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Update on US Poker Gaming Options

Thursday, August 15th, 2013

At RakeMonkey, we work hard to stay up to date on all of the latest developments when it comes to poker in the United States. Laws are constantly changing and more news comes out every single day. For this week, we have learned that new Full Tilt Poker repayment process news is expected to be launched this week and a new free-play site is now available in several areas of the US.

Starting with Full Tilt, the Garden City Group recently spoke with news source Pokerfuse to state that a launch date is expected to be announced this week for the repayment process. The review period of the repayment process is now completed and a spokesperson told Pokerfuse yesterday: “The claims process will begin shortly. At this time we cannot provide a specific date, but expect to be able to provide a launch date by the end of the week.”

Players have been anxiously awaiting the repayment of their funds from FTP and hopefully the announcement will include a date that is acceptable after all this time. Time frames as long as two years from now have been thrown around in the past.

In other news, a new subscription poker site has been launched for players in over half of the US to enjoy. The new site, LiveAce, is now available to players in thirty one states. Online poker can be enjoyed and there is no cost to players. Prizes include monetary items as well as cash. To participate, players will need to purchase a membership or purchase chips for cash.

The room offers players the option of buying in to games for free and then players can use their ‘winnings’ to bid on prizes during daily auctions. The site will offer Limit Hold’em, No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha.

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Huge Powerball Jackpot Hit; Players Yet to be Revealed

Thursday, August 8th, 2013

We all dream of hitting a huge jackpot while playing the lottery, I mean it’s why we play the lottery! We all want to be the big winner, purchase a fancy car and new home and then never work a day again in our lives. But odds are, we will never win the lottery. However if the odds are in your favor you may be a big winner one day. The Powerball recently offered up a huge jackpot of $448 million and just last night, three winners managed to earn the top prize!

Reuters reported that the winning tickets were reported to be from New Jersey and Minnesota. New Jersey claiming two winners. The winning numbers drawn were 5, 25, 30, 58, 59 and a Powerball of 32. The Multi-State Lottery Association announced the amount of winners for the drawing but has not seen anyone come out to claim the prize.

The jackpot was sitting at $400 million and then moved to $425 and then $448 before the drawing took place last night. Players were hungry to earn the jackpot prize and continued to buy ticket after ticket which drove the amount to win up my several million. According to lottery officials, the odds of winning the jackpot were one out of 175.2 million.

The largest jackpot to ever take place was back in 2012 and a $656 million prize was won by three people. $448 million may be much smaller but is no small prize. The players who won this prize must now come forward and claim the win. The winners will be able to decide if they want the lump sum payment or if they will take the annuity payments. Over the coming days the winners are sure to come forward and see their lives change forever.

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New Poker Show Casting Additional Players

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

Poker players who have dreamed of competing on television will be excited to hear that a new poker show will be filming very soon and they are still in need of additional poker players. Nolan Dalla was recently named as the Creative Director of the new television show Poker Night in America. The show has yet to begin filming and is still looking for players to bring added character to the show.

The Poker Night in America show will be filming the Empire State Poker Classic main event as part of their launch. However, the new show will not only film live major events but also private events. The television show is planning on hosting a private game that will be cash only and will be for poker pros as well as the additional players the show choses to compete.

Dalla released a press release yesterday stating that the show is hosting an open casting call and are currently taking applications for those who are interested. The new show has already lined up the poker pros but want a few more players, ‘characters’ they are calling them. Dalla does not want players who wear sunglasses or listen to music while they play. He wants outgoing people, probably someone who will stir the pot so to speak.

The players chosen will be flown to New York to compete in the private cash game. However, the players who are chosen must be willing to buy-in to the event, which will have a buy-in of no less than $5,000. Players will be able to buy-in as high as $20,000. The additional players will be able to buy-in with whatever amount they want and Dalla has made it clear this is not a free ride. Interesting players are a must and it will be exciting to see who the show chooses to take on the pros!

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MGM Resorts and Massachusetts Voters Reach Casino Agreement

Thursday, July 18th, 2013

MGM Resorts and Springfield, Massachusetts city officials reached an agreement earlier this year to see three new casinos in certain cities in the state. Voters had to approve the agreement before it could become official and now the agreement has been approved.

With the new law, the state will now have the option to create three new casinos which will all be full scale. This will be the first time the state will offer gambling options as in the past they have only offered lottery or horse betting options. The vote had just over 24,000 votes cast and it was 58% of the vote that were in favor of the new gaming option.

After this vote, the city of Springfield will now have to wait and see if the state Gaming Control Board choses the city as one to build a new casino. The MGM Resorts group has promised that they will provide the city with over $25 million each year if a casino of their group is chosen. The group has also stated they will also provide 3,000 jobs that will be permanent and then 2,000 temporary options, which will be offered during construction.

