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In terms of big wins, online casino progressive jackpots cannot be matched. The prizes offered by most of these games are by default set at hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars. The jackpots available in progressive games from software developer Realtime Gaming (RTG) amount to a total of over $5 million these days – this article takes a look at some of the top jackpots and where players can find them. Jackpot Pinatas - $1,762,778 The 5-reel, 20-payline Jackpot Pinatas is themed on the colorful containers which we hit to unleash candy and treats. Jackpot Pinatas massive jackpot is hit when players fill the paylines with 5 Bull Pinatas, but there are plenty of winning opportunities with a wild symbol (donkey) and scatter (dog). Jackpot Pinatas can be played at Las Vegas USA Casino which is open to US players. Aztec's Millions - $1,674,847 The 5-reel, 25-payline Aztec's Millions is a jackpot familiar with all online casino players. Themed on the riches of the great Aztec Empire, Aztec's Millions offers plenty of big payouts with the Aztec king wild and a scatter that can give up to 25 free spins. The progressive jackpot is won when five game logo symbols land on a payline. Players can find Aztec's Millions at SlotsPlus Casino. Megasaur - $963,871 Megasaur is a dinosaur themed 5-reel, 25-payline slot abound with features including stacked wilds and scatters which can trigger up to 50 free spins. The Feature Guarantee system promises players that if they did not activate any feature in 250 spins, they will be given a bonus round on the house. Of course, the Jurassic jackpot is here as well – up to $1 million can be won when give volcano symbols are landed in Mega Bet mode. Megasaur is available at Jackpot Capital Casino. Jackpot Cleopatra's Gold - $351,548 Built on 5 reels and 25 paylines, Jackpot Cleopatra's Gold brings to life many symbols of ancient Egypt with beautiful busts serving as symbols. Jackpot Cleopatra's Gold doesn't get to the millions in jackpots, but it can usually be found anywhere between $100k to $350k. To trigger the jackpot, players must land five Cleopatra symbols on a payline. Players can play Jackpot Cleopatra's Gold at FreeSpin Casino. Shopping Spree II - $342,938 The 5-reel, 9-payline Shopping Spree II is a worthy sequel to a big classic, immersing players in a true "chic" shopping experience laden with expansive bags, jewelry and VIP credit cards. Shopping Spree II features free spins and a special bonus round; the progressive jackpot is triggered by landing five diamond ring symbols with a x20 "SALE" wild symbol. Shopping Spree II is available at Sun Palace Casino. Spirit of the Inca - $284,892 The Incan civilization is honored by Spirit of the Inca, a 5-reel, 25-payline progressive slot featuring Incan warriors and princesses. Spirit of the Inca features five different jackpots, the highest being able to reach $300k when it must be triggered. Spirit of the Inca is available at Grande Vegas Casino.
Late last week, a bill to tax online gambling in Ireland was submitted to the country’s president for approval by Michael Noonan, Ireland’s Finance Minister. The bill, Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013, will only be passed into law once operators that are already licensed in other jurisdictions are granted licences to offer services in Ireland. Once this happens, the Irish government can begin imposing levies. A spokeswoman for Ireland’s finance department said they expect operators to begin paying taxes by the middle of this year. Finally, No More Delays The plan to tax foreign online bookmakers that offer remote services to Irish customers was originally proposed in 2011, but it was never put into action due to multiple delays. At the time, the suggestion was that the government collect a 1% tax on all bets made in betting shops, as well as bets made on the internet and by telephone. The bill now comes at a time when Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and William Hill (all large bookmakers) are struggling with tighter regulations and higher taxes in the United Kingdom. Still, Paddy Power, Ireland’s biggest bookmaker, seems to be doing quite well. Last year, they earned a whopping 167 million euro before taxes. Paddy Power stated that if the Irish tax bill had been enacted last year, they would have had to pay an estimated 8 million euro. Seems like pennies for a company that earned 167 million euro in the same year! Benefits of Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013 While online casinos will, of course, lose out on some profits due to the new tax, the Irish government could accrue an additional 25 million euro per year, an amount that cannot be sneezed at. Fortunately, Michael Noonan is working diligently on behalf of Ireland's government, and he is committed to seeing the bill passed into law.
