Million Dollar Money Drop has become one of the hottest game shows on television over the past months, and each night there are more obscure questions stumping contestants. Tonight, one of the questions surrounded the ingredients in a Big Mac from McDonald's.
While thousands of viewers scurried to the Internet to check the answer to the question, gamblers in casinos around the US continued with business as usual. The majority of gamblers are more apt to eat a Big Mac on their way to a casino than search for the popular sandwiches ingredients.
The actual question posed on the game show was, What ingredient is not in a Big Mac? The possible answers were lettuce, pickle slices, or tomatoes. At the moment of the question, a logical response was for contestants and viewers to start singing the popular song associated with the Big Mac from the McDonald's commercials.
Million Dollar Money Drop has become one of the most watched shows on FOX, but it has not deterred gamblers from the casinos. At some casinos, patrons did not even know what our reporters were talking about when they posed the question from the show.
"I don't watch that show, but I sure could use a Big Mac," said one poker player at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Another player acknowledged watching the show before, and even had the right answer when asked about the missing ingredient.
Game shows have become a popular way to gamble amongst friends in recent years. With the questions usually obscure, friends have the ability to make wagers on which they can answer and which they cannot. That type of gambling is legal in some states, yet illegal in others. It is unlikely, however, that many law enforcement officials will be looking to break up friendly game show wager party's anytime in the near future.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli today announced his support for new legislation which clarifies Virginia’s gambling laws. Questions about the law arose in 2010 when a number of Internet gambling businesses started to appear around the Commonwealth.
Companion bills, House Bill 1700 and Senate Bill 1195, patroned by Del. Clay Athey (R-Front Royal) and Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg), declare that the purchase of a product or other thing of value as a condition for an opportunity to receive a benefit through a game of chance constitutes illegal gambling. The bills are declaratory of existing law, meaning that the bills will not be construed to mean that gambling in this fashion was ever considered legal prior to the time of the legislation’s passage. Past prosecutions will be upheld, current prosecutions will continue, and future prosecutions will include this form of gambling.
Currently, some local jurisdictions are wrongly led by gambling advocates to believe that if any product, no matter how inconsequential, is offered along with an opportunity to gamble, Virginia’s gambling statute has been legally circumvented (for example, selling a 10 cent pencil for $5 and including in the sale a “free” opportunity to gamble on an Internet game). These gambling operations, which seek to characterize themselves as legitimate sweepstakes games, are currently operating or have operated in the following localities thus far: Warren County, Front Royal, Petersburg, Chesapeake, Danville, Emporia, Hampton, Richmond, Caroline, Spotsylvania, Virginia Beach, Roanoke, Chesterfield, and Pittsylvania.
“House Bill 1700 and Senate Bill 1195 will give helpful clarification to businesses considering engaging in this activity, as well as commonwealth’s attorneys and law enforcement officers across Virginia,” said Cuccinelli. “The bills provide clarification as well as a solid affirmation that this form of gambling has always constituted illegal gambling, and is subject to prosecution under existing Virginia law.”
“These stores are introducing video gambling to Virginia under the guise of operating legal sweepstakes. Everyone sees through the gaming industry’s ruse, and Senate Bill 1195 will make clear that casino gambling is neither welcome nor legal in Virginia,” said Obenshain.
“Last year, I successfully fought the out-of-state criminal elements who placed free-spin slot machines in Virginia to promote their criminal enterprises,” said Athey. “This year, these same forces are invading Virginia’s localities with illegal Internet casinos posing as legal sweepstakes. House Bill1700 clearly sends a message that this latest attempt to open Internet casinos in Virginia will not be tolerated. As the saying goes, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’ We don’t want Las Vegas crime here in Virginia.”
Piers Morgan, better known as a former panel member of the Britain’s Got Talent reality show, seems to be making a not-so-smooth transition into his new digs at CNN after creating a so-called Blacklist for guests who he claims will never appear on his talk show including Madonna.
Morgan took over Larry King’s gig after the network was in serious need of a ratings boost and what better way to do so than with a fresh face. Enter, Piers Morgan, who kicked off Piers Morgan Tonight by interviewing the queen of daytime herself, Oprah Winfrey, and according to the BBC judged his performance by claiming that his normally confident persona displayed a hint of vulnerability. It seemed to be the other way around since after probing into her personal life, he brought her to tears.
