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University of Richmond listed as #22 top national liberal art college, highest ranking ever – rvahub.com

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Danzig

By Brandon Shillingford

Students returning to campus this fall will find vending machines stocked full of snacks, sodas, and now personal protective equipment too.

The machines located throughout Richmond-based Virginia Commonwealth University are filled with masks and hand sanitizer and soon, wipes. The supplies are available to students and employees for free, with a once a month limit. Individuals choose what they need and swipe their VCUCard to dispense a product.

VCU officials said they started planning preventative measures months ago to help keep students safe.

In March, we started out at ground zero, said Richard Sliwoski, associate vice president of facilities management at VCU. We had to get things here to make sure we could get folks on campus safely.

The first solution was to hand out starter supply kits with masks, hand sanitizer and wipes. The universitys next question was what to do when the kits became empty.

VCU then contacted W.W. Grainger Inc., an industrial supply company with vending machines already on campus, about acquiring more machines for masks and hand sanitizer. The process was easy since the university already has a contract with the Lake Forest, Illinois-based company, Sliwoski said.

There is no cost to us for the machines, Sliwoski said. They provide all our parts for all of the fixes, faucets, whatever, we source it through them.

Out of a handful of Virginia colleges CNS contacted, only George Mason University confirmed by publication that it also dispenses masks and sanitizer through vending machines. But across the nation, other universities are adding such vending to campuses, as are airports and cities.

Students at VCU said they were pleased with the new machines but questioned how effective they can be if no one knows about them.

Im glad they have these as an extra option for those who are running out of hand sanitizer and stuff because its clear they have plenty, said VCU junior Travis Krickovic. Its a really good measure to just make sure everyone has the PPE they need, Im just wondering and really hope everyone knows about it.

VCU freshman Mary Dorra appreciates the efforts the university is taking but wonders if more safety practices are needed to keep students safe.

It makes me feel safer. Im not sure if its enough but at this point I dont really know what else you can do, she said about the new machines. You could do more temperature checks outside of classes and things like that but even then you could be asymptomatic, so that might not do much.

There are 10 machines at VCU. Five are located on the Medical College of Virginia Campus in the Tompkins-McCaw Library and the Mcguire Hall and Annex, and the Hunton, Larrick and McGlothlin Medical Education centers. The other five reside on the Monroe Park Campus in Snead Hall, the T. Edward Temple Building, James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Student Commons, and the Bowe Street Parking Deck.

Grainger said it provides the machines as part of a wider agreement with VCU but did not disclose the contract amount when asked.

VCU also has put tape or signs on seats to diminish capacity in dining areas to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Common spaces also indicate where to stand in line or sit at a table.

As of Thursday, there are 97 active cases of COVID-19 at VCU, according to the universitys dashboard. The university is reporting 49 new cases this week and 191 total.

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University of Richmond listed as #22 top national liberal art college, highest ranking ever - rvahub.com

Liberal MP says GetUp ‘bird-dogging’ led to harassment of female candidates – Sydney Morning Herald

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Danzig

"You come into communities, you razz people up, you train them in arts like bird-dogging and then you step back and say oh they're not members of ours," he said during a committee hearing on Monday.

"It was in fact GetUp's irresponsible incitement and promotion of bird-dogging that led directly to the stalking activity and the vicious nature of the campaigns targeted towards Nicolle Flint in Boothby and Georgina Downer in Mayo You irresponsibly incited people to stalk female Liberal candidates."

GetUp's chief legal counsel, Zaahir Edries, described what the organisation did as empowering people to engage with democratic processes.

"To suggest we somehow deliver some nefarious training to people that they are going to go out and do some horrible things is really disingenuous," he told the committee.

The practice of bird-dogging named for the animals used to hunt game involves intercepting candidates and asking them questions while filming their response. Mr Pasin described it as hounding or pursuing someone with malicious intent.

A GetUp information sheet for volunteers available online offers advice on how to find out where the "target" will be, including noting routines a "John Howard-esque exercise schedule" or a favourite cafe. It recommends asking questions while shaking the candidate's hand and says "It's always important to be polite and respectful". The GetUp sheet states it is adapted from an American organisation's guide to "Bird Dogging Candidates".

Ms Flint told the committee hearing GetUp's volunteers on polling booths in particular were very aggressive and doing things like "putting the phone in your face to record you when they put questions to you".