Today marks the beginning of the Cheltenham Festival, one of the year's biggest horseraces that brings together the UK's best jump horses and jockeys, thousands of spectators from all over the world and a wealth of betting opportunities. In total there will be 28 races taking place throughout the festival's three days, with the gem of the festival taking place on the third and last day – the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup. Champion Hurdle The beauty of this festival is that every day at the races includes a highlight chase, and today's big event will be the Stan James Champion Hurdle shooting off at 15:20 local time. Open to horses only four years old and up, the Champion Hurdle is run over about 3,319 metres with eight hurdles to be jumped. The stakes as high, as last year's total purse was £400,000, the first place winner taking home £238k. Faugheen for the Win? The sweetheart of the chase is the Willie Mullins-trained Faugheen which is coming in hot with jockey Ruby Walsh after seven unbeaten hurdle runs. Faugheen proved a good ability in races over 2m, but his bigger challenge will be facing the tough competitors going up against him – he was 11/10 in fixed odds to win at bet365 Sports. Jezki vs. The New One Defending champion, the 7-year old Jessica Harrington-trained Jezki was 9/2 to win – a strong horse with good tactical speed, he could ruin Faugheen's party if he avoids mistakes. The New One is another talked-about entrant, especially after his bad luck last year when Our Conor fell in front of him, yet he managed to finish third. Odds for The New One were 7/2 and he is a good bet overall. Live at bet365 Sports The Cheltenham Festival is also a festive time for online gambling as punters from all over the world sharpen their horserace betting senses and place a wager on one of the runners. The festival will be covered and aired live at bet365 Sports throughout its three days, with live coverage on Channel 4. Horse racing punters love bet365's offers including the Channel 4/1 offer that gives them risk free bets for backing any single winner at 4/1 in a chase that was televised. This is joined by the Price Promise that simply gives the best prices on all horses – together with Best Odds Guaranteed which guarantees that punters will be paid out at the bigger odds if the SP was bigger on their selection. You can't allow yourself to miss this day at the races!
Apple has revealed new details about the upcoming Apple Watch yesterday, first and foremost its release date which will be April 24th with pre-orders beginning April 10th. Apple Watch Sport and Regular Editions The Apple Watch will come in three different tiers, all in two sizes: 38mm and 42mm. The Apple Watch Sport is the first tier that is targeted more for individuals who engage in physical activities. The mid-tier, simply called "Apple Watch", is the one targeted to the widest audiences. It will be available with different bands which are price dependent, including a classic buckle, Milanese loop, leather loop and a stainless steel/space black stainless steel link bracelet. Biting into Luxury Watches The third-tier of watches reveals Apple's hopes to get into the market of high-end Swiss and Japanese luxury watches. Called The Apple Watch Edition, these watches are made of rose/yellow gold and they go anywhere from $10,000 to $17,000 – a price with which one could buy 2 or 3 Rolexes or Grand Seikos to keep for the next generations. Functionality Accuracy is important when it comes to watches – the Apple Watch is said to within 50 milliseconds of UTC. Battery life is expected to be up to 18 hours but is usage load dependent; it is charged with a magnetic cable. The watch can distinguish between taps and touches and carries on with Siri which responds to voice commands. With an iPhone companion app, users can actually make calls from their wrist, as well as use apps, make purchases, control music, keep exercise info and other kinds of handy and less handy things. Online Gambling Future The Apple Watch could bring smartwatches into the mobile online gambling world, seeing that it will open the market to many people who recognize the brand. The possibilities are mind-blowing for online casinos: Video slots could be played on the wrist, live dealers that detect players' wrist motions, deposits and withdrawals by one tap and many other possibilities that wake and shake the sci-fi sense.
For some time now, the Greek economy has endured major struggles. Since the emergence of a new government, elected ministers have been seeking out fresh strategies to reinvigorate the economy. Based on inside sources, the latest plan appears to be the regulation of online gambling in Greece. Meeting Scheduled for Eurogroup Ahead of implementing clear legislation, the Greek government is planning to meet with Eurogroup, which is an event that brings together financial ministers from throughout the Eurozone. Notably, only finance ministers from countries that use the euro attend the meeting. At present, the plan appears to be for the Greek government to establish a system where foreign operators apply via an international tender to obtain a remote gambling license. The basic duration of Greece online gambling licenses will be five years, with it possible to renew by paying a premium to the government. Vital Revenue for Struggling Economy The man credited with this new vision for the Greek economy is Yanis Varoufakis, who is the current finance minister. He firmly believes that online gambling will become a vital revenue stream for the struggling economy. Varoufakis has already written to Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem to outline his vision of a Greece online gambling industry. During these early stages ahead of granting licenses to foreign operators, Varoufakis believes that up to €500 million a year could be generated in tax revenue. Of course, time will tell as to how accurate Varoufakis’ forecasting will be. Greece would not be the first aspiring online gambling market to overestimate its earnings. The granting of licenses to foreign operators will help to liberalise what has long been a conservative online gambling market. And as an EU member, Greece is obliged to adhere to freedom of services. Varoufakis is a member of SYRIZA, the current party ruling in Greece, and viewed as left-wing.