Interview skills aside, Morgan seems to be causing a bit of controversy by having openly stated that he has created a blacklist of guests he swears to never want to invite to his show. According to Pop Eater, the Kardashians, Kid Rock and Lady Gaga are welcomed guests but he will never allow Madonna to appear on his show. He made that very clear after telling The View panel that it is Madonna’s fake English accent that he can’t stand. “You’re not a Londoner. And you’re not on my show!”
Other guests who Morgan claims are banned include Sir Paul McCartney’s ex – Heather Mills, who he claims to have brought together and in the end costing McCartney $50 million, political commentator Keith Olbermann and Howie Mandel who he thinks is utterly annoying.
It’s his show, he can go as far as the ratings let him but you’d think he’d have to prove himself first before he creates a blacklist. Other guests for the week include Howard Stern, Ricky Gervais and Condoleeza Rice.
American Idol has become one of the most popular reality competitions to place bets on at online sports books, and the fever will again pick up in the near future. The 2011 edition of American Idol began on Wednesday, and gamblers have already started to pick their favorites.
The highlights of the new American Idol surround the judges table. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have joined Randy Jackson at the table, while Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres, and Simon Cowell have departed from the show. The turnover has received a lot of press over the past six months.
"I thought the judges were great tonight," said Maryann Gerber. "Steven Tyler did much better than I anticipated, and J Lo was great. I love watching the first few shows, gives me a feel of how much fun everyone had during the audition process."
Gamblers may have fallen in love with certain contestants, but there is a strong chance that many of the contestants that were shown on the first episode will not make the final rounds. The sports books will not post odds until the shows go live later this fall. At that time, odds will be determined based on popularity and judge's comments during the early shows.
In the past couple of years, gamblers who have taken chances early have been rewarded late. Lee DeWyze and Kris Allen both had odds of over 10/1 when the live shows started. In the case of Allen, he was a 60/1 choice. By the end of the competition, Allen became one of the betting favorites, and gamblers who played the winner at 60/1 were paid nicely by the sports books.
American Idol started the online gambling revolution on reality television, but other shows are also now popular. Dancing with the Stars has become a favorite, and So You Think You Can Dance now has odds at some sports books as well.
Massachusetts lawmakers have been working for years to bring casino resorts to the state, but their efforts have so far been unsuccessful. Now, lobbyists are stepping up with their wallets in hand to ensure a deal is done.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Therese Murray, and Governor Duval Patrick are all in favor of gambling expansion. The levels to which they are willing to expand, however, are all different. Lobbyists are pressuring all three lawmakers to complete new legislation.
In 2010, over $3 million was spent lobbying for expanded gambling. While it is an extravagant number, spending that type of money has become commonplace in states where gambling expansion is coveted. The lobbying in Massachusetts has led to a divide between DeLeo and Patrick.
The House Speaker wants not only casino resorts, but also at racetracks in the state. That has caused a rift with the governor, who does not want slots at the tracks. Governor Patrick was briefly willing to compromise late last year, but when the House and Senate sent him a bill allowing slots at several tracks, Patrick immediately vetoed the legislation.
A large majority of the lobbying money in 2010 came from Sterling Suffolk Racecourse. The company owns Suffolk Downs, and spent $850,000 pushing lawmakers to authorize slots. The lobbyists are using the usual tactics to bring casinos to Massachusetts.
Suffolk Downs lobbyists claim that adding casino resort gambling will bring thousands of jobs to the state. In addition, Massachusetts would receive millions of dollars in annual tax revenue from the gaming. The state has been looking for ways to bring new jobs to the communities where unemployment has grown over the past couple of years.
DeLeo has already said that he would like to again discuss the gaming issue, but Governor Patrick is urging lawmakers to focus on other issues in the new year. After several failed attempts to add casino resorts, Patrick is now looking towards other industries to bring new jobs to the state.
The Bank of America website crashed continuously throughout the day on Friday last week, causing panic for customers of US online gambling sites.
