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Russia - the major surprise of the Euro 2008 tournament - is looking to cause another major upset when they face Spain in tonight's semi-final at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria. Guus Hiddink's men made it to this stage with a stunning 3-1 extra-time quarter-final victory over Holland. They also beat Sweden and Greece in the group stages. Counting against them, however is the 4-1 defeat they suffered in the tournament opener against tonight's opponent Spain. There is precedent to suggest Russia could go all the way. Greece came from nowhere to win Euro 2004, beating much higher-regarded teams such as France and Portugal along the way. Denmark won the European championships in a similar surprise. For their part Spain is looking irresistible. They went through the group stage winning all three games, and although they looked a little shaky in the quarter-finals they still managed to knock of World Cup-holders Italy on penalties. The bookmakers do regard the Russians as a chance to pull of the upset. Both Sportingbet UK and Ladbrokes are offering odds of 12/5 on a Russian victory, while Spain is quoted at evens and 11/10 by the two companies respectively. Other interesting offers on tonight's game from Sportingbet include first goalscorer, with Spain's David Villa, who scored a hat-trick against Russia in the group stage, rightly considered the standout favorite at 9/2. Teammate Fernando Torres follows on 5/1. Head-to-head bets have been offered on a whole host of things such as distance covered and fouls committed. For example, Sergei Ignashevich is 7/10 at Sportingbet to commit more fouls than his Spanish opponent Carlos Puyol, 21/10. The winner of this game faces Germany in the final on Sunday. The Germans won through 3-2 from last night's game, despite being outplayed for most of the match by a surprising Turkish opponent missing nine players through injury and suspension. The final will take place on Sunday night in Vienna.
A Potential Cash Cow With gambling officially banned by the Asian giants of China and Japan, gamers who want a flutter on the horses or blackjack tables have been forced to look further afield. Eyeing the enormous potential tax income, the government of Singapore is considering legalizing casino and online gambling operations. Cautious History In a country where you can be fined for chewing gum in the street, Singapore law can be extremely strict. Gamblers caught in the act can face jail sentences of up to six months, and fines of around 5,000 US dollars. Even more severe penalties await illegal gamblers in nearby countries such as Malaysia, where gambling is even more heavily penalized. The Will to Wager In spite of the risks, Singaporeans love to bet, and gambling abounds through illicit chains of bookmaker stalls, and online via a network of hundreds of Internet cafes. A recent survey has found that online gambling in Singapore has increased tenfold in the last two years. A Losing Battle The Singapore police do their utmost to shut down illegal gambling dens and Internet cafes where gambling persists, but new operations spring up overnight. As in the United States, denying payment through local credit cards is also a losing battle, as third-party money handlers appear instantly to fill the gap. Bite the Bullet The Singapore government is set to bite the bullet and legalize casino and online gambling operations, paving the way to increased levels of tourism as well as a welcome flood of tax revenues. Working committees are in progress to determine the pros and cons, but Singapore is likely to follow the global deregulation trend and permit its gamblers to spin the wheel.
The Norwegian online gambling industry has grown by a substantial 6.1% in the last year, according to figures released this week by the Norwegian Gambling Commission. Choice gaming An estimated 244,000 Norwegians gambled online in the last year, spending a total of Euro 961 million. The state lottery was the most popular choice with 48% of gamers choosing this online option. This was followed by online poker sites coming in at 28% and online sports betting at 27%. Foreign players 82.9 % of online gambling revenue was directed at foreign providers, with Norwegian operators: Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping receiving a further $258 million. Male ratio Research conducted amongst 10,000 Norwegians between the ages of 16-74 revealed that 12% of adult men had gambled online during 2007, as compared with only 2% of adult women. 9% of adult gamblers chose to do so via mobile phones. State restrictions These statistics spell happy times for offshore providers although the Norwegian government will not be best pleased as they try to maintain their control of Norwegian gaming. Minister of Culture and Churches, Trond Griske will be feeling particularly peeved following his previous efforts to ban online financial transactions with foreign gambling providers. So whether gamers are clicking through to offshore providers or Norway's state monopoly sites, one thing is guaranteed: Norwegian online gambling is here to stay.
