Category Archives: Gambling

The explosion of SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies, has changed the market over the past 18 months. And the trend has focused mostly, though not solely, on early-stage companies. Some SPAC ETFs have even emerged to capitalize on the trend.

Proponents of SPACs like Chamath Palihapitiya who has launched six of these vehicles argue that the SPAC mergers bring innovative, young companies not just to the public market, but to individual investors.

But those young companies bring risk to those investors as well. Early-stage investing is not easy.

In fact, the venture capital funds that often invest in similar businesses use a basket approach. They know that some of their equity holdings are going to go to zero. The plan is for a few to deliver massive returns that more than offset those losses.

For many growth SPACs, particularly in hot sectors, such an approach makes sense. There are going to be losers.

Its possible, and maybe even likely, that one or both of electric semi manufacturers Hyliion (NYSE:HYLN) and Nikola (NASDAQ:NKLA) fail to gain traction in the market. The same is true of consumer EV plays like Churchill Capital IV (NYSE:CCIV), which is merging with Lucid Motorsand former SPAC Fisker (NYSE:FSR). A number of charging station developers are fighting for what is largely the same market.

Exchange-traded funds can provide that basket-based approach. By holding numerous SPACs, pre- and post-merger, they offer exposure to the groups growth and potentially the big winners. The more diversified approach should limit the impact of the inevitable losers as well.

Investors interested in this strategy at the moment have three options:

Source: Lori Butcher / Shutterstock.com

The SPAK ETF was the first SPAC ETF to come to the market when it launched at the end of September. What distinguishes it from the two funds that came after is that it is index-based, rather than actively managed.

In other words, the portfolio is established by rules. The fund is split 60/40 between companies that went public via SPACs and SPACs that havent yet merged. The former group includes top holdings DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) and Opendoor Technologies (NASDAQ:OPEN), which combined comprise over 17% of the ETF. The third- and fourth-largest holdings are pre-merger SPACs Pershing Square Tontine (NYSE:PSTH) and Churchill Capital IV.

That aside, SPAK tries to capture the broader SPAC universe. As long as a stock, either pre-merger or post-merger has a market capitalization of $250 million and reasonable trading volume, it is included in the underlying index. Post-merger SPACs stay in for two years, long enough to capture early growth potential while also keeping intact the aim of investing in SPACs.

All told, an investor who believes in the SPAC trend should have interest in SPAK as well.

Source: NESPIX / Shutterstock.com

But that investor might also believe she can do better with active management. Thats where the alternatives come in.

SPCX is one of the choices. The fund focuses solely on SPACs before mergers are announced. Unlike SPAK, SPCXs holdings are based on the preference of the manager. In fact, the funds fact sheet argues that the sector is no place for a rules-based strategy.

The question is whether active management, in this style, necessarily is all that helpful. SPCX has 91 holdings, a decent chunk of the pre-SPAC universe. Its not clear exactly why or how the manager plans to beat the market with such a large base of pre-deal SPACs.

Certainly, judging SPAC sponsors and understanding the target markets can be useful, but at the end of the day SPACs are about the deals themselves. Paying a nearly 1% annual expense fee seems pricy given the usual $10 floor on most pre-deal SPACs. And if there are indeed too many SPACs, as some believe, SPCX is vulnerable.

To be fair, if SPACs stay strong and are really here to stay, SPCX should be a winner. At the moment, though, both seem like big ifs.

Source: Dmitry Demidovich/ShutterStock.com

SPXZ looks a bit more intriguing for investors big on the broad SPAC trend. This fund is somewhat of a combination of the other two SPAC ETFs.

Like SPAK, SPXZ is split between pre-deal and post-deal SPACs, with a roughly one-third/two-third split. Like SPCX, its actively managed, with a broad portfolio (90 holdings) and relatively high expenses (1% annually).

There are some distinctions. Post-merger SPACs stay in the fund for up to three years. The portfolio is roughly equally weighted. Whereas DKNG is nearly 12% of the Defiance ETF, SPXZs largest current position, Danimer Scientific (NYSE:DNMR), accounts for just 2.48% of the fund.

SPXZ is the smallest of the three by assets but its also the newest, having only launched in January. And while the fees are high, there is a case that including post-merger SPACs boosts the value and importance of active management. Some investors might believe theyre getting what theyre paying for.

On the date of publication, Vince Martin did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

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Gambling on SPACs? Diversify With These 3 SPAC ETFs - InvestorPlace

When Fontana Sheriff's Station deputies responded to a medical aid call at a location in Bloomington, they found something they had not expected -- an illegal gambling operation.

The incident took place on March 18 at about 2:15 p.m. in the 10100 block of Church Street, according to a news release issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

The Fire Department had reported that a male subject had overdosed and was not breathing. When deputies arrived, they secured the scene while paramedics provided medical aid to the victim.

As deputies conducted a safety sweep for additional victims, they discovered the location was an illegal gambling operation in the basement of a commercial building.

Other subjects who were present during the incident were detained and interviewed.

Fontana Station detectives authored a search warrant and located approximately seven large commercial gambling machines, a large amount of cash, narcotics and other items of value that were recovered as evidence. The building was red tagged and shut down by code enforcement at the conclusion of the search warrant.