The crash was a reminder of the ever looming threat of crackdowns over the effective US online gambling ban, which was legislated for under the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that outlawed the transfer of funds from financial institutions to internet gambling sites. Routine Systems Change
On Friday it was the turn of Bank of America customers to wonder whether there was a particular reason why they were unable to access their online casino, online poker or sports book accounts, but fortunately it turned out the problems were the result of a routine systems change, a spokesperson for the bank said.
Rumors had circulated that the slowdown had resulted from a possible upcoming dump of internal documents from whistle blowing website Wikileaks, although the bank said the problems had nothing to do with security. Banking Issues
Bank of America is not the first financial institution to have experienced such problems in recent months. Several other banks have had their online banking systems crash, causing problems for customers all around the country, including those using sports gambling and other gaming websites.
It’s time to get your camping equipment ready because the 3-day Coachella Music Festival held every year in the middle of the California desert has announced their lineup for 2011. This coming April, as every year, event organizers have chosen an eclectic mix of artists to perform including Kanye West, Kings of Leon and Arcade Fire.
The festival, which originated back in 1999, headlined with bands such as Tool, Morrissey and Rage Against the Machine and has been gaining steam ever since and attracting top bands from different genres such as hip-hop, alternative rock, and electronic music. Twelve years later, crowds still swarm the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California – in scorching heat- to enjoy their favorite bands and art installations that adorn the grounds.
MTV claims that this year’s line-up is more ‘low-key’ than normal and claims that the scheduled rock bands are a bit ‘stale’ this year. Despite of MTV’s commentary, there are still some interesting acts to catch including Kanye West, Arcade Fire, Paul Van Dyk, Erykah Badu, Wiz Khalifa, Damian Marley, Lauren Hill, Flogging Molly and so many others starting on Friday April 15 and playing through Sunday April 17th.
It’s an interesting mix of bands for this year but I can see what they mean by the line-up lacking a bit of energy since past acts had definitely more star power. Tickets for this year's festival run from close to $300 for general entry to $700+ for a VIP ticket which gives you access to picnic tables, couches, restaurants and a full cash bar.
If you can bare the heat and the crowds, then it sounds like a memorable experience and you can even take your kids with you for free.
Bet on the latest entertainment props at Bodog Sports anytime you feel the need to dive into the Hollywood scene. Get your celebrity kicks at Bodog Sports today!
Denise Richards is "learning how to deal" with Charlie Sheen's behaviour.
The 'Two and a Half Men' star's ex-wife - with who he has daughters Sam, six, and five-year-old Lola - admits she is "concerned" about the 45-year-old actor's recent wild antics, including reports of drink-and-drug fuelled parties with escorts, and admits it can be "difficult" stopping their children finding out.
She said: "I think a lot of people are concerned about Charlie and my concern is obviously. What becomes difficult is things become so public.
"I'm learning how to deal with it. Just keeping a lid on it for our kids has been my main priority. It does become difficult."
Denise, 39, and Charlie recently took a trip to New York with their daughters, but the actor - who also has twins Bob and Max, 22 months, with estranged wife Brooke Mueller - was arrested for smashing up his hotel room.
Despite the disastrous end to the holiday, the 'World is Not Enough' actress insists they were having a nice time beforehand and she is pleased she has a good relationship with Charlie these days.
She added in an interview with US TV show 'Access Hollywood': "The last two years, Charlie and I have been in such a much better place and it makes it so much easier for our daughters.
"When we went to New York, that was our intention - to have a nice time with the girls. I thought it was great that we could all travel together and go out to dinner and do things even though we're not together anymore.
"The events that took place after that, you know, it was - difficult."
Charlie is also rumoured to have run up a bill of $26,000 on escorts after another wild weekend earlier this month, when he rented a penthouse in Las Vegas and allegedly partied with porn stars.
His behaviour prompted actress Kirstie Alley to post a public plea on twitter, writing: "Charlie Sheen. you have TWO beautiful girls. Perhaps for the sake of these children, you can decide to QUIT hanging with porn stars and hos (sic)."
Denise replied to this, writing: "That would be a good start." :dance:
Hawaii has held out longer than almost every other state when it comes to gambling expansion, but that resistance may soon be coming to an end. Hawaii lawmakers are planning on discussing gambling expansion after several years of failed attempts.
