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The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, get started in Beijing, China this Friday with what is expected to be the most lavish opening ceremony in the Games' 112 year history. With the Chinese government throwing enormous amounts of money into the Games in their efforts to outdo all previous event holders, sports punters will also have the chance to spend big with betting available on almost all of the 302 events in 28 sports being contested at this year's Olympics. Throughout its history the Olympic Games has been as much about politics as it has about sport. For most of the cold war era, the battle between the United States and Soviet Union at the Olympics was a major part of the conflict between the two superpowers. Now the emergence of a new superpower in China means the USA has a new rival to compete with in the medal tally. Home court advantage The Chinese, who finished second in the medal tally at the 2004 Athens Olympics with 32 gold medals, are expected to seize on their home advantage and win it for the first time. UK bookmaker Ladbrokes has them listed an odds-on 4/11 favorite. The US, who won at Athens with 36 golds, are 2/1, while the Russians - third at Athens with 27, are considered a distant 25/1 shot to top the medal tally. The next seven teams from the Athens medal tally - in order: Australia, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea and Great Britain - all considered next to no chance of topping the medal tally. Ladbrokes has them included with all the minnows under the category of "any other country", which carries 100/1 odds. Your sports betting news center Betting is already available on most of the major events. The action in the swimming pool gets started from day one of the Olympics, as do most of the team sports such as basketball and soccer. Track and Field begins in the second week. The Beijing Olympics will run from August 8-24, and we at Online Casino Reports will bring you regular previews of the action involving odds on the events from major online bookmakers.
Canada's BC Lottery Corp. may introduce a player card system in an effort to further address the issue of lottery retailer fraud, insisting at the same time, however, that lottery retailers are no more likely to win major prizes today than the public. The proposed card would be swiped by the retailer at the point of sale, and would record the player's ticket purchase and allow winnings to be directly deposited into his/her bank account. The card idea comes in the wake of an investigation last year that revealed that some lottery retailers in the province appeared to be winning unusually frequently, with one claiming over 300,000 Canadian dollars in prizes from 11 wins in five years. In total, 21 BC Lottery Corp. retailers or employees emerged as multiple winners. Unexplained drop BC Lottery Corp. insists meanwhile that today, following the implementation of various security measures approximately a year ago, ticket retailers do not win more than the public. The corporation, however, was unable to explain what appears to be a dramatic drop in retailer wins since the new measures, such as banning retailers from buying or validating tickets at their own terminal and investigating all retailer wins larger than $3,000, were put into place. In 2006, BCLC released data showing retailers had claimed 4.41 percent of all prizes over $10,000 since April 2000. A recount subsequently raised this win rate to almost 4.9 percent - more than four times the 1.09 percent figure released recently for wins over $1,000 between August 2007 and March 2008. "The current win rates are statistically within line of the general population," BCLC president Michael Graydon said on the release of the recent figures. "Each retail business has an element of fraud. We're the same way. We're never going to eliminate it all," Graydon admitted, adding, however, that he was confident that the corporation now had the measures in place to make fraud less likely.
Come November, Americans will be heading to the polls to select the next President. While there are numerous issues facing the voters in this election cycle, and numerous changes waiting in the wings no matter who wins, one thing is certain: not much will change in the Federal Government's stance toward online gambling. How come? There are many reasons. To start with, while Republican John McCain has a history of playing the tables in Vegas and has pushed to have college sports betting and Ultimate Fighting banned, and while Democrat Barak Obama's campaign recently ran a possibly illegal online lottery as a fundraiser, neither major party's Presidential candidate has taken a public position on the issue of online casinos. This is most likely a purposeful silence. A majority of Americans are probably uneasy about online gambling, but are also, in typically American fashion, unwilling to push for an outright ban. Based on their records, neither candidate seems particularly opposed to casino gambling generally, or to online gambling particularly, but neither one is likely to push for outright legalization of the industry. Such a stance would only stir up a hornet's nest, something no candidate for office ever wants to do. It's important to remember, in this discussion, that the United States is a country full of self-contradictory positions. Support, and opposition, to online gambling crosses party lines; the industry's two best friends in Congress are Democrat Barney Frank and Republican/Libertarian Ron Paul. The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006 received bipartisan support, but neither party is defending the Act in the various court challenges against it. Non-events to follow The bottom line is that, while online gambling does not enjoy widespread support in the States, people have grown used to it, and online gambling no longer commands the intense disapprobation it once did. Combined with Americans' cultural dislike of regulation, a number of non-events are likely to occur in the year after the election: the UIGEA will likely be struck down or repealed; Congress will not try to legalize or regulate the online gambling; and neither candidate is likely to push for any changes toward online gambling, even after taking office in January. What to expect Gamers should expect that the online gaming industry in America will remain slightly marginalized, in a limbo-land between legal and illegal, at least for the short-term future.