She also described a community candidates' debate that was a long tradition in the South Australian seat of Boothby and was usually a calm and polite affair.

"This time, I was being shouted down, I couldn't finish my sentences," she said. "It was no longer a community debate, it was a debate that had been hijacked by activists who just wanted to intimidate me."

An anonymous submission to the committee from a person describing themselves as "a disenchanted and former GetUp volunteer" talks of being asked to be part of a bird-dogging team for the organisation to "disrupt, both physically and verbally, Liberal Party public meetings and events".

"The bird-dogging team also had access to enormous, paper mache-like caricature heads of major Liberal Party members designed to be used in conjunction with defamatory signage [and] handheld, portable loud speakers as well as yelling and chanting," the submission states.

Mr Edries and GetUp's political director, Andrew Blake, denied the organisation asked its members to engage in any hounding or malicious pursuits of people. They spoke instead of people dressing up in Bananas in Pyjamas suits or children's entertainer Peter Combe singing songs at campaign events.

Our weekly newsletter will deliver expert analysis of the race to the White House from our US correspondent Matthew Knott. Coming soon. Sign up now for the Herald's newsletter here, The Age's here, Brisbane Times' here and WAtoday's here.

Katina Curtis is a political reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based at Parliament House in Canberra.

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Liberal MP says GetUp 'bird-dogging' led to harassment of female candidates - Sydney Morning Herald

Designing the Future of Liberal Education | Higher Ed Gamma – Inside Higher Ed

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Danzig

The value of a liberal education is no longer self-evident.

Despite a torrent of books and essays extolling a liberal arts educations value and utility, broad segments of the public have grown convinced that a liberal education is a synonym for a radical education that ill prepares graduates for the job market.

Instead of cultivating an appreciation for great cultural achievements or honing mental skills through the rigorous study of grammar, logic, rhetoric, foreign languages and mathematics -- which is how liberal educations value was framed and defended in the more distant past -- liberal educations more recent champions have emphasized the 21st-century skills that a liberal education offers.

These include critical and creative thinking, cognitive flexibility, integrative and reflective thinking, social skills, ethical reasoning, and inter- and cross-cultural competence.

A liberal education, as its defenders put it, prepares graduates not for their first job but their fourth. Its not job preparation, but preparation for life.

However true, this argument has gained only limited traction.

Much reform in higher education is driven by exigencies -- by urgent needs and outside demands. That is certainly the situation that many liberal arts colleges face as they strive to sustain enrollment and make the lower-division experience more satisfying and meaningful to undergraduates who regard many courses as a diversion from their real interests.

The result has been proliferating experiments, a large number of which are surveyed in a recently published collection of essays entitled Redesigning Liberal Education.

Case studies describe innovative approaches at an Ivy, Brown, large publics, like Florida International and George Mason, urban privates, like Georgetown and Northeastern, and smaller liberal arts institutions like Connecticut, Rollins and Smith.

Several themes run through these curricular experiments:

But the most important theme is a heightened emphasis on applied or experiential learning. The goal is not simply to apply ideas, theories and methods to authentic, real-world situations, but to help students identify a path in life and develop a sense of purpose by having opportunities, whether in class, in a research lab or maker space, in practicums and studio and clinical experiences, in the field, in co-curricular activities, in an internship, or through study abroad.

Applied learning (which closely resembles George Kuhs high-impact practices), then, ought to reside at the core of a liberal education. As Bass puts it: Applied learning becomes the crucible that integrates the personal development of individual learners professional development and the more purely cognitive knowledge creation

Is radical disruption the best way to save liberal education from extinction? Or does a focus on 21st-century skills undercut liberal educations true value by subordinating its historic centerpieces -- an appreciation of the arts and literature, a firm grounding in history, and an understanding of logic, ethical reasoning and rhetoric -- to more utilitarian concerns?

Is the heightened emphasis on 21st-century literacies and competencies pandering? Is it the academic equivalent of destroying the village to save it? Or is it both necessary -- to produce graduates who will thrive in todays volatile, uncertain, ambiguous environment -- and essential if liberal education will survive in a society that prioritizes the practical, the useful and the applicable?