Former Governor Linda Lingle was opposed to any type of gambling expansion, and each time the issue came up with Lingle in office, it was soundly defeated. Now, with new leadership in the state, lawmakers are again set to discuss the possibilities of bringing a casino resort and the lottery to the tropical paradise.
"This might be the right opportunity," said House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro. "We haven't had a real discussion for several years, so I think we will have the discussion." The discussion will only be the first step in what figures to be a long process. Legislators want studies done on the advantages and disadvantages of gambling expansion.
Hawaii already has one of the top tourism industries in the US, and adding a casino resort or two will only improve their tourism. Lawmakers are concerned, however, about the possibility of the locals falling into a trap of problem gambling. It is a fear that for a long time kept gambling expansion from progressing across the US.
In recent years, lawmakers have placed those fears aside and went after the millions of dollars in tax revenue that the casinos could bring. Those states with existing casino industries moved further along with the progression, adding table games and expanding their state lotteries.
Hawaii lawmakers are intent on ensuring that the laws are created to keep local gamblers away from the casinos, especially in areas that have low income households. If only one casino is approved, it is expected that developers would be willing to pay upwards of $100 million for the rights to operate the casino.
A 24-year-old blackjack dealer at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake learned that “cheaters never win” after a judge ordered him to return $18,720 to the casino for paying his acquaintances on losing hands.
Judge Diane Hanson also placed Jacob Edwin Christensen of Nisswa, Minn., on three years of probation and ordered him to complete 80 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty to gambling fraud Jan. 6 in Scott County District Court. One count of theft by swindle was dismissed in a plea agreement.
Christensen was charged with two felonies — gambling fraud and theft by swindle — by the Scott County Attorney’s Ofiice Sept. 16 after he allegedly paid thousands of dollars to a high school friend, his landlord’s daughter and a woman he thought was “good-looking,” even though they lost their blackjack hands.
According to the criminal complaint:
Prior Lake police were called to the casino on a report that Christensen, a blackjack dealer, was paying a player on card hands that the player had lost. Police reviewed video surveillance that showed Christensen pay the blackjack player and not take his lost wagers to a tune of $3,875.
When casino security noticed the alleged scam on video, both Christensen and the card player were removed from the gaming floor, at which time the card player paid $1,825 in chips back to the casino.
During the investigation, police called Christensen’s high school friend and recorded a telephone conversation in which the man stated that he “knew what was happening was wrong,” and that’s why he paid the chips back to the casino.
The man told police that he knew Christensen from high school and didn’t say anything to him when he was being paid on losing hands at the blackjack table. The man also identified the other two women who were also benefiting from the scam. Police then spoke with the casino’s video surveillance director who said he believed there were three people, in addition to Christensen, who were involved in the scam and constantly benefited at the dealer’s blackjack table.
Christensen’s landlord’s daughter, one of the people police believe benefited from the scam, received a total of $9,500, with varying amounts received on five different days in July. Christensen also paid a total of $5,075 to a woman he thought was “good-looking” that same month.
When police produced documentation that Christensen paid his landlord’s daughter $9,500, she responded by stating that amount was “extremely high,” but she added if that’s what she received, then she gambled it back to the casino.
She also told police that she believed it was a mistake by the dealer and she took advantage of it.
Christensen told police that he overpaid all three people — who were actually his friends — stating that he “mispaid” them, as it gets busy and hectic when he is dealing blackjack. He eventually told detectives that the “mispayments” were intentional and that he was trying to help his friends out.
The three other people police believe to be involved in the scam were not charged with any crimes stemming from the fraud.
It looks like Charlie Sheen made time from his porn-star-bender to make a surprise visit to comedian, Drew Carrey’s new improv show, Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza from the Game Show Network. He literally crashed the show while in Vegas and joined a group of comedians in their improve efforts.
Sheen put his comedic skills to the test after joining Drew Carey’s crew while it was being taped at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Part of Drew Carey’s crew included actor/comedian Ryan Stiles who plays Dr. Herb Melnick, Judith’s husband, on Two and Half Men and has also been part of Drew’s many comedic projects including starring in Whose Line is it Anyway – a similar improv show. According to USA Today, the improv show Charlie crashed involves each cast member adding lines to build an unscripted story.
