Cates�� hot posts

One of the biggest stars in poker and one of the sharpest minds that the game has ever known, Daniel Cates has dominated in both the live and online arena during his 17-year career. A fearless mixed game player specializing in short-handed formats, he usually pedals his wares in the biggest cash games. In 2021 and 2022, though, he went back-to-back in the $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship at the World Series of Poker.

failure to pay up on a $100,000 bet

In the past week, Cates has been in the news after he took to social media to out David Oppenheim for what he alleges is failure to pay up on a $100,000 bet about which of them is hotter to women and gay men. Cates only published partial screenshots, making it hard to discern whether the bet was booked. He also alluded to ��arbitration,�� which was either inconclusive or unstageable.

Regardless, the post of Cates�� which piqued my interest this week had nothing to do with his perceived hotness but was actually him announcing on Instagram that he would be attending the Unibet Deepstack Open in Morocco.

Lappin sidelined

Starting this Friday in the El Saadi Casino in Marrakesh is one of the most anticipated poker events on the African continent. Ten action-packed days of tournaments ranging in buy-in from 1950 Moroccan Dirham ($195) to 20,000 Moroccan Dirham ($2000) are promised as is a very special Pot-Limit Omaha cash game in which Cates is booked to play.

When I heard about this game, I immediately wanted in on the action. You see, I recently came second in back-to-back Pot Limit Omaha tournaments at the Festival Series Malta. I picked up the phone and spoke with the organizers who initially seemed keen that I get in the mix, but rumor has it that Cates was so intimidated, both by my recent breakout results and by my handsomeness, that he vetoed me.

I would both straddle and intentionally dress poorly

Suffice to say, I was devastated. The $20/$40 game looks juicy, and I am attending the festival anyway, so I implored the Deepstack Open��s head honcho Alex Henry to make the case for me again. I assured him that I would both straddle and intentionally dress poorly so as not to upstage the 34-year-old guest of honor/heartthrob.

Surprises galore

As a compromise, it was agreed that I would commentate but not play. As a brand ambassador for Unibet, it is a greater priority that Cates feel comfortable and I am very much looking forward to critiquing Jungleman��s play. Henry told VegasSlotsOnline News that ��it is an honor to have an Omaha player of David��s caliber in the booth.��

Henry added: ��It is really exciting for us to be back in Marrakech and the El Saadi Casino, one of our best venues on the tour! The UDSO Omaha Cash Game Challenge will not be the only surprise – we are also hosting the first ��Vlad Casino live tournament�� as well as blackjack and roulette tournaments.��

The livestream will be a central part of this year��s UDSO Marrakesh. The $20/$40 PLO Cash Game will be showcased on Monday night as will most of the final tables, all viewable for free at www.deepstackopen.com.

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Canadian streamer Xposed is no stranger to celebrity collaborations on stream, and he has just done it again. This time, Xposed teamed up with legendary rapper Snoop Dogg for a night at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

Roobet, the crypto casino to which both stars are partnered, shared a highlight reel of the meeting, which was streamed live on Kick:

The pair played blackjack at the casino, located on Charleston Boulevard in Las Vegas, for more than three hours. They staked thousands of dollars on each hand, sometimes as much as $10,000 each, while a group of spectators watched on from behind.

Like his fellow gambling streamers Trainwreckstv and Roshtein, Xposed has teamed up with Canadian rapper Drake previously. However, this is the first time Snoop Dogg has appeared on any of their gambling streams.

In his long career, Snoop Dogg has released 19 studio albums, five collaborative albums, and 175 singles. His best-selling album was Doggystyle, released in 1993 on Death Row Records. It ultimately sold four million copies.

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Jay-Z for Everton?

For several seasons, some have considered Everton to be the basket case of the English Premier League (EPL). Once a giant of the English game, the Merseyside club has spent much of the last decade lurching from crisis to crisis, with off-field issues often spilling out and leading to on-pitch problems.

But could all that be about to change and via an unlikely source? Could a surprising knight in shining armor be about to ride to their rescue?

Who knows �C nothing is ever a given where Everton is concerned �C but yesterday it was reported that a new consortium is interested in buying the club, including US rapper and billionaire Jay-Z.

investment of around $350m in Fanatics

The 54-year-old is now far more than a rapper and has used his multi-millions to make a string of investments. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur recently announced an investment of?around $325m in Fanatics – the sporting goods company and sportsbook operator that has grown massively in recent years in the US and is looking to extend beyond its shores.

