Author: Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Gets Involved in Times Square Casino Lobbying

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Entertainment agency Roc Nation, which is owned by American hip-hop artist Shawn Corey Carter a.k.a. Jay-Z has started lobbying for the construction of a luxury casino in Times Square. The reason cited behind the decision to start pushing for the casino development is that the project would benefit everyone in New York.

Roc Nation Open Letter to New Yorkers

On Thursday, May 11, 2023, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation published an open letter addressed to the citizens of New York City. The company published the open letter on Twitter but also took out ads in major NY-based publications, including the New York Daily News and the New York Post.

The agency believes that the gaming licenses that should be awarded in the near future by the state’s gaming authorities should go to the Caesars Palace project in Times Square. They believe that the project would ensure that the iconic square stays “connected to all facets of culture.”

In order to apply for the NY casino license, casinos need to pay a non-refundable $1 million application fee, as well as set apart at least $500 million that would be used for the investment, along with an additional half a billion in fees.

If the idea pushed by Roc Nation comes alive, Caesars Entertainment will get to launch a brand-new luxury casino establishment at 1515 Broadway, New York City, New York.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

First Arab Casino Set to Launch in 2027

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Wynn is spreading its business to the Middle East. The next project of the gaming company is the Al Marjan Casino Resort, which is set to be constructed on the artificial island of the same name in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). When launched, it’s going to become the first-ever gambling establishment in an Arab country.

So, when will it happen? As per the company itself, the casino resort could be launched as early as 2027. With an estimated cost of just under $4 billion, the Al Marjan Casino Resort is going to be one of the most luxurious casino venues in the world. And judging by the recently released concept images, the complex is going to look amazing!

Wynn’s Newest Al Marjan Casino Resort Gets Its First Concept Images

Although the details about the project still remain scarce, Wynn has recently released some concept images of the casino resort. The idea is for it to resemble Vegas-style casinos, with a huge hotel tower being the focal point of the complex.

The building is meant to have more than 1,500 rooms, with a huge gaming area, along with a spa center, a shopping center, and other luxury amenities.

The CEO of Wynn, Craig Billings, praised the development team for coming up with a unique idea, never to be seen anywhere else in the world. According to him, this is going to be one of the company’s most ambitious projects ever, which he believes is going to surpass all expectations.

Although situated in a part of the world that’s been traditionally very anti-gambling, the new Wynn casino resort is poised for huge success. The thing is that Al Marjan Island is already a tourist hub visited by millions every year.

The artificial island is already packed with high-end hotels and Wynn’s casino resort is going to be the cherry on the top.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Hard Rock to Build Guitar-Shaped Casino Hotel in Vegas

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Hard Rock is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. In big part, it’s thanks to its famous logo often presented in the forefront of an upright standing guitar. The company has already created several venues shaped like the guitar, the most famous being the one in Hollywood, Florida.

At least that’s for the time being as Hard Rock has been given the light for the construction of a new guitar-shaped hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

Hard Rock Guitar Tower to Be Constructed at The Mirage

Earlier this week, Clark County officials greenlighted the construction of the Hard Rock guitar tower on the location of The Mirage Volcano. The building is supposed to have almost 40 floors, featuring a gaming space, as well as restaurants, bars, and accommodations for the guests of the casino.

The tower is going to be constructed on the grounds of The Mirage, a luxury casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, which is operated by Hard Rock International. As per the deal, the tower construction will be just one piece of a much larger project meant to revamp the iconic resort.

The Mirage has been owned by Hard Rock for just over a year. It was December 2021, when the company bought the casino hotel from MGM Resorts for a reported price of $1.08 billion. Since then, the new owners haven’t done too much to rebrand the venue, but that’s about to change. In fact, we could see Hard Rock commence the construction of the guitar-shaped tower in the next couple of months.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Announcement of New Toronto Casino Draws Negative Reactions for First Nation

Posted on by Grant Mahon

The announcement of the construction of a brand-new mega-casino in the Greater Toronto Area has drawn a number of positive comments. However, there are some negative comments as well, especially coming from the Mississauga tribe.

According to the spokesperson of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN), the tribe is outraged by the lack of respect shown by the Ontario Gaming Corporation (OLG). The province’s officials gave the green light to the new casino establishment without even consulting the First Nation to see how the new project is going to affect their gaming business.

First Nation’s Dissatisfaction with New Mega-Casino in Toronto

The Mississaugas have been living on the shores of Lake Scugog for centuries, and it’s the 21st century when the First Nation has seen a massive economic boost. One of the main reasons behind it was the success of the Mississauga Tribe-owned casino Great Blue Heron (GBH).

Located in the northeastern portion of the Great Toronto Area called Port Perry, the casino has been the engine moving the local economy forward. Literally thousands of people are either directly or indirectly profiting from the success of this gaming establishment.

