Category Archives: Gambling

Brendan Gaughan lends a unique perspective to the intersection of gambling and NASCAR. The former NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series driver grew up in Las Vegas and around the casino business his father, Michael, and grandfather, Jackie, both magnates of the industry.

Michael currently owns the South Point Hotel & Casino, which houses one of Vegas most respected sportsbooks. On Super Bowl Sunday, in fact, youll find Brendan behind the counter, writing tickets for the bettors lined up to wager on the game.

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Brendan, who stepped away from NASCAR after racing in five Cup events last year, co-hosts Gone Racin,' a NASCAR betting-themed show on VSiN (for the uninitiated, thats the Vegas Stats & Information Network, a media company dedicated to sports betting founded by Brent Musburger in 2017). He also remains involved in his familys casino business, in addition to several entrepreneurial endeavors of his own, and yes, even some racing.

We recently caught up over the phone with Brendan and discussed his favorite casino games, why he doesnt bet NASCAR and the slick vehicles he drives to get his family around town.

NASCAR.com: I know you do some ticket writing on Super Bowl Sunday at the South Point. Gaughan: Thats been a special deal for my family. A Gaughan has worked a sportsbook since the dawn of sportsbooks and casinos, every Super Bowl. And as long as Im around, the trend will not be lost. And with any luck, my children will continue that when Im gone.

NASCAR.com: Whats the biggest bet youve ever written?Gaughan: I got to write one of the $250,000 ones. Just depends on what window it gets sent to, and they sent me one for $250,000.

NASCAR.com: Do you remember who it was on and if it was a winner?Gaughan: You know what, I dont. It was just a bet. You know what I mean? In our businesses, its wheres the number going and go to the next one.

NASCAR.com: What else are you doing these days? What else are you working on? I know you have some business interests. Whats keeping you busy?Gaughan: I have a moonshine company; we make a City Lights Shine. I have a chemical company and PPE company. Thats something that we started before the pandemic, and its doing well right now. And then of course the family business. We have Mesquite Gaming in Mesquite, Nevada Casa Blanca Resort and Virgin River Hotel and the South Point. I stay in Mesquite, because if my dads there, probably not a good idea for me to be there. We get along great, as long as we dont work with each other. Im sure anybody who has worked with their fathers many times could say that. So I stick with Mesquite, he sticks in the South Point.

NASCAR.com: Yeah, I heard you on a podcast characterizing your relationship with your father as unique.Gaughan: Hes an amazing man. I love him to death, and we get along amazingly until we have to share a boardroom.

NASCAR.com: Other than the South Point, whats your favorite sportsbook in Vegas?Gaughan: Well, Im kind of a homer when it comes to the South Point, so I stick mostly there. But I will have to say that Im a fan of the Stevens brothers (Derek and Greg), and Im a fan of what theyve built. I think its a beautiful place they built over there at Circa and that sportsbook, especially.

NASCAR.com: Do you bet a lot of NASCAR?Gaughan: No. Remember I wasnt allowed for the last 25, 30 years of my life. I couldnt. And it was definitely a different era. I mean, (todays legal sports betting environment) is very unique. Hell, in 2020, I was doing a gambling television show on a race that I was racing in. But I respected NASCARs wishes very, very closely on that and understood. I grew up in this business. Theres a fine line there. So no, I do not bet on NASCAR. And even to this day, truly, I dont bet on NASCAR. . Now that Im out of the sport, I talk about it more often, but I still dont feel like its right. I was too involved too long.

NASCAR.com: South Point title sponsors a race in September (at Las Vegas Motor Speedway). How does your life change during that week?Gaughan: Oh, God. If at all possible, I try to make sure I leave town (laughs). Its a very hectic week for the hotel, for me personally. Honestly, it was easier when I was behind the wheel, because at least I had an excuse for a few hours that nobody could bother me. Now its wide open. Everybody wants me to go everywhere, wants you to do something. Everybody thinks you have Ticketmaster tattooed on your forehead. So its definitely a difficult week. But you know what, so worth it. We love seeing the race fans at the hotel, love seeing the race teams. We have 47 teams total between Truck, Xfinity and Cup that stay with us. We take care of the race teams. Man, we love it.

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NASCAR.com: Thats fun. To you, whats been the biggest surprise so far of the 2021 NASCAR season?Gaughan: Well, I think it just happened AJ Allmendinger (winning the Cup race on the Indianapolis Road Course on Aug. 15). That was phenomenal. I was so excited for AJ. . It wasnt a surprise to me, surprise to others Kyle Larsons dominance. I said in our first show of Gone Racin that I expected Kyle Larson to win at least five races this year. And hes already at that number.

NASCAR.com: I also heard you mention your nephew as an up-and-coming racer. Hows his career going?Gaughan: Jakers (Jake Gaughan) is making his way in, hes racing the off-road, and hes working hard at it. Hes going through the typical growing pains of trying to race in the desert. He has an allergy to keeping all four wheels down at the moment. Were trying to fix that problem. But hes doing great. He finished second last week at Reno in his class, and hes won a couple of big races, so hes doing well.