Charlie’s surprise visit will probably attract a lot of attention to Carrey's new show, especially after Sheen's recent party-animal status has been making serious headlines. The guy is living the dream at the age of 45 with booze and porn stars and a $2 million per episode gig. He has money to burn and according to the Daily Mail, he’s burning quite a lot of it during his weekends in Vegas where he pays $40,000 per night and gets in to a whole lot of trouble, but the guy still seems to show up to work on time which keeps the Two and Half Men creators happy.
According to About.com, Carey commented on Charlie’s appearance on the show, "I only saw him drinking bottled water backstage he seemed perfectly sober." Shocking…
We’ve been seeing the goopy pictures online of Jesse James and his girlfriend Kat Von D for almost a year now but are they really getting married? So it seems that according to online sources the couple are soooo in love that they are ready to get hitched. Talk about a quick recovery, it’s been less than a year since his split from Sandra Bullock but hey, the guy seems to think that he’s found his soul mate.
James and LA Ink star, Kat Von D started dating soon after his very public divorce to Bullock which ended due to his infidelities. Soon after the separation (sometime in August), Jesse and Kat were seen together sharing dinner and laughs out in Vegas and that’s where the relationship just seemed to snowball.
The two have been inseparable ever since and according to People Magazine he had this to say about his newfound love, "You know sometimes the public and press gets it wrong. This is one of those times. 2010 was actually the best year of my life because I fell in love with my best friend. An amazing woman who stood behind me when the world turned their backs."
I suppose Jesse was hoping for a big fuzzy warm hug from the world but after the porn stars began coming forward about their affairs with him followed by the picture of him posing as a Nazi, it just wasn’t going to happen. So yeah, the guy is lucky to have Kat around these days.
On Kat’s side of things she has been going Twitter crazy and has been posting little updates about their relationship to the world and confessed, “Thank you for always supporting me and believing in everything I do. But most of all, thanks for being my best friend.”
I wonder what Sandra thinks about these two? She probably doesn’t care much since she’s got big strong Ryan by her side.
The new season of American Idol premiered last night and we already don't miss Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres or Simon Cowell. And Paula? Paula who?
Yes, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were a breath of fresh air, offering insightful critiques and gently turning down the delusional slash mentally unstable rather than cruelly beating them with the Simon Cowell snark stick. In prior seasons, at times, it was just sad to watch and in a time where a rash of bullying-related suicides are sweeping the country, telling some poor kid he looks like a "Bush Baby" just doesn't seem funny anymore.
Tyler seemed truly excited to have his job, rather than bored and annoyed like Cowell had. This is not to say we didn't like Cowell – it was just refreshing to see a judge there who was genuinely happy to be sitting on the panel rather than tired and angry about it. When a contestant would sing beautifully, Tyler would close his eyes and truly enjoy the moment – reminding us what this show is really all about – the music.
For her part, Lopez fit in well. At first she played the I'm-too-nice-to-crush-dreams role ala Paula Abdul, but seemed to find her footing later in the show.
And it seems that we at Bodog Beat were not the only ones impressed with last night's showing. The Los Angeles Times insightfully raves, "Not only are they great to look at, Lopez and Tyler are long-time stars who have nothing to gain, or lose, by being part of 'American Idol.' And after the bipolar antics of last year's woefully mismatched panel — including a zombified Ellen DeGeneres and a manically flirtatious Kara DioGuardi — their natural confidence in front of the camera was such a blessed relief that it was hard to miss even the bracing ballistics of Simon Cowell."
The New Jersey auditions saw 51 singers earning tickets to Hollywood. Particularly feel good contestants included 16-year-old Travis Orlando, who endured a stint in a Bronx homeless shelter along with his twin brother Timmy. After a beautiful performance of The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” the teary-eyed judges gave him a coveted golden ticket.
There was also an extremely excitable woman who said she wanted to be the Liza Minnelli of pop.
"You won’t find many people like that, that kind of enthusiasm," Tyler said after she begged her way into getting a golden ticket. "I am going to personally work that into something good."
BOOKMAKER Centrebet has lashed out at critics of its naming-rights stadium deal with Penrith, saying the anti-gambling lobby were ''like cracked records'' in opposing the landmark arrangement.
