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We've been reporting on the U.S. Powerball lottery jackpot over the last few weeks, as it's rolled over several times to what is now an estimated $149,000,000. Last week it had gone from $100 million to $120 million, so it's clear that more and more players are buying their tickets to this massive draw that takes place at 11pm / 4am UK time this Wednesday 9th September. With online lottery ticket services such as The Lotter and Play USA Lotteries now available, this and all the other biggest draws are opened up to a worldwide audience, with players able to pick their numbers and have local agents purchase tickets on their behalf. How The Powerball Works You can scoop the jackpot by matching five numbers from 59, plus picking the single correct Powerball number from a pool of 35. Secondary prizes include $1,000,000 for matching the five main numbers, while just three correct picks is enough to win a small consolation prize. The Powerball runs across 44 U.S. states, plus outlying territories like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and has a base jackpot of $40,000,000, which understandably attracts a huge number of players. Play costs $2, or $3 with the optional Power Play which increases the chance of a $1,000,000 win, with a reduced chance of hitting the main jackpot. Draws take place in Tallahassee Florida on Wednesday and Saturday at 11P.M. local time which translates as 4A.M. Thursday and Sunday in the U.K. or an hour later in mainland Europe, so this needs to be taken into account when timing the purchase of your tickets. Jackpot winners can choose to take a lump sum or be paid in 30 annual instalments, with each payment being slightly more than the last to counter inflation, and when you buy tickets via The Lotter, you will be able to have winnings transferred to a chosen bank account, or even collect major prizes in person.
New territory for 888 has been gained. All Systems Go The leading online gaming operator has let the world know that it has acquired licences in Denmark and Romania, and is gearing up launches in both countries. With the announcement doing, 888 is showing robust resilience while reaffirming its commitment to expansion. Some companies might have turned gun-shy while negotiating the unexpected and unforeseen terms of the bwin bid, but 888 seems to be moving forward unperturbed. Subsidiary Brands Already ensconced in an unorthodox bidding war with GVC to take over bwin, 888 is boldly moving forward with expansion in these two new markets through the launch of three of subsidiary brands: 888poker, 888casino and 888sport. With the new licenses, players in Romania can already begin real money play for the first time at the 888Poker, 888casino and 888sport sites which are now open for registration, with the official Denmark launch slated for Monday. This is golden opportunity for 888 to introduce themselves to the world, while the lively bidding war for bwin remains in iGaming industry headlines. Company Pride Itai Frieberger, Chief Operating Officer for 888, expressed his company's pride in leveraging their regulated technology to deliver marquee brands to the new markets, faithful to a strategy of becoming “a dominant operator in global gaming regulations.” It's not easy to dominate, but 888 appears to be going for it full force. Multi-Tiered Strategy This strategy clearly has several tiers: the bid to acquire bwin.party is entering advanced stages with no signs of quitting by the gaming provider, while 888 has clearly preserved its readiness and ability to launch as soon as licences are issued to them in any of the newly regulated markets where 888 has already submitted applications. In the Digital Age, agility is essential: these new entries certainly represent a way for 888 to demonstrate an ability to dominate. Player engagement inn the new markets is 888's next test.
A New Jersey think tank has presented an economic development plan to encourage New Jersey land-based casinos to seek expansion to iGaming. The Plan In an economic development plan presented to the Atlantic County Action Now steering committee and two other groups on Wednesday, Angelou Economics stressed the need for private industry to take the lead in implementing suggested changes. This has direct implications for online casinos such as Atlantic City's Resorts Casino Hotel, recently awarded an online gambling license by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. Online Experience So Far In this foray into online gaming, Resorts Casino AC is offering remote gambling under the name Resorts Digital at resortscasino.com. This is not the first foray, as an earlier partial entry saw the use of part owner Mohegan Sun's license at mohegansuncasino.com. Resort Casino President and CEO Mark Giannantonio emphasized the marketing appeal of Resorts Digital as the first casino company in the country to open a digital gaming lounge on its own property. The licensing agreement will see the New Jersey Casino Control Commission honor Resorts’ request to transfer all internet gaming assets to a newly formed entity, Resorts Digital Gaming LLC. The Online Plan This sets the groundwork for motivated land-based casinos in the US to shift to online operations. While not all land-based casino operators are currently motivated to legislate online gambling for fear it will eat into their profits, the economic viability of the adaptation remains inarguable: it is immensely cheaper to offer gambling online than in lavish and decadent land-based hotels and buildings. Currently, US players can play at online casinos like Rich Casino, Grand Fortune Casino and Raging Bull Casino. The move suggested is the transferring of land-based casinos into digital versions - something which has already been happening in Garden State casinos.
