Each week, we look into an example of how poker has been brought to the small screen or silver screen. While this ranges from the hackneyed scene that has been crowbarred into a movie to give it some glamour to television shows that are centred around the game it’s a labour of love.
Poker brought to life on screen is one of the brightest aspects the game played regularly by hundreds of millions of people every week can be viewed in.
It’s easy to see why the Pro-Am Poker Equalizer show was a slam dunk for television executives when it was made and released in 2007. The idea was simple but engaging; four professional poker players and two celebrities take each other on at a six-max table, with the pros being given only half the chip-stack of the celebrities in question.
Here’s the first episode of the only series of Pro-Am Poker Equalizer:
Carousel Group, a privately-held holding company that operates in the regulated online gaming industry, announced today the launch of SportsBetting.com after being granted an internet sports betting operator license from the Colorado Division of Gaming on April 30.
The company’s flagship brand, www.SportsBetting.com, will serve as the web and mobile app betting odds portal for customers within Colorado state lines.
“This is our first venture in the U.S. so our resources are focused and committed to the Colorado market,” Carousel Group CEO Daniel Graetzer said. “Colorado and its residents embody what our company values – a progressive and innovative approach to business and life – so we are thrilled to be making our rookie debut in such a great state.”
Carousel Group is partnering with local TV, radio, podcasts and print, as well as restaurants and bars, to expand the brand’s reach and awareness. Local businesses are encouraged to contact the company to present sponsorship opportunities.
The group also plans to support state-run charities and non-profit organizations.
“We want to dig our heels into the grass and snow and make a lasting footprint in Colorado’s community and economy,” Graetzer said. “While some of our competitors have closed their doors and laid off employees in the U.S., we’re looking to hire local talent.”
In another atypical approach, SportsBetting.com runs on Carousel Group’s proprietary in-house platform, which allows it to bring a unique product to the market. This is in contrast to the methodology many gambling companies have taken over the last two years since sports betting became legal in the U.S.
“We have built our business behind a team with more than 50 years of experience in the gaming industry. That, combined with our own technology, gives us a huge advantage over the competition,” Graetzer added. “It’s in our DNA to be innovative and with our own infrastructure we will offer something fresh, exciting and customer-driven to the U.S. betting community.”
SportsBetting.com is in the deep development stages and will be live prior to the 2020 football season.
David Paredes has the enviable record of winning the same World Poker Tour Main Event that he finished as runner-up in the year before, having finally taken down the WPT Borgata Open back in 2015.
While on this enforced hiatus from live poker, we chatted to David and fired off our quickfire 15 Bigs at him to find out what makes him tick. Will he double-up or can we bust him? Let’s find out.
If you were to be shot at dawn, what would be your last meal/drink?
The concept of provably fair gaming, recorded immutably and transparently on the blockchain, has been around for a few years now, but may not yet be fully understood by the gambling industry. On May 12, the Bitcoin Association hosted nChain researcher, Chloe Tartan, who delivered a webinar on the topic, walking through the history of the concept, its meaning to iGaming, and explained some of the more tricky aspects of the concept.
Tartan began by noting that Bitcoin has been used for iGaming since 2014. That followed closely off of a 2013 survey that revealed players wanted more proof that their online gambling options were on the level.
So what is provably fair gaming, and how does it work on the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain? She noted that there are a few definitions of the concept. First would be a game that publishes the initial and final states of a game, allowing the customer to use third party verification to verify the game was fair. A second definition involves all states of the game being published, something which may be more difficult for gambling to pursue, as they wouldn’t want to give away the whole shop.
Bitcoin SV (BSV) has now reached a stage where it is the perfect network to host provably fair games. It has moved away from a focus on electronic cash, expanding to allow unlimited scalability, while keeping the blockchain secure, stable and efficient.
Everyone wants to get a better understanding of what is currently happening with sports books, and if it might change customer habits once we get past this pandemic. We knew Keith O’Loughlin, SVP of Sportsbook and Platforms at SG Digital, would have the answers, so our Becky Liggero Fontana spoke with him recently.