At the risk of resembling a mugwump -- those late-19th-century liberal reformers with their mugs on one side of the fence and their wumps on the other (as the saying went) -- I think humanists in particular need to advance along two seemingly contradictory fronts.

They need to defend the value of a humanistic education in purely intellectual terms -- as a way to cultivate the aesthetic and moral sensibilities, promote the growth of a rich interior life, and the strengthen the capacity to think, contextualize, reason and reflect at a very high level.

At the same time, they must promote a humanistic education that eschews a narrow disciplinarity, that engages in dialogue with the social and natural sciences and applied and pre-professional fields, and that encourages creativity and the application of humanistic skills, and gives students opportunities to demonstrate their learning in novel ways.

We mustnt kill liberal education in order to save it, but we must also recognize that it is under genuine threat and that if it fails to adapt, it will only become even more marginal and peripheral.

Steven Mintz is professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin.

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Designing the Future of Liberal Education | Higher Ed Gamma - Inside Higher Ed

Who To Bet On For Gambling Content This Football Season – Barrett Sports Media

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

One of the greatest aspects of working in the Las Vegas market was the direct exposure to the sports gambling world. Prior to my time there, I had a limited sports gambling resume that consisted of watching Casino hundreds of times.

Following two years of working and living in the sports gaming capital of the world, I learned the industry firsthand and met the key players. When thinking of who to follow, who to book and who to invest in, my shortlist below includes highlights of my Q&A with each.

So, as the NFL season kicks off with the NHL, NBA and MLB all in play, I present which sharps Id bet on. These are the names that will help give you a competitive advantage, keep your audience entertained and, in my opinion, could give Lefty Rosenthal a run for his money.

1. Dave Cokin, professional sports handicapper

A fixture of the sports gambling community for decades, who radiates character, experience and a wealth knowledge. His ability to transcend to a national, regional or local audience in an effortless manner comes with decades of experience on the media and gambling scenes in Las Vegas. Looking for an authentic Old Vegas sharp with a phenomenal record? Look no further.

Follow Dave Cokin on Twitter @davecokin.

2. Chad Millman, The Action Network

Former editorial director and editor-in-chief of ESPN: The Magazine and editorial director for ESPN digital, Chad Millman, left ESPN in September of 2017 to help launch The Action Network, where he is the Chief Content Officer.

Weve been really thoughtful about who we bring in, and what their reputation is and what people cover and your audiences. Information from Jason Sobel, who is probably the premiere golf writer of his generation, who also happens to be an incredibly knowledgeable bettor and daily fantasy player. Thats really valuable because it speaks to a sport that we believe a lot in as far as potential, and he brings an audience that otherwise might not have known who we were or thought about betting.

And we have guys like Chris Raybon, who established himself as a very smart analytics driven fantasy analyst, who also was a very big bettor and knew the betting space really well, but didnt really have any place to express himself with that. And some of the ideas that he has are so contrarian to what everyone else is putting out there, and consistently proven to be successful.

Then, two of our college football experts Colin Wilson and Stuckey, who are honestly, to me, the best examples of old-school Vegas guys, who do a ton of research and know the numbers really well and also know personnel incredibly well. They watch so many games and they are long time betters, and theyre as easy to connect to as anybody you will ever meet when it comes to betting. Theyre the guys you can talk to about betting in the bar, who are not going to make you feel silly if you dont know anything about betting. You can ask them anything and theyre only going to want to share what they know, theyre not going to judge you.

With a 4.8 rating in the App Store, The Action Network has won the best betting content award, a huge accomplishment in and of itself.

Follow Chad Millman on Twitter at @chadmillman.

3. Marco DAngelo, Wager Talk

Sports betting experience: over 40 years.

Age at the time he placed his first bet: 10 years old

One of the best in the business, known for his thoughtful analysis and authenticity, DAngelo has had immense success and overwhelmingly positive reputation as a professional sports handicapper and bettor.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on sports, the sports betting world has been impacted and the long term effects and continual adaptations are far reaching in scope.

Theres a difference of playing in a bubble, like the hockey and basketball, where everything is, you know, super controlled as to whats going to happen with football where the teams are going to travel like baseball, you know, theyre keeping the teams, you know, under wraps when theyre on the road and so forth.

