Online Casino Blog

The reopening of the historic Hialeah Park Race Track on November 28, eight years after owner John Brunetti closed it to the public, drew a huge overflow crowd of 26,874; in the next two days, however, that number thinned to a mere 4,305 and then 1,193. But the declining crowds did not bother Brunetti, who said the resumption of racing at Hialeah was just “the means to an end”, the end being permission from the state to open a casino. Such permission is a privilege doled out to South Florida’s struggling parimutuels, which have withered in the face of competition from other forms of gambling in the state such as the Florida Lottery, Indian-run casinos and the increasingly popular Internet poker sites. The question is: can Vegas-style slots casinos really reverse the parimutuels’ declining fortunes? Various tracks and frontons are betting that they can.

The latest parimutuel to take the plunge is the Calder Race Course, which had been rushing to complete an $85 million casino in time for the Super Bowl, which kicked off on February 7 at the adjacent Sun Life Stadium (formerly known as Joe Robbie Stadium and Dolphins Stadium). But other establishments that have already jumped in ahead of Calder and Hialeah are reporting mixed results, calling into question the familiar adage: ‘the house always wins’. Some of the parimutuels have already scaled back their plans to build lavish gambling palaces.

The Opening of Magic City Casino

The November 10 formal opening of the Magic City Casino, owned by Flagler Dog Track, brought Miami’s movers and shakers out in force, evoking the glamour of the days when members of the Rat Pack – Frank, Sammy, Dean et al – visited the track. Speaking before a cheering crowd, newly-elected Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado crowed about the 500 new jobs the casino created with “no public funds!” Unfortunately, the euphoria has subsided since then; while gamblers still flock to the new slots, income per machine has dropped by half since Magic City’s soft opening in October.

Marc Dunbar, an instructor in parimutuel law at Florida State who is also an expert in gambling, said that while new casinos would enjoy flashy openings, “the reality of the marketplace” would soon bring them down to earth. And the reality is that competition in the gaming market is fiercer than ever, with the Seminole Tribe’s hugely successful casino operation in the Hollywood reservation going head to head with parimutuels/casinos operating in the Miami/Dade and Broward area.

Adrian Segredo, 33, a gambler unwinding over a cocktail at Magic City on Friday night, commented that the Seminole Hard Rock had live entertainment, “where this [Magic City] doesn’t have it.” What Flagler does have is in-the-neighborhood convenience – and of course, dogs. By law, greyhound racing must continue to be held at the parimutuels in order to justify their gambling license, although the crowds continuing to attend such races are sparse. Still, management claims that while they have no exact figures, the coming of the slots has filled more grandstand seats. Some patrons also prefer to take in the races from the comfort of the air-conditioned casino, where a window offers a railbird’s view of the track.

Flagler is also hoping to entice patrons into placing a bet or two with various promotions, including Thursday Doggie Dinner Theater, which features dancing waitresses and food specials, as well as offering giveaways, and Tuesday Doggie Bingo, where patrons connect the results of the day’s races on a free bingo card in hopes of scoring a winning bingo.

Still, it remains uncertain if slots can lift the fading fortunes of a racetrack and its workforce. Horsemen employed at Pompano Park raised a $100,000 campaign to help win approval from voters in 2004 for ‘racinos’, only to claim afterwards that the racing track reneged on its promise to increase measly purses.

There have been no similar protests at Magic City since Vice President Isadore Havenick said that the overall operation is profitable. And yet, there are indications that all is not well. The casino has indefinitely postponed its planned $90 million second phase – which would have featured a nightclub, multiple restaurants and an amphitheater. Instead, Magic City is opting for a smaller expansion which would simply add an additional 150 to 200 new slot machines. Havenick attributed the second phase’s delay to the high tax rate the state levies on slots – which amounts to half of every dollar made.

While Florida legislators attempted to cut down the rate to 35% earlier in the year, such moves were stalled after the legislature, the Seminole tribe, and the governor, failed to come to terms on an Indian gaming compact. The stalemate also threatened Hialeah Park’s large-scale redevelopment.

The Redevelopment of Hialeah Park Race Track

Brunetti said that the park’s future survival as a racing venue hinges on lawmakers allowing stocks and thoroughbred racing – as opposed to the quarter-horse sprint-style races that are currently permitted at the track. He hopes to use revenues from slots to fund a massive redevelopment of Hialeah that would encompass a two-story casino, a hotel, and non-gambling establishments such as a multiplex cinema and bowling alley. The project would take seven to ten years to complete and cost one billion dollars; Brunetti said the redevelopment would funnel substantial amounts of money into the local economy, likening it to “building Hoover Dam during the Depression”. And indeed, casinos are just about the only things still being built in a moribund economy where most other construction projects in South Florida are at a standstill.

“We put hundreds of people to work,” Calder spokesperson Michele Blanco said. “That’s a good-news story.”

Magic City Casino is found at 450 NW 37th Avenue in Miami, Florida USA and Hialeah Park Race Track is found at 2200 E 4th Ave in Hialeah, Florida USA.

Some random poker thoughts on “I Put You All-In” and Finding the Perfect Playing Card:

The “I Put You All-In” Phrase

How did the phrase, “I put you all-in” get started? This has to be, without a doubt, one of the dumbest poker trends I’ve seen in a long time. How can anybody put me all-in? Don’t I still have the right to fold?

While I still think it’s stupid for people to say this with multiple players left in the hand, it’s even common for players to utter the phrase when there are only two players left in the hand. Is “I put you all-in” even a legal bet? Why not just say, “I’m all-in”?