The top headline news stories of the week brought to you by OCR Live! Las Vegas Plaza Is this really the best time to put $7 billion into a casino and hotel resort in Las Vegas, now that online gambling is an alternative to land based casinos, if not more than that? Online Gambling Love Should the Las Vegas wedding industry worry about a growing trend of couples meeting at virtual Internet casinos and marrying? Perhaps not so fast... Cereus Poker Network Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet merge to form a new poker network in what might turn out to be a dramatic development, or a mere publicity stunt. Phishing Threat A new Internet security report from IBM warns online gamblers from identity theft. Online Casino Reports helps you protect yourself.
The action in the swimming pool is traditionally the main event in the first week of the Olympics, and this year is no different. Swimming odds This year much of the focus is on whether American Michael Phelps can break his compatriot Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals from the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Phelps is 2/1 at UK bookmaker Ladbrokes to win eight gold medals, but 4/11 to be denied the amazing feat. Phelps is a hot favorite in almost every race he'll contest. He's 2/5 in the 100m Butterfly, a staggering 1/100 in the 200m Butterfly, 1/7 in the 200m Individual Medley, 1/9 in the 400m Individual Medley and 1/33 in the 200m Freestyle. Aussie Grant Hackett is 2/1 favorite for the 400m Freestyle, which Phelps will not contest, and 4/6 to win his third consecutive Olympic gold in the 1500m Freestyle. Such is the dominance of the USA in the men's field that they have been left out of the betting for the 4 x 100 Medley Relay. Australia, traditionally the US's strongest rival in the pool, is the Ladbrokes favorite at 5/4, ahead of Japan at 7/2. Several competitors are given a strong chance of taking gold medals in the women's swimming, with American and Australian swimmers once again dominating the field. Australia is 4/7 favorite to take out the 100m Freestyle Relay, ahead of USA, 5/2, and Holland, 5/1. The rest of the field are given little to no chance. Team events The team events will be popular with regular punters because they are mini-tournaments that resemble the longer regular seasons of most large sporting competitions. Basketball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, handball and water polo are just some of the team sports being hotly-contested at this year's Olympics. In the men's basketball, all eyes will be on whether the USA can bounce back from their shock Bronze Medal finish at the 2004 Olympics - only the second time in which they have competed and failed to win gold. Team USA is 3/10 to rebound with a gold medal, ahead of Spain 9/2, and Greece and defending gold medalists Argentina - who beat the USA at Athens - 12/1. The USA is favorite to take the women's basketball tournament as well, with Ladbrokes currently offering 2/7 odds. Australia is 7/2 to exact revenge on the US for defeating them in the final at Athens, while Russia is 10/1. Olympic Giveaway Just as the competitors can't wait for the action, neither can the sports betting sites and online casinos. Europa Casino is celebrating the Olympics with an Olympic Giveaway worth 50,000 Euros. Every day during the Olympics, members will have the opportunity to play for special Gold, Silver and Bronze rewards. The Gold winner will receive €250, Silver wins €100 and Bronze wins €50. In addition, any Europa Casino member who makes a deposit during the Olympics promotion gets free entry into a raffle, with the gold prize of €25,000. Runners up in silver and bronze position will walk away with €10,000 and €5,000 respectively.
With the November election rapidly approaching, Americans are starting to wonder what how a President Obama or a President McCain would lead on various controversial issues. While the 'big ticket' issues, the economy, the war in Iraq, and Iran's nuclear program, get the press coverage, smaller issues are also on the voters' minds. Online gambling is one of those smaller issues. According to conventional wisdom, an Obama Presidency would likely legalize, regulate, and tax the online gambling industry. Obama has the highest 'liberal' rating in the US Senate, and he has consistently voted in favor of increasing government regulation in a variety of industries. He has no statements on record against online gaming. Behind the numbers However, a closer examination of Obama's career as a legislator suggests another possibility. During 8 years in the Illinois State Senate, Obama compiled an admirable attendance record. He rarely missed a session or a vote. On the flip side, State Senator Obama also amassed 130 'present' votes during those 8 years; more than any other member of the State Senate. Obama continued both trends, good attendance and voting 'present,' while in the US Senate. What might this say about an Obama Presidency? Maybe nothing, but maybe a lot. Avoiding hot issues It's important to remember that voting 'present' is a dodge; it allows a legislator to attend a vote without declaring himself on an issue, thus avoiding the stigma of poor legislative attendance while also avoiding angering constituents. Obama used this, on average once every month, almost exclusively on 'hot button' issues: bills to regulate abortions, or the locations of adult bookstores, for example. This habit of non-declaration reveals itself in Obama's campaign, too; he is well known for taking firm positions in front of one audience (telling AIPAC that "Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel," for example) and then telling the opposite audience something entirely different (he told an Arab-American interviewer that the Jerusalem comment was 'bad syntax' the very next day). Lower thy expectations For the online gambling industry, these habits of Obama's, his desire to be all things to all people while avoiding the difficult issues, may mean that an Obama Administration will simply try to ignore something as potentially controversial as online gambling. He's promising change, but on this one, don't bet on it.