Now, whats going to happen with the football season is youre going to have an injury report, like you always do. But as the week goes on, the players are going to call the test and all the time youre going to theres going to be cases. Its going to happen. Somebodys going to test and then its going to depend on how many tests and what players youre losing for that particular game. And until its a big key player, you know, its not gonna make any news. That could throw so many things off.

When youre dealing with the statistics, if a quarterback goes down, a quarterback tests positive and he has to be a scratch for that game that week, thats going to be big! Then, you know, do you play the game? At the beginning of the week, when youre trying to get the best number possible, you know, thats the cat and mouse game about sports wagering is you want to lock in the best price. You want to get the dog at the highest peak, and you want to get the favorite at the lowest value. As far as what the line is, you could take a team that you bet on Monday or Tuesday at minus seven, something happens to a team player you know, it is rolled out Friday or Saturday, and all of a sudden, that ticket that youre holding is minus seven. The line went down to minus three and a half and youre screwed. Youre stuck with minus seven.

So, theres going to be instances where there will be problems and its going to be just something that were going to have to adapt to on the fly. And as we see this go along, you know, theres only one or two isolated cases where you know, a COVID case really affected a lot.

Theyre the people setting the lines, everybody else is betting and handicapping has that same information. Stats are the stats. They dont lie, they dont change numbers or numbers, but for my element I add situational lines. Just like, you know with work, lets face it, were all the same. We come to work every day and we put forth the good we bring, we try to bring our best every day. But there are certain daysyou just dont bring your A game. Professional athletes are the same way. Theyre still human beings at the end of the day, and I try to find those peaks and valleys because if everybody else has all the same information as far as stats go, I need to find something thats going to give me the value to be the numbers that are based on those stats.

The expertise Wager Talk offers ranges in scope, specialty, age and has an incredibly diverse, deep bench of talent.

Our content is designed to educate people. The bottom line is we want to try to make people a better bettor, by education.

Follow Marco DAngelo on Twitter at @marcoinvegas. Follow Wager Talk at @WagerTalk and online at WagerTalk.com.

4. John Murray, Kelly Stewart, Kelly & Murray Podcast

A unique vantage point and concept for a podcast, The Westgate Superbook USA bookmaker and sports betting expert come together to provide great content about sports gambling.

We were like minded in a lot of ways, on a lot of things, so we get along well, John Murray says. We know how to push each others buttons. She knows exactly what to say when she wants to get under my skin. We have a lot of fun.

Murray, who started working out in Vegas as a ticket writer under Superbook Director Jay Kornegay in 2007, has an eye on what game youre looking to get the best value on and consistently delivers winners.

One game that Ill be watching is Dallas and the Rams. The book is going to need the Rams really big, so all the parlays are going to go in Dallas. Well be keeping a really close eye on that game, for sure.

Follow John Murray on Twitter at @vegasmurray. Follow Kelly Stewart on Twitter at @kellyinvegas. Follow the show at @kellymurrayshow.

Bonus free picks: Mitch Moss & Pauly Howard, VSiN

These two guys are as entertaining as they are informative and know the world of sports betting inside and out.

Follow @MitchMossRadio & @PaulyHoward on Twitter.

https://barrettsportsmedia.com

Chrissy Paradis is a veteran sports radio producer. Shes worked in Las Vegas, Washington DC, Raleigh and Hartford helping personalities such as Rob Dibble, Tim Brando, Steve Cofield, Adam Gold and Joe Ovies. You can contact her on Twitter @ChrissyParadis or by email at Chrissy.Paradis@gmail.com.

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Who To Bet On For Gambling Content This Football Season - Barrett Sports Media

Safer Gambling: Responsibility must remain with operators – Casino Beats

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

A panel of experts discussing safer gambling as part of day four of the SBC Summit Barcelona Digital agreed that while legislation and even harmonisation are key to addressing the issue, the obligation remains firmly with operators to take action.

Discussing the merits of harmonisation, a distinguished panel agreed that EU-wide standards remained unlikely but that regulators should also resist one-size-fits-all legislation that might be perceived as relieving some obligation from the operators.

Sponsored by W2, the panel was part of the events Safer Gambling track, itself sponsored by Epic Risk Management.

Yanica Sant, gead of EU affairs and policy at the Malta Gaming Authority, told delegates: Maltese legislation is all objective based in these areas. It is not very specific as to the limits, for example it obliges operators only to offer players the possibility to set limits.