First, Liggero Fontana wanted to understand what kind of numbers O’Loughlin was seeing, as live sports had yet to return at that point. “We have customers in most jurisdictions across the world, and what we’re seeing first off is in terms of turnover in Asia-PAC, customers kind of Australia, New Zealand, are holding 60% to 70% of the turnover they had previously,” he said. “They’re very lucky because Australian horse-racing has been able to stay right through the period. And customers have really migrated to having a bet on, even if they’ve bet it on football or other, they just want to have a flutter, and have it on that.
“In Europe, it’s between 30% and 50% of the prior betting levels,” he continued. “In some respects, most of our customers expected it dropped further and what they are using virtual sports and esports, Belarussian football was a feature for some time when it was there, and also, funnily enough, table tennis. And what it’s showing is customers want to be entertained, they want to be able to have some fun. Virtual Grand Nationals was run on the 8th of April in the U.K., it was on at the same time with the same kind of expected 40 runners. It had the same peak level of betting and then the real Grand National had two years ago with our customers, on a virtual event.”
The US seems to be over the hump in its fight with the coronavirus. Casinos are beginning to turn the lights back on across the country this week, with a lot more activity expected to be seen in the next couple of weeks. Elsewhere around the world, the situation is playing out differently, as Macau is already up and running, but the Philippines are still on lockdown. There’s no remedy for the economic illness caused by the coronavirus, and each country has to sort out its own plans to reinvigorate their respective communities. Costa Rica is putting together its plan of attack and, unfortunately for gambling fans, casinos are not going to be viewed as a priority.
Over the next 80 days, Costa Rica and its president, Carolos Alvarado, will roll out its economic activity in phases. Each phase will be closely monitored by health officials, and any sign of a coronavirus relapse could immediately result in the country backtracking on its plans and shutting the economy down once again. Alvarado explains, “Costa Rica has made an effort to abide by the measures imposed by the Ministry of Health and the results achieved allow us to project some of the actions that we will be implementing in the following months.”
There will reportedly be four phases beginning May 16, each with varying assigned lengths before the next one starts. The first will run through the end of the month, the second will go from June 1 to 20, the third from June 21 to July 11 and the last from July 12 to August 2. Health Minister Daniel Salas adds, “If we do not do what we have indicated, not following the rules, this will mean a collapse and we would have to go backward and even reach a general quarantine.”
The first phase includes limited operations at some national parks and beaches, as well as the reintroduction of some recreational sports. Small hotels will also be allowed to reopen, but at reduced capacities. The next phase will find more national parks and hotels, and museums and restaurants start to receive guests, again with reduced numbers. Phase three includes places of worship, some retail establishments, movie theaters and certain sports centers and bars, and phase four covers an expansion of capacities allowed in the various facilities, as well as a plan for how the country’s education system will continue.
The second day of the ICE North America Digital conference took a look at a wide range of topics, ranging from regulation to esports to affiliate marketing. The wide range of experts all gave their opinions on what the next best steps will be for the industry to thrive as stay at home orders begin to be lifted.
First up was a series of regulation focused interviews by Michael Pollock, Managing Director of the Spectrum Gaming Group. First he spoke with Sandra Douglass Morgan, Chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). She emphasized the importance of regulators informing licensees of expectations in place to reduce COVID-19 transmission.
But while there will be some added rules as casinos reopen, she noted the NGCB will be offering some relaxation of rules, including extensions of licenses for current employees. They will also be reducing fees for current slot and table games that aren’t seeing customers during the pandemic.
Next, Pollock spoke with Brandt Iden, a state representative for Michigan. He believes his state is in a great position to fast track mobile sports betting to be ready by August or September. He also worries that with casinos closed, players go online, and if there’s no regulated option, they could go to internationally licensed sites.
The world of eSports has seen a surge in interest the past several months because of the coronavirus, with other sports being forced to stop in order to control the pandemic. Even before this recent heightened attention, though, eSports was already on its way to becoming one of the most lucrative forms of gaming entertainment and had found a solid footing among gambling channels. Without any clear regulations governing the space, it’s not surprising, then, that some would take advantage of the popularity to practice double-dipping – operating eSports teams and eSports gambling sites at the same time. The owner of FaZe Clan is apparently one of these.