The Panthers' name change of their home ground to Centrebet Stadium Penrith was announced by the Panthers yesterday after the sponsorship was first mooted in the Herald earlier this month.
The parties struck a five-year deal, worth more than $1.5 million, making the western Sydney ground the first in Australia to adopt the name of a bookmaker. Anti-gambling campaigner Senator Nick Xenophon last week lambasted the NRL for allowing the Panthers to make the name change, criticism that brought a sharp response from Centrebet when confirmation came yesterday.
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''The 'anti brigade' are becoming like cracked records,'' Centrebet spokesman Neil Evans said. ''Why don't they survey the blokes walking into the ground, down at the shopping mall, on the building sites, and in the pubs and see what they think?
''My attitude is … reality is reality. And business is business. I congratulate the Panthers board and the Penrith City Council on their forthrightness and strong-minded stance. Most clubs, especially those hardly flushed with cash, would dream about a five-year ground deal worth around $1.5 million, and that's before we start talking about the spin-off effects for the community and all the hard-working people in and around the club.''
The Federal Minister for Sport, Mark Arbib, is working closely with representatives of Australia's seven major sporting codes on ways to eradicate match-fixing but said the Panthers' stadium deal was not a concern. A report compiled by a working party commissioned by the the Coalition of Major Professional Sports is due by next month.
''Sponsorship of sporting codes and stadiums is a matter for the individual stadium owners and sporting organisations,'' Arbib said. ''The NRL have advised the government that the sponsorship agreement between the Panthers and Centrebet meets its own gambling and sponsorship guidelines.
''The select council on gambling reform led by Minister [Jenny] Macklin has put the regulation of online gambling in their forward work agenda. And as sports minister I'm working with the sporting codes, including the NRL, on the issue of match-fixing and integrity in sport.''
Centrebet has sponsorships with four other clubs in the NRL, which forces all betting agencies associated with the game to sign integrity agreements.
The stadium sponsorship was described as a great boon for Penrith by the football club's chief executive, Michael Leary. ''Centrebet has been a responsible corporate partner of the Panthers since coming on board with the club in 2010,'' Leary said.
''Our stadium has become a centre of excellence by not only hosting high-level rugby league in the national competition but through its ability to be community-centric in accommodating several community organisations.''
Damn it! Don’t you just hate when you don’t get what you pay for? Hubert Blackman out of New York City had a similar experience while visiting the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, when the stripper he hired for a dance and a little extra failed to stick around for the full hour he paid for. Now, Hubert Blackman is suing the escort service for $1.8 million for failing to fulfill the full hour and is threatening to have the place shut down.
Ok, first of all, why would someone who has taken part in an illegal activity publicize the activity to begin with? That doesn't quite make sense but let's move on. Blackman claims that he originally just asked for a private dance for $155 and then was offered a sexual act for an additional $120, what a deal. Both activities took a total of 30 minutes he claimed and not the one hour he was promised.
After Blackman contacted Las Vegas Exclusive Personals claiming he wanted a refund which he didn’t get and according to the Las Vegas Sun, he then went on to contact the Las Vegas Metro Police who threatened to arrest the guy. Why? Prostitution is illegal in the state of Nevada and unless you feel like taking a special trip to a brothel on the outskirts of town, where it’s legal, then you’re kind of taking your chances in Vegas.
Blackman claimed in his lawsuit, “I would like the court to close the business. I also would like to get my $275 payment back and a $1.8 million verdict for the tragic event that happened.”
Does this guy really deserve to get $1.8 million for this case? What do you think? :helpme
It looks like comedian extraordinaire Jim Carrey has found a new gal pal who just happens to be an aspiring supermodel of course. She’s Anchal Joseph, who appeared on the seventh season of America’s Next Top Model and it seems that the two are dating.
After Jim Carrey’s split from longtime girlfriend Jenny McCarthy, it took some time for him to bounce back and start dating again but it looks like he’s now ready to put himself out there and brave the dating world. Last night, Carrey was out on the town to catch a Broadway play, Time Stands Still, together with Anchal where they were seen holding hands.
Anchal was part of Season 7 of America’s Next Top Model and came across as the shy girl who lacked confidence and as a result was the seventh girl to be eliminated during the competition. Now, Anchal lives in New York City and is trying to pursue a modeling career.