Sixteen teams, 32 games, loads of goals, and it has all come down to this - the Euro 2008 final between Spain and Germany. The Spanish have been the most consistent side throughout this tournament, backing up their effort in Group D - where they won three from three - by beating Italy on penalties and then thrashing Russia 3-0 in the semi-final. Spain has won the European Championships once previously, way back in 1964 on home turf at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, when they defeated the Soviet Union 2-1. Since then Spain has been cursed by the chokers' tag. Apart from a loss to France in the final of the 1984 European Championships (when Spain were again favorites), la roja (the Reds) have failed to make it past the quarter-final stage of a major tournament since that one taste of success way back in 1964. Germany has been up and down at this current tournament. They finished second to Croatia in Group B, then stunned Portugal 3-2 in the quarter-final before barely scraping through another thrilling 3-2 victory against an undermanned Turkish side. Germany holds the record for tournament wins at European Championships. They have won three times (twice as West Germany), taking the title in 1972, 1980 and 1996. France is the only other nation to have been European Champions on multiple occasions. Add to that Germany's three trophies at World Cups, third only to Brazil (5) and Italy (4) and you can see why they are not too far off from Spain in the odds. UK-based Sportingbet has the two teams very close together. Spain edges out Germany in the odds to win after the regulation 90 minutes of play, with the Spanish listed at 5/4 against Germany's 2/1. A draw is paying 21/10. Then in the odds as to who will actually lift the trophy (taking into account the possibility of extra-time and penalties to decide the tournament), Spain is ahead 4/7 against Germany's 5/4. Ladbrokes is offering identical odds to Sportingbet on the eventual tournament winner. With Spain missing top goalscorer David Villa through injury, his teammate Fernando Torres assumes the mantle of player most likely to score first - Sportingbet quoting him at 5/1 ahead of German Miroslav Klose, 7/1. The most interesting individual betting for a final is generally to see who will win man of the match. Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas is 6/1, ahead of German captain Michael Ballack, 7/1. They are followed by one more player from each team at 8/1 - on the Spanish side, Andres Iniesta, for the Germans, Bastian Schweinsteiger. The final takes place 2045 local time in Vienna, Austria.
The fourth round of Wimbledon begins today in both the men's and women's singles, with some of the biggest names in both draws missing after some major upsets during the first week of the tournament. On the men's side, first and second seeds Roger Federer (Switzerland), and Rafael Nadal (Spain) remain, but the competition they face comes from players far below them in the world rankings. With six of the top 10 seeds already having made their exit from the tournament, the next highest-ranked players remaining are Frenchman Richard Gasquet (seeded 8), Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis (10) and local boy Andy Murray (12). Federer and Nadal are now the two runaway favorites to win the tournament. Federer is odds-on to win his sixth consecutive Wimbledon title, quoted at 4/6 by Sportingbet UK. Nadal is 7/4, with third-favorite Murray a staggering 28/1. The two pre-tournament favorites have already bowed out on the ladies' side of the draw - third-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova losing in the second round to unseeded compatriot Alla Kudryavsteva, while top seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia lost in the third round to China's Jie Zheng. The Williams sisters lead the betting in the new odds for tournament winner. Seventh seed Venus is 2/1 to favorite, followed by Serena (seeded 6), 11/4, and Serb Jelena Jankovic (seeded 2), 6/1. UK bookmaker Ladbrokes is continuing its "Strawberries and Cream" specials in addition to the usual head-to-head match betting. The most likely sequence of events to occur under the specials is for Federer, Nadal, Venus and Serena Williams to all win their fourth round matches in straight sets, with Ladbrokes offering odds of 3/1 to successful punters. Federer takes on 20 th seed and former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt (Australia), Nadal plays 17 th seed Mikhail Youzhny (Russia), Venus Williams is challenged by unseeded Alisa Kleybanova (Russia), while Serena Williams faces unseeded American Bethanie Mattek. Play begins midday local time.
A Safe Bet in a Recession Traditionally, gambling establishments such as large casino and bookmaking operations, had weathered the economic boom and bust. Professional investors would incorporate casino stocks in their portfolios as a more or less safe bet. Recent reports have begun to question the wisdom of such blind faith. Belt Tightening Casino operations across the US have begun to tighten their belts. With casinos reporting losses in their business of up to 10% since the start of 2008, firings of highly paid senior managers has begun. Drops in on-table income speak louder than words it's got casino operators are worried. Adding Insult to Injury As if the economic impact wasn't enough, many land-based casinos are seeing business drift off from casinos as new smoking bans turn away patrons addicted to the tobacco leaf. Not Just in the US The casino business downturn has not just affected the United States. In the United Kingdom, a European gambling haven, bookmaker giants William Hill and Ladbrokes have reported significant year on year losses. Barring continued growth in specific locations such as Macau, the downturn effect is global. Different Kinds of Punters The explanation for the drop in gambling activity is largely attributed to the change in gambling patrons. Traditionally the hunting grounds of hardened career gamblers, casinos are now attracting tourists and less professional kinds of game players. As such, when the economy takes a turn for the worse, the amateurs fly the coop. New Tactics Meeting the challenges head on, gambling operators have invested heavily in online gambling activities, which is one area of continued growth in the recession. The gambling public hasn't gone away; it's just changed its game play.
