Monthly Archives: July 2020

Evolution Gaming ink Intralot live casino deal as Livingstone cashes out

Live casino technology specialists Evolution Gaming have gained a new global partner while one of its major investors looked to cash in his chips.

On Tuesday, Evolution announced a new ‘strategic partnership’ with Greek lottery/betting operator Intralot that will see Evolution provide live casino services to Intralot’s entire global market. Intralot has a presence in 44 regulated markets, although not all of them permit online casino play.

Evolution says the deal will allow it to launch live casino products in “several existing and new operations of Intralot.” Evolution chief commercial officer Sebastian Johannisson said his outfit was “delighted and honored” to have been selected by Intralot for this service, while Intralot CCO Nikos Nikolakopoulos welcomed Evolution as “a trusted member of our third-party ecosystem.”

Evolution is currently in the process of acquiring RNG casino supplier NetEnt, which has been branching out into the live casino space. While the live casino offering remains a minnow compared to NetEnt’s RNG operations, the company announced a new live casino deal with UK-listed online gambling operator 888 Holdings last week.

Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz set for Chelsea switch

Chelsea continue to get the jump on their English Premier League rivals with reports that Kai Harvertz is poised to join Frank Lampard’s side in London.

The Bayer Leverkusen international remains one of the most saught after soccer stars in Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich showing interest in the 21-year-old German international. Chelsea have emerged as the only side to have the financial muscle to pull off the deal, with the Blues expected to table an offer of £63m, with add-ons taking the price up to £90m .

Harvertz has been in stunning form for Leverkusen this season, netting 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions. Reports have emerged from German media that Harvetz has agreed to personal terms with Chelsea, and will push the German club to seal the transfer. Leverkusen’s failure to qualify for the Champions League was enough to convince Harvertz to search for greener pastures.

Update @kaihavertz29 & @ChelseaFC: When the training starts again at Bayer Leverkusen on thursday, Havertz wants to talk with his club. his request: the Bosses should let him go to Chelsea @SPORTBILD @AxelHesse1

Poker in Print: Verbal Poker Tells (2014)

It’s hard to make a successful follow-up to a much-loved original. Think of Dumb & Dumber, the Matrix or Dude, Where’s My Car? Each are untouchable, very difficult to even dream of improving (well, maybe not that last one). The point is, making a sequel is hard. In terms of poker books, it’s damn-near impossible.

We can think of very few poker books that have achieved this lofty ambition, and in the last year, we could count the number of books to improve on the original on the fingers of one finger – Dara O’Kearney and Barry Carter’s popular strategy book PKO Poker Strategy being just as good as the original that came before it.

So, for that reason, reading Verbal Poker Tells wasn’t exactly a prospect we looked forward to, and not because of the subject matter. It was merely because Zachary Elwood’s original, the highly popular Reading Poker Tells was so good. It’s like watching the first episode of a new boxset when two of the writers left in the hiatus; you’re scared to find out if the magic is gone.

Verbal Poker Tells lives up the magic of its predecessor.

Solaire VIP deal faces further delays amid COVID pandemic

Hong Kong investment firm Rich Goldman Holdings announced a three-month delay to launch of their new VIP room at Solaire Resort & Casino in the Philippines. The firm remains hopeful of the deal being completed, and have extended the deadline to set up a new VIP room under a joint venture agreement.

The original terms allowed for the joint venture to be terminated if the conditions were not met by July 26. The COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines, and subsequent shutdown of the gaming industry, have made it difficult for Rich Goldman to get the deal across the line.

Both parties have amicably renegotiated the terms, recognising the extreme conditions and have agreed to extend the deadline date to October 26.

In April, the company had filed that it would form a shared venture to introduce a VIP room with video streaming and live gaming tables at Solaire, operated by Bloomberry Resorts.

Gerhart gets his second WSOP bracelet as Moorman misses out

Two more WSOP bracelets were awarded to Kenny Huynh and Kevin Gerhart over the last two days as one of the most talented poker players in online history had a near-miss to remember.

The fabled bracelet ceremonies of years past have, unfortunately, been put on hold this year as the World Series of Poker has headed online and denied many the chance to celebrate with their friends as they achieve a lifetime ambition.