Detectives are actively working the case and are expecting to identify and arrest suspects, the Sheriff's Department said.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact investigators at the Fontana Sheriff's Station. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information on the We-Tip website at http://www.wetip.com.

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Fontana deputies respond to medical aid call and discover an illegal gambling operation - Fontana Herald-News

DETROIT, March 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have become an increasingly popular payment method for online casinos today.

One of the main reasons is all the benefits you get from bitcoin payments, such as increased privacy, low fees, fast payouts, larger bonuses, and extra security.

There's some disadvantages to bitcoin casinos you need to watch out for, though. Some gambling sites that accept bitcoin can be shady and attempt to rip you off with unfair games and high wagering requirements to payout.

For this review we identified all the legitimate BTC casinos and sorted them by most fair and best paying. So whether you want to play bitcoin poker, slots, or place a BTC bet on your favorite team, this list has you covered.

Top picks for the best crypto gambling sites online:

Runner ups for best BTC casino:

Best BTC casinos in the UK:

Best BTC pokies in Australia and NZ:

Best BTC casinos in Canada:

Benchmarks we use to evaluate bitcoin gambling sites (our ranking methodology):

The sites below scored highest in these benchmarks.

Top 5 Bitcoin Casinos and Gambling Sites

1. Red Dog- Best Payout BTC Casino

Red Dog Casino is the best bitcoin casino for high RTP slot games and fair play. This casino has many options for the bettor to pick, with different themes and different payout structures. It also has options for 5-reel, 3-reel, or jackpot slots, all of which are fun to gamble in their own way.

Red Dog also has specialty games to choose from, apart from their casino games. These options on this online casino are fun and different from the classic games. It gives the gambler a chance to play bingo, Keno, and a few other games not offered by other bitcoin casinos.

Pros:

2. BitStarz- Best Promotions and BTC Bonuses

Like the other sites, BitStarz offers bitcoin gamblers casino games, poker games, and some other 'specialty' games like a live dice table, but where it differs from its competition is the quantity and quality of promotions and bonuses.

A section on their site explains their odds publicly and displays the code used for their games so independent testers can verify that it is fair.

Pros:

3. Ignition Casino- Best Bitcoin Poker

Ignition Casino is by far the best choice for online BTC poker and blackjack. It is very user-friendly, the website is laid out well, and is easily navigated. Their choice in casino games, virtual bitcoin games, live poker, and promotions give this bitcoin gambling site an easy A.

For bitcoin poker, they have multiple options for the user, with Play Now and Tournaments as the two most common choices, but they also have a game called Zone Poker for those who don't want a break in the action. They are able to fold their hand and then immediately move to a new table with a new hand in a matter of seconds. This game mode is quite fun and keeps the money flowing and the winner happy.

Ignition Casino also gets a leg up on the competition with the number of different deposit bonuses, referral bonuses, and welcome bonusesavailable.

Pros:

4. 7Bit Casino- Best Choice of Games

7Bit Casino comes out on top with the sheer amount of games they have available for the gambler to play. They have your classic live games, table games, and slot games, but they have over 4000 different variations of these games to choose from.

7Bit Casino has 11 different game providers on their gambling site, each with its own section, so if you only want to gamble exclusively on Booming Games slot machines, you can. The amount of games on this site also allows bitcoin gambling to never get boring, as there will always be a new game for you to play.

They also have a "Jackpot" section, which allows the gambler to see the biggest jackpots available. At the time of writing this, the biggest jackpot is currently a little over 20,000 BTC.

Pros:

5. Bovada- Best Crypto Sports Betting

Bovada is the best site for sports gambling, and is one of the few sports gambling websites that accept bitcoin, and allow you to place bets using bitcoin. With choices of all 4 of the 'major' sports, Bovada also has options for 31 other sports leagues, and some other options such as political betting and "Numbers Games' which is just a 3 number lottery that re-rolls every 5 minutes.

Bovada also has a dedicated horse racing book on the casino site. Unlike all of the other bitcoin casinos that offer virtual sports racing, Bovada allows the user to bet on live horse races. The bitcoin bettor can choose from different tracks, betting futures, and has the option for virtual betting like the other websites do.

Bovada's virtual racer has options other than sports, where you can bet on Camels, supercars, greyhounds, and virtual basketball/ soccer leagues. These extra options make Bovada the best option for the avid sports gambler.

Pros:

How to Choose the Best Bitcoin Casino

Bonuses and Promotions

Easily the best site for Bonuses and Promotions is Bitstarz. Their Welcome Bonusis the best we have seen offering a 100% match of your bitcoin up to 1 BTC for your first deposits.

Coming in second and third for promotions, Ignition Casino and Bovada both have nice welcome bonuses. With Ignition having an Unlimited 25% Bitcoin Match Bonusfor every deposit and Bovada having bitcoin bonuses on your first three deposits. Both sites offer more deposit bonuses after your first one, but neither of these bitcoin casinos can match the offers that FortuneJack has.

Depositing and Withdrawal Options

All of the sites use the same type of deposit/withdrawal system where you have to verify your account before you can withdraw. However, there are some sites that have a fee when you withdraw from your account. We hate these fees, so below each site is outlined in what they charge, and who has the worst fee for withdrawing.