The casino has been around since 1997, but from 2018 to 2021, it went through a huge renovation process. Since then, it’s been in the business for about a year and a half, generating great revenue, but that could come to an end in 2023. The First Nation representatives believe that the new mega-casino that’s meant to open in summer could ruin their business.

Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto to Open in Summer

There’s a new mega-casino resort that’s under construction in Toronto. Owned by the same company that operates Great Blue Heron, the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto is going to be one of Canada’s biggest gaming establishments after it opens in summer.

Situated adjacent to Casino Woodbine at Woodbine Racetrack, the construction of the new casino resort will cost its parent company over $1 billion in total.

When it launches, the casino will feature nearly 5,000 slots, along with almost 150 table games. Apart from gambling, Great Canadian is also meant to offer other means of entertainment to the visitors – there’s a live entertainment venue on its premises, along with eight restaurants, and several bars.

Once it opens, Great Canadian will absorb the nearby Casino Woodbine, practically making itself the largest casino resort in this part of North America.

It’s bound to draw visitors from all around Ontario, but also from other Canadian provinces, as well as the US. Great Blue Heron’s owners believe that the new venue could ruin their business, despite the fact that the two casinos are nearly 60 miles away from each other.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Drake Curse Continues: Canadian Rapper Losses a $400k Bet on Jake Paul

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Canadian hip-hop artist Drake is famously a huge fan of sports betting, but in recent times, he hasn’t been very successful. The most recent in a long series of betting losses happened on Sunday when he lost a $400,000 bet on Jake Paul.

Drake bet that the Youtuber-turned-boxer would beat Tommy Fury by knockout in the event called the Truth in Saudi Arabia. However, Tyson Fury’s younger brother won the fight by a split decision after eight super-exciting rounds.

Jake Paul Fails to Make Drake $1.44M Richer

Drake backed Jake Paul to win the fight against Tommy Fury by knockout, putting a total of $400,000 on the American pugilist in the form of Bitcoin (about 17 BTC). The odds were +260 (3.60), meaning that if the younger of the Paul brothers won the fight, Drake would’ve cashed in $1.44.

Drake used the crypto-friendly sportsbook Stake to place his high-stake bet. This wasn’t the first time he used this platform to bet. Actually, he’s been using it for several years. One of the first notable moments in his Stake story happened in February 2022 when he won $712,000 in BTC after betting on the Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl LVI. Since then, however, he hasn’t had much success betting.

Some of his biggest losses include losing $275,000 on Jorge Masvidal against Colby Covington at UFC 272, and $234,000 on Charles Leclerc in the Formula 1 Spanish GP race. His betting failures inspired the online community to start making jokes about him. In turn, Drake became the subject of an online joke.

The Drake Curse, as it’s called, refers to the situation in which the favorite is likely to lose after Drake has backed them.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Illinois Senator Introduces Bill to Legalize Online Gambling

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Senator Cristina Castro (D) has submitted a bill to legalize online casinos in the state of Illinois. The proposed legislation would enable online gambling sites to obtain an operating license in the Prairie State and do their business 100% legally. The Illinois Gaming Board would be the governmental body in charge of giving the gaming license, as well as controlling the work of the operators.

As per Castro’s proposal, the operators would have to pay a one-off license fee of $250,000. In order to keep their license, however, they’d need to give 15% of their adjusted gross revenue to the state.

New Illinois Gambling Bill Introduces 15% Tax on Adjusted Gross Revenue

A tax rate of 15% is set in the new bill. Castro’s proposal is to make the operators pay 15% of their adjusted gross revenue while being allowed to deduct promotional credits. It would serve as a much-needed source of revenue for the state which is still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

Tax money is just one on a long list of reasons why Illinois lawmakers are considering regulating the online gaming market. Another incentive is to ensure the well-being of online gamblers. Playing casino games at unlicensed offshore platforms means that the state cannot help the players if they get scammed.

However, with a regulated online gambling market, the state’s gambling authority would be able to control the casinos. Apart from ensuring fair gaming, the Illinois Gaming Board would also be able to promote responsible gambling.

Fast-Tracked Licensing Process to Avoid Delays

Senator Castro’s previous shot at legalizing online gambling in Illinois failed, but this time, the chances are it will be successful. Encouraged by the success of sports betting, Illinois lawmakers seem to be changing their stance on other forms of gambling as well.

Further, the state’s been generating a lot of money from taxing land-based gambling businesses. For example, Illinois cashed in over $785 million last year from video gaming terminals (VGTs).

Castro and her colleagues realize there’s a lot of tax money to be made from any form of gambling, including internet casino gambling. That’s why her proposal comes with short deadlines for applicants, which would avoid any unnecessary delays.

Online Casino Gambling Legal Only in a Handful of States

Of all the gambling forms available in the United States, internet casino gambling is the one that’s illegal in most states. In fact, in 2023, there are only six US states that have legalized and regulated the online casino industry – New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Michigan, and West Virginia. In comparison, there are 27 states where online sports betting is legal.