Some will argue it’s an intimidation thing, but I don’t buy it. Maybe it’s just me, but I figure if this type of statement intimidates you, you won’t be playing poker for long. What are the odds you just happen to hit the newbie who can be intimidated before he ends up quitting the game all together? I’m guessing slim and none and slim is walking to the door.

The Perfect Playing Card

Why can’t I find the perfect playing card?

All I want is:

• Bridge-size cards
• Poker peek (corner) index
• White cards
• Bright colors
• Colorful back
• Easy to shuffle, control, and pitch

Is that too much to ask?

[thanks to kroska and kc via cc]

Texas Hold’em Poker has become the hottest poker game going . The games popularity has grown leaps and bounds due to all the exposure it receives on television, the Internet and in land based casinos. Hold’em has replaced 7 Card Stud as the most common poker game in the U.S.A. and even a large part of the world.

Types of Texas Hold’em Poker

The three choices of Texas Holdem Poker are no-limit, limit and pot-limit. The basic rules for each of the games are the same except for how much the player can bet, which changes the strategy on each game.

With no-limit hold’em you can bet any amount equal or above the big blind and even pushing all-in (betting all your chips) at anytime.

In limit hold ‘em, bets and raises during pre-flop and the flop must be equal to the big blind; this amount is called the small bet. In the next two rounds of betting, the turn and river, bets and raises must be equal to twice the big blind; this amount is called the big bet. Any time you wish to re-raise, you must raise at least the amount of the previous raise.

With pot-limit hold-em, the maximum raise is the current size of the pot (the total amount that has been played).

Basic Texas Hold’em Poker Instructions

Texas Hold ‘em Poker is played by using small and big blinds. What this does is force bets by two players and in most tournaments the size of the blinds will get larger as the tournament progresses. A dealer button is used to represent the player in the dealer position; the dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand, changing the position of the dealer and who has to post the small and big blinds. So at the table, everyone will take their turn.

Betting and Playing in Texas Hold’em Poker

1. Each player is dealt two cards face down,known as your hole or pocket cards, with the player in the small blind receiving the first card and the player on the button having the last card dealt. This is known as the “pre-flop” betting round . Betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind and continues clockwise. Players can either bet, raise (up to raise limit/cap) or fold.
2. Next comes “the flop” which is three cards dealt face up on the table. This is the board and all cards there are community cards (cards that everyone uses to make their hand). Another round of bets are then made beginning with the player to the dealer’s left and continues clockwise.
3. After the flop betting ends, another card is dealt on the board. This card is known as “the turn” and is followed by a third round of betting.
4. After the turn round, the final card is then dealt on the board. This is “the river“. Another round of betting is done, and then it’s time for a showdown if two or more players are left in the hand. The best five card hand wins!

Just remember that in Texas Hold’em Poker, your hand will consist of the best five cards possible for you (this can consist of either one or two cards in your hand, the hole cards, and three or four on the board, which are the community cards, depending on how many of the hole cards you use – this can even mean your best hand may be the five board cards). So good luck at the felt and never bet more than you can afford.

[thanks to ericskiff and carolina gambler via cc]

A suit filed against a Las Vegas casino for allegedly endangering employees’ health by exposing them to second-hand smoke is politically-motivated, according to the casino’s lawyers.

Attorneys with the firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, who are representing the Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country Club, alleged that the casino is in accordance with the provisions of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, the Las Vegas Sun reported on December 13. The Act prohibits all forms of smoking tobacco within indoor places of employment, although it does allow smoking inside casinos, provided that these are areas where minors are prohibited by law from loitering.

The casino’s attorneys further alleged in court papers filed December 11 that the federal lawsuit, which was filed by an officer of the Transport Workers Union, appeared to be in pursuit “of a political agenda”. Kanie Kastroll, who also works as a casino dealer, alleges in the suit filed October 20 that second-hand smoke has resulted in various medical problems among casino workers, ranging from sore throat and asthma, to eye irritation and the ingestion of carcinogens.

The Sun also reported that the Gaming Division of the Transport Workers Union has distanced itself from the suit. Kastroll is seeking unspecified costs and fees, as well a court order asking the casino to adopt better measures to protect employees from second-hand smoke.

Blinds = 75/150

8 Players at Table

Seat 4 (Early Position) – KC (7,150 in chips)

Seat 8 (Big Blind) – Villain (10,000 in chips)

Pre-Flop:

With 7h7d, I decide to take advantage of my tight image and raise 3x to 450 from early position. All fold to the villain – a loose, aggressive player – who raises to 900 total. The blinds fold and there is 1,425 in the pot. With only 450 to call, I’m getting better than 3:1 odds to call and make the call. There is now 1,875 in the pot.

Flop:

Jh Jd 6c

Villain checks. Normally, I would take a stab at the pot, but with the small pre-flop re-raise made by an aggressive player, I have a feeling my pocket 7s may not be good and the villain is slow playing. Besides, a bet here may not actually give me any information if he only calls. While the villain may have a strong ace that I currently have beat (AK or AQ), he would probably call with two over cards to the board (hoping to hit), a jack, or even a six (he is capable of re-raising with A6). Therefore, I check and hope for a blank on the turn.

Turn Card:

3s

With a blank on the turn, I’m planning on taking a stab at this one, but the villain beats me to the punch and bets 600. With such a small bet, I’m not sure if he is bluffing or slow-playing. I decide the price is worth finding out and call. There is now 3,075 in the pot.

River Card:

7s

Bingo. I don’t have to worry about him bluffing. If he happens to have a bigger full house than my 777JJ, so be it. The villain bets 900 and I immediately move all-in for my remaining 5,650. After about 10 seconds of thought, the villain calls, shows his AJ, and I take down a 14,375 pot.

[thanks to boinger and kc via cc]