Phil Hellmuth's Exit from UB.com

Poker Pro Phil Hellmuth have officially announced his exit from UB.com. He is one the last of the remaining inaugural pros and after almost a decade representing the site, it was a bittersweet announcement for him. He has been endorsing UB.com which was formally known as Ultimate Bet for a long period of time.


UB.com has announced that they would be filling the veteran vacancies with younger, newbie professionals. UB.com has had a difficult few years. In 2007, a cheating scandal broke. One player had been caught cheating high stakes in No Limit Hold 'em Games, viewing his opponent's cards in big money matches. UB.com was forced to pay back more or less $15 million to players who had lost money in the scam.


Ever since Phil Hellmuth put on UB.com patch, he has been the face of the UB.com brand. Having won many World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets than any other player in the world, and also being one of the most outspoken and dramatic player to ever sit at a poker table has helped push UB.com's acknowledgment with the poker community. Now that the eleven time world champion has left, there maybe a major emptiness in UB.com's line up.


Hellmuth's exit should not have come as a surprise to anyone. Rumors swirl wild after Hellmuth was seen not wearing UB.com logos on some poker events but instead was seen on ESPN sporting logos for the Aria Casino and WSOP Academy. That was where all speculations that he was on the outs with UB.com begun. This appears to have been correct. UB said during the announcement, “UB.com and Phil Hellmuth have mutually parted ways.. While Hellmuth is no doubt an instantly recognizable poker personality, team UB will continue to be stacked with young aggressive poker professionals who today's passionate online poker player can really identify with”. Hellmuth will no doubt be picked up by another site in the near future as he will continue to compete on the live tournament circuit.


Hellmuth released its statement just a few hours after his co – poker pro, Annie Duke officially left the poker room saying that he and UB.com have “mutually parted ways”. This statement does sound scanned, but the statement is supported by current UB.com pro Joe Sebok in an interview he had with PokerNews. It was stressed by both Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth that their parting ways with UB.com is 100% amicable.


At this time, it's still inclear what Hellmuth plans to do or if there is another sponsorship deal in the works, but having poker's biggest ego Helmuth will most likely not gel with the two largest poker room in the world, Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker, as Hellmuth would have to be the center of attention as he was at UB.com and Full Tilt Poker on the other side stress the focus on team and everyone is important.

Poker: A game of Skill or a game of Chance?

Poker is believed to be one of the gambling games that is hitting the limelight at times in online casino and gambling industry these days. However, since it's introduction, many people have been debating of whether poker is a game of skill or a game of chance. Perhaps this skill or luck issue has been asked for decades. And if ever an answer was put upon, it will be a major factor in laws changing in favor of legalized online poker – but that is a different issue.


The focus of this article is to pinpoint the ideas which made people assume that poker is a game of skill and a game that is purely based on chance. If we'll observe closely, there is no game where luck doesn't comes into it. For some reasons, gambling needs a liitle touch of chance too – this are the speculations of some individuals. According to these people, 90 per cent of a player's winning chance is based on his skills and strategies in playing. While the other 10 per cent is luck.


On contrary, poker is said to be a game of skill and not by chance. Take for example the gamblers participating in the World Series of Poker. Perhaps these people who are continually cashing out their money is not lucky every season. They will never have the chance to win if they'll depend on luck alone. So what do they do? Of course, they use their knowledge and experience when it comes to playing poker. The old saying goes something like this: "It's not the cards your dealt, it's how you you play your cards".


Based on a study made by Michael DeDonno, a student from Case Western Reserve University, the game of poker becomes skill when the players make their choices of when to fold their hands. The point at which players fold their hands is the part of the game that exemplifies skill. DeDonno came up with this idea through conducting two poker related studies. The participants he used for his study had a little knowledge into the game of poker, but were guided through charts and hints. Most of the participants felt the game was 50 percent luck when they started playing.


"If it had been pure luck in winning, then the strategies would not have made a difference for the two groups," DeDonno concluded. His findings was that the players that were given hints and strategies did better than those who did not.


In poker there is no good luck or bad luck, just random luck. A person's good luck depends on the other person's bad luck. This is what make poker a true game of skill and not of chance. If you did have the best hand when the game started, then consider yourself a skillful poker player. But if you didn't have the best hand to begin with, you might be needing an extensive gaming guides on poker.

Online Gambling Bill approved in New Jersey

The residents of New Jersey won't have to wait any longer for online casino gambling has already been legalized in their state. Last January 10, 2011 - the state's Senate Budget Committee approved the online gambling bill which paved the way for New Jersey to become the first U.S state to signed such bill.


