organizations, a decision which definitely helps to make the entire process a lot more interesting and worthwhile for everyone involved. Cain is playing Head-Up and needs anyone in the area to come on by to keep the game moving along. The current world record for poker endurance is held at seventy-two hours of non-stop gaming.

Observers can log onto pokerplayingmarathon.com to read about Dave Cain and his efforts or to help out by providing a remote, charitable donation. The site is also hosting a live video feed of Cain at the cards for those interested in seeing if can pull off the big moment at hour one hundred.

2008 World Series of Poker Broadcasts Main Event to Date

After this summer saw a controversial halt come at the climax of the 2008 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, fans were forced to keep patient and bide their time before being able to witness the final outcome of the Main Event. Now, after an excruciating wait the conclusion of the series will finally begin to be played out and broadcast on television.

The $10,000, No-Limit, Texas Hold ‘Em is scheduled for broadcast before the actual finish of the 2008 WSOP on November 9th and 10th. ESPN is set to play coverage of the tournament as it boiled down to those finalists now waiting for their chance to win the most coveted bracelet in the world of poker. It’s an excellent chance to get a look at exactly how the series to date finished and watch world-class poker professionals battle it out for the prestigious title itself, as well as the final, $9 million first prize.

Although it’s not a wrap-up to the 2008 WSOP proper, the televised coverage of the count-down to the November Nine is certainly worth a look for fans who want a glimpse of everything leading up to the actual conclusion. If nothing else, ESPN’s work should at least give poker fans something to hold them over for the next few months.

2008 World Championships of Online Poker Kicks Off

The 2008 World Championships of Online Poker have finally started off with Friday, September 5th’s Events #1 and #2. With the beginning of the 2008 WCOOP, poker fans now have a high-profile event to grab their attention throughout the month of September (with all games wrapping up on the 23rd of this month).

Event #1 was a $215, 6-Handed No-Limit with Event #2 being a round of $215, 5-Card Draw. All told, some 8,241 competitors took seats at the two events which made them run for almost twenty-four hours of play. Ultimately a British player with the screen name, ‘shane147’ emerged victorious in Event #1, winning $202,000 and the first WCOOP bracelet of the year. A heads-up showdown in Event #2 saw, ‘ImBillMcNeal’ take down, ‘Wedlowjones’ and go home with $34,000 and the WCOOP gold bracelet. The PokerStars’ run series saw only one of Team PokerStars’ members enter into the events as Hevad ‘RainKhan’ Khan played (and was knocked out in 7th place) during Event #2.

There are thirty-three scheduled events in all but already players and poker fans have been thrilled by the large prizes and skilled games of the 2008 WCOOP. PokerStars have established a $30 million guarantee for the series which is already estimated to exceed expectations through the next few games. The final round will take place on September 23rd with the second day of the concluding, $5,200 Main Event.

Shannon Elizabeth Becomes Newest Member at Doyle’s Room Poker

Shannon Elizabeth
Model, actress and devoted poker player Shannon Elizabeth has been added to the roster of professional and celebrity members at DoylesRoom.Net. Elizabeth is determined to elevate her status as a formidable competitor through Doyle’s Room promotion and participation at events.

Team Brunson (named after Doyle’s Room inspiration, Doyle Brunson) will certainly attract a lot of attention with the former “American Pie” and “Dancing with the Stars” actress as part of their roster. Elizabeth is set to play in this summer’s 2008 World Series of Poker where she will not only be seated at smaller tables but also be appearing at the main event itself. The new recruit often refers to poker as her ‘second career’ and is no stranger to the gaming world as she frequents Las Vegas rooms. Elizabeth also made waves (and showed that she was no slouch at the tables) playing at the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Shannon Elizabeth starred in the recent poker comedy “The Grand” where she portrays the character of Toni and is also a main character in “Deal” which saw release last month. Doyle’s Room is sure to receive a lot of publicity as Elizabeth starts her career with Team Brunson and expect to see loads of coverage during events she attends in the future.

APT Macau Hosts Celebrity Poker Tournament for Local Charity

The Asian Poker Tour 2008 is just about to enter the Macau leg of gaming tomorrow (August 27th) and officially start playing out the largest-ever poker guarantee in Asia with $1.5 million to be won. Instead of just focusing on poker professionals however, Chris Parker, CEO of the APT has organized a set of charity games to take advantage of the surrounding hype and put it toward a good cause.

Many celebrities from across the globe are set to play at the tournament with proceeds going toward Caritas de Macau, one of the city’s foremost social service organizations. Among those at the tables will be models including Tila Tequila, Natalie Ng, Janice Man and Tracy Ip as well as film actor, Michael Wong, commentator, Angie Mak, singer, Renee Dai as well as globally renowned boxing star, Manny Pacquiao. The stars will be hitting poker tables at 7pm tomorrow night. As with the rest of the Macau festivities, charity play will be hosted at the Galaxy StarWorld Casino Resort and Hotel in the city.

Aside from the charity game there will also be notable poker professionals in attendance at the ATP Macau. Doyle Brunson will be holding a book signing on the 27th and legendary figures such as Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson and APT Manila’s winner, David Saab will all be at the tables for the competition.

Sky Poker Announce the Launch of Live Poker Tour

Sky, one of the best known online gambling vendors has recently announced their plans to branch out into real-world ventures through their Live Poker Tour. The company is set to offer a competitive venue for devotees of their site while formally entering into the company of online poker rooms with physical tours.

Sky’s Live Poker Tour will take place over six legs across the UK with the first and final events taking place at Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn. It all kicks off on September 13th when players will vie for a chance to make their mark at the tables before the final proceedings return to the same city for a televised final event in next June, 2009. Entry will be determined through internet play at Sky Poker with satellite tournaments already underway. Hopefuls can get into games for as little as £2.65 and work their way up through the ranks to try for a shot at the physical games. Sky has revealed a £25, 000 guaranteed prize pool for the tour and this should combine nicely with television coverage in order to get a lot of quality poker players interested in the events.

Emma Crowe, Sky’s Head of Marketing stated that the company has been planning this type of tournament for some time after testing the waters with the last year’s few one off, live games. Those interested in competing at the Sky Live Poker Tour should head online and jump into some of the satellite games already starting up.

Greater Number of Female Gamblers Now Playing Online

Online gambling has been enjoying a massive boost in popularity during the last few years and part of its success has been in branching out to a demographic usually put off by traditional, brick-and-mortar casinos. With a recent study’s publication it has been found that more female gamblers are logging on to play now than ever before.

The UK’s Gambling Commission conducted research during July of this year and has now come forward with their data. A similar study from last summer revealed nearly identical findings which show that a larger-than-expected percentage of online gamblers are made up of women. The Commission stated that some 8.8 percent of adults in the UK have made use of remote betting within the previous month and that 6.5 percent of British women have gambled online during the same time period (compared to last year’s 6.0 percent). The slight increase found in the above figures can mostly be attributed to the overall growth of the online gambling industry in general but it is still heartening for many observers to note the relatively large number of females making up the sample.

Most chalk up the success of attracting this demographic to the lack of traditional misogyny that many women find to still exist within the mainly male-dominated world of physical casinos and poker halls. With online play and greater anonymity many female players find a greater level of equality and respect than the real world currently offers.