NASCAR.com: If you dont bet NASCAR, what do you play?Gaughan: Whats funny is growing up in this life Im not going to say I didnt make book with the nuns in fifth grade for extra credit in school but I dont tend to bet heavily. Ive watched my father do it, and what I learned a long time ago was, am I going to worry about my $100 bet, or am I going to worry about what the hotel needs? So Im rooting for the Denver Broncos, Dads rooting for the Washington Redskins, my $150 win is much less important than the win for the hotel (laughs). So I tend to not bet often. I only bet when I have fun feelings about things, where theres people that I like in a game. I used to love betting on (former Bucs and Falcons running back) Warrick Dunn. So Ill find a reason to bet, but I dont do it often anymore.

NASCAR.com: Any casino games?Gaughan: Yeah, once again growing up the business, you learn you get burned. But I love to shoot dice. If youre a real casino man, you know how to shoot dice and you know the odds on everything. So a dice table is where youll find me. If Im looking to play with friends and be social, youll find me a Pai Gow table. So depends on the mood.

NASCAR.com: What will it take to get you back in a race car?Gaughan: Well, I still go race in the desert, and Ill do that until you pry the steering wheel from my cold dead hand. But in a NASCAR? No thank you, Im good. Im happy. Ive been there done that. I bought many t-shirts, and Ive moved on. Youll find me in the dirt in Baja. Matter of fact, Im sitting here prepping for the Baja 400 (scheduled for September) right now. If youre looking for me, go looking in the dirt in Mexico.

NASCAR.com: What kind of car do you drive in real life?Gaughan: (laughs) Oh, everybody loves that question, they think my answer is funny. I have a 2012 Volkswagen Routan minivan and a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Red S Edition minivan.

NASCAR.com: Like a true family man.Gaughan: I love em! No, I love em. I love minivans! Even without the family. The Red S is my favorite minivan. It is so freaking cool. Look it up online. Its cool looking.

NASCAR.com: Your pick to win the Cup championship?Gaughan: I picked him at the start of the season to be a favorite, and everybody kind of laughed at me, but Kyle Larson is still my favorite. He is absolutely showing the talent that he is. If Ive got a dark horse sitting there, its William Byron, but Hendrick Motorsports is the favorite by far.

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow himon Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Original post:

Q&A: Vegas native Brendan Gaughan talks NASCAR betting, growing up in casinos and more - NASCAR

What happened

Shares of casino stocks jumped across the industry this week, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Stocks with exposure to Macao like MGM Resorts (NYSE:MGM), Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS), and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) jumped as Macao eased some travel restrictions to the region. U.S. casino operators Penn National (NASDAQ:PENN), Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR), and Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD) jumped on a combination of bullishness for online gambling and the relief of investors who think low interest rates will last a little longer. Here's a look at how these stocks performed from the close of the market last Friday through the close of the market on Thursday, Aug. 26.

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

With so many moving parts for casino stocks, let's break down what happened this week.

Image source: Getty Images.

The biggest news was out of Macao, where the government eased a rule that visitors from Guangdong province in China need a negative COVID-19 test from within 48 hours prior to arrival. The new regulation specifies a negative test from within seven days. This may seem like a small change, but for travelers going to Macao on short notice, it's great news.

Macao is critical to operators like MGM, Wynn, and Las Vegas Sands because it's been the world's largest gambling market for about a decade. But gambling revenue in the region was just $1.05 billion in July, down from $2.84 billion in July 2019. There's a long way to go for the region to fully recover, so any good news is usually cheered by the market.

In the U.S., online gambling was in focus. After a rough summer, investors are betting that the upcoming college football and NFL seasons will lead to an increase in online gambling. Brick-and-mortar casinos have recovered well, but there's still an opportunity for more casual gambling on football from home. If football does indeed become a cash generator from the online business, MGM, Penn National, and Caesars likely have the most to gain.

There were also market tailwinds behind casino stocks this week. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has indicated the central bank won't take its foot off the gas too quickly when it comes to quantitative easing or interest rates. The idea for casino investors is that this will lead to continued low interest rates on debt, which could help drive better profitability from both brick-and-mortar and online casinos.

The hope for investors is that a recovery in Macao and growth in online gambling will turn casino stocks into growth stocks once again. This week, the tailwinds were behind these stocks as it seemed every bit of news was good for the industry.

What we haven't seen is these companies really turning the corner financially. Business is still down, particularly in Macao, and while there are signs of optimism, we need to see results eventually. I'm holding on to my casino shares this week, but don't be surprised to see more volatility if news from Macao or online gambling companies isn't as favorable as hoped in coming weeks.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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Why Casino Stocks Have Jumped This Week - The Motley Fool

Other Illinois-based video gambling operators also have been spending money on Missouri politicians. Gold Rush Amusements contributed $10,000 to Parsons PAC in 2018, as well as $10,000 to the House GOP PAC. Like Accel, Torch also has spent big bucks on lobbyists and campaign contributions, including more than $20,000 to a PAC formed to help Gov. Mike Parson.

Regulators allege the pact violated a law forbidding incentives to keep Accel machines in the various video gambling establishments that have mushroomed in Illinois since video gambling was legalized more than a decade ago.

In the case of Accel, the Illinois Gaming Board last year fined the firm $5 million in connection with an agreement it signed with DraftKings in September 2020.

The complaint by the Illinois Gaming Board includes comments by Accel officials describing the benefits of the allegedly prohibited agreement with DraftKings, which runs a sports betting platform.