The best withdrawal system goes to 7Bit Casino and Ignition Casino who stand above the rest as they have no fees when withdrawing from your account. Most gambling sites have a withdrawal fee, and this is to keep their customers from withdrawing, and instead keep gambling on their site. So having no withdrawal fee is a huge plus as there is no 'penalty' for wanting to take out your winnings.

The rest of the sites have a few stipulations for withdrawing from them. For example, FortuneJack has a minimum withdrawal of 0.004BTC, and Bovada has a small withdrawal fee, usually around $1.00 USD.

But the worst withdrawal system has to be CafeCasino. They charge an ungodly amount to take out your bitcoin from their site. Cafe Casino has a $75 withdrawal fee. This is clearly there to keep the gambler from taking their money out of the site, and they also charge a percentage fee if you have less than 75 dollars in your account. By far the worst withdrawal system of all the bitcoin casinos.

Range of Casino Games

Cafe Casino and 7Bit Casino are the best for the range of casino games. 7Bit has over 4,000 different to choose from and CafeCasino has the best option for JackPot multipliers, with some of their slot games having a 5x multiplier.

User Interface

Ignition Casino and Bovada are the top two choices for the user interface. They don't do anything flashy with huge sliding pictures, or big red text to catch your eye. The simplicity of the gambling site, with the speed, that both websites load at is hard to match. Although 7Bit Casino and FortuneJack might look better, their site performance takes a hit with all of the flashy stuff they added.

Additional Features

Bovada has the best additional features, as it is the only site of the 5 to offer real sports gambling. All of the other bitcoin casinos offered virtual sports and virtual gambling. Whereas Bovada allows you to bet bitcoin on 35 different leagues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Red Dog Casinois the best bitcoin casino out of the ones we tested, for a few reasons. First, their user interface is the best, as it lays out all the games for you right away when you load in. There isn't anything flashy on the screen trying to get you to play a certain game, or asking you to refer a friend. Their site also loads the fastest out of all of them, so when you click on different tabs or games, you aren't stuck waiting for 10-15 seconds for it to load. Simplicity is key.

Their choice of games is great, and the live table section has a nice feature that other gambling sites don't. Finally, they have nice promotions to go along with the site. They might not be able to match BitStarz and their promotions, but let's be honest, who can? They have 6 promotions in total, from their first deposit bonuses, tell a friend bonus, and more, they can at least give Bitstarz a run for their money in this section.

Overall, Red Dog was the best when looking at user-friendliness, promotions, variety of games, fairness, and withdrawal systems.

Original article from: https://www.leanbackplayer.com/casino-payment-methods/bitcoin-casinos/

You probably don't need us to tell you that any form of gambling comes with risks and should not be undertaken as a solution to solve your financial troubles. It's worth remembering the phrasethe house always wins!

If you suffer from a gambling problem or suspect somebody you know does, then we strongly suggest that you call the National Problem Gambling Hotline at 1-800-522-4700 to talk with an advisor for help and to make gambling safer for you or your loved ones. Remember all gambling sites and guides are 18+ only.

BTC gambling sites listed on our site may not be available in your region. Check your local laws to ensure online poker is available and legal where you live. Leanbackplayer is a casino comparison and review site established in 2018, LBP reviews are independent and reader-supported and we may receive commissions for recommendations made in our websites guides, this does not affect our rankings methodology and we always recommend sites we believe will provide the most enjoyable gaming experience.

Visit these organizations for free gambling addiction resources:

CONTACT: contact@leanbackplayer.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/25-best-bitcoin-gambling-sites-and-crypto-casinos-in-2021-301252459.html

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25 Best Bitcoin Gambling Sites and Crypto Casinos in 2021 - Iosco County News Herald

March Madness is here, which means passion, school pride, and now, more than ever, a crazy amount of sports betting.

An estimated 47 million Americans will place bets on March Madness this year, according to the American Gaming Association, with a lot of it happening in Las Vegas, which is where correspondent Luke Burbank found Nard Lamar making some wagers of his own.

"I've done a few bets," Lamar said. "St. Louis is pretty good bet, and the Lakers."

Even in the midst of a pandemic, Lamar and others were lined up to play their hunches at the Circa Casino Sportsbook.

Burbank asked, "How often do you sports bet?"

"About five to seven days a week," he replied.

"How do you do usually?"

"Pretty good."

You could say sports betting itself is doing pretty good, too. "Take a look around these casinos, okay? They ain't getting any smaller," said Brent Musburger. If sports betting in the U.S. has a Pope, it's probably the legendary sportscaster.

Musburger is a lifelong sports gambler himself. He even popularized the term "March Madness" back when he was covering it for CBS. "I tell, especially youngsters, I tell 'em, 'You know, be careful. Because it's not as easy as you think it is, okay?'"

Burbank asked, "I mean, people may not realize this, but, you know, that office pool at work, that's effectively sports betting, right?"

"Absolutely," Musburger said. "Everybody, everybody in March fills out a bracket. You just gotta do it. People were always taking a chance with their brackets, okay? Everybody likes to take a chance."

In 2017 Musburger rolled the dice himself, when he left his lucrative sportscasting job to work for his nephew's sports-gambling TV network VSiN, which broadcasts 24 hours a day from (you guessed it) the floor of a Las Vegas casino.