The reasons why the legalization process is going slowly differ from one state to another. In some states (e.g., Nevada), lifting the ban on online casinos could have a devastating impact on land-based casino businesses. In some other states (e.g., Utah and Hawaii), online gambling is outlawed for moral, religious, and/or traditional reasons.

Still, in most cases, the reason why internet casinos aren’t legal and regulated is that lawmakers simply haven’t had time to deal with it.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Tom Horn Gaming Implements a New Holiday Scheme with Unlimited Days Off

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Tom Horn Gaming is famous as one of the most innovative casino game developers, but mostly due to its products. Described as creative, their products are used by literally hundreds of top-rated online gambling sites.

This week, however, Tom Horn Gaming got itself in the headlines not because of a new slot game, but because of a new policy. The company has decided to implement an innovative holiday scheme that will let the employees choose the number of their “days off.”

New Holiday Scheme Meant to Boost Employee Satisfaction

How the new holiday scheme at Tom Horn Gaming is meant to work is that each employee will have the luxury to decide for themselves how long they will stay off work. The fixed date of return is removed from the equation.

If a team member is feeling like they need some rest, they can just notify the management that they’re taking a leave, without the need for specifying how long will it take. They also have the liberty to decide when their vacation starts, although there’s still a requirement to notify the HR department in advance.

The best thing is that Tom Horn team members will even be allowed to decide how long their work week is going to be, as well as how many hours each day they’re going to spend working for the company.

The idea behind the new policy is to make work-life balance better for the employees. With their satisfaction at the highest levels – Tom Horn bosses argue – employees are bound to give more in terms of productivity.

Tom Horn Looking to Make Itself Attractive to New Employees

According to Tom Horn CEO Ondrej Lapides, the company already has a superb track record when it comes to employee productivity and creativity. The new holiday policy is bound to take those things to a whole new level.

Lapides argues that the new rules will benefit the current members of the Tom Horn team, as well as make the company more attractive to potential new employees.

Right now, the Malta-based multinational company is looking for new additions to several of its departments, including the casino software team. The number of job vacancies at Tom Horn is bound to increase in the future as the game developer has huge plans for the future.

As a reminder, Tom Horn is one of the leading providers of casino games, with their portfolio including such slot titles as Disco Fever, Dragon Egg, and Nitro Madness.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Which State Will be the First to Legalize Online Casino Gambling in 2023?

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Online sports betting is legal and regulated in more than two dozen states. Legal online casino gambling, however, is still available in just six states – New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, West Virginia, and Michigan.

However, those states are cashing in a lot of money from gambling tax, which could inspire lawmakers from the other 44 states to start thinking about following their path. So, which state is likely to say yes to online casinos in 2023? We think it might be New York.

New York State Needs Dollars

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on New York’s economy, which is why its lawmakers changed their stance toward online betting. They made it legal in 2022, which proved to be a fantastic decision.

Back in November, various media outlets reported that the state has already cashed in over $740 million in tax money from mobile sportsbooks. That number is probably even higher a month later, especially after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, one of the most popular events for NY-based bettors.

Those are great numbers, but New York needs more. An easy way to get more dollars in the state account is to make online casino gambling legal. Although there’s no official discussion about this, there are some politicians who have already given support for this idea.

Another major reason why New York might be the first state to greenlight online casino gambling in 2023 is that several of its neighbor states have already done it – New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

In practice, this means that a significant proportion of NY gamblers visit other states whenever they’re in the mood for playing online slots, roulette, or some other internet casino game.

Other States That Could Become iCasino-Friendly in 2023

Indiana is another very good candidate to make online casinos legal in 2023. All the signs are there, most notably the fact that the state’s gaming commission has already conducted a study on feasibility. Unsurprisingly, the study showed that legalizing iCasinos would be the right move.

The same goes for Ohio, whose first online sportsbooks are going live on January 1, 2023. Illinois is also among the states reportedly considering online casino legalization, along with Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, and others.

State of Online Gambling in Canada in 2023

Online casino gambling remains illegal in Canada, but the country is changing its gaming attitude at a fast pace. In fact, the chances are Canada will change its stance on iCasinos soon, possibly even in 2023.

The thing is that as per Canada’s new gambling laws, only those gambling sites with a local license can operate in the country. However, offshore casinos aren’t yet banned, and Canadians aren’t punished for using them.

In layman’s terms, this means that a huge number of Canadian gamblers are spending their money at iCasinos registered in island countries like Curacao, Antigua and Barbuda, and so on. As those casinos aren’t giving any money via tax to Canada, the country might decide to deal with the issue with the simplest method – by regulating the online gambling market.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Caesars Entertainment Embraces Micro-Betting with Simplebet Partnership

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Jake Paul isn’t the only one to get on the micro-betting bandwagon. A few months after the Youtuber-turned-boxer invested millions in the Betr micro-betting app, Caesars Entertainment is launching a rival app. The Nevada-based gambling company has just signed a partnership deal with operator Simplebet which should see the two companies launch a micro-betting operation in 2023.