We are finally in the bottom half of the US Open Quarter Finals, and what a road it has been to get here. Amazing tennis on all courts has made this year's US Open one of the most delightful and exciting to watch. There has been a little bit of it all on both the men's and women's sides, with big names like Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal being upset and knocked out of contention. Wawrinka vs Anderson The two remaining men's Quarterfinal get underway tonight with the early match between Stan Wawrinka and Kevin Anderson. Wawrinka is expected to win this match and scurry into the Semi Finals if he can beat the surprising South African at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Wawrinka beat the American Young to advance to the Quarterfinal, while the big news was Kevin Anderson upsetting UK favorite Andy Murray in a tough battle over four sets 7-6, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6. Anderson is tired and it was easy to see that in the end of the match against Murray, but after a couple days of rest, he should be ready to take on the Swiss number five seed. There are a total of 13 betting props ahead of tonight's match at bet365 Sports. The odds are actually quite tight ahead of the first match with Wawrinka at 1.61 and Anderson at 2.30. The famed UK sportsbook is also offering Live Streaming of both matches tonight, as well as live in play tennis betting for punters seeking an interactive online gambling experience. Federer vs Gasquet Roger Federer looks to be playing the best tennis of his comeback. After not winning a US Open since 2008, Federer looks like he will breeze past all competition and find himself in the final next week. The Swiss tennis god looks as powerful as ever and is hitting the ball with precision and strength. Gasquet's first serve may be the only thing to stop Federer but he will need to be accurate and follow through with improved court play. Federer is the outright favorite at 1.10, while Gasquet is in need of a miracle at 7.00. This could be the match for punters to bet on the underdog, but it is unlikely that Federer will lose.
Roberta Vinci the world number 43 ranked women on the ATP has shocked the world by making the Semi Finals of the US Open. She has the finals in her sights, but those sights are way off because tonight she faces her hardest test yet against Serena Williams. Vinci defeated Mladenovic in the Quarter Final 3-6, 7-5, 4-6. The Italian looked impressive in that match but will need to overcome exhaustion in order to compete against the world number one, let alone beat her. "Serena is Serena," Vinci said Tuesday. "You have to play better, then better, then better." Serena Williams has been her dominant self throughout the tournament, Williams beat her older sister Venus Williams 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to move into the Semi's, but that was her toughest game yet, and she won with ease. Her first time in a Grand Slam semi final, Vinci has improved by leaps and bounds this season. The 32 year old is planning to try and get to the net to capitalize on the short game, as commentator Barbara Schett, former top 10 player related. It should be a terrific match tonight, even if the odds are stacked against Vinci. Bet365 Sports has Vinci at 9.00 to win, while Williams is miles ahead at 1.05. bet365 is offering pre-match props for punters to try and maximize profits, and the famed UK sportsbook also has a set of in-play odds for those seeking an interactive online gambling experience. There is still a prop left for outright US Open winner. Although the odds for Williams will not make a ton of profit at 1.20, punters going against the odds and make an underdog bet could be in the green after the final this weekend. There is still a ton of US Open action to come, including the Men's Semi's, Doubles on both sides and much more.
Online gambling is popular in all its forms, but when players are not allowed to wager real currency, they find refuge in equally exciting alternatives. In the United States, plenty of players have already embraced social casino games, which present them with a chance to enjoy the best of both worlds. On one hand, they satisfy the need for the adrenaline rush that both online and land-based casinos offer, on the other they provide the means of social interaction with their peers. Healthy and Fun Competition One of the reasons for why online gambling has been frowned upon is that many find an indissoluble link between excitement and peril. When it comes to social casino games which are normally played on virtual currency, the risks are removed from the equation. Participants enjoy healthy competition and get fully immersed in the gaming atmosphere without risking funds out-of-pocket. Americans have always been big fans of casino games in all their forms and were naturally inclined to choose those that were played among people rather than the random number generator. This is exactly what social gaming is all about and major operators like 888 Casino have included them in their offer. Unmatched Convenience for Gamblers Social casino games also have the advantage of not requiring players to leave their home, as they can be played online. The latest releases were also made fully compatible with mobile devices powered by most operating systems, so convenience is taken to the next level. Pretty much anyone owns a smart phone or tablet these days and social games don’t even require a powerhouse device to run smoothly. They demand minimal resources, therefore people who enjoy playing them don’t need to upgrade their gadgets, therefore the future of online gambling in general and social casino games in particular looks great.
Live Casinos have become essential for brands that want to be considered as leaders in the industry. Most brands feature Live Dealer Casinos, which have become one of the fastest growing methods of play for players seeking the most realistic online gambling experience. Most casinos feature around five or six live games, but luckily, there is now a new Live Casino, which has one of the largest selections of live casino games on the market. Guts Live Casino offers a chance for players to play at over twenty four live tables. The live dealers at Guts Casino have become the faces of the brand and they are professional, friendly and great to play across. Each dealer has been selected after comprehensive and customized training for online live gambling and they represent some of the best in the industry. Guts Casino The Guts casino platform features online gaming in a number of categories including online video slots table games and much more. Guts also includes the popular Guts Sportsbook with live in play betting markets. The current list of twenty four live casino games includes a huge variety of Roulette games. Classic Roulette, Immersive Roulette, VIP Roulette, Auto Roulette and Auto Roulette VIP. There are fourteen Blackjack tables including VIP Blackjack as well. Fans of Baccarat and Casino Hold'em also have solid live options to choose from. Upon registration for Guts Live casino offering, new players will be automatically rewarded with the Guts sign up offer, which will give free casino cash that will match ones first deposit. This will allow new players to try the live casino games and get familiar with them before declaring a favorite. With the popularity of online live casino gambling on the rise without projections of it fizzling out any time soon, the Guts live casino is where other brands that want to blaze a new path in the online industry will be soon.