The online gambling bill A-2570 and the sports betting bill S-490 were both proposed last year. However, only the sports betting bill was approved. According to the Assembly, certain amendments required ratification which is why the vote was held back and scheduled for January 6. On that day also a vote could not take place and a fresh date of January 10 was given. Now New Jersey online gamblers will not mind the minor issues because a major landmark has been achieved.


Hopefully, this New Jersey bill would provide a larger national implications. The vote in the Assembly was 63 to 11 in favor with three abstentions. The bill now goes to the desk of Governor Chris Christie, whose signature would create the first legal online gambling jurisdiction in the United States. Even if Mr. Christie does not take any action in the statutory 45 day period, his assent will deemed to have been given and the bill would become law. Actually the governor do have the power to reject the bill, but since A-2570 has received bipartisan support in the Assembly, it will be very difficult for Christie not to sign the online gambling bill. The governor would have to come out with some really special reasons to counter the plans that the bill will create 500 high tech jobs and add significantly to the state revenue in these troubled times.


Sponsored by Senator Raymond Lesniak, the online gambling bill A-2570 is believed to serve as a model which allows Americans to gamble within the premises of their own homes. It will also enable licensed operators to offer online poker and online casino games. The said games would include roulette, baccarat, blackjack, craps, big six wheel, slot machines, red dog, pai gow poker and sic bo.


Aside from these, the bill specifies as well that Internet gambling operators have to be licensed Atlantic City casino operators, and that all equipment used to conduct Internet gaming must be located either in Atlantic City casinos or a "secure" location in Atlantic City.

Poker Legend Anne Duke to Marry Joe Reitman

The duchess of poker seems to be lucky this 2011 with her being engaged to long-time partner Joe Reitman. The announcement that was proclaimed last Christmas via Twitter has marked another much-awaited event not only in the industry of land-based casinos but also to the world of online casino gambling.

Actually, this will be the second marriage for both the mother of four and for Reitman. Actor Joe Reitman, like his fiancee, is also involved in poker. The couple first met in 2005 after 42-year old Joe had just divorced his wife of three years Shannon Elizabeth, also a professional poker player. The year before that, Annie Duke was divorced after four children and thirteen years of marriage to university friend Ben Duke. Ironically, she did win $500 from fellow poker pro Steve Zolotow who lost a bet that her marriage would be over within five years.

The Poker Legend was completely head over heels in-love after being proposed to by the man nicknamed Joe Ugly, and posted multiple tweets on her Twitter page: “I said yes! I am still shaky. Total surprise from Joe Ugly. I am the luckiest woman ever. Best man on earth. I am so in love. Sigh. So Joe Ugly put the ring in the bottom of my stocking instead of the traditional chocolate orange. Sneaky! But now I’m pissed that I didn’t get a chocolate orange this year! Freaking Joe Ugly!” Twitter congrats were sent to Duke from friends including Liv Boeree, Samantha Ryan, Prahlad, Joe Sebok, Tiffany Michelle and Andy Bloch as well as from many, many others.

There are high hopes for the couple and hopefully no one will bet against them. Annie Duke was known as one of the legends of Poker. Some of her recent successes include a 3rd place in the WSOP $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event in 2007 and a 5th place in 2008 in the $5,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo Championship. On the female All-Time Money List she is currently in 2nd place behind Kathy Liebert. According to many of her colleagues, she is the best female poker player of all times.

Having that being said, it can be presumed that these two were a great couple. Her partner, Joe Reitman, is mostly noted as an actor, who has starred in such TV shows as Monk, CSI: Miami, Charmed, Married with Children and ER, and films such as The Perfect Storm, American Pie II, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Clueless.

The Biggest Progressive Jackpots of year 2010

Year 2010 has finally ended, but the promotions and offerings of most online casino sites are still in its highest peak. Some casinos have already unleashed their plans for this new year, thus, making the online gambling world more lively. Well perhaps it is undeniable that 2010 is one of the most unforgettable year for the industry. An array of must-see events, tournaments, and new games were launched. And due to this fact, it is quite worthy to take a good look at the biggest progressive jackpots of 2010.

Last year was a boom for Microgaming. With the introduction of the Mega Moolah Slot, this online casino site became one of the biggest and most spectacular casino site in the history of online gambling. Mega Moolah is a four-tier progressive jackpot slot game designed by Microgaming, the most accomplished company in the online casino software business. This is a five-reel game with 25 paylines where the maximum wager is 125 coins. The game enables you to explore the heart of Africa as your safari takes you into the midst of the wild and the dangerous- all for your very own pot of gold. It also features a wild (which also serves as a multiplier) as well as a scatter, which kicks off the Free Spins Bonus Game. Therefore, making Mega Moolah the perfect game if you want to win the big money.

