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When hearing of fantasy sports, one's imagination can run wild with images of dragon racing and elves competing in marksmanship tournaments. While that could certainly be a cool idea, upon a closer examination fantasy sports is revealed to be every bit like the real-life sports that it imitates – aside from actually taking place in the real world. The popularity of fantasy sports cannot be denied: In the US alone the number of fantasy sports players is estimated at around 25 to 30 million. This begs two important questions: What is fantasy sports and why does it appeal to so many players? History of Fantasy Sports The roots of fantasy sports are rooted in American history, when in the 1950s-1960s US baseball fans would build fictional rosters of baseball players with which they competed in fictional leagues according to how the real life players performed. One of the serious catalysts for fantasy sports came in the 1981 Major League Baseball strike when sports journalists actually reported about a fantasy baseball league dubbed "La Rotisserie" over a restaurant where it was centered. The 1980s saw fantasy sports becoming more popular with sports fans and by the mid 1990s the field had a strong grasp on American public life with the strong entrance of the internet to peoples' lives. There were special magazines dedicated to fantasy sports, columns in major newspapers as well as websites. Alongside baseball there were fantasy sports leagues for basketball, football, hockey and more. The Appeal of Fantasy Sports The very core of fantasy sports hasn't changed since its conviction in the 1950s. Players build fantastical team rosters in accordance to the rules of the specific fantasy league, and these teams compete against other fantasy teams. An important drawing point for fantasy sports is the ability given to players to act as true sports manager, something which is also simulated in popular PC games. In fantasy sports competitors are required to consider different facts and statistics as the season goes on, creating a demanding challenge which at the same time is also very fun. The actual fantasy dimension of this field also plays a part: Sports fans can take their favorite players and teams to create that which did not happen on the actual pitch. Another reason why fantasy sports is so big in the US is that it is legal, because according to the the notorious Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) it is a game of skill. Many eyebrows are raised on why fantasy sports are legal while real sports betting is not. Virtual Sports Betting As a phenomena, fantasy sports in its American version needs to be differentiated from what is often called virtual sports and is common in Europe. Simply put, virtual sports simulate actual sporting events staying as close as possible to how they're conducted in real-life. Intricate software lets these simulations take into consideration a great many variables which affect the outcomes just as they would affect the real competition. Virtual sports betting features vary between different operators. The virtual sports offering at online bookmaker bet365 Sports is a good example for the industry standard. At any time, punters can wager on horse races, greyhound races, motoring races, cycling races, tennis and football. These events take place every few minutes and they offer punters betting markets with updated odds which are very similar to their real-life counterparts. The competitions themselves are broadcasted to punters with realistic graphics and commentary which one could easily mistake for real-life. With their popularity, it'll be interesting to see where fantasy and virtual sports are taken in the future as technology progresses.
This Saturday's Premier League action sees Manchester City host Everton at the Etihad Stadium today (5:30pm UK time). Manchester City Hot on Chelsea's Heels Second in the table with 30 points (9w, 3d, 2l), Manchester City is just 6 points away from undisputed season leader Chelsea. These two are the highest scoring teams this season and City is just two goals down from Chelsea's 33 goals, albeit 5 points away from Chelsea's Goal Difference due to sustaining more goals. City's beat Sunderland in an impressive 4-1 on Wednesday with striker Sergio Aguero netting two goals, Stevan Jovetic and Pablo Zabaleta contributing the other two. City's condition is a warning threat for Chelsea and a positive message to all football fans. City will rely on Aguero yet again today as the international Argentinian scored 19 goals in 20 appearances this season. Everton Wants Top Four Everton is positioned eleventh in the table with 18 points composed of 4 wins, 6 draws and 4 losses. The Toffees were leading against bottom scrapers Hull City on Wednesday when they sustained an equaliser in the second half which brought them only one point from the match. The lack of consistency is a source of worry for fans and boss Roberto Martinez who is looking to qualify his team to the Europa League two years in a row. Martinez is keen to see his side finish in the Premier's top four and it'll be interesting to see how Everton plays against the giant at its home today. Bet Live bet365 Sports will cover today's Premier League fixtures with many pre-match and in-play betting markets. For this fixture, full time results odds had City a favorite at 1/2, Everton at 5/1 and 10/3 for a draw. Tune-in bet365 today for a wager on this intriguing match.