Moshiri woes

Jay-Z won��t be going it alone, of course, as the consortium said to be interested in buying out Everton��s controversial owner Farhad Moshiri is being led by John Textor. As reported in The Sun, the US rap star is one of several partners that Textor has spoken to as he looks to put together an offer to buy the Merseyside club.

Moshiri originally bought the club back in 2016 and initially found favor with the Everton fans after pumping millions into the club.

The money was used to pay off debts and bring in big names both on and off the pitch, arguably the biggest of the lot being Carlo Ancelotti �C currently the head coach of Real Madrid �C under whom they finished 10th and 12th in the EPL. Among the big-name players brought in during that period was Colombian superstar James Rodriguez.    

three consecutive relegation battles

By Everton standards, those were heady days and since Ancelotti��s departure in June 2021, they have been involved in three consecutive relegation battles under three different managers.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was chosen to replace Ancelotti but it was no match made in heaven and the Spaniard lasted only six months in the dugout before being replaced by Frank Lampard. Again, it didn��t work out as the Everton board had hoped and Lampard lasted just a year before being sacked.

Dyche in trouble

The current incumbent of the Toffees�� technical area is Sean Dyche, once of Burnley, but four straight defeats at the start of the new season have plunged his reign into doubt. What has made this season-opening doubly difficult to stomach for Everton fans is that their last two games have been lost 3-2 from 2-0 winning positions.

loggerheads with the club��s owners and board

But this has been a crisis in the making for a long time and the Ancelotti years were outliers in a spell that has often seen Everton fans at loggerheads with the club��s owners and board. Even in times of relative calm, the unrest was only ever a game or two away from spilling over and there was a time when the club��s owner and board members were advised by police to stay away from Goodison Park for their safety.

Unsurprisingly, Moshiri has been trying to sell the club for a while but has found it to be a difficult, painstaking, and fraught process. Multiple talks with multiple prospective buyers have taken place before breaking down, and advanced talks with The Friedkin Group and, earlier this year, 777 Partners both failed at the final hurdle.

New 52,000-seater stadium

Part of the problem for Moshiri and any prospective new owner is that the club is in the process of building a new, stunning, state-of-the-art stadium in the Bramley-Moore Dock area of North Liverpool.

At an estimated cost of ��760m ($1bn), the financing of the stadium, which is due to be completed later this year, will have a significant impact on any deal. ?

new-look ownership group

So far, all prospective deals have been deemed unworkable, but maybe Moshiri can finally agree on one with Textor, Jay-Z and company that will satisfy all parties and see Everton take ownership of their new 52,000-seater stadium with a new-look ownership group and board in situ.

If successful, Jay-Z will be the latest in an increasingly long line of US sportsmen and celebrities who have taken ownership or part-ownership of an English football club.

From Hollywood to England

League One Wrexham is famously owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds?and?Rob?McElhenney. The club played last night against Birmingham City who, among their ownership group, include retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

Even US basketball superstar LeBron James is in on the act with his link-up with Fenway Sports Group entitling him to a minority stake in Liverpool.

Only time will tell if the Textor/Jay-Z/Everton deal ever becomes a reality but such has been the level of angst among the blue half of Merseyside over the last decade, even a glimmer of hope for a brighter future has to be embraced.

For Jay-Z, the joke writes itself. He once famously wrote a track entitled 99 Problems. If the Everton deal goes through, better make that 100.

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Former Arsenal star and reformed gambling addict Paul Merson has revealed how EPL managerial legend Harry Redknapp once helped him out of a gambling-related jam.

wad of notes to pay someone off��

On Monday, The Mirror cited Merson��s gambling testimony after the ex-Gunner made his Strictly Come Dancing debut over the weekend. Merson was recalling an event in 2003 when he was a Portsmouth player under Redknapp and had in his possession a ��wad of notes to pay someone off.��

The notes were ��30,000 ($39,600) in cash the ex-England midfielder had brought with him on a road game to the mean south London streets of Bermondsey against Millwall FC. Because the doors to the Portsmouth locker room at The Den wouldn��t lock, it fell to manager Redknapp to look after his player��s valuables.

As cited by The Guardian, the ex-West Ham Manager was expected to look after a valuable watch, but Merson instead handed him a stack of cash he was going to use to repay a gambling debt.