Caesars Micro-Betting Platform to Launch Next Year

Microbetting is the next big thing in the gambling universe. Enthusiastic entrepreneurs like Jake Paul know this, and so do the experienced financial gurus from major companies such as Caesars Entertainment.

The evidence of this is that Caesars has inked a deal with Simplebet, a privately held business-to-business product-development company that specializes in micro-betting technology.

The company will provide micro-betting software to Caesars Sportsbook, which will take care of instant odds updates in live events. This way, Caesars users will be able to bet live on prop markets such as “next point scorer” for example.

The micro-betting product will go live in 2023 in every state in which Caesars online betting app operates. What this means is that bettors from 17 different parts of the country will be able to enjoy a micro-betting experience with one Caesars account.

Once the microbetting product goes live, Caesars users will be able to do play-by-play props betting on NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAF, and NCAAB events. The same will be possible for MLB games once the season commences in March.

 

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Jake Paul’s Micro-Betting App Betr to Get Its First License

Posted on by Grant Mahon

A few months ago, YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul and his entrepreneur friend Joey Levy invested $50 million in a start-up called Betr. The project in question is actually a micro-betting app that allows users to place wagers on prop bets in live events. So far, users could do this only for fun, but starting January 1, 2023, some of them will be able to micro-bet for real money.

The first day of the new year is when legal sports betting will kick off in Ohio with 25 licensed gambling sites set to go live. One of those sites is Jake Paul’s Betr.

Betr to Become the 1st App for Micro-Betting with Real Money

Jake Paul and Joey Levy teamed up to fund Betr, an innovative start-up that’s meant to cash in on the sports betting frenzy that’s been happening in the United States. As more and more states make this gambling activity legal and regulated, sportsbook operators are turning incredible profits.

Betr is supposed to bring its founders a great turn on investment but through a bit different angle. Rather than letting the users bet on the outcome of sports events – as regular sportsbooks do – Betr is focused on micro-betting.

If you’re not familiar with the term, micro-betting is an activity in which you put your money on bets that are going to be settled within minutes or even seconds.

Micro-Betting Explained

With regular sports betting, you put your money on the outcome (or some other market) of the game. For the bet to settle, you need to wait for the game to finish. With micro-betting, you bet on live events, that is, the games that have already started.

You have this option in regular sportsbooks as well, in the live betting section. That’s where you can bet on the outcome, the total number of goals, and so on. With micro-betting, however, you get to bet on stuff that is going to be settled much quicker.

Some examples of micro bets include:

  • Team to score the next point(s)
  • Player to make the next foul
  • Method of the next point
  • Correct score at the end of the current minute
  • Result (1X2) in the next five minutes

With micro-bets, you don’t have to wait long before your bet is settled. This means that you will get your winnings quickly as well. This means that you can then continue micro-betting until the final whistle.

As you can see, micro-betting is a gambling activity that will keep you glued to the screen. You need to be involved actively, rather than just passively watching the game.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Mattress Mack Taking Home the Biggest Sports Betting Win in History

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Mattress Mack has done something no one’s done before – he cashed out a $75 million sports betting win.

The Texas-based furniture tycoon won the mega-bet after backing his favorite baseball team – the Houston Astros – to win the 2022 World Series.

Led by Dusty Baker, the Astros beat the Philadelphia Eagles 4-2 in the series to win the Fall Classic. They did it despite going 1-2 down after the first three games.

Caesars Sportsbook Pays Out the Biggest Winning Ever

Jim ‘Mattress Mack’ McIngvale has won a total of $75 million thanks to his favorite team. He did it by placing several bets on the Astros, wagering about $10 million.

One of those bets was a $3 million wager on the Astros to win the 2022 World Series back in March. He did it at the betting odds of +1000 at Caesars Online Sportsbook. What this meant is that Mattress Mack’s winning was $30 million.

The Astros won and McIngvale won the money, a big portion of which he’s planning to give back to his customers. According to the man himself, he’s going to give a refund to everyone who’s spent more than $3,000 on his mattresses during the Astros’ trophy-winning season.

Can the Astros Do It Again in 2023?

Mattress Mack has only collected his 2022 World Series winnings from Caesars, but the odds for the next season are already up. The furniture show owner will be pleased to learn that his boys are favored to win the title once again.

The odds of the Astros winning the 2023 World Series are +550 at most sportsbooks and online casinos. However, some of them are giving the shortest odds to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that got knocked out of the MLB playoffs in round 1 this year.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Jim ‘Mattress Mack’ McIngvale Bets $10 Million on Houston Astros

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Earlier this year, a Houston Astros superfan Jim McIngvale placed a series of wagers on this team to win the 2022 World Series. If the Astros win their second MLB title in the franchise history, McIngvale will add another $75 million to his bank account, which would be the biggest sports betting payout in the history of the United States.