VSiN wants to be the CNBC of sports gambling, which they see as a growing market, thanks to a 2018 Supreme Court decision which made sports betting legal for any state that wants it.

And why would a state want to do that? In Colorado, taxes from sports gambling are projected to generate millions in revenue for water projects.

"Anything helps," laughed Russ Sands, who is with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. "And we are really seeing, especially now in these times, that, you know, the budget is being stretched."

Sands said Colorado already has so-called "sin taxes" on things like alcohol and marijuana. so why not legal sports betting?

Burbank said, "You drive past a sports bar, the sports bar is full of people screaming, and in some ways that event, if some of those people have money down. that event is also helping you take care of the water in Colorado?"

"Absolutely," Sands replied. "Wherever that bar is sitting, it's probably sitting next to a stream. And that water needs to be protected. And if we can build better projects together, it makes Colorado stronger."

Other states have joined in, too. As of today, 20 states and Washington, D.C., have some form of legal sports betting up and running.

And what about the people who see betting on sports as immoral or tawdry? Musburger replied, "Listen, when the country was founded, they took a chance. I mean, they came across the ocean. They didn't know what the hell was at the other end. It was founded by speculators. It was founded by guys who gambled with their family's life!"

Inspired, Burbank decided to try his luck as well, with some guidance from frequent sports bettor Nard Lamar. His pro tip for March madness? "If you got $2,000 on Baylor and $2,000 on Gonzaga, $2,000 on Baylor's gonna get you $7,000, I guarantee."

"Wow!" said Burbank. "Do you have $2,000 I can borrow?"

Our correspondent ended up at a lower price point (placing some $5 bets), and is being careful to temper his expectations, because of one final piece of advice from The Legend, Musburger, himself: "If you really need the money, stick with the stock market, okay? But if you've got expendable cash, and you want to enjoy yourself, then go ahead and bet sports. But if you think you're gonna be the guy who's gonna make this multi-million-dollar fortune, forget about it. It's not gonna happen."

For more info:

Story produced by John Goodwin. Editor: Ben McCormick.

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Place your bets: March Madness and the growth of sports gambling - CBS News

The sports-card collector and dealer Rob Hunegs said his market is as hot as it has been in 30 years.

"The market is also fluctuating, much like the stock market," he said. "For example, a Michael Jordan rookie card from 1986, a 1986 Fleer if you looked six weeks ago it was selling for about $25,000, in a particular grade. That same card today you can buy all day long for about $13,000."

But what's really driving the market, he said, is not the interest in the vintage cards of the sports heroes of yesterday but a buying frenzy for the newly issued cards of current sports stars.

Hunegs described "runners" who visit Target stores and other retailers where cards are sold and try to buy up everything they can.

Hunegs has been active in the market since the 1980s, but he only opened his Golden Valley store, called Twin Cities Sports Cards, as a second career. He said customers will pop in to buy a pack of new cards of pro basketball stars, fish out the popular one and promptly list it on eBay.

"It's gambling, is what it is," Hunegs said. "That's too bad, because that's not collecting."

Today, we are seeing people behave this way with all sorts of assets.

A single bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, is worth 10 times as much as it was a year ago. Trading in what are called penny stocks is up more than 2,000% in the last year.

And while the spotlight moved on from trading in the shares of GameStop, the video game retailer, the action sure hasn't calmed down. Last week, the price of GameStop shares got as high as $283 and as low as $182.66. The stock closed in December, by the way, at $18.84.

News accounts of all these things, from digital art being sold at eye-popping amounts to trading in stocks talked up on Reddit, are usually sloppily written if not factually incorrect. That's because they use the term "investor" to describe the buyers.

They are not investing. They are speculating. Or, as the sports-card dealer put it, gambling.

Apologies if this sounds like what you would expect to hear asking your crankiest uncle for financial advice, but what makes an investment an actual investment is that it produces something.

That's interest if it's a bond, rent if it's a building or operating income if it's a new machine bought for a manufacturing plant.

That's why Warren Buffett has never warmed up to buying gold as an investment. A gold bar just lies in the safe, day after day. It might someday appreciate, or it might not, but in either case it won't generate a nickel.

The act of collecting is hard to place on the spectrum of what people do with their money, from saving on one end to reckless speculation on the other. That's because a collector will be motivated by more than making money. A genuine car enthusiast might spend $60,000 for well-preserved 1964 Ford Mustang, appreciating that there's not all that many of these gems left.

Yet the definition of collecting these days seems to be getting stretched out of shape.

The recent innovation of fractional ownership of sports cards is an example, even though it's always pitched as a way to let any fan join the fun of collecting.

It's hard to imagine how much fun it would be to show friends an iPhone screen that confirms a 5% interest in a LeBron James card held in a safe out of state.

This notion of collecting is a part of the story behind what's maybe the hottest of the hot markets, for the recently invented assets called nonfungible tokens, or NFT's.

Because an NFT is part of a blockchain, a kind of digital ledger, it's a little like a bitcoin. The difference is that it has all this extra information on it, for whatever piece of digital content got minted with the token. That means it's unique.

And if there's only one of them, someone might consider it collectible.

Sports-related NFTs are a big part of the story, but people have made digital tokens for all sorts of creations. That includes a computer screenshot of the first post of a popular economics blog and an authenticated creation of the first tweet of Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.

