Just days before America’s biggest betting day, New York authorities have dropped indictments on five defendants – including two former police officers – for operating an illegal online sportsbook that handled over $4m in wagers.

On Wednesday, the five defendants were arraigned in state Supreme Court on Staten Island, where each of them entered not guilty pleas to charges of conspiracy and promoting gambling before being released on their own recognizance. A conference date has been set for March 21.

Quoting from the Richmond County District Attorney’s indictment, SIlive.com reported that the two ex-cops – 68-year-old Ciro Barone and 78-year-old Francisco Muro – were key members of a classic credit betting ring that operated from December 2014 to January 2016.

Also indicted were Barone’s son Paul, Robert Rossi and Robert Glazewski. The latter two were described as “master agents” who managed betting activity from a wire room and set up online accounts for gamblers with password-protected websites.

Lee Davy asks ten poker players, ten questions on the efficacy of grudge matches, including opinion on Dwan vs. Cates, Hall vs. Dentale, and Kassouf vs. Matuson.

You don’t need to take a Robert McKee class on storytelling to know that in Star Wars Luke Skywalker is going to rub lightsabers with Darth Vader.

Your understanding drags your emotions through the movie until limbs are hacked off and family secrets spilt. Skywalker is the underdog, but with the right mentors, he can defeat the asthmatic bad guy. You have to believe the underdog can do it. Otherwise, there is not enough friction to keep you interested. Star Wars is the epitome of the Classic Grudge Match.

Do We Care About ‘Grudge Matches’ in Poker?

Lee Davy asks ten poker players, ten questions on the efficacy of grudge matches, including opinion on Dwan vs. Cates, Hall vs. Dentale, and Kassouf vs. Matuson.

You don’t need to take a Robert McKee class on storytelling to know that in Star Wars Luke Skywalker is going to rub lightsabers with Darth Vader.

Your understanding drags your emotions through the movie until limbs are hacked off and family secrets spilt. Skywalker is the underdog, but with the right mentors, he can defeat the asthmatic bad guy. You have to believe the underdog can do it. Otherwise, there is not enough friction to keep you interested. Star Wars is the epitome of the Classic Grudge Match.

Do We Care About ‘Grudge Matches’ in Poker?

Lee Davy asks ten poker players, ten questions on the efficacy of grudge matches, including opinion on Dwan vs. Cates, Hall vs. Dentale, and Kassouf vs. Matuson.

You don’t need to take a Robert McKee class on storytelling to know that in Star Wars Luke Skywalker is going to rub lightsabers with Darth Vader.

Your understanding drags your emotions through the movie until limbs are hacked off and family secrets spilt. Skywalker is the underdog, but with the right mentors, he can defeat the asthmatic bad guy. You have to believe the underdog can do it. Otherwise, there is not enough friction to keep you interested. Star Wars is the epitome of the Classic Grudge Match.

Do We Care About ‘Grudge Matches’ in Poker?

Lee Davy asks ten poker players, ten questions on the efficacy of grudge matches, including opinion on Dwan vs. Cates, Hall vs. Dentale, and Kassouf vs. Matuson.

You don’t need to take a Robert McKee class on storytelling to know that in Star Wars Luke Skywalker is going to rub lightsabers with Darth Vader.

Your understanding drags your emotions through the movie until limbs are hacked off and family secrets spilt. Skywalker is the underdog, but with the right mentors, he can defeat the asthmatic bad guy. You have to believe the underdog can do it. Otherwise, there is not enough friction to keep you interested. Star Wars is the epitome of the Classic Grudge Match.

Do We Care About ‘Grudge Matches’ in Poker?

Week 23 of the English Premier League concludes with Man City hammering the Hammers, Hull holding Man Utd to a draw, and Everton doing likewise at Stoke

 West Ham’s mini-revival of two wins on the bounce came crashing to an end at the hands of Man City. Slaven Bilic will be sick of the sight of Pep Guardiola. The sides have now met three times this season with City winning 12-1 on aggregate.

It was a stroll in the London Stadium for a City side. Once again, Guardiola flexed his muscles decided to start with the same goalkeeper that kept a clean sheet against Crystal Palace, and the same front three who banged in three.

Willy Cabellero, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, and Gabriel Jesus all started, meaning Sergio Aguero and Caludio Bravo began on the bench, and at this rate it will be difficult to see how they are going to force their way back in.

Week 23 of the English Premier League concludes with Man City hammering the Hammers, Hull holding Man Utd to a draw, and Everton doing likewise at Stoke

 West Ham’s mini-revival of two wins on the bounce came crashing to an end at the hands of Man City. Slaven Bilic will be sick of the sight of Pep Guardiola. The sides have now met three times this season with City winning 12-1 on aggregate.

It was a stroll in the London Stadium for a City side. Once again, Guardiola flexed his muscles decided to start with the same goalkeeper that kept a clean sheet against Crystal Palace, and the same front three who banged in three.

Willy Cabellero, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, and Gabriel Jesus all started, meaning Sergio Aguero and Caludio Bravo began on the bench, and at this rate it will be difficult to see how they are going to force their way back in.

Texas has joined the parade of US states looking to regulate daily fantasy sports activity in 2017.

On Wednesday, State Rep. Richard Peña Raymond made good on last year’s vow to introduce legislation that would formally authorize DFS activity in the Lone Star state by classifying it as a game of skill.

HB 1457 would allow a “fantasy sports contest operator” to award cash prizes “based on the relative knowledge and skill of the contest participants and based predominantly on accumulated statistical results” of the actual athletes on the field.

HB 1457 would not allow fantasy contests that depended on scores, point spreads or “any single performance of an individual athlete in a single professional or amateur sports competition,” as well as any contest based on live pari-mutuel racing.