The 2022 World Series started on Friday, October 28, but things didn’t go well for McIngvale’s boys in the first game. The Astros lost 6-5 on their turf. The match took place at Minute Maid Park, where more than 42k supporters came to watch the game and support the Astros.

The second game of the series will be played in Texas as well, but then the series moves to Pennsylvania, with two games to take place at Philly’s Citizens Bank Park. If the series is tied after four games, the World Series will return to Houston for the final two matches.

Mattress Mack Customer to Profit if the Astros Win

Jim McIngvale made his fortune as an owner of a furniture store chain which earned him the nickname Mattress Mack. Gallery Furniture, as the chain is called, is one of the most successful businesses in Houston. This explains why McIngvale was capable of betting more than $10 million dollars on his favorite MLS team.

McIngvale sees baseball as a unifying force a divided nation needs in 2022 – “The entire country is divided politically between Republicans and Democrats, but baseball brings us all together.”

Mattress Mack loves baseball, but he loves his fellow Houstonians even more. According to the man himself, if the Astros win, he is going to give some of the money to his customers. His plan is to use the winnings to pay back every customer who spent more than $3,000 on a mattress at Gallery Furniture.

Mattress Mack’s Poor Betting Record

McIngvale loves sports betting, but he’s not a very successful bettor. Earlier this year, he put $4.5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI – the biggest wager ever made with a mobile device in the USA – and we know how that went.

Apart from making bad sports betting mistakes, we also saw him back losing candidates in the elections. In 2015, he supported Bill King in the Houston mayor’s race. His candidate ended up losing. Three years later, he supported Republican John Culberson for Congress, but he lost too. In 2022, his choice in the 2022 Texas Attorney General election was George P. Bush. As you’ve probably guessed, Bushed lost.

Is it time for Mattress Mack’s losing streak to come to an end?

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Lucky Slots Player Wins $2.8 Million at The Venetian in Vegas

Posted on by Grant Mahon

A lucky gambler won nearly $3 million on slots at The Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip. The exact figure is $2,835,768, which the lucky winner – who decided to stay anonymous – won after betting just $5.88, proving that seven-figure wins are possible even when gambling pocket money.

The gambler hit the jackpot playing a slot game called Dancing Drums Explosion at one of more than 1,800 fruit machines at the Venetian.

This win is one of the biggest jackpots in 2022 but is far from being the biggest win in the history of Las Vegas. In fact, there are dozens of gamblers who have won 10-times (or more) the amount of The Venetian player.

Biggest Fruit Machine Wins in the History of Vegas

Slots are the most popular casino games in Las Vegas. Players love them cause they’re fun to play and don’t require too much money, while also giving them a chance to win huge jackpots. And we really mean huge! There are some lucky slots players that have cashed-in tens of millions of dollars.

To prove our point, here are the top three biggest wins in the history of Las Vegas:

  • $39.7 Million at Excalibur Casino – A lucky gambler from Los Angeles hit the biggest slots jackpot in history, winning nearly $40 million. The player did it at Excalibur Casino where he had spent only $100 on the Megabucks slot before hitting the jackpot.
  • $35 Million at Desert Inn – The second-largest jackpot win in Las Vegas was the work of Cynthia Jay Brennan, who won $35 million in 2000. Once again, the multimillionaire-making machine was Megabucks, which she played at Desert Inn, a casino that was a part of Wynn Las Vegas at the time.
  • $27.6 Million at Palace Station Casino – A lucky pensioner hit the jackpot at Palace Station Casino in 1998, after spending $300 on slots. Guess which game they played? You’ve guessed it – Megabucks.

Biggest Online Casino Wins of All Time

Megabucks is a progressive jackpot slot that’s turned a number of people into millionaires. This fruit machine doesn’t have its own internet version, but this doesn’t mean online slots players haven’t won millions.

On the contrary, in the relatively short history of online gaming, a huge number of gamblers have hit ginormous jackpots. The most notable examples are the following:

  • €19.4 Million – A lucky player from Belgium won a €19.4 million jackpot, which at the time, was equal to $23.6 million. They did it while playing a Microgaming-powered slot game called Mega Moolah at an online gambling site called Napoleon Sports & Casino.
  • €17.8 Million – It was 2013 when a Finnish player won the jackpot playing NetEnt’s Mega Fortune at PAF.com. The most interesting fact about this win is that the player had only wagered 225 cents before hitting the jackpot.