At last check the bid for the Dorsey tweet, in an auction wrapping up this weekend, was $2.5 million, even though he didn't exactly launch the Twitter era with soaring rhetoric: "just setting up my twttr."

In the sports NFT market, someone bought a token for a highly stylized video-highlight reel of a single play made by NBA player Zion Williamson. The sale price was $100,000.

Apparently known in the market as a "moment," it's easy to go online and find it, or what certainly appears to be the identical piece of Williamson content, with just a few clicks of the mouse. The cost to view it on YouTube is approximately zero.

That suggests speculators are paying big money for items so insubstantial that they can hardly be said to really exist. But it's too soon to say it's a bubble market bound to pop. People spend money collecting all sorts of things the neighbors might think of as junk.

Yet there's plenty to suggest that NFTs are just one more thing to buy and sell in this new golden age of speculation.

If so, the buyers had better be nimble. Paying 5,000 Dutch guilders for a tulip bulb back in the 1630s only looked reckless after the market collapsed and no buyers at any price ever showed up.

And being savvy about money doesn't mean someone won't get caught on the wrong side of a speculative market.

One of the best-known observations of market behavior was reported in a classic work of economic history that appeared about 20 years after the roaring stock market of the late 1920s.

"The more intense the craze, the higher the type of intellect that succumbs to it."

lee.schafer@startribune.com 612-673-4302

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An actual investment produces something, and the rest is gambling - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Since its' games and products' induction in web-based platforms, the gambling industry has changed significantly over the last two decades. The industry is now more fascinating as the gaming developers are in a continuous endeavor of designing games that can endow the gamblers with the brick and mortar feeling even from their dwellings. This endeavor had its inception quite some time ago when online casino platform providers incorporated live casino sections in their offerings. Now, many of them have already started to infuse the technology of Virtual Reality to bring the online casino experience closer to real life.

The European continent can be regarded as the best breeding ground for online casinos since renowned regulators like Malta Gaming Authority and convenient casino gambling policies have erected the right ambiance. All of these practicalities have convinced plenty of casino operators to process their business from that region. Many renowned online casino operators are even nestled in Europe.

Keeping the European continent as their base, these casino platform providers offer their services to players from numerous countries where gambling is accepted. Being one of the most fertile grounds for gambling in recent times, India has become the next aim for these developers and service providers.

Why is India Territory Being Considered as a Productive iGaming Market?

India's idea as a productive market for the online gambling industry may seem a bit surprising to many as the nation has a frowning approach to gambling-related activities. The country has only a few land-based casinos, and all are situated in Sikkim and Goa.

However, gamblers from the country are very liberated when it comes to access online sites not hosted within the country. This relaxation to gamblers has created Europe-based casino operators' opportunity to endow their services to Indian players. Hence, Indian players who want to have a gamble at an online casino are expected to have nothing but the best possible game offerings along with all the required conveniences and benefits.

Now, lets have an eye on two of those casino operators' performances currently present in the Indian market.

Top- Performing Casino Operators now Serving for Indian Gamblers

Though the numbers of casino platform providers astoundingly performing within the Indian territory are quite big, we have selected only the top few names.

Ezugi

This igaming software developing company was incepted in 2012 and is a renowned provider of live dealer ad mobile gambling products. The company is currently operating with nine different studios located in Spain, Malta, Belgium, Romania, London, Bulgaria, Cambodia, and Israel. This is undoubtedly one of the igaming developers who have seized Indian gamblers' attention by developing different native titles.

While these native games were always popular in their offline form, their online counterparts became more famous instantaneously. Along with other titles like Dragon Tiger and Teen Patti, a few Andar Bahar games are being thoroughly enjoyed by Indian punters.

Evolution Gaming

It wouldn't be untrue if Evolution Gaming is mentioned as the largest live casino title developer worldwide. The company streams all of its live games from Malta and Latvia-based studios. Alongside, it also has streams games from different studios based in land-based casinos in Europe.

Many Indian online casino sites are now powered by live casino streams from Evolution Gaming's studios. In 2020, the company came in partnership with Betway to launch Bollywood Blackjack and Bollywood Roulette. Being intensely focused on Indian gamblers, both of these games are dealt with Hindi-speaking dealers.

Apart from these two names, plenty of other esteemed igaming developers like Microgaming, NetEnt, and Super Spades Games have already found a suitable position in the fertile Indian market. And, expectedly, more developers will start serving this land in near times, making the market thrive even more.

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Gamblers from India Expecting to be Introduced with Renowned European Online Casino Operators - Baltic Times

Before Thursday, in the small mountain town of Cherokee, its hard to imagine people caring much about a play-in NCAA Tournament game between two 16-seeds, Texas Southern and Mount St. Marys.

But here they were Thursday night, and as the close game wound down and it became clear Texas Southern would win, a group of about a dozen men started celebrating inside Harrahs Cherokee Casinos new sports gambling room, The Book. A middle-aged balding guy in a navy blue golf shirt stood up in front of the 90-foot TV, whooped it up, did a little dance and fist-bumped his friend.

For the rest of the night, several dozen men in red recliners watched other riveting basketball games such as Drake vs. Wichita State as a ticker updated the scores of baseball spring training games in Arizona and provided the final scores from La Liga, a Spanish pro soccer league.