As always, there are critics of this deal. There are those who are worried that a new casino in the area will affect low income individuals as well as the elderly. However, those who are in favor feel as though the casino will be a perfect addition to the city. The city has struggled for a few years after the horrible tornados that ran through in 2011.

It is interesting to see the new casinos popping up across the United States. Hopefully this is a beginning to an easy acceptance to the gambling industry and we continue to see gambling opportunities open up across the US.

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Bovada Emerging as TOP Online Poker Site for Americans

Tuesday, July 16th, 2013

BovadaOnline poker game play in the US has been defined as pretty difficult post-“Black Friday.”  However, there are still a few sites that have managed to survive in the American market, including one of RakeMonkey’s most recommended sites – Bovada Poker.

Since being re-branded as the sister site to Bodog in December 2011, they have thrived off their “anonymous” poker tables and providing insanely fast cashout times.

It’s important to remember that Bovada – formerly Bodog – was already one of the most trusted sites around the world. The site has never had to worry about building a player base per say because Bodog players who lived in the US were automatically given an account with Bovada in 2011.

The new brand was created exclusively for US players so they could have access to the same great Bodog products but not have to worry about their deposits being stolen by the likes of rooms similar to Minted Poker and other small-time operations that have recently stiffed Americans on their cashouts.

According to PokerScout, Bovada still sees great real money traffic numbers and have continued to remain consistent minus high stakes action. The range of player quality varies from beginner to advanced so it is easy for beginners to find competitors on their level and likewise for the advanced players. With the advent of “anonymous” poker tables, players feel a little more comfortable during a session knowing their stats can’t be data-mined.

Security is also important and Bovada ranks at the very top of industry standards. Since the site is run by a brand that has long been in the business since the 90’s, they know how to keep player funds and information secure. The Bovada site uses the best safeguards to keep player security as a top priority and are always quick to respond to player emails.

This is just some of the features that Bovada can offer US players. Anyone who has not checked them out and see what the fuss is really about!

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WSOP Main Event Update: Big Name Pros Still Remain

Friday, July 12th, 2013

The 2013 World Series of Poker is about to wrap things up and the most anticipated event of the series is underway. The Main Event saw 6,352 players pony up $10,000 to compete, which created a prize pool of $59,708,800. The top player at the end will earn just over $8.3 million and with several hundred making the money, everyone wants to hold out as long as possible. Game play has now reached Day 3 and several top pros are still in contention for the gold bracelet.

As of the latest update to WSOP.com, several pros are still in contention. Phil Ivey held just under 200,000 while Annette Obrestad is holding strong for the ladies at 196,600. Kenny Tran has a leg up with 301,300 chips but Victor Figueroa is in a good lead with just over 460,600 in chips. Figueroa has been on a roll this past WSOP, earning tenth place in the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Turbo tournament, Event #34, earning $15,525.

The chip leader is just above Figueroa with 507,300 chips. Mark Kroon came into day 3 with the chip lead and it will be interesting to see if he can hold on to the lead to return as the chip leader tomorrow. Kroon finished in 25th place in Event #26, the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Seniors Championship earlier this month and has not cashed out in the WSOP Main Event since 2011 when he finished in 399th place.

The tournament still has a ways to go and many players are running neck and neck in chip stacks. Players are sure to begin to go all in to try and take a few out to narrow down the field. As of today there are just over 1700 remaining and players must get down to 648 to finish in the money.

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New Poker Venue to Open in Las Vegas Casino

Friday, July 12th, 2013

The city of Las Vegas is known for their gambling options, especially poker. The best poker tournaments and gaming options take place in the city and casinos are constantly updating their gaming options to provide players with new and exciting gaming opportunities. The Las Vegas Hotel and Casino is the latest to offer a poker opportunity. The casino will be launching the Poker Pit on July 12th for players to enjoy.

The new poker facility will be located in the main casino beside the Tempo Lounge. The Poker Pit will feature many gambling options such as Hold’em, Omaha eight or better, Stud eight or better and much more. The facility will also provide players with a nice variety of tournament options including ladies only, HORSE, no limit and survivor just to name a few.

Jim Roets is the Senior Vice President Gaming Operations and he recently commented on the new poker room by stating: “We are very excited to have poker back at the LVH. Between a full complement of standard games and all different kinds of tournaments, poker players will have everything they want here and then some.”

The launch of The Poker Pit will take place tomorrow evening and Tom McEvoy, a former WSOP champion, will play host as the poker room is revealed. Players can begin visiting the new poker room starting tomorrow or check out the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino website to see what the poker room can offer you.

