Delaware sports betting is now officially screwed. Couple weeks ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit told the state that they would not allow single game betting on all sports. Now, on Monday, the same court ruled that Delaware would only allow parlay bets on NFL games...and no other sports. Ouch.

This is effectively a death blow to the state’s desire to raise money through taking legalized bets on sporting events. No one in their right mind is going to travel to Dover Downs just to make a parlay bet on NFL games, that is just silly. All the money spent on getting these casinos’ racebooks up to sportsbook quality is now down the drain and it is a shame.

If bets can be taken in Las Vegas right now and the sanctity of sporting events is not compromised then the entire argument for all professional and collegiate sporting leagues should be considered moot. I mean, the one big, recent, gambling scandal was with an NBA referee and the mob. The mob. Yes, the mob makes a considerable amount of money off of illegal sports bets. Sure would be nice to legalize it and regulate it huh?

In any case, the real victim is not Delaware or its citizens, no its me, here in Washington DC. We are so freaking far away from any real gambling it makes me sick. Not that I really dont mind using online sources, but doing that is like playing poker online. Its fun, but there is nothing like being in a casino, with the sights and the sounds, putting actual cash down for your bets. I miss it, i need it and Delaware got screwed trying to get it.

Here’s to hoping that they head to the Supreme Court for this one.

From Reuters

We at the Deuce love gambling and we love video games, so what better than to combine the two for a brand new addiction? Yes, its video game betting. Two web sites are now online to give you the excitement of betting on the outcome of an event, like sports betting, and allowing you to impact the outcome of said bet with your own skills and no house advantage, sorta like poker.

World Gaming and BringIt are both online now and will let you set up a match with another gamer on certain Xbox 360 or PS3 (BringIt also allows Wii, PS2) games, put a wager down if you wish, play for that money and the winner will take it all…for a small fee (rake) of course.

What a genius idea. The best part about it is, it’s not even technically illegal as this is not a game of chance, it is a skill game, and therefore not considered gambling, its betting. You see, its a totally separate thing there. Anyways…

World Gaming, to me, appears to have a better system set up compared to BringIt, allowing only games where the outcomes can be verified automatically from the video game system itself. In these games, you use your Gamertag or whatever the hell PS3 people use to identify themselves when you play your game and World Gaming’s computer system can automatically identify and verify the results of the game, thus ensuring the proper payout to the winner. The games it allows this “service” for are: on Xbox 360 you can challenge people in Halo 3, Madden 09, FIFA 09, NHL 09, NCAA Football 09 and on the PS3 you can play people in Fight Night Round 3, Madden 09, Fifa 09, Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm 2 (tournaments only), NHL 09, NCAA Football 09 and MLB 09: The Show.

But, BringIt allows gamers to go 2 routes to verifying game outcomes. There are the games, such as above, which their system can automatically verify the winner, or if you’re playing in games that don’t, there will be sort of an “honor” system…which when money is involved, I have to think will fall apart quickly. In this honor system, both gamers have to say who won. No way this works for reals, but it does allow for more games and systems to be played with (all the above games are included plus tons more). More inclusive than World Gaming, but with way more problems that can be attached to it.

Online poker was a HUGE boon to the poker industry when it rose up in the early 2000s, now, at the tail end of the decade, one has to wonder if a similar event is about to occur. This could be the beginning of a whole new frontier in video gaming, blowing up the scene like what happened in the poker world before it. Video game tournaments, like poker tournaments did, already existed for the best of the best to compete against each other for substantial sums of money. This was generally only for the pro’s pros before online poker companies started sending their winners to the World Series, launching the game into unprecedented popularity. Now, just like when Internet poker blew up, the everyman has a chance to compete for cash right on his couch, away from the intimidating scene of a large tournament, while improving their skills during the all-American pursuit of the dollar.

Video games already have a huge installed base, as the industry as a whole makes more money than even the motion picture industry. If more and more people start playing for money, it will only be a matter of time before people other than the top gamers stop seeing video games as just a hobby and more like a possible career.

Some people are going to be banking some serious cash through these sites when they explode. I just wish this was out when I was still in college…I coulda paid off my future self’s law school debts with the money i won from kickin people’s asses in Madden on this site. Why does all the cool stuff come out when I don’t have time to use it?