That didn’t stop Matt Bode enjoying an ‘unwrapping video’ for his WSOP bracelet when it arrived via FedEx, however, as the World Series were happy to share on Twitter:

Bracelet unboxing courtesy of @Matt_Bode79. Thanks for sharing ! pic.twitter.com/i3Tm9nHuTq

WPT Announce that the Champions Cup will be renamed in honour of Mike Sexton

In an industry where award shows can often feel like the afterparty to players winning seven-figure scores at the felt, there are few major honours worth having outside winning poker tournaments. Poker players can be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame when they turn 40 – and not before – but perhaps the best honour of all is having your name on the trophy itself.

Think of the Chip Reese Trophy, the famous work of art awarded to whichever player takes down the Poker Players Championship in Las Vegas – or online this year – at the World Series of Poker.

Well, from next season, the World Poker Tour Main Event trophy will bear the name of one of the WPT’s most famous sons – poker legend and current partypoker Chairman, Mike Sexton.

The man himself was delighted to read that the famous cup he won himself in Canada just a few years ago will bear his name.

NSW jockey Adam Hyeronimus guilty for illegal wagers

New South Wales (NSW) jockey Adam Hyeronimus has been found guilty of 30 out of 31 illegal betting charges, dating back to illegal bets that took place over three years beginning in 2016. Stablehand Blake Paine was found guilty alongside the Hyeronimus by Racing New South Wales stewards. The group one-winning jockey faces a potentially long suspension from racing for his part in the scandal.

Racing NSW stewards successfully proved that Hyeronimus had an interest in a $500 bet on ride Lucky Metor at Canterbury in 2016. He was also found to have placed a $500 bet on Limbo Soul, another ride that won on debut at Rosehill in February 2017.

The guilty verdict carries serious implications, with both charges carrying a minimum two-year ban from racing.

The NSW hoop was found guilty of a further 29 bets from 2016 to 2019, all on thoroughbred horse racing. Stablehand Blake Paine was found to have played a part in 31 cases and was convicted of 31 counts of betting for a jockey. Both men will also face additional charges of supplying false evidence to the enquiry.

NSW jockey Adam Hyeronimus guilty for illegal wagers

New South Wales (NSW) jockey Adam Hyeronimus has been found guilty of 30 out of 31 illegal betting charges, dating back to illegal bets that took place over three years beginning in 2016. Stablehand Blake Paine was found guilty alongside the Hyeronimus by Racing New South Wales stewards. The group one-winning jockey faces a potentially long suspension from racing for his part in the scandal.

Racing NSW stewards successfully proved that Hyeronimus had an interest in a $500 bet on ride Lucky Metor at Canterbury in 2016. He was also found to have placed a $500 bet on Limbo Soul, another ride that won on debut at Rosehill in February 2017.

The guilty verdict carries serious implications, with both charges carrying a minimum two-year ban from racing.

The NSW hoop was found guilty of a further 29 bets from 2016 to 2019, all on thoroughbred horse racing. Stablehand Blake Paine was found to have played a part in 31 cases and was convicted of 31 counts of betting for a jockey. Both men will also face additional charges of supplying false evidence to the enquiry.

NSW jockey Adam Hyeronimus guilty for illegal wagers

New South Wales (NSW) jockey Adam Hyeronimus has been found guilty of 30 out of 31 illegal betting charges, dating back to illegal bets that took place over three years beginning in 2016. Stablehand Blake Paine was found guilty alongside the Hyeronimus by Racing New South Wales stewards. The group one-winning jockey faces a potentially long suspension from racing for his part in the scandal.

Racing NSW stewards successfully proved that Hyeronimus had an interest in a $500 bet on ride Lucky Metor at Canterbury in 2016. He was also found to have placed a $500 bet on Limbo Soul, another ride that won on debut at Rosehill in February 2017.

The guilty verdict carries serious implications, with both charges carrying a minimum two-year ban from racing.

The NSW hoop was found guilty of a further 29 bets from 2016 to 2019, all on thoroughbred horse racing. Stablehand Blake Paine was found to have played a part in 31 cases and was convicted of 31 counts of betting for a jockey. Both men will also face additional charges of supplying false evidence to the enquiry.