This partnership will help us retain and extend agreements with existing locations, attract new organic and competitor locations, and most importantly drive additional players to our locations, the company said in a November 2020 earnings call.

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In spite of the problems in Illinois, the gambling company invests money in campaigns of Missouri | Politics - BollyInside

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It was disappointing that the AFL and ESPN removed the Love The Game Not The Odds campaign from their channels but we accept the AFLs explanation that it was a mistake and acknowledge the commitment to reinstate our campaign.

A VRGF survey in 2018-19 found that participation in sports betting was growing quickly, particularly among men aged 18-24. A Latrobe University survey last year found that 87 per cent of footy fans agreed that young people aged 12-17 were over-exposed to sports betting advertising.

Tobacco sponsorship of sporting events was considered normal for many years before the detrimental effects were acknowledged and action taken, said Lucas.

With research now showing that people aged 18-24 are now the largest group of sports bettors in Victoria, and children routinely quoting the odds, its clear that earlier action on sports betting sponsorship is needed to prevent the normalisation of betting on sport - and ultimately reduce harm from gambling.

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AFL admits error in pulling anti-gambling ad from website - The Age

Who does the journalist, betting analyst or data guru like? Or the caddie? Or the old-school gambler? Gimme the facts, storylines and trends. Gimme that inside-the-ropes look. Gimme your gut feeling.

You bet, bettor.

Welcome to GOLF.coms new gambling advice column, where weve assembled a panel of those aforementioned experts to make three best bets. A real-life professional bettor here will then heed that advice, add his acumen and wager his own cash. Its not unlike what you do through texts and Google searches except now its all in one place.

Our hope is to help you with your own weekly picks, whether those are for a low-stakes office fantasy league, (legal!) big-bucks bets with a sportsbook or through free-to-play Chirp Golf, an app from our parent company that is available in the App Store and at Google Play.

Now, on to some facts, the expert picks, the bettors best bets and info on how to bet for free.

This weeks tournament: The BMW Championship, Caves Valley Golf Club, Owings Mill, Md.

TV schedule: Thursday, August 26: 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Friday, August 27: 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, August 28: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. ET (NBC); Sunday, August 29: 12-2 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 2-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

Defending champ: Jon Rahm

Top 10 in odds (via DraftKings): Jon Rahm +600; Justin Thomas +1800, Xander Schauffele +1800, Bryson DeChambeau +2000; Collin Morikawa +2000; Dustin Johnson +2200; Jordan Spieth +2200; Brooks Koepka +2500; Cameron Smith +2500; Louis Oosthuizen +2500.

Jessica Marksbury, GOLF.com, @Jess_Marksbury:

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, to win, +650. These odds arent great, but Rahm has really risen to the challenge when he has something to prove. The near-miss at the Northern Trust should fuel his fire this week.

Bet 2: Brooks Koepka, top 5, +450. Its getting close to crunch time, and thats when Koepka seems to perform his best. And this PGA Tour statistic is encouraging: Koepka hasnt gone more than two events without posting a T6 in all of 2021. So, after a T54 and a T31, hes due.

Bet 3: Webb Simpson top 10, +200. My man, Old Reliable! Hell be on the outside looking in for next weeks Tour Championship if he doesnt step it up this week. Im banking on him to deliver.

Brady Kannon, host, Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), @lasvegasgolfer:

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, top 5, +130. The best player in the world came four holes short of going wire to wire last week. I expect more of the same this week and possibly a win. Hes playing on a much higher level than anyone right now (as evidenced by the odds this week).

Bet 2: Scottie Scheffler, top 10, +230. Much like Rahm, he ranks very high on Tour in Total Driving and Birdie Average, which will be paramount at this BIG golf course. Hes also 24th in the FedEx Cup points, so he knows he has to show up in order to be around for next week.

Bet 3: Xander Schauffele, top 10, +140. Xander is the master of the limited-field, no-cut event, as evidenced by his gold medal in Tokyo, which by the way also came on a Tom Fazio design. He has two top 25s at the Wells Fargo (Fazio) and a 2nd-place finish last fall at Shadow Creek (another Fazio). Current form and comp courses check out. I think hell have a good week.

Wes Reynolds, host, Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), @WesReynolds1:

Bet 1: Bryson DeChambeau, top 5, +450. The wedge game has been struggling as of late for DeChambeau but he showed signs of life last week in New Jersey. He was 4th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 20th in SG: Approach. DeChambeau has always been good with the longer irons, ranking 9th for Greens in Regulation of 200-plus yards and 2nd for Proximity from 200-plus yards on the season. The putter did not fire last week, but all other facets of his game looked good. He is still the biggest hitter in the game and that will play well on a big boy golf course.

Bet 2: Keegan Bradley, top 10, +400. Bradley has a lot to play for this week. At No. 32, he needs to climb just two spots to get into the Tour Championship and earn himself invitations to the 2022 Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship. He ranks 4th for Total Driving and 1st for Greens in Regulation from 200-plus yards.

Bet 3: Patrick Cantlay +100 over Collin Morikawa. Morikawa is battling a bad back, and walking a 7,500-plus-yard hilly and undulating course is not the best thing for it.

John Rathouz, PGA Tour caddie and Caddie Network contributor, @rathouz:

Bet 1: Sam Burns +105 over Harris English. Burns in a bentgrass birdie fest!