Richard “Banks” Bengtson took part in a podcast by BADNWZ, talking about how FaZe Clan got started and how it has grown as eSports grew. He mentioned the team’s desire to get into Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) competitions a few years back, explaining that, at the time, it didn’t have the financial backing it needed to make the leap. As a result, per Bengtson’s own admission, he helped launch a gambling site to raise the necessary capital.
The endeavor apparently worked well, taking in, at times, up to $200,000 a day. Bengtson didn’t offer the name of the site, stating only that it was run out of a mansion in Antigua after paying $100,000 to secure the necessary permits. He explains, “We flew there private, sat down with the guy who runs the country and basically paid him a hundred thousand dollars and he gave us the license.” Bengtson added that the site operated legally for only a few months and that it is no longer active.
The issues surrounding a sports team owner operating a gambling site tied to the sport are obvious – it would be too tempting for certain individuals with low ethical standards to fix matches in order to turn a greater profit. This is one of the reasons sports gambling has had such a difficult time finding success in the US, even if the barriers to widespread legalization are finally being removed, and more states are setting up their own sports gambling markets. There is also the concern that owners would unfairly promote their teams in order to increase their bottom lines.
Handle19 is a relatively new player in the sports gambling industry. Started by Shane August, CEO of venture capital firm August Holding Corporation out of Virginia, the company has learned the hard way what happens when you go up against deep-pocketed operators in the business. In trying to secure licenses to operate a sportsbook in New Jersey and West Virginia, Handle19 was easily brushed aside by the bullies, but August didn’t give up. When Washington, DC approved sports gambling, he showed up to apply for a license and finally succeeded where he had previously failed. Now, with license in hand, the company is hoping to become the first Class B-license holder in the district to launch a sportsbook, according to PlayUSA, and is going to open its operations this year, despite the lack of sports gambling action currently found because of the coronavirus.
The beacon in an otherwise gloomy sports panorama is the NFL season, which is still hopeful that it can get underway as planned with the first regular season kickoff on September 10. Always a favorite with sports gamblers, football can help Handle19 have a great start as it finally gets off the ground, and August is determined not to let anything stand in his way. A lawyer representing the company, Ian G. Thomas, explains, “While Covid-19 has affected almost every facet of public life, believe it or not, it has had a limited impact on Handle19’s timeline. The goal was, and has always been, opening our doors by the start of the NFL season. That remains the same. Of course, the start of the NFL season appears to be a moving target at the moment. Regardless we are targeting a late summer/early fall launch.”
COVID-19 may not have had a tremendous impact on Handle19’s activities, but it did affect them. The retail sportsbook was going to be built in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in DC, but the site was changed just before the pandemic in favor of a location closer to Capitol Hill. As a result of social distancing requirements and stay-at-home orders, the ability to prepare the new facility has met with challenges that are only now being overcome.
More challenges lie ahead, too. Even after stay-at-home orders are lifted, the general sentiment among communities will remain one of extreme caution and lack of confidence to spend great amounts of time around others. A poll conducted by Reuters recently indicated that, once things return to normal, only around 27% of people plan on going anywhere that might have large groups of people. Another 40% don’t plan on venturing out until a vaccine is found.
BetConstruct and FashionTV Gaming Group have partnered up again to expand their luxurious portfolio of FashionTV-branded slots with three new additions, including two glamorous new slots created in partnership with the Vegas Kings studio and BetConstruct’s most feature-rich in-house slot game to date, Hot Stuff, all designed to bring the FashionTV experience to life in thrilling new ways.
Featuring the distinctive look and feel of the FashionTV megabrand, BetConstruct’s latest launch is loaded with all the real-world appeal of FashionTV Gaming. Players can enter the exotic tropics of “Hot Stuff”, embark on a jewel-encrusted adventure around the globe in “World of Diamonds”, or experience the neon-lit, luxury lifestyle of the world’s foremost style broadcaster, in “Fashion Secrets”. Powered by exquisite graphics, sharp audio-visuals and smooth animation, these new slots all deliver a stunning new way to play.
Already available across the BetConstruct network, including on the company’s flagship brand, Vivarobet, and to third-party operators internationally, these slots join a full portfolio of FashionTV-branded games that’s spreading rapidly around the world and taking the industry by storm.