Aside from Mega Moolah, Microgaming also launched another slot game which became a highlight of year 2010. The King Cashalot Progressive Jackpot is a five-reel game with nine paylines where the maximum wager is 75 coins. With a minimum jackpot of $100,000, this game is indeed Microgaming's second highest paying jackpot slot, falling just slightly behind Major Millions in the million dollar payout stakes. King Cashalot is extremely popular due to its relatively low cost per spin – just $2.25 for a max bet on all lines, making it very affordable, and allowing the jackpot which is networked across all Microgaming casinos to build extremely quickly. Surprisingly, the game has already created 3 instant millionaires, with the slots biggest payout to date going to an English player who won a life changing $1,427,369.74 on her 61^st spin.

Following the steps of Microgaming is the renowned online casino software, Playtech. They have featured a number of online slots games which are truly superb. The previous biggest win on Beach Life, Playtech youngest progressive game having been launched in 2007, was in $480 000 July last year. Beach Life is a 5-reel, 20-payline slot with a tropical holiday theme. The jackpot is won by betting on all 20 lines at max bet and landing three "Sun" symbols on the last pay line. While Playtech's Gold Rally surpassed €1 million in August. Other notable winners were on Lotto Madness, Gladiator and Cherry Love.

Slotastic Casino also contributed to the industry's biggest progressive jackpots. They offered the Jackpot Pinatas which later became the online casino's slot-of-the-month. Jackpot Pinatas was reported to provide over $1.6 million dollars, making it the richest slots jackpot open to American online casino players.

2010 was really an exciting year for the online gambling world. We can only wait and see what next year holds.

Ashley Revell and his Riskiest Roulette Bet Ever

Skill is never a requirement when it comes to playing roulette – whether in land-based or in online casino site. The game of Roulette is purely based on luck, therefore, one cannot presume the outcome of each spin. In fact some people believes that there were strategies that can make them beat the roulette wheel and make lots of money. But the bottom line is, roulette is based on elements of chance and the game is played accordingly.

Surprisingly, one man had underestimated this roulette fact and almost forgot that there is no assurance of winning in this type of game. Ashley Revell, a 32 year old Londoner, had sold everything he had, including his clothes - and was going to risk the entire bankroll ($135,300) on one spin of the Roulette wheel in Plaza Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, Nevada. It was back in 2004 when Revell hit the fame and became a legend in the gambling world.

Before actually making his bet, Ashley was questioned about whether he was happy and completely decided on his bet. As the ball spun, he placed his chips onto the red and claims that the decision of which color to choose was made right at that very moment. The ball finally landed in the 7 Red slot, doubling his winnings to $270,600. He gave a $600 tip to the croupier before he left the casino.

'It all happened so fast' Revell uttered - 'It was over before I knew it'. 'It's Really down to my family and friends and my Mum and Dad' Revell told the television. 'I knew if I lost I would always have a home to go to'.

Ashley's parents didn't like the whole idea but they still decided to come along to Vegas and give him their support. His father was still against it even though he won. As he explained: 'I got four kids and the are all going to want to go the same way'.

When asked if he wanted to try his luck again, Revell answered: 'No that's it for me - I think he would like me to do it again, but no that is it' (gesturing to the casino host). 'I don't want to ride my luck' Revell said as the campaign started to flow.

Perhaps everyone is wondering why Ashley made such a bet. Well according to him, he was prepared to start out a fresh, and so the big gamble seemed to be the perfect opportunity to either get a financial boost, or to take the opportunity to start out from scratch with a new start in life.

New Playboy Casino in Cancun, Mexico

Let us take a short break from online casino updates and just for a moment, let's take a look at what is happening in the industry of land-based casinos. Last Saturday (December 4), a new Playboy Club Casino has opened its doors at the Caribbean Beach Resort in Cancun, Mexico that marked the next step in Playboy's expansion into the gambling world.

This newest casino that was named Playboy Club Cancun is a boutique gaming and entertainment venue with a restaurant, nightclub, casino, sports gaming and sports lounge. They conducted a private red carpet event on the same day of the opening which invited many VIPs including the former Playboy Model Carmen Electra.

Playboy Club Cancun was a 12,900 square foot casino which was reported to cost Playboy Enterprises around $7.5 million (£4.79m). Aside from catering various casino games such as roulette, blackjack and poker, this Playboy casino also have a big sports betting parlour that is expected to capture the attention of its visitors, with sports such as soccer, American football, baseball, and basketball being offered.