Theres no one-size-fits-all solution. Operators are obliged to identify the risk to their players. What we need to see is that operator handling the risks it has identified in a proportionate way.

If there was an incident when an operator could have noticed something or if they chose to look the other way, we are in a position to say that operator is not fulfilling its duty of care to customers. Leaving the obligation as non-specific puts the onus onto the operator.

Sandhya Singh, head of risk and fraud, payment and customer service at Napoleon Sports & Casino, offered an operator perspective. Its important to make our platform safe for customers, she told the panel. Operators have perhaps not been as active in the past but they are now catching up quickly to ensure platforms are safe to play.

Concurring with Sant, Singh added that a one-size-fits-all solution is not appropriate.

Peter-Paul De Goeij, managing director of the Netherlands Online Gambling Association, said that the Dutch market was coming from a different place compared to many, and that NOGA was helping to introduce safer gambling protocols. The industry here doesnt have a strong track record when it comes to this, he told the panel, which was being moderated by Peter Murray of W2.

In the regulated industry, theres no place for operators that do not take this issue to heart and as a starting point for their operations, said De Goeij.

In the Netherlands, we dont have a clear picture of how the current gambling operators are doing in terms of duty of care, the prevention of addiction or underage gambling. We simply dont have the data.

Asked about fraud-detection tools that could be deployed or re-purposed to detect behaviours linked to gambling-related harm, Napoleons Singh said the operator was already using this avenue. The risk of problem gambling has been added to the tools that we traditionally use for fraud detection, she said.

They have not necessarily been repurposed but increased in scope to ensure we have measures in place [for safer gambling].,

Matthew Hickey, CEO of the Gordon Moody Association, incorporating Gambling Therapy, said: We feel operators are trying to do their best to do more and to provide the right support for those people that need it.

However, the people we support are those most in crisis. They have got to this point predominantly because they have underlying mental health issues. For the majority these [safer gambling] measures will have a big positive impact but those we treat can be highly manipulative in order to get their fix.

The industry is getting much better at identifying these instances but the people we work with will always go further and further, said Hickey.

As such we are able to provide operators with the full loop of information, to help ensure that those that need help can be identified early on.

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Safer Gambling: Responsibility must remain with operators - Casino Beats

$100million Gambling Losses, Illicit Affair and Extortion – the Downfall of Ron Meyer – PokerTube

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

07:4712 Sep

An affair with a 20-year old actress, ensuing blackmail and $100million lost in the casinos thats how NBCUniversals Ron Meyer ended his $25million a year job and the details are almost beyond belief.

The 75-year old media and entertainment executive was known as the biggest craps player ever to casino insiders, described by one as being in the top three most sought-after whales.

News of his $multi-million gambling habit emerged after he stepped down from his NBC Vice Chair role last month, citing an affair with a actress 47 years his junior.

Meyer claimed he was facing extortion threats from an unnamed woman, the accusations believed to involve the English actress, Charlotte Kirk.

He added:

It was the emergence Meyers incredible gambling habits, however, that made the headlines this week, tales of losing more than $7million in a single night emerging.

A Daily Mail source claims Meyer would blow between $5million and $7million at Caesars. Once he exhausted his credit line there, the VP would take him to Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut where he would blow $3-5million as well at each place.'

The California-born former talent agent was also reputed to be in the hole for several million dollars' to mobsters during the 80s and 90s, according to Powerhouse: The Inside Story of CAA author James Miller.

Miller claimed that Meyer narrowly avoided serious violence keeping 'both legs operative, genitalia intact' - by borrowing $millions from movie producer Ray Stark.

The anonymous casino insider who emerged recently told reporters:

That involved VIP stays in penthouse suites, with a helicopter and luxury limousine on hand to transfer him between casinos and hotels, and $million+ lines of credit.

Meyer also had to sell his $125million Malibu home, his 2018 divorce revealing that his wife knew nothing of the massive gambling habit.

'In the divorce settlement his wife asked for a forensic accounting, because she thought he was hiding the money. But he wasn't hiding the money, he just blew it,' reported the Mail.

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$100million Gambling Losses, Illicit Affair and Extortion - the Downfall of Ron Meyer - PokerTube

Barclays Is Beefing Gambling Block Feature with Cooling off Period – GamblingNews.com

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Barclays is implementing a cooling off period for its customers who elect to switch off their gambling-related transactions. The new feature that will make customers wait for at least 72 hours before they can resume with gambling payments will be introduced in the coming weeks.