Bet 2: Dustin Johnson, to win, +2200. Cutter, bomber and birdie-maker. His strategy is underrated and will come in handy on a course many are playing for the first time.

Bet 3: Webb Simpson -115 over Joaquin Niemann. Word is Webb has played this course more than anyone and he checks the box in every category I valued.

The old-school gambler:

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, to win, +600. Rahm in a romp. Its fun to say. Should also be fun to watch.

Bet 2: Justin Thomas, to win, +1800. Thomas has been rounding into form. In this case, JT stands for Just in Time.

Bet 3: Jordan Spieth, top 5, +333. A disastrous final round last week was entirely out of character for Jordan, who has been playing some of the steadiest golf on Tour this year.

Erick Lindgren. Lindgren, the 2008 World Series of Poker Player of the Year,has won more than $10.5 million in poker tournament earnings and is an avid sports bettor. @EdogPoker:

Bet 1: Bryson DeChambeau, to win, +2500. Its been a bumpy stretch for Bryson, but hes been playing better than results indicate. The public has steered clear of him, making these odds a good value play

Bet 2: Hideki Matsuyama, to win, +4000. The long game is as solid as ever, and the short game isnt shabby either, especially on bentgrass greens.

Bet 3: Sam Burns, top 5, +8000. A macho ball-striker on a meaty course. I like him to be in the mix.

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BMW Championship picks to win: Who a professional gambler is betting his money on - Golf.com

Every table inside Jimmy's Food and Drink is taken by 7 p.m. on a Thursday in late spring. This is bingo night, always a full house. The crowd is so large patrons sit in an overflow section near the door.

The bingo game is being broadcast over the speakers, with large TVs flashing numbers as they are announced. At table after table, customers at the Vadnais Heights establishment alternate between ripping open cardboard pull-tabs and dotting numbers on their bingo cards.

"O-74" comes over the speaker, a woman shouts "Bingo!" and an echo of groans follows.

The big winner, though, is someone else: youth sports in Minnesota. In this case, kids who participate in the White Bear Lake Hockey Association.

The money generated by pull-tabs and bingo at Jimmy's on this night and every night is crucial to hockey in that northern suburb. Similar arrangements are playing out all across Minnesota, as youth sports organizations in the state combined to generate nearly $100 million in net receipts on lawful gambling in 2020, a figure more than double the 2010 total.

Play pull-tabs at your favorite bar? There is a decent chance that game is being operated by a community sports entity and that you're contributing to what now serves as an essential fundraising source for many youth sports organizations in the state.

Charitable gambling is booming business in Minnesota, to the tune of $2.1 billion in total sales in the 2020 fiscal year. The pandemic shutdown disrupted steady annual growth in sales, but gambling operators are reporting a bounce-back in wagering since the state lifted restrictions.

In 2020, 183 youth sports associations held a gambling license, according to the state's Gambling Control Board, and they make up the largest percentage of total sales of any subsection of Minnesota nonprofits, 30%.

This money has long been a fundraising source for youth activities, but a surge in revenue during the past decade has bonded lawful gambling and youth sports in many Minnesota cities.

That increase can be attributed to several factors, including the arrival of electronic pull-tabs, and comes despite ever-present risks of theft and addiction problems.

Organizations have matched increased popularity with their own raised aggressiveness and sophistication. They don't get to pocket all of their gambling revenue, of course; taxes, expenses and administrative costs strip away a sizable chunk. What is left over enables associations to lighten the cost-of-play burden on families and fund enhancements or new opportunities.

Gambling proceeds in many organizations dwarf traditional fundraising methods such as 50-50 raffles at football games and selling candy bars or frozen pizzas door-to-door.

Christine Olson, gambling manager for the White Bear Lake Hockey Association, put it simply: "It's a big business."

A lot of the money coming in goes out just as quickly.

Organizations pay for extra training, cover costs of fees and equipment, fund capital improvement projects, award scholarships and donate money to high school programs and other charities in their communities. Some hockey associations use gambling proceeds to pay ice rental bills, which can run as high as $700,000 per year.

"It goes straight back to the kids," said Chad Marquardt, president of the White Bear Lake Hockey Association.

The Apple Valley Hockey Association used gambling revenue to outfit a dryland training facility with high-end equipment available to its 200 youth players. The facility includes a skating treadmill and a RapidShot system that alone cost $100,000.

On a spring evening, middle schoolers Leila Korkowski and Makayla Gore went through workouts on the skating treadmill, which measures stride, power and skating form. A certified trainer ran the controls and monitored their data at a computer.

A few feet away, sixth-grader Padraig Spencer jumped into the RapidShot booth. The system tracks players' shooting accuracy, speed and reaction time in firing a shot off their stick.

White Bear Lake's hockey association, which has 800 kids, is in the process of opening a new facility that will feature two skating treadmills, two RapidShot machines, a weight room and a plyometrics area. The project was financed 100% by gambling proceeds.

The association already helped save its city-owned rink by committing $2.5 million in gambling revenue to pay for a new refrigeration system when the old one had to be replaced.

Blaine Youth Hockey Association uses gambling funds to help subsidize costs. Anything to lower the "sticker shock" of playing hockey, association president Jeff Meister said. They also donate money to Blaine's girls' and boys' varsity programs as well as homeless shelters, other youth sports programs and local organizations.