As proudly stated by Playboy creator Huff Hefner, “I am pleased to bring the Playboy Club to Mexico for the first time and to combine the sexy sophistication of the Playboy brand with the international allure of Cancun. With the opening of Playboy Club Cancun and the arrival of the Playboy Bunnies, nightlife there will never be the same!”

The launching of this newest casino does not only gave opportunities to the casino industry, but also to beautiful and sexy ladies. Playboy has indeed received at least 1,500 applications from hot and busty models to work at the Playboy casino in Mexico. But in the end, only 25 lucky young women were chosen to be the face of Hefner's iconic creation. Those lucky girls or Playboy bunnies will work as hostesses, cocktail servers and dealers, coming to Cancun from locations such as Argentina, Cuba, Canada, Russia and Mexico, joined by an international mix of DJs and musical entertainment.

"With the opening of this striking new venue, both Cancun residents and international visitors alike will now be able to experience the energy and excitement that the Playboy brand generates”, CEO of Playboy Enterprises, Scott Flanders, said. He also uttered that Mexico is far from the end for Playboy's attempts at global domination. "By working with this calibre of strong local partners we have at Playboy Club Cancun, we will continue to grow our successful licensing and location based entertainment businesses around the world. We look forward to bringing the Playboy brand to life at additional Playboy venues in select global markets”, Flanders commented.

The first Playboy Club was opened in Chicago in 1960 by Hefner. Since then, 2.5 million membership keys have been sold. Playboy Clubs, including its hotel, casino and resort facilities, has 40 properties in 25 states and seven countries.

Critics Call For A Lower New Zealand Lotto Pot

If the critics have it their way, New Zealand's lotto draws would be limited in the amount of their prizes. This came after the jackpot for the Big Wednesday draw hit more than $26 million.

Graeme Ramsey, chief executive of the Problem Gaming Foundation, said that larger prizes easily encourage players to gamble more on tickets. Ramsey said that it would be better if the current $30 million upper limit is lowered to only $12.5 million, which he adds is below the limit at which many people get too excited.

“Surely $12.5 million as a prize is already big enough for anybody in the country,” he said.

Ramsey calls the continuously increasing jackpots as a”fuel for a gambling environment in New Zealand, where only a few are winners.” He further adds that it creates problems that cost many people greatly.

According to Foundation analyst Graham Aitken, the jackpots increase by only $2 million a week during the first runs. However, he said, once the pots reach $15 million, the prizes also increases more quickly, growing by at least $5 to $6 million per week.

The jackpot cap has since risen from $15 million in 2004 to its current level.

However, not a few seemed ready to fix the prize cap to a lower limit. New Zealand's Lotteries Commission have expressed that they are even considering to the idea of increasing the pot cap for higher prizes.

The commission said in a paper given to then Internal Affairs minister Richard Worth, that it may be necessary to raise the limits as part of a move to join a proposed “world lottery” to be headed by the British National Lottery. “It is very likely that participation will entail lifting the $30 million prize limit set in our games,” the paper assessed. However, the commission said that the proposal is still being studied and it is not yet final.

Casino Bill To Help Out Kentucky Schools

As the debate over Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's controversial gaming program rages on, supporters presented a proposal which they hope would sway public opinion to their favor.

Democrats came out of the a close door meeting on Tuesday and presented a new proposal to the public. The new scheme calls for the allocation of more than $700 million worth of casino income to help replace and restore schools in bad condition in the state.

In a list being presented to lawmakers, several Norther Kentucky schools are considered as candidates for the project. The schools proposed include those in communities like Fort Mitchell, Covington and Erlanger.

According to House Speaker Greg Stumbo, while the bill is still on the lines of expanded casino gaming, this one is of a different thrust. “It is about stabilizing and recapturing some of the income Kentucky is losing,” he said in an interview ofter the meeting. “It is about a plan that would perhaps improve our economy, stimulate the economy,” he further adds.

For his part, Representative Dennis Keene said, “There are some opportunities for us to help schools in this bill, fixing buildings.”

Under the list, schools that are in need of help the most are filed under Category 4 or 5. Beechwood Independent is listed as the most in need, being the only Category 5 school in Northern Kentucky. Around 160 schools were included in the list that was circulated to lawmakers.

The expenses that repairs would required will be paid off by the money generated from new casinos if Beshear's proposal pushes through. Projects on higher education and other proposals are also expected to be presented by next week.

Critics however, said that the move was made to present the bill in a more positive light. Beshear's plan was originally intended to assist the state's ailing horse industry.

They also fear that the funds for projects in the various districts would be caught off if their representatives refused to support the bill.