Redknapp is said to have been non-plussed after he was handed the cash, stuffing it down his ��big, baggy tracksuit bottoms.�� Knowing his money was safe, Merson scored and ��got a standing ovation from Millwall fans�� for a performance he termed his best ever, helping Portsmouth to a 5-0 win.

The new face on the Strictly roster is outspoken about his gambling addiction. He has estimated that a 30-year struggle with the addiction, along with alcohol and cocaine abuse, cost him millions, his sanity, and two marriages.

Merson, 56, placed his first bet aged 16.

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Murder suspect link

Malta��s Court of Criminal Appeal has upheld the conviction and sentencing of the ex-CEO of the Malta Gaming Association (MGA) connected to Yorgen Fenech, the man awaiting trial for the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

head��s-up on an anti-money laundering review

On Tuesday, Justice Neville Camilleri ruled in favor of the May sentencing of former MGA boss Heathcliffe Farrugia for giving Fenech the head��s-up on an anti-money laundering review the MGA was going to subject a rival casino to in 2019.

Earlier this year, Magistrate Ian Farrugia had found the ex-MGA CEO guilty of illegally disclosing information obtained by virtue of his role and sharing professional secrets, for which the magistrate sentenced Farrugia to ��a three-year conditional discharge.��

Implicated by chats

The former head of Malta��s gaming authority resigned his post in October 2020 after he was charged over his communications with Fenech, the former head of the Tumas Group, which operates Portomaso Casino on the Saint Julian��s coast.

Investigators rumbled Farrugia after he was implicated via an analysis of the murder suspect��s mobile phone.

The criminal chats were found after Fenech��s phone was seized by police investigators in December 2019 during his arrest in connection with Caruana Galizia��s murder.

In possession of Fenech��s mobile, investigators perused 24 pages of texts between him and the MGA CEO. The chats revealed Fenech had told Farrugia of his disappointment with the result of an AML compliance review into his Tumas Gaming Group, which also operates Oracle Casino, in addition to Portomaso.

Favors and tip offs

Fenech��s beef with Farrugia was that the MGA review gave Tumas a bad reputation. In an effort to assuage the ex-casino and property kingpin, the MGA exec promised, according to Malta Today, to delay the release of the compliance report.

AML inspection was going to hit Casino Malta

Farrugia also tipped Fenech off that an MGA AML inspection was going to hit Casino Malta, which is owned by Eden Leisure Group, a rival to the murder suspect��s corporate group.  

On Tuesday, however, Judge Camilleri tossed the appeal, ruling that the court of first instance��s conclusions in May were justified.

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Southgate��s successor…

When Gareth Southgate called time on his tenure as England soccer manager, it triggered a scrum of epic proportions. There always is when the England manager��s job is vacant.

Eventually, from that scrum will emerge a new, permanent England manager. But between now and when the white smoke finally appears emerges from the towers of St George��s Park – home of the English FA – there will be rumor, speculation, and conjecture on an industrial scale.

Howe was listed as the +300 favorite

The two early frontrunners for the job were Newcastle United��s Eddie Howe and former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, both of whom had already been talked up in the English media as potential successors to Southgate. Initially, Howe was listed as the +300 favorite, with Potter only slightly longer at +400.

Other big names in the frame were ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (+600) and Pep Guardiola (+600), although both have since distanced themselves from the job. Mauricio Pochettino was another to be linked but has since taken charge of the USA national team. Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel (+600) is another who has been linked.

Carsley the favorite for England��s top job

Also included in that initial list was Lee Carsley �C England��s current Under-21s manager �C who has since been handed the top job on an interim basis while the FA undertakes its recruitment process. Carsley was initially listed at +300 but his odds immediately dropped to +150 when it was announced he would be in charge for the September internationals.

It was a temporary move that made perfect sense. Carsley would be managing players who he had already coached while in the Under-21s. Also, he has more knowledge than any of those Under-21 players who were deserving of their first call-up to the senior squad.

This became clearer still when Carsley named the squad to play the Republic of Ireland and Finland and it included Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Noni Madueke. All four had played for him in the England Under-21 team that won the 2023 Under-21 European Championship.

It��s a route the English FA has been down quite recently. Southgate was also the England Under-21 manager before being given the job temporarily after the resignation of Sam Allardyce.

able to play a smart hand when the opportunity presented itself

Southgate��s interim tenure produced two wins from his four games in charge �C over Malta and Scotland �C and was enough to convince the English FA that he was the man for the job. Like Carsley, he was not the initial favorite for the top job but was able to play a smart hand when the opportunity presented itself.