Youth sports officials say they shudder to think what would happen if they didn't have gambling revenue to cover the costs of big projects or offset participation.

"That would crush a lot of sports," said Coon Rapids wrestling coach Bob Adams, who oversees charitable gambling for a club program.

This sense of reliance didn't exist in the early days of the relationship between charitable gambling and youth sports. Minnesota legalized pull-tabs in 1981, and sports associations already were involved when Gary Danger joined the Gambling Control Board in the late 1980s.

Paper pull-tabs nicknamed "cardboard crack" have historically been the primary attraction for bar gamblers, and the arrival of electronic pull-tabs in the last decade helped trigger double-digit annual growth.

"There's an appetite out there," Danger said.

Danger, a compliance officer, uses a dollar bill to illustrate how the gambling pie gets divided. On average, 85 cents of a wager returns to the player in winnings. Of the remaining 15 cents, roughly half goes toward expenses (payroll, rent, accounting, etc.). The other half gets split between taxes and the association's take.

About 3 cents per dollar multiplied many, many times over can pay for a dryland training center, ice time and reduced costs for families.

By law, every nonprofit with a gambling license must employ a gambling manager. Olson has held that job for White Bear Lake Hockey for 10 years, though she has worked in the pull-tabs industry for 23 years.

Her association runs gambling operations in seven establishments and registered total sales of $24.1 million last year, with pre-tax net receipts of $3.5 million. That put the association No. 2 in total sales among all 1,144 licensed organizations in Minnesota, according to state data. Five of the top 10 organizations in total sales were youth hockey associations.

WBL Hockey's net profit last year was $479,035, trailing Blaine YHA ($697,473), which was No. 2 among all organizations. Seven hockey associations ranked in the top 10 in profit.

Youth sports associations that operate a pull-tabs booth in a bar are responsible for staffing it with their own workers. They also pay the establishment rent a maximum of $1,750 per month and buy the inventory (pull-tab tickets and other gaming material).

"It's a lot of work and regulation so you better be ready to manage that well," Blaine's Meister said.

Olson manages 65 employees who primarily cover shifts at pull-tabs booths in those seven establishments. She uses an accounting firm to handle bookkeeping, and her operation gets audited at least once every year and some years experiences multiple audits by different agencies.

Her association paid nearly $100,000 in taxes per month last year. The state received $27.5 million in tax revenue from all youth sports associations combined.

"If you say that the gambler is a willing participant and not a victim in any way," said Daniel Harrison, president of the Cottage Grove Athletic Association, "then the state wins, the association wins and the bar wins."

Gambling manager typically is a paid position, and experience in doing the work is critical. Former Apple Valley Hockey Association president Chris Link described the thought of a newcomer starting up a gambling operation from scratch as "almost impossibly daunting."

That reality has stopped the Chanhassen Athletic Association from proceeding beyond periodic conversations. The association, which oversees baseball, softball, basketball and soccer, relies on other forms of revenue: participation fees, tournament hosting proceeds, sponsorships and more.

CAA president Jaxon Lang, a parent volunteer, said the "burden of compliance complexity" in charitable gambling is too much of a hurdle to overcome for his association.

"We don't have a moral compass that says we shouldn't do it," Lang said. "We have a sense that it takes work and there is a complexity in it that we just haven't had the motivation to create the position or recruit the position. Nor have we had someone step up and say, 'I want this.' We talk about it and then we just kind of back away when nobody says, 'I want to own it.' "

That is where an experienced gambling manager proves invaluable. Olson started working in a bingo hall at age 18 and later sold pull-tabs at White Bear Bar before taking over as her association's gambling manager.

Olson created custom pull-tabs tickets for each bar, along with a White Bear Lake Hockey ticket. Her association also runs night bingo, morning bingo, raffles and Tri-Wheels. Olson takes out advertising in suburban newspapers to promote their games.

"Since the beginning, I said we're going to do everything we can and let's see how much we can earn," she said. "Let's help the bar owners."

The state requires meticulous oversight in this cash-only business. Multiple gambling managers and association presidents referred to charitable gambling as "the most regulated" entity in the state.

Diligent management is two-fold: Handling cash transactions appropriately, and then making sure gambling revenue is being spent legally on its intended purpose.

One gambling manager likened the arrangement between sports associations and charitable gambling to two families living in one house. There is a gambling side and an association side.

The state mandates that gambling funds be held separately from an association's general account, and any expenditure using gambling revenue requires approval from the association's board. Gambling managers must present monthly reports to their association to show detailed bookkeeping.

"You need transparency, especially when you're dealing with cash," Danger said.

Embezzlement happens, but those involved believe strict regulation of the industry provides a safety net and some peace of mind.

"If you steal from gambling of any substantive amount, you will get caught," Harrison said. "It's just a matter of when."

Most associations use independent accounting firms to keep gambling finances in order. The Gambling Control Board conducts regular compliance reviews, and occasionally the Department of Revenue audits associations as well.

"We stress that it can't be a one-person show," Danger said. "With that kind of volume, somebody could get in there and if they're doing something [illegal] and no one is watching, it could get away from people pretty fast."

That happened in Little Falls when the treasurer of the youth hockey association was charged with embezzling $92,000 over a 3-year span. Association president Carmen Johnson said the theft did not come from its gambling account but rather from the organization's general operating account. The association had been setting aside money for improvements to its arena.