According to the Daily Mail, Carrey has been seen dating other women including a blonde who he was seen with during another theater date last week. So it's good to see that Jim Carrey is officially back on the dating scene again after his five-year relationship with Jenny McCarthy came to an end last April.
Jenny on the other hand, quickly rebounded with Paul Krepelka, a sports agent from Boston who she has been dating since December but has been linked to other guys including Jason Toohey, an ex-fitness model. So yeah, she’s doing just fine.
Good luck to Jim Carrey and his induction back into the dating world.
The Magic 8 Ball should have told US players what was in the cards for EwalletXpress and their casino accounts in a matter of minutes back in November with the tell tale signs making an appearance once again at a frequently used payment processor, EwalletXpress. When players across the US tried to access their EwalletXpress accounts on that cold winter day and found that there was “no access” available and just a little note explaining that upgrades were taking place and accounts would be available soon. Hopes of a easy solution were prayed for across the US but when players started noticing one by one that banking options were suspiciously absent from their accounts, no deposit methods available a bit of déjà vu started taking over.
Still players held out hope, because EwalletXpress were sticking with their “technical” issues as the reason for the unavailability to players, but why just US players? Clients of EwalletXpress started realizing after days and days of no change in their accounts that the days of EwalletXpress were coming to an end because the “big bad wolf” huffed and puffed and confiscated their money! That’s right, the Federal Government once again seized a payment processor and yes Virginia, kept all the players money! When will the madness end?
EwalletXpress, finally has made a statement to their customers admitting the seizure and confiscation of players funds and have explained in their own words that their hands are tied and are not able to address the issues until given permission by the Feds because they are negotiating with them and confidentiality was necessary. A Statement from EwalletXpress had this to say, “At this point we must regretfully inform you that our funds and accounts were seized by the US government as part of a confidential investigation. We have contacted the US investigating agencies and are currently negotiating with them at present. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused any players and due to the sensitivity of the situation, we were not able to notify our players at an earlier time and we sincerely regret this and apologize. We are grateful for your years of patronage to our company over the years and are trying our best to resolve this matter quickly.”
No one can answer if players will ever get their funds returned to them even though gambling online is NOT illegal in the US. Only the banking and financial businesses are performing illegal activities when they process players winnings, not the players at all, so why they should have to forfeit their money still needs addressing by the federal government . However, if past experience shows us anything, don’t hold your breath for any funds being returned, just look under the federal governments Christmas trees this next Christmas and say “Your Welcome”.
2010 was a banner year for the US Federal Government and the Department of Justice who confiscated hundreds of millions of dollars from online payment processors & gambling site owner/operators like BetonSports and most recently payment processor EwalletXpress. Week after week, we have been reporting about online payment processors being seized by the Federal Government in the US and time after time, it was for huge amounts of money, all of which came from online poker players. In fact, every single dime that is seized through a payment processor is player’s money. The gambling sites and banks are not the ones losing money in these seizures because the cash that is being seized is “winnings” not deposits. Payment processors handle payments to players once they cash out winnings, so when a processor has their accounts frozen by the Feds, all that cash sitting in those accounts should be going to the players but instead the government takes the funds and does what with it? They don’t give it back to the players (not yet anyways), and by the way, shouldn’t they, because playing poker online in the US is still NOT illegal. So there is no reason that these players should have their money stolen from them. It’s the banks that process these winnings that are operating illegally and they should be the ones bearing the brunt of the DOJ’s ire.
So what does the DOJ do with all this money they are confiscating? Throughout 2009 & 2010, it seems they have seized enough money to pull this country halfway out of debt, but instead we are no better off now than we were last year. So the government gets millions of dollars for free from innocent online poker players and they never tell us what they do with the money. But the players know it’s not given back to them. Even the online poker sites and casinos that are involved with these processors are being fined millions of dollars for marketing in the US and excepting US players. I have not seen many online gambling sites offering to pay these winners again with new checks, instead they just write little notes telling the players their sorry for the inconvenience but there is nothing they can do at the moment and promise to keep them informed as to what their money is up to! I think it’s high time the DOJ addresses poker players and online gamblers around the US and inform them as to what actually happens to their money once seized by the government. I am sure plenty of them are curious, angry and fed up with the Feds! Okay that’s my holiday rant and I’m sticking too it!