So went the first night that legal sports betting was available in North Carolina. After years of planning and securing the proper government approvals, Harrahs on Thursday opened new sports books in Cherokee, three hours west of Charlotte, and in Murphy, an additional hour west.

The opening of sports betting in the N.C. mountains is sure to draw sports fans and additional gamblers from Charlotte, Atlanta, eastern Tennessee and elsewhere to this small town of 2,000 residents that sits on tribal lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Driving into Cherokee, the town doesnt look like much. There are a couple big pawn shops, a tattoo parlor and mobile homes. But then you quickly see the massive and still-growing casino complex built tastefully along a creek. It has 1,108 rooms, which typically go for $500+ on the weekends, and is adding an additional 725 in an addition expected to be complete this year. Since the casino opened in1997, a tourist industry has grown up around it, with new hotels and restaurants.

If youre expecting a small and depressing mountain-town casino, this isnt it.

Are there elderly people with vacant looks tapping repeatedly on video slot-machine screens? Yes. Is the 160,000 square feet of slots and table games dark and a little loud? Yes.

Just Like Vegas?

But there are also some nice restaurants, clothing boutiques, jewelry shops and now, a sports book. General manager Brooks Robinson told The Ledger he believes Harrahs Cherokee Casino now offers the complete package.

We are really right on par with any casino in Vegas, he said. I truly believe we could set this resort on the Las Vegas Strip, and we could compete with anybody the number of hotel rooms, the number of slot machines, table games and now with the sports book, we just have everything available to our customers.

He says the addition of sports gambling should attract a younger crowd. Charlotte is the second-largest customer base for the casino, behind only Atlanta, which is also about three hours away. The Charlotte market is definitely a market that we believe is continuing to grow, Robinson said. The casino signed a five-year sponsorship deal in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers.

First Bet On UNC

After tribal officials cut the ribbon at 10 a.m., the first legal sports wager in the state was placed by Matt Linsky of the Atlanta area a frequent casino visitor. He bet $100 that UNC would beat Wisconsin and that the total number of points would be 134 or more (a combination bet known as a parlay). I thought it would be an appropriate bet for the casino and the state, he told The Ledger afterward.

Courtesy The Charlotte Ledger

Thinking about checking it out at some point? Heres what you need to know:

Seating

Ledgers take: Comfortable seats that rock backward a little, but you cant prop up your legs and stretch out. Grade: B+.

FoodNone available in the sports book, and you are not permitted to bring food into the sports book. The casino and hotel complex have a food court with Johnny Rockets, Unos Express Pizzeria, Earl of Sandwich, Dunkin Donuts; plus two cafes, a noodle bar, BRIO Tuscan Grille and Ruths Chris Steak House.

Ledgers take: If you cant eat nachos or wings at a sports book, thats a missed opportunity. The ban on all food feels hostile to the proposition of sitting and watching sports for hours on end. Grade: D.

DrinksCocktail servers wander through, although the service can be hit-or-miss. There are no free drinks for bettors. Theres a conveniently located bar. Prices are reasonable by Charlotte standards, like $6 for a Tanqueray gin and tonic and $4 for a bottle of an IPA. Limited selection of liquor; a handful of national and N.C. mountain beers on tap.

Ledgers take: The slight disappointment in no free drinks while betting is soothed by inexpensive drink prices. Dont expect a smoking craft cocktail with artisanal ice this isnt South End. Grade: B.

BettingWide range of bets available on Caesars network. On Thursday, bets were available on basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, football, UFC, boxing, tennis and Australian rules football including futures and prop bets, such as guesses about the order of Aprils NFL draft and how many No. 1 seeds will reach the Final Four. Self-serve kiosks and in-person windows available. Some of the clerks seemed a little overwhelmed on the first day, but maybe thats to be expected.

Sample odds:

Ledgers take: Surprisingly large variety of bets available. Do you really want to bet on the quarterfinals of tennis Mexican Open just because you can? No horse racing yet, but thats no big loss, right? Grade: A-

TVsA 90-foot TV, typically broken into three screens, with each able to be divided to show four games at once if needed. There are screens with betting odds to the right and left of the sports.

Ledgers take: Some bellyaching Thursday night about which games were being shown on what screens, but that might be par for the course. Solid viewing experience overall. Grade: A.

AtmosphereAbout 95% of the people there Thursday night were men of varying ages sometimes boisterous, mostly friendly. A pleasant place to watch a game. Theres no smoking. Mask requirements were enforced. Betting and bar lines were short, but as word spreads that this is open, it could get crowded.

Ledgers take: If you cant spend all day inside a casino, youre close to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Courtesy The Charlotte Ledger

This story first appeared in the Charlotte Ledger Business Newsletter. It is reprinted with permission.