Carsley, too, has made a good start �C at least on the pitch. Saturday��s 2-0 win in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland was the first time England had won the Irish capital since 1995 and was achieved amid difficult circumstances.

To sing or not to sing…

Despite being born in England, Carsley played 40 times for the Republic of Ireland and on Saturday made the mistake of heading toward the Ireland bench when he first emerged from the tunnel at the Aviva Stadium. But that was nothing compared to what the Dublin crowd had in store for Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, both of whom represented the Irish in younger age groups.    

Rice was keen not to over-celebrate his goal

Ironically, despite being booed and jeered throughout, Rice and Grealish were England��s two goal scorers. Rice was keen not to over-celebrate his goal as a mark of respect but there was no such problem for Grealish, who was only too happy to celebrate his in front of the England fans.

It was an impressive performance by the team and by Carsley but for some, it wasn��t anything like enough to suggest he was capable of being handed the job permanently. His decision not to sing the National Anthem ruffled lots of English feathers with some suggesting that fact alone should be sufficient for him to be struck off the shortlist.

For context, neither the late Sven Goran Eriksson nor Fabio Capello sang the anthem, but times have changed in England. Over the last decade, the so-called patriotism of some has peaked to such a level that the non-singing of said anthem should be a red flag for the recruitment panel.

England going for consecutive wins

It was a view supported by some high-profile figures in the English media. In the day leading up to the game, when Carsley��s stance was announced, the odds of him being made the permanent boss increased by a few percentage points.     

But England��s win, and its impressive nature, was quick to negate the swing in odds and, based on what happened on the pitch and not off it, Carsley is now the hot favorite for the job. Some bookmakers are now listing him as short as -200.

If England wins at Wembley tonight in the second of its Nations League qualifiers, we can expect the odds to plummet further, especially if the performance is one of both quality and goals.

cautiousness and unwillingness to take risks

While Southgate was, by some distance, England��s most successful manager since Sir Alf Ramsey �C who led it to victory in the 1966 World Cup �C some were still reticent based on his perceived cautiousness and unwillingness to take risks. If Carsley can successfully give the squad��s quality players the freedom to express themselves, then it��s hard to see the English FA looking too much further. ?????

But who is Lee Carsley, the coach?

Well, his playing days ended at Coventry City in 2011 and, having already completed most of his coaching badges, was handed the role of the club��s Under-18s coach. He led them to an impressive runners-up spot in the Premier Academy League and also had a brief spell as first-team manager before departing for Sheffield United.

At Bramall Lane, he joined the first-team coaching setup, but it was a brief tenure, and, in October 2014, he joined Brentford as their Development Squad Manager. During this time, he had another brief spell as caretaker manager of the first team but also had his first involvement with England �C coaching some of the younger age groups on a part-time basis.

He left West London for Manchester in August 2016, where he spent a year coaching in Man City’s elite academy, but over the summer of 2017, he headed to Birmingham to become Head Professional Development Coach.

A tracksuit coach

In September 2020 he joined the FA coaching setup on a full-time basis for the first time, starting as the Under-20 Head Coach before progressing to the Under-21s, where he stayed until he got the call to be interim manager for the senior squad.

a style that is popular with the players

Carsley��s style of coaching is very hands-on, and he was seen at the Aviva Stadium putting the cones out before the England players�� pre-match warm-up. His is a style that is popular with the players and, if appointed, would be the country��s first?��tracksuit�� manager since Kevin Keegan in the late 1990s.

Whether Carsley will be the man to whom the English FA eventually turns is still officially an unknown, but victory against Finland will only serve to further shorten those already slim odds.  

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From its headquarters in Gibraltar and offices around the globe, ARRISE powers Pragmatic Play��s iconic games. The company is responsible for such titles as Gates of Olympus, The Dog House, Release the Kraken, and Big Bass Bonanza.

One of the latest titles to come out of the partnership is Sweet Bonanza 1000, a successor to the incredibly popuar Sweet Bonanza slot. We loved the slot so much that it made it into our Slots of the Week at the time of its release earlier this year.

VegasSlotsOnline News recently caught up with ARRISE Affiliate Manager Anastasios Ioannidis to find out a little more about the game.

Sweet Bonanza is one of Pragmatic Play��s most iconic and popular games. What was the thinking behind creating the 1000 version?