The treasurer altered bank balances and the association's board did not double-check statements.

"None of us ever thought that would happen," said Johnson, who discovered the theft.

Insurance and donations helped the association replenish a portion of what was stolen, but the ordeal served as a cautionary tale.

"You need to have checks and balances," she said.

Danger said the governing body has expanded its oversight and educational messaging as gambling has grown. A case of theft can not only send a person into the criminal justice system but it also could cost the organization its gambling license, thus eliminating a critical fundraising source.

"It's heavily regulated," Danger said, "but that also provides for integrity."

Theft is not the only potential problem. Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance, is concerned about addiction as a byproduct of gambling's ever-increasing popularity. Her organization advocates for "hard-core guardrails" in gambling controls beyond hotline numbers posted at pull-tabs booths.

"I'm not against gambling, but I am against creating situations where the player is not going to be protected," Sheridan Tucker said, while noting 220,000 Minnesotans fall somewhere on the problem gambling spectrum.

Sheridan Tucker said she understands the benefits that charitable gambling provides youth sports but finds it "very unfortunate that we have set up a system that kids are dependent on a gambling game to be able to play sports."

The impact of that revenue source however each individual views it is hard to overstate. It is evident in new sheets of ice at hockey arenas, in new dugouts at baseball fields, in lower participation fees, in extra training, in scholarships and in more kids able to play sports.

"Associations have a lot of kids and a lot of people involved," Cottage Grove's Harrison said. "The charitable gambling gets to the grassroots."

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Playing to win: How gambling and youth sports became bonded in Minnesota - Minneapolis Star Tribune

I was 9 the first time I completely choked during a competition. The gag was epic and unforgettable, and Ill let you know if I ever live it down.

It was the fourth-grade classroom spelling bee, and I was certain Id be one of the last students standing. Id declared as much, too, to friends and foes alike.

My first-round word was chief. Just a warm-up word. A total softball. A waste of time, really. But all eyes were on me, and I suddenly remembered that I comes before E except after C, and Id be damned if chief didnt start with a C.

Uh-oh.

C-H ... E-I-F?

I held it together until I got home. Then I cried. Wait. Creid?

I think about that every time I see children in competitions when the whole world is watching. The Olympics, with its baby gymnasts, divers and so on, is one of those occasions. The Little League World Series unfolding for the next week-plus on ESPN and ABC is another.

How do these 11- and 12-year-old ballplayers do it? How do they find the strike zone from the mound, turn two in the infield, stay composed at the plate in an 0-2 count?

Which brings me to my email inbox.

The Little League World Series is cant-miss TV, came a missive heading into the first-round games Thursday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and now people can bet on the action.

No. It cant be.

SportsBetting.ag has set odds for Game 1 of each series, as well as which team will advance from the Hank Aaron and Tom Seaver brackets to play in the LLWS Championship on Sunday, Aug. 29. Additionally, there are overall odds to take home the title. Hawaii is the favorite, followed closely by Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Of course it can be. There are odds on everything nowadays. When Japans Momiji Nishiya, 13, beat Brazils Rayssa Leal, also 13, for skateboarding gold in Tokyo, bettors won and bettors lost. When New Orleans eighth-grader Zaila Avant-garde won the Scripps Howard national spelling bee on ESPN in July, bettors who couldnt spell the winning word murraya if their lives depended on it got ready to make it rain. Perhaps others cursed the girl.

Murraya, by the way, is defined as a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with imbricated petals. But you probably knew that already.

There were four LLWS games Thursday, and two of them ended in victory for the biggest long shots in the field. Nebraska at +1400 in the Aaron bracket beat New Jersey 5-2. Ohio at +1400 in the Seaver bracket beat Tennessee 1-0. Why do I suspect Aaron and Seaver, both gone in the past year, are turning over in their graves?

I think of Nebraskas 4-10, 85-pound outfielder Braeden Dyer and Ohios 4-11, 80-pound infielder Cooper Clay and want to throw my old arm around their puny shoulders in encouragement. Maybe buy them ice-cream cones. The idea of having money riding on those shoulders is twisted and unfathomable.

Am I a prude? No. Ive done a lot of betting in my day most of it illegal, the way it was meant to be. Through bookies at bars, the frightening sort. And with parlay cards, strip cards and heavy cash pools, all unsanctioned. But I was young and stupid. And then I was not that young but still stupid. I still love a poker game.

Betting is everywhere. PointsBet ads are ubiquitous on NBC Sports Chicago, the home of the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox. DraftKings is so in bed with the Cubs that a giant sports book is planned to go up adjacent to Wrigley Field.

Sports journalists some of the air-quotes variety talk out loud in ways they never used to about betting on games, teams and leagues they cover. It at least used to be hush-hush. There was the risk of perceived conflicts of interest, after all. Show me a writer who bets on the team he covers, and Ill show you a writer whose opinions and work are informed at least somewhat by the results of those bets.

Now? Journalists tweet about their bets. I cant stand it. But its a different time.

PointsBet, to name one outfit, didnt get into the LLWS action. In a text exchange with SportsBetting.ag spokesman Josh Barton, I got the other side of that coin.

We offer these odds for a reason, he wrote. The games are on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. When fans watch sports on TV, they are often inclined to wager on them in order to make the games even more entertaining.