What do you get when you pit two competitors against each other in a game of pool, then take those same two people and have them play poker, then have those two kick each other’s asses in a mixed martial arts fight? Apparently it might be a reality tv show. Well, at least the creator/contestent Blair Thein thinks it will be.

“The Interest in the uniqueness and excitement that surrounds this project, along with recent developments lead me to believe that 2009 is the year that “Pool, Poker and Pain” will Shine!”

Well…I guess putting them all together is unique. I guess? I mean, having a reality show about Ice Dancing, Football and Competitive Eating is pretty unique as well. I dunno, I am either missing the joke or I am the only one getting it, I’m not sure. I saw the video below and thought it was a pretty funny mockumentary, sort of like Spinal Tap or A Mighty Wind or something. Watch the video and see for yourself.

From Inside Pool Magazine and Pool, Poker Pain

The well has officially run dry for new ideas for musical theater when someone has come up with a musical about a poker tournament as a legitimate idea for a Las Vegas production. All In: The Poker Musical is a play about 9 people at the final table of the World Series of poker who come from all walks of life and “sing songs that are chock full with double entendres, poker analogies, quotes, lingo, and suggestive situations that also apply to the game of life and the cards we are all dealt.” Man, this sounds like a blast, huh?

The show was created by Tim Molyneux with help from the poker brat Phil Hellmuth who had this to say about the show:

“Through the lyrics of the songs and style of music, we see not only who these final nine players are, but we are able to see ourselves, our families, and our world,” said Phil Hellmuth.

Right…man that makes me really want to see this. Does this mean that SUPER BOWL: The MUSICAL is like right around the corner? What depraved soul would want to see a musical about people playing cards? The only thing that is somewhat intriguing about it is that it might be MORE interesting to watch people playing cards if there is a whole bunch of singing and dancing going on…might…very very very strong emphasis on the word MIGHT there. Let’s not forget that.

Tickets are $30-$50 and you can see it starting July 4th at the Rio. If you do, I want a full review. I’ll give you a free DVD which won’t offset the cost of the tix or the loss of a piece of your soul, but at least you can watch Tony Hawk do some crazy ass tricks. It has to be at least a couple words and cannot be “THIS PLAY SUCKS” over and over, I already know that is true.

Oh, and yes, I know this post has nothing to do with Jennifer Tilly’s melons…but who wouldn’t want to go all in there huh? I mean, am I right or am I right?

Poker players are bored, it seems, so combining the betting of poker with the skill of golf is the World Series of Golf that is set to arrive in May. You can even sign up for it right now. Its only accepting amateur golfers and you actually wager every hole you play on for who can get the best score.

Players ante on each tee. The ante is followed by a pass, bet or fold on each golf shot, combining the skill of golf with the finesse of betting. When a player is out of money, they are out of the hole and out of the tournament. The players do not play against the field; they play against those in their group.

The objective is to win all the money from the other players in the group. Whoever does that, wins the match and advances to the next round. Players are paid after advancing through the first round.

The challenge of this type of competition is to win all the other players’ money in each group in each match. This is not about shooting the lowest score, it’s not a stroke play format. The World Series of Golf® tournament allows players to compete in successive elimination matches and use the pressure of betting and the skills of golf.

The event itself will take place May 12 - May 15th and requires a $1,000 registration deposit to play so the prize pool (aka all the money people use to enter the tournament) should be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Last year’s event had a top prize of $250,000.

So far, this gambling event has attracted the likes of poker pros Phil Ivey, Phil Gordon, Steve Dannenmann, Rhett Butler as well as former Bond girl Tanya Roberts and former Miss Nevada Michelle Yegge. Superstars in their own minds for sure.

I’ve always thought that golf should be more exciting and nothing quite matches the excitement of gambling so the combination of the two thoroughly intrigues me. If this event ever gets televised somewhere they might be on to something. Most people play golf and gamble anyway, ask Michael Jordan, this is just a more formalized event for it all and if I was any good at golf, I would think about signing up myself. Too bad I suck harder than a Dyson vacuum cleaner at it.