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The First Day Of Legal Sports Gambling In NC - WFAE

The Fiscal Times

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig warned Congress that his agency may have a hard time executing a new program designed to reduce child poverty. In testimony Thursday in front of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rettig said the tax agency is struggling with a massive backlog of tax returns and recent rule changes, including the extension of the tax filing deadline. On top of those significant challenges, Congress recently authorized an expansion of the child tax credit system, which requires the IRS to send checks to millions of households starting in July. Through the new tax credit, which was part of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill Democrats pushed through Congress last week, eligible families will receive refundable tax credits of $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and $3,000 for those aged 6 to 17. The credits are to be paid out on a regular basis, unlike more typical tax credits that come into play only when tax returns are filed. Rettig told lawmakers that the IRS may not have enough staff to set up a new website that will serve as a communications hub for households and the government, enabling individuals to provide key information such as income or marital status. Pushing the tax deadline back a month means that the agency now has one month less to do the development necessary to create that crucial communications portal, Rettig said. A key issue is the timing of the payments, which was left ambiguous in the programs authorization. Proponents want checks sent out on a monthly basis, but Rettig said that it might be a challenge to get into monthly right out of the box. Nevertheless, we intend to do our best to get there, he added. Why it matters: The effectiveness of the child tax credit, which proponents say could cut child poverty in half, depends on successful implementation by an already overburdened IRS. More broadly, the issue highlights the enormous challenges facing the new administration in implementing new programs quickly. Rettigs comments Thursday illustrate the massive undertaking that awaits the Biden administration as it seeks to bring online one of the largest rescue packages in U.S. history, The Washington Posts Tony Room wrote. The government must distribute aid to states and localities, send funds to schools and public health agencies in need, and dispatch another round of stimulus payments, all the while rethinking elements of the tax code right in the middle of a still-evolving pandemic. Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter.

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March Madness and the growth of sports gambling - Yahoo News

LAS VEGAS Chris Andrews scans five computer faces. Turning to his right, he gazes at a dozen large TV screens resembling The Brady Bunch intro on the opposite wall.

The South Point sportsbook director zeroes in on a game of consequence for his shop that has nothing to do with the NBA, NHL or NCAA basketball.

Presbyterian leads 6.5-point underdog Morehead State 24-3 just before halftime late last Saturday morning. Its spring football. Andrews said, Weve gotten steamed on Morehead.

A statement no book director could have ever envisioned uttering. In industry lexicon, that means cash has flowed on Morehead, reducing its point spread and creating liability for the house.

That steam, though, was misdirected. Presbyterian would win 31-16. The book wins again, this time on the coronavirus-delayed oddity of the Football Championship Subdivision, whose 16-team playoff is slated for April 18 to May 15.

Baseballs spring training has been another odd duck on the wagering menu. Games end whenever, with pitch limits and uncertain split-squad lineups.

With unusual candor, Andrews will explain how he and his oddsmakers line those two sports. On a spring Saturday, hes grateful to be in this office, with a plethora of sports on these screens.

Not long ago, a doctor told him he had a 50-50 chance of surviving a medical procedure.

Well, Andrews said, thats better odds than the casino gives you.

Record Figures

In January, a record was set for a sixth consecutive month when $4.6 billion in legal sports wagers were made in the United States. New Jersey topped the chart at $959 million. Nevada ($647 million) was second, and the nascent Illinois market ($581 million) was fourth.

Many said growing legalization would hurt Las Vegas, but I thought it would just grow the market, said Andrews, a 40-year Nevada bookmaker. I think I was right. Id be bullish on Illinois, too, because theyre well-educated on betting.

People know theyre not going to win all the time, but they dont want to get screwed, either. They wont put up with that.

He scans a sheet of last weekends 37 FCS games. As a four-point underdog, Southern Illinois upset Northern Iowa 17-16. As a 20.5-point underdog, Western Illinois covered in a 38-21 loss to North Dakota.

The lines of nine games, he said, moved by at least three points from their opening numbers. Thats significant because handicappers salivate over gaining a point or two in perceived value.

Were kinda kickin ass on it, Andrews said. Favorites are ahead, but by no more than 60-40%.

Meaning bettors, such as well-regarded Brad Powers, are not doing so well. On March 8, he tweeted that he was 16-25 and down five grand, betting $500 limits. He recommended going against his picks to make $$$.

Andrews said he and his crew tap Jeff Sagarins ratings and spreads from other books an uncommon admission in the business to produce South Point lines.

We kind of heist the line off everybody else, Andrews said. We have an idea of where were supposed to be. After that, the money goes where the money goes.

The South Point, though, is about breaking even on the diamond.

Tell you the truth, I dont know what the hell is going on in baseball, he said. Were completely heisting the line [from others] when it comes out in the morning, but were doing business.

With such a vast sports menu, Andrews and his oddsmakers must allocate their time wisely.

Last Saturday, the Brewers were -135 (risk $135 to win $100) against the Rangers, at +115. The game ended 4-4 after seven innings. Bettors were refunded their money.

Some sharp clientele has wagered the $500 limit, but Andrews suspects arbitrage: playing numbers against those from other books to guarantee profit or limit loss.

Id rather be bettin hockey or NBA or college basketball than baseball, with these funky rules, Andrews said. Thats a tough handicap right now.

A Big Anniversary

Andrews, who turns 65 in April, hails from the Pittsburgh area, a melting-pot region known as the Cradle of Bookies. He booked his first bet in the fifth grade. He likens the area to Chicago.

With a lot of ethnicities, gambling is unifying, a common denominator, he said. I think its kind of built into the ethos of both places.