At the end of the day, people gamble on sporting events kids participate in regularly. College sports have teenagers competing in them every day. You could bet on a 12-year-old playing Ping-Pong or a 13-year-old skateboarding at the Olympics this year. There are professional soccer players around the globe who are barely legal to drive.

All right, then. Grab a bat, Cooper Clay. Youre up. And try not to let anybody down, Chief.

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Little League World Series: So, were really gambling on this now? You can bet on it - Chicago Sun-Times

Wining some real money via any kind of gambling including table games, lottery, or sports betting is not restricted to just regular working-class people. Many celebrities regularly visit online casinos in search of excitement, adrenaline rush, or a little bit of luck on a poker table. We read every week about Floyd Mayweathers betting adventures or 50 Cent winning one hundred thousand dollars on a game of roulette. These guys can afford such exploits and while it is not uncommon for celebrities to enjoy gambling, but one state is full of famous people who just love wagering. We are talking about Maryland, one of the smallest but richest states whose celebrities love to flash their cash.

Many actors or actresses dont like flaunting their earnings but they sure like to spend them on a lavish lifestyle and occasional wagering. Maryland can proudly claim some of the most famous Hollywood icons who just happen like gambling in their spare time. Among them is Edward Norton as well as Scary Movie star Anna Farris who both professed their love for placing the occasional bet. Since gambling laws in Maryland are very strict, plus slots winnings are taxed up to 60%, these celebrities might prefer Atlantic City or the Las Vegas strip. There are several casinos in Maryland that Hollywoods elite including another Baltimore native Jada Pinkett Smith can visit if they choose to.

With a proliferation of online casino sites since the 90s, many states have regulated this issue in a restrictive fashion by banning domestic online casinos in the United States, including Maryland. This doesnt mean that you cannot enjoy available online gaming sites as long as you are 21 years old. Gamblers from Maryland prefer playing at an online casino without wagering requirements probably because their rewards or earnings would normally be heavily taxed. Those who get lucky at table games will have to pay 20% tax, but slots or sports bets have one of the highest tax rates in all of the USA. Others who do not like spending real money at gaming sites can enjoy community sites that feature exhibition roulette, blackjack, or poker games with no real cash involved.

There are so many talented musicians coming from Baltimore or surrounding areas including rapper Ginuwine, R&B diva Toni Braxton, or the Good Charlotte rock duo Joel and Benji Madden. Ginuwine is known for his love of poker and is frequently seen playing in Las Vegas, while Benji Madden stated numerous times that he cannot resist visiting an online casino at least once a day. Even the cute Christina Milian loves playing roulette occasionally but her online earnings do not surpass her platinum records profits. Perhaps all these Maryland natives cannot compare with Floyd Mayweather who won almost six million dollars on NBA betting but they all reported winning smaller sums once in a while. With all the money they have in their pockets, they do not really need any extra cash but they wont refuse it either if they get lucky.

Just as the best Olympians must be in superior shape for winning a medal, poker players or sports bettors must sharpen their skills as well to make some earnings. Interestingly, Maryland made sports betting legal just recently so sports celebrities had to prove themselves by playing poker instead. While we should stick to someinstant withdrawal casinos, sports legends like Michael Phelps, Jeff Green, or Sugar Ray Leonard prefer being high rollers. They brought their winning mentality to a poker table with Phelps even declaring that he dreams about becoming a pro player. He regularly plays $10,000 buy-in games at Atlantic City where you can see him wearing a cap with dark glasses and truly enjoying his game.

Despite strict gambling laws, gambling in Maryland is on the rise. This branch of the entertainment industry does wonders for a local economy, bringing in millions in tax money while creating new job opportunities. Perhaps, other states should look up to Maryland with their gambling laws as an example of a nicely regulated gaming industry. Acknowledging the fact that this state has the biggest percentage of millionaires per capita, maybe they should reconsider the full legalization of online casinos as it could prove very lucrative. Until they decide to do so, Maryland celebrities will have to travel a little bit north to Atlantic City so they can enjoy a full-blown gambling extravaganza without any restriction.

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Famous Marylanders Who Made It Big With Gambling | Eye On Annapolis - Eye On Annapolis

Where to start? I guess apologies to Pete Rose is as good a place as any. To old Cub manager Leo Durocher, as well. Willie Mays. Mickey Mantle. Maybe Michael Jordan, too, though MJ's gambling always seemed more careless than cruel.

Shoeless Joe Jackson's lapse was not gambling. Jackson used the gamblers in 1919 and took their money. He got no credit for that. Got a lifetime ban from baseball instead. We must say it's so, Joe.

Gambling and sports have been dating forever, though only recently have they been given permission to share the same building.

Baseball's position on gambling had been the same as Capt. Renault's in "Casablanca." Shocked to find gambling taking place. Shocked. Until now. When there is money to be made.

Durocher was suspended a year from baseball for "consorting" with gamblers, which is like having drinks at the same end of the bar. Mantle and Mays, careers over, were greeters in Atlantic City, where gambling was known to take place.

Mantle said he was banned from baseball 14 years after he left baseball. It wasn't that he or Mays gambled -- maybe they did -- but they played golf with gamblers. That was enough for Bowie Kuhn, then commissioner, the man who oversaw the designated hitter, World Series night games and polyester uniforms, any one of which could be considered an indictable offense.