If all this jackpot talk has put you in the mood for online gambling, follow the link to see the list of the best progressive jackpot slots you can play in 2022.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Cinematic RNG Casino Era Starts With Vinnie Jones Roulette

Posted on by Grant Mahon

What if we told you that you can play online roulette and other casino games against A-list celebrities? So far, this hasn’t been something that many people had the luxury of doing, but with the development of cinematic RNG casino games, things are going to change!

These sorts of games provide the player with an unmatched casino experience, which gives them a chance to play online casino games with celebs in the role of dealers. One such game is Vinnie Jones Roulette, which was released globally earlier this week.

Vinnie Jones Roulette Released Globally

Real Dealers Studios is an emerging casino game developer, which focuses on creating cinematic RNG games with Hollywood stars in the dealer’s role. Their first game to go live is Vinnie Jones Roulette, which premiered globally earlier this week.

The game in question is an online roulette game, which is based on the random number generator (RNG) software. However, unlike other RNG games, this one doesn’t use computer-generated graphics. Instead, it plays cinematic-grade scenes after each bet. The scenes star English soccer player-turned-Hollywood actor Vinnie Jones as the dealer.

He’s the one who’s calling the bets and reading out the numbers in the same manner as a roulette dealer would do in a real casino.

The result is that Vinnie Jones Roulette looks like a live casino game, making the players feel as if they’re playing against the movie tough guy himself via live cam. However, this isn’t a live roulette game – Vinnie isn’t really there. Instead, this is one of the first examples of a cinematic RNG casino game.

Are Cinematic RNG Casino Games the Future of Online Gambling?

You can think of cinematic RNG games as regular online casino games with live-casino vibes. How they work is that the outcome of each bet is decided by RNG software – the computer decides where the ball lands, rather than luck (or should we say physics) as would be the case in live roulette.

That is how all virtual casino games function. However, they all come with graphics created on the computer, which makes them different from cinematic RNG games.

Instead of using graphics, these games use videos filmed with professional cameras in Hollywood-style studios. These games are meant to put celebrities in the role of the dealer, which is the case with Vinnie Jones Roulette.

This particular game is the first in a series of cinematic RNG games that are supposed to go live in 2022. The next in line is Vinnie Jones Stories Roulette, which is basically a roulette game that gives you a chance to listen to funny anecdotes told by the actor.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

YouTuber-Turned-Boxer Jake Paul Vows to Bet $1 Million on the Miami Dolphins to Win the Super Bowl LVII

Posted on by Grant Mahon

YouTube sensation Jake Paul, who’s working hard to prepare for his boxing fight with former UFC champ Anderson Silva, has recently revealed his plan to back the Miami Dolphins to win the Super Bowl LVII. He decided to agree on the bet upon the insistence of his friend, hip-hop artist Rick Ross.

The two have vowed to place a $1 million bet on the Dolphins to win the Lombardi Trophy on February 12, 2023. The odds for that wager at most US-friendly sportsbooks are +3600, meaning that if Miami actually wins it, the pair will be $36 million richer.

Jake Paul Lets Lady Lucky Decide the Bet

Now a 25-year-old, Jake Paul rose to stardom as a YouTuber before deciding to try himself in the sport of boxing. Rather surprisingly, he turned out to be pretty good at it, going 5-0 in his pro career. His next bout is supposed to be against ex-UFC champ and a real knockout maestro Anderson Silva, with whom he’s supposed to fight in late October.

As confirmed by Paul himself, he’s been working hard on polishing his boxing skills, not caring much with whom he goes in the ring next. Outside of boxing, one of his passions in recent times is podcasting. He’s hosting a podcast called BS with Jake Paul, in which his co-host is Rick Ross.

The 46-year-old is a multimillionaire rapper who played football during his college days. He was the one to rekindle Paul’s love for the game, convincing him to make the Super Bowl bet.

How the two decided on the Miami Dolphins is that they rolled the dice, literally! It all started with Ross explaining to Paul that if they “bet a million on Miami Dolphins… It will bring us $36 million.” Paul revealed his doubt that Miami is a good bet but then suggested that the decision should be made by rolling the dice – if the number lands on four, they will back the Dolphins to win the Super Bowl.

And it did! It landed on four! The dice say it’s Miami the pair should bet, so the only thing that’s left now is to see whether they’ll really go through with it. The two have less than a week before the start of the 2022 NFL season, after which the odds might change depending on Miami’s performances. In Week 1, the Dolphins are welcoming the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Bookies see them as three-point favorites in that game.

Jake Paul Investing in a Gambling Business

Jake Paul is a self-professed gambling fan, who’s promoted gambling business in the past, some of which turned out more controversial than everyone anticipated. Nevertheless, in 2022, he’s planning to start his own gambling business, in partnership with venture capitalist Joey Levy.

The two are starting a “micro-betting” company, investing about $50 million in the project. The project is supposed to be an online sportsbook where the users can put their money on the so-called microbets, which the pair have described as TikTok of sports betting.