This is just one of many new options that players who are visiting the city of Las Vegas can enjoy. So if you find yourself in Sin City, be sure to check out the new poker room and all it can offer you as a poker player.

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2013 Poker Hall of Fame Nominations to Begin

Thursday, July 4th, 2013

With the 2013 World Series of Poker in full swing, it is that time of year again to begin nominating players for the Poker Hall of Fame. This past Wednesday was the first day that public nominations were available for the Hall of Fame and two members will be inducted later this year after nominations are set and voting takes place.

The public voting and submissions will end on August 15th. The list of those nominated will be given to the Hall of Fame Committee and those nominated will be reviewed thoroughly. The list will then be cut down to a lesser number and any players who may have been overlooked will be added to the list. Once the nominating committee has reviewed the list, the Hall of Fame members will then vote for their selection. Certain members of the poker media will also be allowed to vote on who will be the next inductees.

Those who are nominated must meet a certain type of criteria to be eligible for nomination. The criteria includes that the player must have competed in high stakes action against top players in the industry. The nominated individual must be forty years of age before the August 15th due date and must have gained the respect of their peers by participating in good game play consistently throughout their career. The player or person nominated must have stood the test of time in the industry. Anyone who is nominated that is not a player must have contributed to the growth of poker and provide lasting as well as positive effects on the game.

It is always interesting to see who is nominated for this prestigious group of players. Once the ballot list is complete, the two finalists will be chosen and then they will join a group of forty members of the Poker Hall of Fame, nineteen of which are still living.

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August Opening Date Set for Maryland Live! Poker Room

Friday, June 28th, 2013

Hanover, Maryland is the home of a very large gaming facility, Maryland Live! The gaming facility is quite large with area of gaming entertainment and the casino recently announced that their large poker room will be open this August.

The new poker room has been under construction for some time and when completed will be two stories and have 14,800 of poker felt space. The poker room will be the largest in the area and is scheduled to open on August 28th. The opening day will coincide with Labor Day weekend and will be ready for players to enjoy.

The new poker room will have fifty two tables and will give the casino a total of 174 gaming tables. The poker room was created in a Las Vegas style and will have several limits available as well as tournaments and gaming options.

With the opening of the poker room at Maryland Live! the state will now have two poker rooms for game play. Poker news source, CardPlayer, spoke with Robert J. Norton, the President and General Manager of Maryland Live! and asked about the poker room. Norton commented:

“The addition of Poker only enhances the excitement that 24-hour gaming and live table games have created at Maryland Live! Casino. Now we have a complete range of entertainment offerings for our guests that includes incredible dining options from nationally-recognized brands, such as The Cheesecake Factory; Bobby’s Burger Palace, from chef Bobby Flay; Phillips Seafood, and the top Zagat-rated steakhouse, The Prime Rib. Add in a live show at Rams Head Center Stage and you can enjoy a world-class gaming and entertainment experience right here in Maryland.”

The casino will open the new poker room in around two months’ time and players will soon be able to enjoy all the new levels have to offer.

 

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WSOP Poker Dealer Fired

Thursday, June 20th, 2013

CardPlayer has reported a very interesting incident that took place at this year’s World Series of Poker last week. The news source spoke with Mike Sowers a poker pro who recently encountered a bazaar situation. The pro considers a hand from last week to be the craziest he has ever been involved in.

Sowers stated that he was competing in a WSOP event when a new dealer came to the table. Sowers was given pocket nines and raised with his pair and a player to his left raised to 525. Another player called and Sowers did as well. The flop showed 9-8-7 all hearts and Sowers was holding the best set, so he checked. The player to his left checked and the third player bet 800.

Sowers then check raised to 2,600 and one player folded. The remaining player placed Sowers all in which was around 5,500. Sowers called and showed his set and the remaining player held pocket Queens for a flush draw. Sowers then stated that the dealer looked at him and stated: “Sorry man, bad beat.”

Sowers looked at the dealer in doubt and told the dealer: ‘you know I have the best hand, right?’ The dealer just looked at the pro and stated: “Sorry man, bad beat.” The turn showed a 6 of hearts and a Queen on the river. Sowers just looked on in disbelief.

After he was knocked out, Sowers left the tournament area and then later on that day heard from a fellow player from the table that the dealer laughed after Sowers was busted and said he did not shuffle the deck. After he heard this, the pro went and complained to the staff at the Rio and spoke with Jack Effel, the tournament director.

Sowers does not know what happened in the case, but he does know that the dealer was let go. Sowers stated that Effel said they did not view the security cameras in the case but Sowers believes that this is not so.

 

 

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