By integrating this stylish suite into their offering, operators can broaden their appeal and expand their reach, harnessing the incredible power of the FashionTV megabrand and its audience of two billion worldwide.
Being wealthy doesn’t necessarily mean you’re smart, but it does mean that you can make smart decisions. With some extra money to spare, taking advantage of a stock market dip is always a good choice, and several deep-pocketed individuals have done just that as they bank on the future of sports gambling in the US. US-based sports gambling operator DraftKings went live on the NASDAQ exchange right about a month ago, and has just picked up some massive investments from billionaire George Soros, as well as the owners of several sports teams and sports-related entities.
Soros is behind Soros Fund Management and the latter’s Quantum Funds, a selection of hedge funds that seek out investment targets with the potential for greater than expected returns. According to a filing just submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by DraftKings, the entity picked up 2.83 million shares in the company, which would have been worth around $75.5 million at the end of trading yesterday – almost $6 million more than just a day earlier.
Also mentioned in the SEC filing were the owners of the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys. Robert Kraft, the man behind the scenes for the Pats, owns 3.53 million shares along with his two sons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, through his Legends Hospitality group, controls 195,000 shares. Not to be left out, the World Wrestling Entertainment and CEO Vince McMahon have another 263,550. Madison Square Garden Entertainment, which is controlled by the owners of the New York Knicks, purchased 1.5 million DraftKings shares and Stephen Pagliuca, co-owner of the Boston Celtics, has another 566,000 shares.
Depending on when the purchases were made, there’s a lot of money that could have already been made. Since going public on April 24, the stock has risen 40%, given all shareholders a nice return. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The global sports world is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, and any company that makes a living from athletic competitions has found itself in a challenging situation. Despite this, though, DraftKings has continued to see its stock increase and, once athletes are back on the fields and courts, its revenue possibilities are going to jump exponentially.
For the past two months, casinos in the U.S., just like in other parts of the world, have been shut down, desperately waiting for the day that they could start to see some type of activity. The coronavirus pandemic has turned virtually the entire world upside down, and the road to normal and stable operations is going to be a long one. The good news, though, is that the recovery has begun, and some areas are starting to see signs of life once again. A couple of casinos in Oklahoma have reopened their doors, and individuals who were shut away from any type of social interaction are now willing to wait in long lines just for a chance at a little gambling entertainment.
At the Thunderbird Casino in Norman, hundreds of people stood in line yesterday as patrons were allowed to slowly move in and out of the venue. The casino is only allowing about one-third of its normal capacity, restricting the number of people it receives through its doors to around 200-225. The property’s GM explains, “It was time for everyone to get back to work, we were ready to get back to work. It just seemed like the right time to do it. We decided to do what we call a soft opening without a lot of fanfare. Every guest that has come in the facility has been very appreciative. They understand and when we tell them to put a mask on, they put their mask on.”
Thunderbird’s sister property, located in Shawnee, OK, only allows around 100 gamblers inside, even though table games are still not allowed. Once they gain entry, they have to keep their facemasks on at all times and have to ensure they maintain established social distancing protocols, which means staying at least six feet away from others. However, both properties will make an exception for couples who, despite having been locked up with each other for two months, want to continue to be glued at the hip.
Other casino operators in Oklahoma aren’t as anxious to pull the trigger on their respective relaunches. The Chickasaw Nation, for example, plans on keeping its venues closed through the end of this week, and the Cherokee, Choctaw and Muscogee (Creek) tribes are still working on determining their plans. Oklahoma has around 130 federally-recognized tribes (several of which are in a fierce debate with Governor Kevin Stitt over revenue-sharing agreements), but only five have chosen to begin welcome gamblers once again.
As the world starts to – slowly – crank up its engines toward an all-out completely coronavirus recovery, a lot of moving pieces are going to have to be delicately handled to ensure they can manage the load. A couple of regions that thought they had the virus under control have unexpectedly seen new cases emerge, which could set their economic rebound back even further. Erring on the side of caution, as unpleasant as it may be for many people, might be the better option, and the Philippine government is going that route. President Duterte has announced that Metro Manila will remain on lockdown until the end of the month, not this Friday, as previously expected.