A certain toughness, maybe from those roots, might have helped Andrews in 2017, when he was first diagnosed with a form of blood cancer myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

A bone-marrow transplant was recommended, but the grueling process worried him for more than a year. His condition worsened. Wife Pamela and their five children convinced him to have the procedure at USC Medical Center.

Those first couple of weeks were horrible, Andrews said. They knock out your entire immune system so it will take the transplant.

Doctors, however, buoyed him. Little by little, he began feeling better.

In November, he contracted the coronavirus, the worst of it being a persistent cough that didnt allow him to sleep for five or six days.

Today, Andrews looks good and feels good. A follow-up to his successful and entertaining Then One Day ... 2017 autobiography is in the works, as is a novel involving his Greek heritage.

Then comes July.

A big benchmark, my two-year [transplant] anniversary, he said. They say if you make it to two years, youve survived. I should have regular immunity like any other 65-year-old. V

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Some odds and oddities for gamblers and sportsbooks in Las Vegas - Chicago Sun-Times

Gambling has been a great pastime from ancient times, but the internets arrival has evolved gambling. Since online gambling has innovated, it has been great for recreation and winning hefty rewards. There are plenty of benefits of playing online gambling like sagaming and many other platforms.

There are thousands of online gambling platforms on the internet from which you can avail the best in class services. Advantages like convenience, multiplayer support, the massive diversity of games, etc., are the prominent reason for these games popularity. You might be wondering how online gambling is one of the great entertainment sources; below mentioned is a complete set of benefits offered by online gambling websites, so without wasting any dues, lets get started.

Socialize

The first and the most underrated aspect of online gambling platforms is that it allows you to communicate with different players in every match you play. The existence of multiplayer support spices up the joy of playing online gambling. You are entitled to play with your real friends too and to embrace the communication, there is a chat window present it these games

When you socialize with new people, you learn different strategies, skills, techniques, and many other pieces of stuff. This feature even boosts your cognitive skills, and playing with players of superior skills set gives a fillip to your skills. As mentioned ahead, you can play with your real-life friends, which means you can chat with them while playing games, yes it is quite fascinating.

Improves cognition

Several games on the internet might offer you entertainment but do not help you in real life. There are plenty of the features provided by online gambling platforms, but fundamental life skills are one of the most remarkable features. You might be wondering what cognitive skills, patience, confidence, memory is, and few other skills are collectively termed cognitive skills.

The game mechanism is built in a way that allows you to improve even your time management as there are few time-based modes in the gameconfidence is one of the most crucial aspects of leading a successful life. When you are skilled enough in the game, the fellow players might ask you the secret of your skills, which autonomously boosts your confidence.

Stress buster

Millions of people suffer from stress disorders, and these disorders are very devastating as they can affect your daily life activities. There are thousands of conventional methods that render you a therapy of stress, but only a few of them are worth investing in time and other resources. Online gambling platforms like sagaming are the most popular methods to get rid of stress.

Many people wonder how online gambling platforms help you unwind stress, and there is a vast diversity of games offered by these websites. These websites provide even the most popular games that are available in land-based casinos that are

Those, as mentioned earlier, are some of the most common games that are great for stress reviling and are offered by almost every platform.

Win hefty rewards

The primary reason why online gambling platforms have such a huge fan base is the number of rewards it offers to users. This is one of the most prominent reasons that online gambling has such a huge fan base. Thousands of platforms are available online to provide you with the best in class services.

A massive misconception around land-based gambling lovers is that online gambling websites do not offer you a higher payout. However, it has been proved wrong by thousands of certified platforms when they publicly displayed their winning amounts. The winning ratio of this platform is almost 95% which means you can play practically every game you play

100% legal

The most concerning query of online gambling players is whether these platforms are legal or not. Except few regions are gambling legal in almost every part of the world. However, exploring a land-based casino in a developing country might sound like a challenging task; that is where the magic lies in online gambling. You can gamble through legal websites like sagaming, which ensures you that these platforms are standard.

Moreover, some of the websites even display court orders on their websites, which embraces an online gambling venues authenticity. There are plenty of government bodies which issue licenses to these platforms and it depends on the origin of that platform. However, one of the most trusted license issuers is the UK gambling commission. If you ever confront a website having a license issued by the UK gambling commission, you can blindly trust that platform.

Escape from boredom

Online gambling platforms have plenty of benefits, but entertainment is a crucial advantage that helps you in real life. The main reason why it allows you to escape from serious life situations is that there is an enormous diversity. The mechanism of the game is built in such a way that it offers you immense engagement. There are thousands of modes in the online gambling platforms that have shortened time limits compared to other methods.

The websites even allow you to play long-term tournaments. However, thousands of people, due to hectic schedules, are not able to play the game. That is where time management comes into play. You are allowed to choose the time of the tournament according to your convenience. Millions of people play online gambling according to your time zone, which helps you play the game at your preferable time.

Summing up

In a nutshell, online gambling platforms are worth investing time, money, and other resources. Moreover, the online websites are much more convenient than offline media as it offers you several beneficial features. Rather than just being a mode of entertainment, the platforms provide you real-life benefits too, which you can avail yourself of by playing on these platforms; the above mentioned are some of the games top-notch advantages.

So what are you waiting for? Register on any of the trusted platforms and live your life to the fullest

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What Are the Benefits of Online Gambling? - Programming Insider