Vera and John has forged two agreements that will significantly expand their casino offerings. The deals with game suppliers Leander Games and Quickspin will further adapt the Nordic casino brand which is already in the process of being acquired by Canada's Intertain Group. Leander Deal Gaming operator Leander will integrate its open games platform Lega with Vera and John. This will result in full operator access to Vera and John's proprietary content, which includes over 25 games from third party providers as well, including The Games Company, Core Gaming and Nektan. Leander's clients already include leading high-profile companies such as Rational Group's Full Tilt as well as Paddy Power earlier this year, with the client base expected to grow further in the coming months. Vera and John gaming head Kristel Tonna identified Leander’s ability to quickly deliver high-quality content as the key component in seeking this partnership. Quickspin Deal The Quickspin deal enables Vera and John to significantly expand the range of game offerings in its portfolio, as the agreement adds the full portfolio of Quickspin's existing and future games, including popular and successful slots titles in the Quickspin arsenal such as Big Bad Wolf, Treasure Island and King Colossus. Tonna expressed her organization's happiness with the integration of Quickspin's “innovative approach to game design and development” as the ideal supplement to Vera and John's casino offerings. Quickspin CEO Daniel Lindberg further asserted that the agreement affirms the organization's commitment to quality and innovation. The availability of the first round of new offerings from Quickspin on Vera and John is imminent, set to take place before the end of the year. New Nature of Partnerships This ambitious new agreement demonstrates how essential partnerships are in the iGaming industry to meet the needs and preferences of the widest audience possible in the online era.
The Seahawks have dominated in the last two weeks of action and look like they could take over top spot in the NFC West. Seattle put a dent into the records of both the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals in their last two game, oddly enough with the same score of 19-3. Now ranked fifth in the NFL, the Seahawks face the Eagles in Philadelphia and with the way both teams are playing this could be the NFC Championship game preview. The Eagles are in first place in the NFC East and are coming off a huge win against the Cowboys in Week 13. Philadelphia are in fourth place for most points, most yards and are in fifth place in overall pass yards and sixth for rushing. The main advantage working in the Eagles’ favor is that they are 6-0 at home and the Seahawks have struggled on-the-road so far. QB Battle Seattle will have a healthy roster going into tonight’s game. Their defense looks just as strong as it did last season and Russell Wilson looks like he is ready to lead his team to another Super Bowl. Mark Sanchez is proving to be an excellent QB, picking up the weight left over from Foles’ collarbone injury. The first-round Jets draft pick is taking his team to distances that the critics thought wouldn’t be possible. LeSean McCoy is getting his formidable stride back and has rushed for 289 yards over the last two weeks. Odds and Betting Info Bet365 is offering some attractive and competitive lines for the Seahawks vs Eagles and punters have some real chances to make lucrative cash. Aside from pre-game lines for Correct Score, Over/Under, Game Totals, First and Second Half markets and more. The UK Sports book is offering a total of 210 different markets for this game alone. The Eagles are favored to win by one of the slimmest margins seen all year at 1.86, to the visitors 1.95 so no real long shot to go for. Prediction It’s going to be an exciting one, more resembling a game of chess than anything else. Both teams know how important the game is tonight but it should be Seahawks 23 – Eagles 17.
Clever Duck Media is hosting the International Gaming App Awards on December 8th 2014. This awards ceremony is being held at the prestigious Jumeirah Carlton Hotel in London. During the ceremony, leaders in the mobile gaming industry will be awarded for their invaluable contributions. These awards will recognize the latest technology and how it has impacted on mobile gaming. About the International Gaming App Awards Technology and mobile apps are a vital part of the mobile and online gaming industry. This technology allows players to connect with their favourite games and interact with fellow players all over the world. The Gaming App Awards gives attendees the chance to celebrate the exciting achievements in this industry. In addition, this awards ceremony gives observers an in-depth look at the ingenuity involved in creating mobile gaming apps. The Gaming App Awards will showcase how mobile gaming apps connect with customers, and how mobile apps are vital to driving business. The Gaming App Awards will pay tribute to traditional games, social games and free to play games in the online and mobile gaming industry. Awards & Charitable Contributions There are a variety of different categories which form part of the Gaming App Awards. There is an award for the most aesthetically-appealing mobile design, and awards for the greatest innovators in the industry. This award ceremony will recognize the best of the best including companies that have created ground-breaking products as well as companies that have dedicated so much hard work to creating some of the best mobile gaming apps. All of the events hosted by Clever Duck Media, including the Gaming App Awards, are focused on charity. There is no fee to participate in this event and all that is asked of attendees is that they make a donation to one of the featured charities.