The lockdown covers everything around Manila, including Entertainment City and its casino resorts. The “enhanced community quarantine” (ECQ) as its known was implemented in March and has seen its termination date delayed several times since then. The quarantine renewals coincide with the number of coronavirus cases seen in the country, which, as of yesterday, reached 11,350 with 751 deaths, according to the Philippine Department of Health. Duterte’s spokesperson, Harry Roque, explained of the measures, “It is not ECQ as we know it. It is not GCQ (general community quarantine) as we know it. It’s somewhere in between. It is a transition phase … we envision that after one month, we will all transition to GCQ.”
Under the new “modified ECQ,” which covers Metro Manila, Cebu City and Laguna, certain manufacturing activity and public transportation can ramp back up, but at reduced capacities. However, other activities, including casinos, will have to wait. GGRAsia confirmed with Universal Entertainment Corp. that its Okada Manila is going to remain closed. The casino operator explained, “In support of the Philippine government’s directive to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, all Okada Manila operations have been suspended and will remain so until further notice. Our reopening will depend on the directive of the Philippine government on what businesses are allowed to resume after ECQ is lifted.”
Duterte isn’t the only government official to push for the extended quarantine – even mayors across the area wanted the lockdown to stay in place until health officials are confident the coronavirus is completely under control. Other areas of the country, where COVID-19 hasn’t been as prevalent, have started to see relaxed quarantine regulations; however, they’re being watched closely for any possible sign of a new outbreak.
Brazilian international footballer Leandro Castán amongst many Brazilian personalities aiding the initiative.
Leading iGaming platform provider BtoBet has teamed up with Brazilian operator PlayRobinHood.com to launch a charity initiative in Brazil intended to help those most in need during these trying times.
Bo Grujicic, PlayRobinHood.com’s founder, said that with the aid of BtoBet, “Quiz Contra O Corona” – Quiz Against Corona – was created, with all the jackpot’s proceeds being funneled back into the community. He specified that 75% of the amount wagered in the jackpot will immediately be donated to charity organisations whilst the remaining 25% is added to the jackpot prize. “Once this health crisis is over, and in the circumstance that the jackpot has still not been won, then the the jackpot prize in its entirety will be donated,” explained Grujicic. BtoBet will be aiding PlayRobinHood by providing the platform technology, and UI and UX development pro bono.
A number of Brazilian personalities have been involved in this inititative to help the community, amongst whom Leandro Castán da Silva, the Brazilian international footballer who currently plays for Vasco da Gama.
“The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown” A Success
New York, May 12, 2020 – On the date that is annually reserved for the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” the first Saturday in May, 1.7 million viewers tuned in to watch the 13 Triple Crown winners battle it out in “The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown” created by Inspired Entertainment, Inc. (“Inspired”) (NASDAQ: INSE), the Company announced today. In a virtual race for the ages, Secretariat emerged as the ultimate champion, winning the race 47 years after winning the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
“The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown” was an exciting part of Churchill Downs’ nationwide “Kentucky Derby at Home” party, and was televised at the culmination of NBC’s broadcast which included a look back at American Pharoah’s 2015 Derby win. The day of programming celebrated the traditional date of the Kentucky Derby since the 146th running has been postponed until September 5th this year due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns. The virtual race allowed viewers to experience the magic of the Derby using the latest, best-in-class graphics and animation and featured a stunning, fully accurate re-creation of the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs and the traditional atmosphere of the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.
“This was a great event for everyone involved — Churchill Downs got to celebrate on their traditional Derby day, racing fans got to see the greatest-of-all-time face off, we had the opportunity to showcase the realism of our Virtual Horse Racing product, and it was all for a good cause,” said Brooks Pierce, President and Chief Operating Officer of Inspired. “Virtual Sports have been popular in Europe for years, but putting together The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown for a national television broadcast was a great marketing opportunity for our Virtual Sports in the U.S. In addition to the extensive viewership, social media was abuzz for Kentucky Derby at Home, with 91% positive sentiment before and after the race. This is a great example of how Virtual Sports can plug the gap and bring people together for some relief during these difficult times, just as real sports do.”
XX , London, U.K. – International sports betting provider Betinvest has partnered with Sportradar, the global provider of sports content and intelligence, to supply coverage of a range of classic sports including the inaugural WIN CUP table tennis competition.