Right now, the NFL is in public and unregretful partnership with several sports betting services. So, apologies to Paul Hornung and Alex Karras, too, both once suspended for gambling.

Times change, and maybe never more quickly than lately and much more quickly than is wise. Baseball used to hate gambling and now it wants to build its own shop, at Addison and Sheffield to give it a local address.

Peter Ueberroth lifted the lifetime ban on Mays and Mantle two years after Kuhn imposed it. But he vowed that baseball would remain "free from any connection between it and gambling."

I can envision a walkway from the Cubs sportsbook above the statue of Ernie Banks to Wrigley Field.

With the Cubs and with the Nationals and more teams to come, sportsbooks will be partners with the teams they make odds on. This is not that much different from insider trading, which has its own Hall of Fame, just to bring Rose back into this tale.

Inside knowledge is sort of what shamed Rose. That and lying about it. Rose knew too much to be trusted and he made out the lineup. So, goodbye Pete. Join Shoeless Joe in the corner over there.

Maybe Rose's failing was no more than a bad habit. Certainly, compared to the subsequent steroid era it was harmless fluff. But 225 pages of investigation, with appendices and exhibits, determined Rose was not good for baseball, a violation of Rule 21d. No saving Rose, merely the greatest hitter ever in baseball. Not one of his 4,256 hits has been taken away, as has his eligibility for the Hall of Fame. Rose bet on baseball, confessed as much in his own book after lying about it.

It should not matter if that little brick museum in Cooperstown has a place for the man who is the personification of its existence, but it does. It matters not just to Rose but to justice. I suggest that every one of the new baseball sponsored sportsbooks have a statue of Rose at the entrance. Come on in. Pete's happy to see you.

I don't know how to bet on baseball, don't understand the jargon. Point spreads are easy. March Madness brackets are a sacred spring rite. I wonder if baseball bettors don't just humor the form until football season starts.

But baseball is betting there is money to be made from what used to be Sin No. 1 and those who can make it happen are making it happen.

As Rick tells Capt. Renault at the end of "Casablanca," slightly altered for my purposes here, "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a shameful friendship."

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Welcome to baseball and gambling ... with apologies to Charlie Hustle - Daily Herald

Have you ever wondered why so many people play casino games on the internet? In recent years, this gambling community has seen explosive growth. Experts distinguish six main drivers behind the trend. Discover them below.

In comparison with land-based establishments, profits in UK online casinos are very decent. You can win thousands of dollars or even more. Some of the biggest payouts, such as the Mega jackpot, are seven-digit figures. In addition, you can use cryptocurrencies to make bets. The volatility of their value means that you can benefit on both fronts.

This industry is fiercely competitive, so every website is trying to stand out from the crowd with generous conditions. The RTP, or return to player, has risen in recent years. Now, you should not accept anything less than 95%. This is much better than what you would get in a physical casino, where the space is limited, so the house edge is higher.

More and more gamblers in the UK have flocked to websites. The coronavirus pandemic has caused a surge in their popularity, as land-based establishments were forced to close. Since online casinos do not have physical buildings, they are immune to such disruptions, and their costs are also lower. There are no furnishings, dealers, and other attributes to pay for.

To gamble, you do not have to leave your home. Play on the go if you want to mobile optimization means hundreds of games now fit in your pocket. Transactions on a reputable site are quick, and your personal data is protected.

However, some users are still worried about sharing their details online. The industry has found a way to quell these concerns. While strong encryption protects your data from prying eyes, you can use the latest methods to give yourself complete peace of mind.

Payments in cryptocurrencies add another layer of security. Neither the website nor authorities can see the names of the wallet owners. Blockchain is a decentralized system where your identity is protected. In addition, withdrawals and deposits are almost instant. Casinos also have low processing fees because there is no intermediary. This is a win-win scenario.

The strong competition also forces operators to offer generous bonuses sometimes, just for creating an account. There is a wide variety of these rewards and incentives. New players can explore and compare platforms for free using no deposit bonuses. This is a great opportunity to see which website suits your needs.

Compare this with any physical establishment, where rewards for buying chips are rare. Fortunately, you are almost certain to receive a match bonus from an e-casino. For example, you may get up to $1,000 from the house as 5 match bonuses for your deposits.

Naturally, no deposit bonuses are relatively modest, but they are still insanely popular. Free cash or free spins can be used to explore the collection at your own pace, free of charge. This is a risk-free way to compare online gambling offerings.

Physical casinos usually impose stringent limits on wagering and the size of stakes. This is because their overheads are relatively high. Websites have lower costs, so they can provide more variety in terms of betting options.

Digital casinos welcome players with all budgets. You can start small, or become a high roller. There is an option for everyone.

Even the biggest brick-and-mortar casinos cannot compare with a digital collection. One website may feature hundreds of games from different famous studios, such as Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, etc. Many of them do not even have a physical equivalent. The sheer size of the collections is spectacular there are more games than one could play in a lifetime.

Modern digital casinos offer plenty of advantages to novices and seasoned gamblers. They welcome all budgets, offer a spectacular variety of games, lavish bonuses, loyalty systems, and more. Obviously, the surge in their popularity is not connected to coronavirus alone. This is a convenient way to play the most thrilling games, on any screen and from any location.

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Why Bet on Online Gambling Websites? The Katy News - thekatynews.com