This week’s U.S. Powerball lottery is $119,000,000! The Powerball is one of the most famous lotteries in the United States, and has spawned spin-off versions in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Buy Online Lottery Tickets To participate in this week’s Powerball, to be drawn on March 11, 2015 at 23:00 Eastern Time, you can purchase online lottery tickets at reputable sites such as The Lotter and Lottery Master. To play, you need to choose five numbers between 1-59, as well as a separate Powerball number, between 1-35. There are nine prize categories in total: the grand jackpot, and additional prize levels that range anywhere from $4 to $1 million. Tickets currently cost two bucks apiece, or 3 bucks if you want the Power Play option. Power Play is a special feature that lets winners increase the original prize amount. (When you buy online lottery tickets at The Lotter for the first time, you can get a 100% bonus money credit.) As of now, the Powerball can be played in 44 states in the U.S., as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball History The U.S. Powerball was founded in 1988 by the Multi-State Lottery Association. It was originally called “Lotto America,” and the name was only changed to Powerball in 1992. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the lotto dropped its Powerball guess-range from 39 to 35, making it easier to win. On February 11th, the Powerball lottery made history when three players split the grand jackpot of $564 million, making it the third largest payday since the lottery's inception and the fifth-largest lottery jackpot in the world. Some of the other big wins in Powerball history include $588 million in 2012 (the highest-ever Powerball won), $314 million in 2007, $365 million in 2006, $340 million won in 2002. As you can see, Powerball has been making millionaires for over a decade!
Good news for UK players: LeoVegas Casino has received a license from the UK Gambling Commission and is now able to offer its services to players from the country. Welcome Bonus Updated In light of the new changes, LeoVegas Casino has also updated its welcome bonus conditions for players hailing from the UK. New players are privy to receive up to £1,000 over the span of their first four deposits in the casino. The difference is in the first tier of the bonus: UK players will receive a 200% match bonus up to £50 upon making their first deposit. The second and third deposits will yield a 100% match bonus up to £400 and the fourth and last deposit will give a 50% match bonus up to £300. 200 NetEnt Free Spins The updated welcome bonus with its chain of deposit bonuses is joined by LeoVegas Casino's signature welcome free spins – 20 are received on sign-up and 180 more will be available during the players' first days in the casino. First 20 are for Starburst and the rest will also apply for Jack and the Beanstalk and Twin Spin. Mobile Gaming History LeoVegas Casino has been in the news lately when it became a part of mobile online gambling history, after a Nordic player at the casino landed a whooping jackpot worth £4.4 million in NetEnt's Mega Fortune progressive slot. The historic win was won by the player as he was playing from his tablet, making it the biggest online casino jackpot that was recorded as being won on a mobile device. Mobile Availability LeoVegas has a wide availability on mobile, with special apps out for Apple and Android devices, as well as a version running on mobile browsers. The gaming collection includes titles from the industry's best including Microgaming, NetEnt, Yggdrasil, Play'n GO and more.