The 1000 series is quite an exclusive club at the moment, as it includes a handful of Pragmatic Play��s leading slots, including Gates of Olympus 1000 and Sugar Rush 1000. The series takes already brilliant games and enhances their win potential with bigger max multipliers.

it also comes with several cosmetic tweaks, which fans of the original will no doubt notice and enjoy

Sweet Bonanza is one of Pragmatic Play��s most popular slots ever, which made it a perfect choice for a 1000 version makeover. While increasing how much players could win in the game, it also comes with several cosmetic tweaks, which fans of the original will no doubt notice and enjoy.

What has the player response been like since Sweet Bonanza 1000 launched in June 2024?

Sweet Bonanza 1000 has quickly become one of the most popular releases of the year �C an instant hit with both existing fans and new players. The tumbling reels and pays-anywhere features keep the action engaging across the board, which is one of the reasons why players love Sweet Bonanza so much.

But it��s the increased win potential that sets the new game apart. The max win has been upped to 25,000x, and of course there��s the headline feature: 1,000x multiplier symbols in the bonus game. That��s ten times greater than in the original, so it��s easy to see why the player response has been so strong.

Can we expect more Pragmatic Play games to receive the 1000 treatment?

Absolutely, yes! In fact, Pragmatic Play has given another fan favorite the 1000 series makeover with Wisdom of Athena 1000. The original was one of 2023��s top releases, being a part of Pragmatic Play��s popular Greek Gods series, and the 1000 version ramps things up with 1,000x multipliers and a 10,000x max win �C double what was on offer in the first game. You can expect this supercharged sequel to land at the end of September.

What else can we expect from Pragmatic Play in the coming months?

Pragmatic Play has plenty in store to follow a standout summer, which saw brand-new releases such as Bow of Artemis and Sumo Supreme Megaways capture players�� attention.

the classic Mustang Gold is getting a Megaways release that includes an original reel layout

Another returning franchise is Big Bass Vegas Double Down Deluxe, and the classic Mustang Gold is getting a Megaways release that includes an original reel layout and collect and gamble features which can reward handsomely in the bonus game. Then everyone��s favourite canines return in The Dog House �C Muttley Crew, and looking a little further ahead, players can expect some seasonal slots to celebrate Halloween and Christmas.

Pragmatic Play��s collection of crash games is also expanding with High Flyer, which will take off in September and has the potential to hit some stratospheric multipliers. Meanwhile, Pragmatic Play��s Live Casino offering continues to grow, with the unique Bet Behind Pro Blackjack heading a number of exciting product launches and updates.

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Grainne Hurst takes over as BGC CEO

After serving at Entain, where she was Group Corporate Affairs Director, Grainne Hurst has taken position as the new Betting and Gaming Council CEO. In her first comments as BGC CEO, Hurst affirmed the organization��s commitment to implementing white paper proposals dedicated to ��stability, growth, and diversity�� across the UK gambling sector.

Hurst took the position amidst a restructuring of the BGC senior leadership in which former CEO Michael Dugher was appointed Chair. Hurst took over as CEO once Brigid Simmonds stepped down in April 2024.

this is a crucial time for the BGC��s diverse and growing membership��

Hurst said: ��I��m absolutely delighted to get started as CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, the industry champion for so many iconic brands at home in the UK and around the world. This is a crucial time for the BGC��s diverse and growing membership, which supports 110,000 jobs and caters to millions of customers who enjoy a bet each month in the UK. There is a huge amount of work ahead of us, not least delivering and implementing the outstanding proposals outlined in last year��s White Paper, many of which our members called for.��

Hurst leads proposals to improve BGC

Proposals from the White Paper include:

• a statutory levy to address problem gambling and related harms
• an Ombudsman for improved consumer redress
• online financial risk checks carefully targeted on those at risk
• new stake limits for online slots
• a Sports Sponsorship Code
• mission-critical modernization proposals for the land-based casino sector

Hurst stated that BGC��s work needs to achieve ��regulatory certainty,�� while also affirming the organization��s commitment to underpinning their work through ��strong data��guided throughout by the voice of the everyday consumer.��

Hurst expressed gratitude for all her predecessor Dugher had done while he was CEO, saying the organization owed a debt to him for ��getting the BGC to where it is today.�� She will continue to collaborate with Dugher in his new role as BGC Chair.