Lawmakers neighed with disapproval on Monday as the 'Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia' released a report, which showed that three times as many calls came from problem gamblers who played at local slot parlors as opposed to at racetracks. This was surprising, considering the fact that the state's racetracks run a whopping 4,000 more lottery machines than the local vendors do. Yet experts claim that it's not the numbers that count, but rather the atmosphere and conditions that cause gamblers to develop unhealthy gaming habits at the local parlors. "...people don't go (to the local parlors) in groups. You're mainly there on your own. You walk in, plop yourself down and gamble" said Keith Whyte, executive director of the 'National Council on Problem Gambling.' According to Whyte, besides the lack of a group and the horses, which might otherwise draw your attention away from gaming, the proximity of the local vendors to your daily routine makes it very convenient to gamble in between chores, such as picking up the kids from school or buying groceries. Several important lawmakers responded angrily in response to the findings, including Minority House leader Tim Armstead (R-Kanawha County), who commented, "To those of us who have opposed the expansion of gambling in this state, there's always been that concern that the state should not be taking part in activities encouraging addictive and destructive behavior." The report comes amid growing tensions from the local vendors due to legislation that was recently introduced that enables lawmakers to revoke slot machine permits when they come up for reissue in 2011. On the bright side, the report left racetrack owners smirking and remembering the old proverb, "Never look a gift-horse in the mouth."
Tiffany took the poker world by storm a short while ago by making it through an enormous field at this year's WSOP main event to finish 17th. However, she is the subject of controversy over loyalty to Pokernews, her employer and sponsor for the event. Apparently the 24-year-old from Los Angeles wore an Ultimate Bet logo, in addition to the PokerNews logo, during the WSOP main event, though she had an exclusive agreement with PokerNews. Michelle believes she did nothing wrong because many other players at the event could be seen wearing multiple logos. She claims that PokerNews is slandering her. "It's standard practice for players to wear multiple logos during the main event," Michelle said. "PokerNews was aware of this, having placed their logos on a number of players with sponsorship deal with other companies. I saw several players wearing the PokerNews logo alongside logos of online card rooms such as PokerStars and T6... I wore multiple logos but in no way did I diminish the presence of PokerNews." Last year's WSOP was more liberal. Players could wear advertisements promoting websites, under minor limitations. Players may also wear multiple logos. Many in the poker world understand that an exclusive agreement means that you are loyal to that one brand, and making deals without consulting that brand was a mistake on Michelle's part.
Sweden's Spelkungen (Gambling King), Rode Kotur, 55, is currently involved in the game of his life, as he stands trial in Gothenburg for conspiracy to murder and attempted murder. Kotur is suspected of involvement in the 2003 killing of Ratko Djokic, The Godfather, who operated a rival gambling operation at the time, and also of ordering the killing of a another man in 2002. Kotur denies the allegations against him. Born in the former Yugoslavia, Kotur settled in Sweden in the 1970s and spent the following two decades building up the RK Company, which operated automated poker and slot machines throughout Sweden. According to a 2005 report, RK's gaming-machines business constituted a large part of Sweden's estimated $820 million illegal gambling market. Aside from his current murder trial, Kotur is also likely to be in court later in August to face tax-evasion charges. Kotur was arrested in Britain in November 2007 following a raid on his suspected illegal gambling operations in which 400 slot machines were confiscated from 150 different locations throughout Sweden. Meanwhile, one the biggest problem facing the prosecution in the murder trial lies in convincing various key witnesses to testify in the case. "People who are deeply entrenched in the gangster world refuse to testify," commented chief prosecutor Krister Petersson. "And witnesses who come forward change or withdraw their testimony."
Green groups may be forced to bite their tongue as Las Vegas, the brightest city on Earth - and arguably the most wasteful - may decide to dim down its building-waste production and concentrate on conservation and green-conscious maintenance policies. Green standards With over 4 casino-resorts vying for the prized LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and incorporating over 100 million square feet of property to be built according to the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) standards, Vegas stands to set the tone for eco-building in the new millennium. "There's only so many places where projects like these can happen," said Brendan Owens, vice president of the LEED project, run by the USGBC. "Las Vegas can serve as a bellwether for mainstream companies and organizations that are not necessarily focused on the environment to say, 'You know what? These guys are doing it, so can we.'" State sponsorship But sparking this eco-friendly trend is none other than Nevada state law, which entices construction companies to lean in favor of LEED projects by promising tax rebates of up to 35% for LEED certified projects. Among the rising stars of the Vegas Strip mantle attempting LEED certification are the $9.2 billion, six high-rise CityCenter complex, the $4.8 billion Echelon resort, the $2.9 billion Fountainebleau resort and lastly, a new tower at Caesars Palace that totals a meager $1.9 billion. But it isn't just the new projects that are drawing the attention of the casino magnates. Harrah's Entertainment and MGM Mirage are beginning to assess some of their 28 existing properties with the intention of introducing eco-conscious policies, such as installing movement censors to deactivate air-conditioning if no-one is around. If these innovations continue, green groups may surprisingly find themselves turning to Las Vegas, which oddly means "The Meadows" in Spanish, as their best example in the defense of financially viable eco-construction.
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