In a true sign of the times, a record amount of gaming regulators are expected at the International Casino Exhibition (ICE) Conference 2015 event, taking place February 3rd-5th February at the ExCeL London center. Wide Array of Exhibits ICE Marketing Director Jo Mayer lauds the over 500 exhibitors representing betting, bingo, casino, lottery, mobile, online, social and street gaming sectors, and believes that the attendance of more than 100 gaming regulators truly validates the status of the ICE and certifies the inevitable legitimacy of iGaming platforms across all global market. Meyer asserted: “The really stand-out industry events attract a broad cross section of stakeholders and ICE as the lead b2b event in gaming is no exception. Alongside the most comprehensive collection of gaming exhibitors, ICE will feature the largest number of trade association and representative bodies, the largest gathering of gaming media and now the largest number of gaming regulators all gathered at a single event.” Regulator Representation The regulators are to be hosted at a dedicated luncheon, and also moderate and guide a professional forum for informed discussion and debate through the ICE Conference programme. These activities are certain permeate a more positive and productive image of the industry. Leading regulatory associations and affiliates to be represented there include IAGA, IAGR, ECA, NCF and WLA. Regulatory jurisdictions to be represented at ICE include Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Channel Islands, Denmark, Finland, France, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. ICE's Foothold ICE is sure to lay the groundwork for expansion and validation of iGaming, as an innovative group of presenters will demonstrate to regulatory representatives the efficiency and viability of the new and impending iGames being offered across the globe as a way to integrate the iGaming community in the safest, most engaging and protected manner possible.
With December already underway, many casino sites are unveiling special themed games to mark the season. One of those sites is Grande Vegas Casino, a destination that is powered by software from Realtime Gaming (RTG). Heading into the festive season, Grande Vegas can now offers its players access to a brand new slot from RTG, which has been titled The Naughty List. New Assistants for Santa When looking at the game, there is no mistaking the Santa Claus theme, as old Saint Nick himself appears prominently as the wild symbol. As for the remaining symbols, it would appear that he has enlisted the help of glamorous female assistants this year, giving his elves some much needed rest and relaxation. Expansive Game Design An interesting design feature of the slot game is that it expands from the traditional style of five reels to offer more symbols. Rather than display just three symbols on each reel, as is so often the norm, RTG has elected to show four in each. Overall, that provides 20 symbols to play with on each spin as opposed to just 15. And when it comes to paylines, Naughty List will let players activate up to 50 for each spin. Special Features A rewarding aspect of the game occurs when three or more Naughty List symbols land simultaneously on the reels after a spin. When the Naughty List feature activates, the player will then be shown 20 presents. All they have to do next is select from the 20 presents until they encounter one of the two naughty notes, which end the round. Rewards include money, multipliers, and free spins. The last feature to highlight is the Lucky feature, which triggers completely at random to provide an additional reward. Players of Grande Vegas Casino will now have access to this brand new slot game from developer RTG.
It might be over before it starts for the Atlanta Falcons, as they travel to Lambeau Field to face the Packers. Green Bay are 6-0 at home this year, which is not a stat that the Falcons will be able to overlook, but they are able to use it to motivate themselves and come in to win. The Falcons are 5-7 coming into the Monday Night showdown, even with their less than perfect average; they did whip the Cardinals last week 29-18, which was a huge confidence booster. The Packers are now 9-3 and leading the NFC North, looking like they could be contenders in the off-season. Tale of the Tape Both teams are quite evenly matched this year, each averaging around 375 yards per game. Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers are almost equal for passing yards at around 3,400 for the season but Rodgers is definitely winning the TD race with 32, to Ryan's 21. The Falcons have lost their games due to their lack of finishing ability and a sub-par defense allowing way over 400+ yards average on any given game night. True, Atlanta are better defensively against the rush but Green Bay have been excellent against QB passing, allowing just 234 on average per game. The Falcons record is more bad luck than anything else, as they have been a very tough team to beat no matter if they are at home or on-the-road. One of the best things about tonight's game is the crazy odds that the Falcons have been hit with. Punters have the chance to win some lucrative cash on the Money Line at bet365 Sports, which has Atlanta in the underdog position at 6.25. Green Bay is listed at 1.13 and should win the game unless the Falcons bring some new intensity to the party. In addition to the attractive outright winner markets, bet365 has 216 different bets available. Included as always are Point Spread, Over/Under, 2-Way Spread, Score Props, Team Props and much more.