In addition, she looks forward to ��championing�� BGC��s members, who she says ��are rightly proud of their vital role in the UK entertainment industry.�� According to Hurst, BGC members play a significant role in ��supporting the local and national economies through tax and high-value jobs.��

With their function for their customers, communities, and country in mind, Hurst embraces championing ��everything our members do.��

Hurst brings substantial experience with her

Adding a comment on Hurst now serving as CEO, Dugher added that he is looking forward to working with her in her new role as CEO. Dugher said: ��[Hurst] brings years of experience and knowledge in the regulated industry, together with a bold vision and strategy to refresh and reset the organization going forward.��

she stands in position to lead BGC to new levels of success

With Hurst��s substantial experience in the betting and gaming sector, she stands in position to lead BGC to new levels of success. At Entain, she guided a successful campaign to rebrand the company from GVC. Under her co-leadership as an Entain Foundation board member, Entain rolled out a a global safer gambling strategy called ��Changing for the Bettor.��

Hurst��s accomplishments go deeper still. She remains as a board member for the international arm of Global Gaming Member, an organization she helped establish and expand throughout the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. In addition, she served as a special advisor to the UK government.

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U2 was the first band to have a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere and now an immersive film of the shows is available for people to view at the venue.

significant number of tickets are still available to buy for upcoming shows

The first airing of ��V-U2�� was on Thursday and while the premiere sold the majority of the seats at the 18,600-seat arena, a significant number of tickets are still available to buy for upcoming shows. Prices for the 82-minute movie co-directed by The Edge and his wife Morleigh Steinberg start at $79 for a single ticket.

Talking about the idea behind the movie, the guitarist said that the plan was ��to give the immersive moviegoers as close to the live U2 concert experience as possible.��

The movie will play at the Sphere until the end of October and will not interfere with the Eagles starting their 20-show residency on September 20.

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Athletes will try any new strategy to halt a losing streak and it seems rappers are no exception, although Drake��s flaunting of his losses ahead of placing a massive bet on Taylor Fritz to win the US Open didn��t deliver the outcome the wanted.

Drake made light of his betting history busts

Posting his $210,000 Stake bet on Fritz to beat Jannik Sinner on Instagram, Drake made light of his betting history busts with an accompanying message calling himself the ��most daring sports bettor in history with the most losses.��

This was followed by laughing with tears emojis, with Drake signing off by stating he was ��going underdog.��

Unfortunately for the five-time Grammy Award winner, while the gritty Fritz did show his underdog teeth, odds-on favorite Sinner won the US Open men��s title in straight sets 6-3 6-4 7-5.

Tennis site The Tennis Letter took to X shortly after Sinner��s win to post an image of Drake��s lost bet he posted on Instagram, bringing up ��the Drake curse�� label it seems the artist will be stuck with for some time:

Attempting to own his history of big losses by flagging up his daring was an interesting strategy and one that may come off the back of an untrue rumor circulating last month. After losing $450,000 on a UFC fight, an X user posted the made-up stat Drake had lost 92% of his bets.

Once again, however, Drake will have to rue what would have been a major $808,500 payout had Fritz won.

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Sean McMorris levels accusation at Low

Despite having no evidence, Sean McMorris, a program manager for California Common Cause, has accused Assemblymember Evan Low of voting in favor of Senate Bill 549 as a kind of ��political payback�� for receiving favorable donations and ads from the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. Low represents a Silicon Valley district which stands to lose tens of millions of dollars in tax revenues if Bill 549 is signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.

would empower tribal governments to sue private card rooms for offering allegedly illegal card games

The Viejas Indians are one of the bill��s biggest supporters because of how it would empower tribal governments to sue private card rooms for offering allegedly illegal card games such as blackjack and pai gow poker. McMorris asserts that despite there likely being no direct coordination, the Viejas Indians would not have purchased $60,000 in radio ads supporting Low��s campaign for a congressional race ��if Low didn��t vote for their interests.��

Tauri Bigknife, the tribe��s attorney general, disputed that assertion, saying: ��It��s not payback. It��s not buying a vote. It��s none of those things. There��s no there, there, okay? It��s supporting someone that we��ve had a longstanding relationship with.��

Ads call Low a ��trailblazer��

According to a filing with the Federal Election Commission, the Viejas tribe bought the digital radio ads on Aug. 8. The radio ads name Low as ��a trailblazer�� and ��a fearless advocate�� who has been ��standing strong against discrimination and hate.�� The ad��which notes it was paid for by the Viejas tribe��says: ��Evan has been a powerful voice fighting to make the streets and neighborhoods of San Jose safe for you and your family.��

suspicion comes from their districts containing card rooms that will lose valuable tax revenue

The latest ad buy came less than a month after Low joined 14 other congressional members voting in favor of the bill. Suspicion comes from their districts containing card rooms that will lose valuable tax revenue if the bill is approved. Now thanks to Low voting for the measure a second time, Bill 549 passed both the Senate and the Assembly last week. All it needs is a signature��or veto��from Governor Gavin Newsom.

