Global Poker (GP) has been able to do what most couldn’t – offer an online poker portal legally to poker players in the US. It does so through an innovative model that allows it to not be classified as gambling, while providing both real and play-money games. Since its inception, it has relied on payment services provider PayPal to manage deposits and withdrawals, but that has now changed. As of the end of last month, GP is working exclusively with an alternative provider, WorldPay.

It took a lot of convincing for GP to convince PayPal that its model would be acceptable in the US. Things have been running smoothly; however, many users of the platform have said that the single payment method proved to be a limitation. This resulted in GP making the determination to drop PayPal for WorldPay.

According to Laurence Escalante, CEO of GP, “One thing our customers have made clear to us is that they would like more choice when it comes to payment methods. Worldpay’s extensive network and vast expertise allow us to give our players this choice.”

WorldPay offers more options for making payments and withdrawals than does PayPal, which will allow existing users to not experience any issues during the transition. Where PayPal excelled was through its speed and efficiency, traits that WorldPay will have to match if it expects to be the long-term solution.

Lee Davy grabs a few moments of Daniel Negreanu’s precious time to ask a few questions on his upcoming Masterclass series including what he left out, how much of his most recent coaching went in, and much more.

If you want to become someone that doesn’t drink alcohol, I am your man. And the strange thing is, after all that puking, apologising and bashing of skulls onto unknown pavements, it’s never about the alcohol. When someone comes to me and asks how they can quit, I tell them to start writing about their lives in an online forum.

Don’t focus on the alcohol.

Seth Godin, in his brilliant podcast Akimbo, recently recorded something similar about juggling. People wishing to learn how to juggle begin by throwing and catching. Godin believes the secret is dropping the catching, and focusing on the throwing. Once you have mastered the throwing, then you can start learning how to catch.

Another round-up from the World Series of Poker, focusing on Jeremy Perrin’s incredible victory in the $365 buy-in GIANT No-Limit Hold’em, only his fifth score in over a decade.

Some people shed a dry tear over the World Series of Poker’s (WSOP) decision to lower the price point of a bracelet event to $365, but to most of us mere mortals, who clean drains, serve poison or wash dishes, that’s still one hell of an excuse you have to sell to your better half.

And, come on, let’s be honest, who’s lucky enough to get through the landmines without whipping $365’s out of their bank account quicker than an ornithologist whips out his binoculars to catch a glimpse of a Hawaiian Crow. 

Nah, this isn’t a $365 buy-in event.

Betting turnover on US horse races has shown consistent growth in 2018, even as racing interests mull the possibility of adding sports betting to their offering.

On Thursday, Equibase reported that total wagering handle at US thoroughbred tracks – including worldwide commingling – hit just under $3.24b in the three months ending June 30, a 5% improvement over the same period last year.

The gain is all the more impressive considering there were 2.45% fewer race days in the most recent quarter than in Q2 2017. Average wagering per race day in Q2 was up 7.6% to $2.63m. (See what a good Triple Crown run can do?)

The positive Q2 momentum helped push total race wagering handle during the first half of 2018 up 5.56% to $5.87b. Factor in the 2.9% fewer race days over that span and horsemen’s purses are up 3.8% to $515.6m in H1 2018.