The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) has been trying to broach the subject of bringing eGaming to the area. According to Premier Wade McLauchlan, the dealings under review focus on the conduct of selected elected officials and staff, some of whom are no longer serving in their elected positions. Undue Influence on Personal Financial Interests The review will examine the influence exerted by certain government officials on policy discussion related to the financial fortunes of companies they were financially invested in. The companies touched include Simplex, Capital Market Technologies and related companies, and the findings are supposed to pave the way for reform, ostensibly establishing a system that keeps government officials with personal interest in the outcome of legislation out of the voting and decision-making process for those specific initiatives. Penalties for undue participation could potentially be forthcoming to maintain and enforce those protections. Reform Possible? What reform means still is not completely clear; it is also unclear whether reform can take place without a full-scale house-cleaning as government officials, even as suspected government officials begin walking sideways away from the current tainted administration. Nature of Concerns One such case is P.E.I.'s conflict of interest commissioner Neil Robinson, who announced Sunday he was stepping down due to what he claimed was a “lack of confidence” in the legislature as a result of vehement complaints from Opposition Progressive Conservatives over his involvement in the online gambling file. This lack of confidence clearly looks more like an erosion of faith. Tory Party Leader Rob Lantz clarified the opposition position against robinson and other scrutinized government officials, asserting that Robinson should have removed himself from all discussions specifically relating to e-gaming after he invested in a company linked to the e-gaming controversy. MacLauchlan announced that retired justice John McQuaid would replace Robinson as acting conflict of interest commissioner, but this may just be the first of many voluntary or involuntary resignations from key government officials in the wake of the scandal, depending on the depth of the investigation and the extent of corruption ultimately revealed. Who Will Remain? The question is in P.E.I. now remains, if reform is suggested as a policy initiative within the government, will there be enough officials remaining to implement it?
The second leg of the Champions League round of 16 knockout phase continues today and many will be looking at Munich's Allianz Arena, where home team Bayern Munich host Shakhtar Donetsk (19:45 UK time). Bayern's "Final" Bayern is one of the high flyers of European football this season with its complete domination of the Bundesliga. Coach Pep Guardiola told reporters that reaching the last eight is a must for his team, hinting that his own professional future at the team's helm will be at risk if the team fails against the Ukrainians. In terms of statistics, Bayern Munich have the upper hand today against Shakhtar, having scored 21 goals in the last four Bundesliga games with some amazing numbers. It will be a shocker if Bayern doesn't advance tonight – they remain the big favorites. Look for Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze in goalscorer bets. Tough Struggle for Shakhtar Shakhtar Donetsk are coming in as underdogs despite the goalless draw at home at the first leg. They'll be facing a huge Allianz Arena filled with goal-hungry Bavarians who will stop at nothing to advance to the last eight. Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu recognized Bayern's superiority over his team, saying that Shakhtar faces the strongest football team in the world at the moment. With all that's said and done, it'll be a sensation to see the Ukrainians advancing, but experience teaches us that nothing is impossible in football. Shakhtar will have to be very aggressive with an all-or-nothing approach - Oleksandr Gladky, Alex Teixeira and Luiz Adriano could be good goalscorer bet candidates. Betting Odds Winner Sports is offering over 100 betting markets for tonight's game which will be covered live with in-play markets, along with all other Champions League fixtures going down. Full time result odds had Bayern at 2/11 and Shaktar at 16/1, with 6/1 for a draw. You can't afford to miss this game tonight – log-in Winner and spice it up with a wager!
NCAA basketball really hits its stride when spring arrives, and March Madness is the name given to the elimination portion of the season. For NCAA March Madness 2015, many Americans throughout the country are entering office pools by paying an entry fee. The entrant with the winning team will then claim the prize pool at the end of the tournament. Organisers at Greatest Risk in US For the vast majority of entrants, there is minimal concern given to entering these annual pools. However, the people who should perhaps be worried are the organisers. While in most cases the organisers of pools are of no concern to law enforcement authorities, those who retain a percentage of the prize pool are viewed as a bookmaker in the eyes of the law. Gaming research specialist David Schwartz, who works at the University of Nevada, made the crucial distinction. William R Eadington, also from the University of Nevada, explained that almost all cases of sports pool betting is actually illegal, “but nobody really cares”. Basically, the point is that organisers who take a cut of the money are positioning themselves as the prime targets for law enforcement. The FBI has previously attempted to curb online sports pools in the US by warning Facebook users engaging in the practice. Those doing so were warned that their activity was illegal in the US. Hosting online pools will put organisers at a greater risk than quietly hosting events within their office. Earning revenue from pools makes it a criminal matter for the FBI to handle. Online Sports Betting Safer: Where to Bet Legally The safer alternative to acting as a paid bookie is to seek an online sportsbook. International operators bet365 Sports, William Hill Sports, and Winner Sports all cover most major US sporting events, including March Madness. Visit any of those sports betting sites for competitive odds on NCAA basketball.
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