Low��s vote gained him the ire of his district��s cardrooms, who paid for negative advertising on a billboard near the San Jose airport. The billboard slams Low for siding with the Viejas tribes instead of his district and community.

Some, such as Bigknife, claim the billboard is misleading. The Viejas attorney general said: ��They attacked him with false representations that were absolutely untrue in an effort, obviously, to demean his character and demean whether he cares about his community and to��undercut what he��s trying to do in running for Congress.��

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Hoisted by your own petard

At the beginning of ��Trapped,�� the new graphic novel featuring a fictional version of poker commentator and stand-up comedian?Joe Stapleton, we are told that the best feeling in poker is when you have a hand so big that you should slow play it. To do otherwise would be a waste, but the inherent risk of playing trappy is that you could become the one who is ensnared, hoisted by your own petard.

I could be reaching here (and I should point out that I have only read the teaser version), but I feel like Stapes is telling us something about the man behind the bombastic commentator. I feel like he��s setting the scene with this anecdote for a reason. This story is going to be a ��Rounders Meets Deadpool�� caper which I believe is going to have some interactive elements, but the mise-en-scene at this comic��s outset suggests to me that we are going to be delving into the psyche of the hero in more ways than one.

When you get to know Joe, and I only know him a tiny bit, you realize quickly that he possesses that mix of qualities often associated with actors, writers, and other creative types. He��s cocky and hubristic but he��s also riddled with vulnerability and self-doubt. Over his career, he has risked himself, but he also demurred some riskier possibilities.

The poker commentator

Whilst doing sone commentary together at the Irish Open, Joe told me about how one of his comedy role models Michael Ian Black once came to his stand-up and afterwards, hit him with some pointed notes. ��Why don��t you talk about how you��re a poker commentator?��

It seems like an obvious thing, but Joe had avoided that subject in his routine, perhaps wanting to draw a clear separation between the two. ��It��s the thing you do that is unique, that makes you different from other comedians,�� or words to that effect, said Black.

Most of these guys are working these gigs trying to get noticed so they can get what I have.��

When I interviewed Stapleton six months ago, he talked about how working the stand-up circuit is strange for him. ��Most of these guys are working these gigs trying to get noticed so they can get what I have.��

Like most creative industries, comedy is very top heavy with a lot of performers clambering for the spotlight in the hopes of getting a panel show, an acting role, or maybe their own special. Another out is becoming the presenter of something.

When Stapleton found poker, he found the perfect vehicle for his schtick. He knew the game and, influenced by Gabe Kaplan and Norman Chad before him, he had a strong hunch that it could be commentated on with a comedic sensibility. It wasn��t plain sailing at first but as the gigs gradually rolled in, his star rose. With PokerStars, he found a reliable job and in James Hartigan, he found the perfect foil.

No safety net

It was a spot so good and so enviable that in many ways Stapleton probably felt like he had the world trapped. His work as a comedy writer had helped develop his skills and no doubt paid some bills, but now he had a financial and creative safety net: a well-paid job for a company that appreciated him and an audience that was hungry for his content.

These days, Stapleton traverses America with a stand-up comedy show but there was a time, not that long ago, when just getting up in front of a crowd seemed daunting to him. He has spoken openly about his reluctance to move into stand-up and you can understand why. It takes a lot of guts to risk yourself in that way and more still if you already have status in something else.

Desperation is a great motivator and comfort numbs.

Safety nets are great, but they can stifle a person creatively. Desperation is a great motivator and comfort numbs. With ��Trapped,�� I suspect that Stapleton is going to explore these subjects, flexing another creative muscle, with plenty of self-deprecating humor along the way. He is throwing out some rope and hoping to ensnare us in the drama. I, for one, am looking forward to reading more.

You can support ��Trapped�� on Kickstarter. The project will be funded if it reaches its goal by October 2nd 2024.

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