Online gambling revenues currently account for 17% of the overall gambling market share, according to the UK Gambling Commission. The financial report figures reflect figures from licenses established before the new gambling act came into effect for the 2013/14 tax year. Land-based Domination Land-based casinos remain the majority of the earners for gambling, despite the jump in online use in light of the newly introduced UK gambling regulation. As far as online gambling performance itself is concerned, online gambling rose a healthy 22% from the previous year’s gross revenues, or over a fifth. The figure is expected to grow more over the next year as an increasing amount of online operators appeal new UK Gambling Commission regulations limiting licenses or unduly favoring new gaming and tax laws. Betting Revenues The Commission further reported the overall sports betting turnover as a gross of £25.4 billion, or a 30% jump. As of December 1, another piece of relevant legislation went into effect: the Gambling Licensing and Advertising Act 2014 will issue licenses to operators in further jurisdictions approved by UK regulators. This will among other things require previously operating high end bookmakers in the UK market to pay a 15% point of consumption tax and have an additional license established by the UK Gambling Commission. Regulatory Function The function of the new regulations was described by Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Priti Patel is to “provide a fairer tax system for all gambling operators. Those businesses that moved their operations abroad to avoid paying UK taxes will now have to pay their fair share of tax. The Government has created a level playing field across the gambling industry so that all gambling by UK consumers is now subject to UK tax.” In other words, the Gambling Licensing and Advertising Act will expand the regulatory jurisdiction of the UK Gambling Commission to UK operators who have since move their operations abroad. Online gambling providers wishing to operate within the regulated UK market will be required to pay a 15 percent point of consumption tax and obtain licensing from the UK Gambling Commission as well.
It's now or not this season for Liverpool, currently in third place in Group B. Basel FC need only draw with the Reds tonight at Anfield and they'll be through with Real Madrid to the Round of 16. Matchday six gets underway tonight with eleven teams vying for the final spots in the Round of 16. Out of all the games to watch tonight, this one is most-likely the match not to miss. Liverpool need nothing other than a win tonight and with their home field advantage they firmly believe they'll outlast Basel FC after 90 minutes. The Road Here Liverpool's last match was against Ludogorets and they tied 2-2, while FC Basel lost to group leaders Real Madrid 1-0. Basel did hand Ludogrets a 4-0 beating the week prior, which ultimately left them in second place, as Real beat Liverpool 1-0 that same week. It would be the first time that Liverpool make the Round of 16 since 2008/09 season and fans of the Reds are tired of seeing their team out before the real competition begins. Basel FC made it to the Round of 16 in 2012 and gave Bayern Munich a scare in the first aggregate winning 1-0. It was a short-lived victory as the German powerhouse came back to beat them 7-0 in the second match. Who's In, Who's Out? Teams that can relax over tonight and tomorrow, having already clinched a spot in the next round are: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Porto and Shakhar Donetsk. Still alive and fighting for that golden ticket are: Juventus, Olympiacos, Monaco, Zenit, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, Schalke, Lisbon, and tonight's feature teams Basel and Liverpool. There are also some teams that can play the role of spoiler, as they have already been eliminated: Malmö, Ajax, APOEL, Athletic Club, BATE, Ludogrets, Anderlecht, Galatasaray and Benefica. bet365 Sports The markets are sizing up nicely for tonight's match and UK sportsbook, bet365 has Liverpool at 1.80, while Basel are at 4.75. Punters can get in on other markets like Double Chance, Correct Score and more. In addition, bet365 is still running their Bore Draw Money back offer and the Euro Soccer Bonus with a chance to increase returns by 100%. It's gonna be a wild couple of nights across Europe as the UEFA Champions League continues.
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