The NFL has long claimed that they are against gambling on their sport, but now more than ever, their players will be associated with gambling. Virgin Gaming has reached a deal with Electronic Arts to add popular video games to Virgin's online wagering service.
Virgin allows online gamblers to play popular video games for money. The system is currently set up where players can deposit funds with a credit card, and then use the funds to enter tournaments for their favorite sporting games.
The Madden video game franchise has become the most popular of all-time, with millions of gamers playing on a daily basis. The game is featured at the Super Bowl every year, and tournaments are usually set up as part of the festivities. These tournaments, however, are free.
Virgin Gaming is not stopping at tournaments. In the near future, the company will begin to offer betting on individual games. Once that happens, it is estimated that thousands of players will join the network. Most of those who play the Madden NFL games are also sports gamblers. Now they will have the opportunity to bet on their own skills, while controlling real NFL teams on their game console.
Virgin takes their betting seriously and has safeguards in place to ensure that there is no cheating going on during their tournaments. Players pay their way into the tournament, and the winner walks away with the money at the end. It is a phenomenon that is growing at a rapid pace.
Government's around the world are already dealing with an increase in online gambling, and the Virgin betting will only take that issue to another level. Already, poker players in the US are outraged over the prohibition taking place on Internet poker, and now millions of gamers may join the fight if they are locked out of wagering on their skill-based video games.
New Jersey lawmakers may have done more than just add millions to the state budget in the future by creating online gambling legislation. The lawmakers may also have helped the state pick up new residents.
Washington had an online gambling law held up as constitutional by the Supreme Court last year, and it caused some of the top online poker sites to pull out of the market. PokerStars was the first to leave, and now several other sites have informed their customers that they too will be no longer accepting business from residents of the state.
That leaves hundreds of online poker players in Washington out of a job as soon as the few remaining online poker sites pull out, which is expected in the coming months. At that time, the poker pros will have to decide on a relocation plan if they plan on staying in their chosen field.
New Jersey will be an attractive option for these gamblers should Governor Chris Christie sign the online casino regulation legislation into law. Atlantic City casinos would be allowed to offer online poker to New Jersey residents under the new law, so anyone coming from Washington would only have to establish residency and they can return to their craft.
For those who have made enough money online to be patient, several other states may become options for relocation. The easiest move would be if California lawmakers regulated online poker. There are bills on the table being discussed by California lawmakers that would do just that. One of these bills could be passed as soon as later in this legislative session.
On a federal level, the Washington players do not stand to receive much relief. A majority of lawmakers in Congress are still rejecting the end of online gambling prohibition. Liberals have been pushing the repeal of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, but with Conservatives holding control of the House, that repeal seems unlikely in the next two years.
Professional online poker players from Washington have many options if they chose to start making their living in land-based casinos. Dozens of states have now legalized casinos, and most have no-limit poker rooms inside the newly built gaming establishments.
While thousands of viewers scurried to the Internet to check the answer to the question, gamblers in casinos around the US continued with business as usual. The majority of gamblers are more apt to eat a Big Mac on their way to a casino than search for the popular sandwiches ingredients.
The actual question posed on the game show was, What ingredient is not in a Big Mac? The possible answers were lettuce, pickle slices, or tomatoes. At the moment of the question, a logical response was for contestants and viewers to start singing the popular song associated with the Big Mac from the McDonald's commercials.
Million Dollar Money Drop has become one of the most watched shows on FOX, but it has not deterred gamblers from the casinos. At some casinos, patrons did not even know what our reporters were talking about when they posed the question from the show.
"I don't watch that show, but I sure could use a Big Mac," said one poker player at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Another player acknowledged watching the show before, and even had the right answer when asked about the missing ingredient.
Game shows have become a popular way to gamble amongst friends in recent years. With the questions usually obscure, friends have the ability to make wagers on which they can answer and which they cannot. That type of gambling is legal in some states, yet illegal in others. It is unlikely, however, that many law enforcement officials will be looking to break up friendly game show wager party's anytime in the near future.