The term “microbet” refers to the type of wager that doesn’t take long to settle. Rather than waiting for the whole game to finish in order to learn the outcome, players can bet on things like who’s going to score the next point and similar. The sorts of bets are settled in seconds, hence the name microbets.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Yahoo! Names 10 Best Casinos in the United States

Posted on by Grant Mahon

As a part of its lifestyle series of “Top 10” articles, Yahoo! has also touched upon the gambling industry. Last week, the portal revealed its top picks for the best casinos in the US. Unsurprisingly, the top two casinos are located in America’s gambling capital – Las Vegas, Nevada.

That’s not the end of the Nevada-based casino that made it to Yahoo’s list. A casino from Reno is also on the list. Then, there are two casinos from Atlantic City, New Jersey, as well as two from Arizona. The remaining three are from Connecticut, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

Yahoo’s 10 Best Casinos in the US

The list comprises the following ten gambling establishments:

  1. Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
  2. ARIA Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
  3. Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nevada
  4. Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey
  5. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey
  6. Gila River Resorts & Casinos at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona
  7. Talking Stick Resort & Casino in Scottsdale, Arizona
  8. Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut
  9. WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma
  10. Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport, Mississippi

To create this list, Yahoo! factored in everything from the size of the gambling floor to how good the service is.

Las Vegas Casinos Leading the Way

Yahoo! put Bellagio Resort & Casino in the #1 place as the best casino in the United States. With its iconic fountains, impeccable service, and a plethora of non-gambling activities, Bellagio is the top pick not just for gamblers but also for regular tourists.

Just behind it is ARIA Resort and Casino, another high-end establishment located on the Las Vegas Strip. In fact, this casino is located right next to Bellagio.

Although it’s not in Vegas, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is another casino in Nevada that’s made it to the list. Sitting in the #3 position, this integrated resort is located in Reno, just south of the highway connecting the city with Sacramento and San Francisco in northern California.

Atlantic City Casino Rule the East Coast

There are nine casinos currently operating in Atlantic City, and two of them have made it to Yahoo’s list of the 10 best casinos in the US. Those are Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, thanks to which AC remains the east coast gambling capital.

Speaking of the eastern coast of the United States, there’s just one more casino located in this region that got a place on Yahoo’s list. The casino in question is Foxwoods Resort Casino, a tribal casino owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

FanDuel Adds Branded Live-Dealer Games to Its PA Online Casino

Posted on by Grant Mahon

From now on, FanDuel live casino games are available in Pennsylvania and Michigan. The story goes that the New York City-based gambling company has decided to expand its game portfolio in online casinos available in those states, the reason being the popularity of live-dealer games in those parts of the US.

FanDuel PA Gets 9 New Live-Dealer Casino Games

In Pennsylvania, FanDuel added online casino games to its sportsbook in 2020. The company started with 21 slots and just a couple of virtual table games. The users fell in love with those games straight away, which prompted FanDuel PA to expand its offering.

As of July 2022, FanDuel Pennsylvania has over 150 slot titles in its online casino, together with many other games. Further, just a few days ago, the company unveiled live-dealer games, which enable the users to play against real people via live stream.

A total of nine live casino games were added to the collection, namely:

  • Blackjack – seven different tables
  • Infinite Blackjack – one table
  • Roulette – one table

All of these games use FanDuel-branded software, with the dealers working directly for the company rather than being employed by a third party.

FanDuel to Focus on Pennsylvania Even More

Pennsylvania is one of the top states when it comes to FanDuel’s revenue. That’s where the company holds a 40% share of the sports betting market. The next step in FanDuel’s PA agenda is to present its casino offerings to the sports bettors.

As per Kevin Hennessy, FanDuel’s publicity director, online casino games are getting a lot of traction among users from Pennsylvania.

“Live Dealer games are important in building out the casino experience for FanDuel players. We set up the studio in a way that brings the FanDuel brand to life.”

In addition to expanding its game portfolio in Philadelphia, the company has done the same in Michigan and is reportedly planning to do the same in all of the states where its gambling platform is live.

At the moment, there are five states where it’s possible to play FanDuel online casino games. In addition to the two aforementioned states (PA and MI), the FanDuel internet casino is also live in New Jersey, West Virginia, and Connecticut.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Germany Approves Another Nine Online Poker/Slot Licenses

Posted on by Grant Mahon

The online gambling landscape in Germany is about to get bigger and more diverse. The story goes that the Sachsen-Anhalt State Administration Office has decided to approve nine more licenses, which will enable a couple of new online casinos and poker platforms to launch in the near future.

Previously, the licensing authority issued three licenses to companies Mernov, Mybet, and Tipwin. The names of the other nine operators are yet to be announced.

Asa of July 2022, the total number of operators that have been granted operating licenses is 12. At the moment, there are more than 60 other applicants waiting in line.