The men's quarter-finals take place today at Wimbledon, with world numbers one and two Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the runaway leaders in the odds for tournament winner. Federer, odds-on at 8/13 at Ladbrokes online, and Nadal, 6/4, sit well ahead of a field of surprising quarter-final participants, beginning with 12th seeded Brit Andrew Murray, 14/1, unseeded Russian and former US Open and Australian Open winner Marat Safin, 25/1, Croatian Mario Ancic, 40/1, and three players on 125/1 each: 31st seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, French veteran Arnaud Clement and German Rainer Schuettler. Ladbrokes continues to be inventive with its range of bets on offer. Celebrating the rare appearance of a British player so late in the tournament, many of these revolve around the Murray-Nadal fixture. These include the "Ooh, I say" bet, with 4/1 odds given on the possibility of Murray being given an official warning by the umpire at any time during the match. The "Never say die" offer quotes 33/1 odds on Murray winning the match after saving a match point. Ladbrokes is giving 2/1 odds on the "Plucky Brit scenario," in which Murray would have an early lead on sets but eventually lose the match. The overall match odds are 1/6 for a Nadal victory against 7/2 for Murray. The two ladies' semi-finals will be played on Thursday, with much interest surrounding the appearance of Jie Zheng, the first Chinese player to ever make it this far into a grand slam tournament. The bookies are tipping she won't go any further though, with Jie 5/1 to win her match against sixth seed Serena Williams, who is odds-on at 1/9. Serena's sister Venus, the seventh seed in this tournament, is an almost as intimidating 1/4 to defeat fifth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva, who is 11/4. If these odds aren't for you, search any one of the plethora of betting sites online. 888 Sports, a longstanding online casino and poker website, has recently joined the traditional bookmakers in offering sports betting options online. That, and plenty of other sports betting websites, means there is a wide range of betting options available on major sporting events such as Wimbledon.
The top week's news from around the world of online gambling brought to you by the Weekly Edition, an OCR Live! production. Gambling Scandals Cause ATP to Tighten Rules The Association of Tennis Professionals is determined to purge the sport from gambling and match fixing scandals as the Wimbledon Tennis Grand Slam sets off. 888 and Sportech Join in Partnership Gambling websites operator and software provider 888 Holdings has joined in a strategic partnership deal with Sportech. Gambling on the Rise in Singapore Ten times more gamblers in Singapore in 2008, a survey finds, and a rise in numbers in Norway too.
Bob Rains is the President and Founder of Let's Make It Awesome Inc, an Internet marketing agency. Bob has extensive experience in managing marketing strategies for diverse companies in various industries, online gambling among them, mainly from the time before the US banned the industry in the country, as the Director of Online Marketing for Cambridge Interactive Development Corporation, the software company behind Everest Poker. Bob is still widely known and well regarded among the online gambling industry. We had a chance to talk with Bob at CAP Spring Break and hear his insights on the gaming industry, the panel he was a member of, the effect the ban on online gambling in the US has had, and his boombox. Yes, his boombox ghetto blaster...
Sheldon Adelson is a person of vision. When the American billionaire businessman looks ahead to the future, and east to China, he sees a 20,000 room hotel and casino complex. A closer look reveals 3,000 table games and 20,000 slot machines. The project, worth $12 billion, will most likely set Macau as the world's biggest gambling hub for years to come, a title it already holds since overtaking the Las Vegas Strip in 2006. Financing the deal Adelson's Las Vegas Sands (LVS) is the world's largest casino company. To finance the project it is reported that it may borrow $7 billion. No deal is yet to be formally announced, but if it goes through it will be its biggest outstanding loan. It is also said that Las Vegas Sands may replace another loan, of $3.3 billion, to finance the Venetian casino resort project, also in Macau. Macau Macau is the only region in China where gambling is legal. Analysts expect the supply of gaming tables in Macau to increase by 20 to 30 percent next year. This may serve as justification for the large investment on behalf of Mr. Adelson. Industry analysts and executives further expect Macau to maintain its revenue growth for an even greater period of three years or even more. Las Vegas Meanwhile in Las Vegas,Strip casino revenue fell for the fourth straight month in April, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Fuel costs are only one reason for the decreased revenue, as is the housing slump and the larger economic recession. These factors hurt not only gambling patterns, but conventions as well. Joseph Greff, an analyst at JP Morgan Securities, warned a week ago of the "magnitude and duration" of the Strip's problems. LVS market performance Greff's comments, as in stating that "We expect this summer to be one of the worst on record, with meaningfully discounted room rates and special discounted package deals," have actually affected the Las Vegas Sands stock. LVS shares fell to the lowest price since January 2006 last week, including a 59% drop in 2008. No comment Las Vegas Sands' spokesman Ron Reese was quoted saying: "The company does not comment on rumor or speculation."
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