The latest wave in startup support for iGaming is here. Startup Incubator With the launch of incubator mLabs by Irish betting exchange operator Matchbook, a precedent of programming support for startups is being set. The accelerator program for online gaming startups is targeting new companies for evaluation. Those subsequently selected for support by Matchbook will see their ideas and concepts developed through the mLab program all the way through to product launch and distribution. Matchbook research head and mLab leader David Mills describes his company's community-oriented approach, characterizing mLabs as “a community where like-minded people can share their ideas, help each other, improve, grow, collaborate and see their ideas evolve together.” We can see in mLabs the integration of the freeware concept into iGaming, with Matchbook embracing embracing the most idealistic principles of the internet as a place where any good ideas can and should have a chance to flourish. Collaborative Ideals While freeware and incubator support is not new to the internet, it is an idealistic twist on what is often an overly-stigmatized or distrusted industry. The internet clearly represents a way to prove the integrity and effectiveness of iGaming to the public, and mLabs can certainly encourage more start-up collaboration that meshes complementary support effectively among investors and great product strategies. Matchbook is actively seeking to handpick and mentor promising ideas in order to jump start new ventures and lead those entrepreneurs through the process of getting their iGaming businesses out of the gate. Mills emphasized the collaborative nature of the process in characterizing the mLabs approach as “two-way.” Leadership Management In implementing the program, Matchbook and mLabs are following their own credo of choosing businesses according to the quality of the skills, vision and belief of the management team. Matchbook and mLabs are relying on social media to match the candidate pool to the larger iGaming tech world in which the startups are looking to make a splash. Utilizing social networks to build collaboration is the key to the current program, and the ability of more incubators to provide similar support.
In what amounts to an assertion of its own autonomy and sincerity, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) will advise its own government against undesirable aspects of current iGaming policy. Fee Reductions The UKGC will recommend to the UK government a reduction in licensing fees and operational costs. The UK government originally opened the floor to suggestions in promising to consider adaptive changes to regulation once remote gambling had been fully implemented. New Data The first full year of data for the regulated gambling market will be before the end of the year: the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 is expected to provide valuable baseline data on the extent to which the new tax regime that kicked in in late 2014 has helped popular online casinos in the UK such as Trada, Guts, and Mr. Green. Transparency The UKGC is committed to increasing transparency in the process for determining the fees needed for recovery of government expenses. The implication is that the UK government and all iGaming regulating governments would do better to focus on increasing revenues via taxable provider income as opposed to up-front licensing fees. The more equitable the entry fees, the more private operators will join, and the more taxable revenue will be available. With online regulation just coming to reality the last thing any government wants to do is scare off competitors by being perceived as trying to make money on licensing fees. By the same token, the public and private operators need to be aware that there is no small amount of costs required for any government to set up a regulatory structure--costs which need to be recovered promptly. Collaborative Effort Indeed, iGaming regulation is an investment for governments as well as private operators. The more the two can work together to bring an attractive product to the public at an affordable price, the more both stand to gain financially, and the lower the financial risk for each. The UKGC will be holding a workshop with prominent trade associations on September 24.
The set is staged for one of the most anticipated Grand Slam tournament finals of 2015, with both Djokovic and Federer in superb form. The Swiss player has already defeated the world number once in Cincinnati and seems unstoppable on US soil. Meanwhile, both of them take on dangerous opponents in the US Open semi finals and are slightly overpriced by bookmakers. Djokovic Goes for the 14th Straight Win Cilic hasn’t defeated Djokovic so far despite the fact that the two players met on 13 occasions and the Croat rarely won a set. He is however the reigning champion and one year ago when the pair squared off at Wimbledon, the match turned into a thriller and the Serbian player barely won in five sets. Bet365 sports offers tiny odds of 1/10 on Djokovic to prevail, while those who correctly anticipate a victory for the Croat would increase their investment seven times. 8/13 on the favorite to prevail in straight sets is not mouthwatering value, but decent odds given Djokovic’s form. A Swiss Duel at the U.S. Open The best tennis players in Swiss history will be facing each other once again in the second to last stage of a grand slam tournament. Federer has a crushing head to head record with 16 victories in 19 games, but it was Wawrinka who prevailed in their most recent match. Stan won in straight sets at Roland Garros, en route to winning the French Open and causing one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. This time he is the underdog and given odds of 5/2 to prevail, while Bet365 sports is only willing to offer 3/10 on Federer’s triumph. Risk-averse players can bet on his outright victory, but better value comes from betting on Roger to win in straight sets, and the odds revolve around 5/4. Don't miss these great tennis games today.
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