Administration Office Looking to Clamp Down on Shady Operators

Apart from issuing new licenses, the Administration Office has also been checking whether the current operators are worthy of the license. Over the past 12 months, the office has reviewed more than 870 gaming websites in order to check whether they’re breaking the law.

About 90 illegal gambling ads were discovered during the review process, with almost 150 illegal gaming cases placed under investigation. Further, the Administration Office also found that there were 25 illegal operators operating in Germany, all of which have been referred to the public prosecutor.

Die Glücksspielbehörde (GGL) is in the Business

Starting July 2022, Die Glücksspielbehörde (GGL) is going to be the main gambling regulator in Germany. Rather than letting each province has its own regulatory body for online gaming, Germany will use a more centralized system from now on.

The GGL will be in charge of giving operating licenses, as well as of reviewing operators and clamping down on illicit gambling sites.

The launch of the GGL came earlier than expected. At first, it was planned for the central gaming authority to start working in 2023, with January 1 often cited as the earliest date. However, the German Government gave it the green light some six months earlier.

The GGL was launched on July 1 – exactly one year after Germany passed the Fourth State Treaty on Gambling, a bill making online casino gambling legal.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Nirvana Producer Steve Albini Wins His Second WSOP Bracelet

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Steve Albini, a famous music producer who used to work with Nirvana, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and many other rock’n’roll stars, won WSOP Event #32: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E last Saturday. In addition to winning the bracelet, Albini also won a $196,089 prize. It was his second bracelet win, with the first one happening in 2018 when he won Event #31: $1,500 Seven Card Stud.

Albini Defeats Elite Players on His Road to the WSOP Bracelet

On his way to winning the 2022 event, he had to defeat a field of 773 poker players. Among those is Tamon Nakamura, who cashed out $19,373 by finishing in #8 place. Further, Eddy Vataru finished in seventh place, winning $25,294.

Peter Brownstein took sixth place, banking $33,552 along the way. Kyle Loman was next to go home, taking a $45,209 prize for finishing fifth.

Richard Bai finished in the #4 place, winning $61,862, while the no.3 player Jason Daly got himself an $85,943 prize. James Morgan, who’s one of the most successful active players from Canada, finished in second place, cashing in $121,195.

Other Celebrities Who Took Part in the WSOP

Steve Albini is just one in a long list of poker-loving celebrities. In fact, some real A-listers have tried themselves in the WSOP, although not many of them achieved as much as Nirvana’s legendary producer.

One of the best examples is actor James Woods, who’s had 21 money finishes at the WSOP, collecting around $130,000 in total. Toby Maguire of Spiderman fame also took part in several WSOP tournaments, cashing in circa $50,000.

When it comes to actors and actresses, the most successful celebrity in the WSOP is comedian Jennifer Tilly. According to HendonMob, she’s earned over a million dollars in her poker career, winning one WSOP bracelet along the way.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

DraftKings Sportsbook Goes Live in Ontario

Posted on by Grant Mahon

On April 4, 2022, online sports betting went live in Ontario. Canada’s most populous province now has a regulated internet gambling landscape, where 17 operators are allowed to do their business. One of those is DraftKings Sportsbook, which has gone live on Wednesday, May 18, some six weeks after most other Ontario betting sites.

From now on, Canadian bettors from Ontario have the luxury to bet online, as well as play internet casino games on the DraftKings platform. According to the company founder and CEO Jason Robins, this is a major landmark, which has the potential to take DraftKings to the next level.

DraftKings Not Worried About the Late Start in Ontario

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, DraftKings is an American company whose online sportsbook is available in 18 states in the US. Its online casinos – including the recently-acquired Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) – are available in eight US states.

Encouraged by its success in the United States, the company decided to spread its business empire over the northern border. The launch of DraftKings Sportsbook Canada, however, came one month and a half after the launch of its competitions.

It’s strange because, in the United States, DraftKings always wanted to be among the first to launch. It launched on Day 1 in New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, and Indiana.

The reason why DraftKings Sportsbook CA didn’t launch earlier is that the company has worked on clinching two major deals over the last couple of weeks. One of those was the launch of the DraftKings Sportsbook in Ontario; the other was the takeover of the GNOK.

According to Robins, the late start will not affect the company too much. In fact, the DraftKings co-founder believes that the sportsbook will perform better than expected. In fact, it’s already been doing better than what was projected at the start of 2022.

DraftKings Stops Its DFS Product in Ontario

DraftKings Sportsbook launched in Ontario on May 18, but this brand had a presence in Canada for several years. What we’re talking about is the DraftKings daily fantasy platform which had been operating in Ontario’s DFS grey market.

The word to focus on is ‘had’ because DraftKings DFS is no longer available in Ontario. Due to the provincial gaming authorities asking operators to stop working in the grey area, DraftKings decided to suspend its unregulated DFS product for the time being. Once Ontario regulates the DFS landscape, it’s very likely we will see the return of DraftKings.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.