The agreement, which came into affect in April, will see Betinvest provide Sportradar with access to almost round-the-clock action as more than 300 professional table tennis players compete in seven daily tournaments. Many of the matches will be played simultaneously, providing up to 100 matches per day.
The partnership includes match statistics, technical support and full live streaming of the event, which takes place in multiple Ukranian cities including Dnipro and Kharkiv.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Sportradar, one of the world’s leading distributors of sports data and content. As a result, even more customers will get reliable, highly sought-after content from us” said Max Dubossarsky, Betinvest COO.
Live betting games portfolio now live with major Mexican sportsbook and Casino site.
London, 12th May 2020: BetGames.TV, the leading live dealer betting games supplier, has gone live with sportsbook and casino platform, London Betting Shop.
This new deal sees BetGames.TV’s extensive portfolio available to players via London Betting Shop, part of Bengine’s Mexican retail betting brand.
Popular games such as Baccarat, Wheel of Fortune, and its innovative twist on Texas Hold’em poker, 6+ Poker, are now available to customers of the well-established LatAm operator.
Denmark’s gambling regulator has spanked online casino licensee Winteq for anti-money laundering (AML) shortcomings at its locally licensed sites.
On Tuesday, Denmark’s Spillemyndigheden regulatory body announced that an assessment had concluded Winteq ApS has “neglected to update their anti-money laundering and counter terror financing risk assessment based on their business model, which includes an identification, assessment and analysis of risk factors.”
Winteq’s Danish online casino license covers three local domains – Bingo.dk, Spildansknu.dk and Spilleautomaten.dk – offering a variety of online casino, bingo and skill/chance games such as backgammon.
While Spillemyndigheden was publicly vague about what led the regulator to conduct its assessment of Winteq’s operations, it nonetheless ordered the company to “adjust their procedures” and produce a risk assessment that fulfills all requirements of the country’s Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Casino operator Las Vegas Sands has withdrawn its name from the race to win one of Japan’s three highly prized integrated resort licenses.
On Tuesday, Sands stunned the gaming world by issuing a statement indicating that the company “will discontinue its pursuit of integrated resort (IR) development in Japan.” Sand boss Sheldon Adelson (pictured) said it was time for his company “to focus our energy on other opportunities.”
Sands was one of the earliest proponents of a Japanese opportunity, famously vowing to spend “whatever it takes” on a property that would draw the world’s gamblers. But that initial vow to spend $10b led to an endless game of one-upmanship by rivals, prompting Sands president Rob Goldstein to openly muse late last year about whether pursuing an IR license was still “prudent.”
Adelson said Tuesday that his “fondness for the Japanese culture” goes back 30 years to his days operating COMDEX shows in the country, and while his “positive feelings for Japan are undiminished … the framework around the development of an IR has made our goals there unreachable.”
The WPT Online Series Championship has begun with the first of four Day 1 opening flights seeing 808 entries with a buy-in of $3,200. That already means that the guaranteed prizepool of $5 million is almost halfway there, with $2,424,000 brought in from the entries so far, impressive stuff from the World Poker Tour and partypoker online, where the tournament is being held.
Of the 808 entries on Day 1a, it was Dutch player Abdelhakim Zoufri who has the chip lead, stacking up 791,877 chips at the end of play. With over a million dollars in live results, Zoufri is looking to add the very first wPT Online Championship Main Event to his already-impressive poker resume. He may previously have won the 2016 Master Classics of Poker, the 2018 Master Classics of Poker High Roller but he will take nothing for granted against the remaining field, of which 141 survived Day 1a on partypoker online.
Zoufri is being chased down by some talented players, with Canada’s Kevin Macdonald hottest on his heels. Macdonald bagged up 668,081 chips with another player from the Netherlands coming into the end-of-night chipcounts in 3rd place, with Julio Ribeiro totting up 590,228 in digital poker currency.
Elsewhere in the chasing pack, triple WSOP bracelet winner and mixed game specialist Benny Glaser (548,623) looms large in the rear-view mirror of the leader, with Canadian player Guillaume Nolet (443,152) also fighting hard to hang onto Zoufri’s coattails.