In December 2018, Barclays introduced a protective option for its clients to allow them to self-exclude from gambling by turning off gambling transactions, and the feature has been used more than 570,000 times ever since. During the coronavirus-induced lockdown only, the banks gambling block has been activated 187,000 times.

The ability to block gambling transactions through your bank card or app is incredibly helpful to those struggling to control their gambling, and is ideally used together with other practical tools such as self-exclusion, blocking software, and specialist support and treatment around the issue.

The new 72-hour time delay that Barclays will be adding to the feature will further improve the ability of its customers to control their gambling behavior as it comes after careful consideration of clients feedback. Any attempts to make a transaction on gambling websites, apps or venues before this periods expiration will be automatically declined by the bank.

Customer feedback on our gambling control showed us there was more we could do to help and weve worked closely with them to design the solution. Our customers have told us this 72-hour time delay gives them a real pause for thought and helps when they are tempted to return to gambling.

Whenever customers decide to switch gambling back on after activating the feature, a pop-up window will show on the screen reminding them that they will need to wait for the cooling period to expire before making any payments to gambling operators.

Weve long campaigned for banks to offer customers gambling blocks with a cooling off period, as this can make a huge difference in helping people stay in control of gambling and avoid serious financial problems. Were delighted that Barclays has taken this step and hope that other banks will follow suit.

Barclays is one of the banks which take gambling harm prevention seriously, as there are other control tools at the disposal of its customers, among which setting a spending limit for a single transaction, cash withdrawal limits as well as complete temporary freeze of cards when clients feel they are losing the grip on their spending entirely.

Barclays also has a gambling support page where it provides guidelines for its customers how to realize they are getting out of control. Feeling stressed or worried, getting into debt or struggling to pay for food and bills due to money being spent on gambling are among the signs mentioned on the banks support page.

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Barclays Is Beefing Gambling Block Feature with Cooling off Period - GamblingNews.com

Dear Penny: I think my husband is gambling away our future on Robinhood – Tampa Bay Times

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Dear Penny,

My husband became obsessed with the stock market during quarantine. His company stopped its 401(k) match in March, so he stopped contributing. He also stopped making his Roth IRA contribution, which he used to max out.

Instead, hes putting all that money into his Robinhood account and hes always trading on the app.

I left my job in the medical field earlier this year because of worries about COVID-19 and because our kids school had closed. Weve decided not to send the kids back to school at least through the end of 2020, so Im at home getting our three kids through virtual school. Since Im not working, I cant contribute to a retirement account of my own.

I dont know much about the stock market and I have zero interest. My husband has a finance degree, though thats not his profession, so I lack his expertise in this respect. Some of his friends are equally obsessed with Robinhood. Im alarmed because Ive heard them joke about the risky bets theyve made.

He hasnt taken money out of retirement accounts or our savings. He says I shouldnt worry because hes made way more than he would have with his 401(k) and also because were still current on all our bills even without my income.

Is it OK that hes stopped contributing to his 401(k) so he can trade stocks? How do I ask him what hes actually investing in? Im worried that hes gambling money that we need for our retirement.

-K.

Dear K.,

Maybe your husband does know more about the stock market than you do. But it sounds like youre the smarter investor.

If your husband is using the fact that hes gotten superior returns since March compared to what hes averaged in his 401(k) over the years, hes giving himself WAY too much credit. Please dont buy in.

As of Sept. 1, the S&P 500 was up 57 percent since its historic crash in March. Those returns simply arent sustainable. Historically, stocks deliver average annual returns of about 10 percent before you account for inflation. Investments in 401(k) plans skew conservative, so youd expect slightly lower returns.

You dont build wealth through huge short-term stock market fluctuations. You build it by consistently investing and staying put over the long haul. Your concern implies that, unlike your husband, you grasp that.

But this question is about so much more than money.

Youre not earning a paycheck right now, but youre very much working. Youve put your career on pause and taken on the difficult work of getting your family through the pandemic.

But has your husband sacrificed? It doesnt sound like it. Instead, hes turning your couch into a casino.

Heres whats even more worrisome, though: Hes unilaterally making decisions that affect your entire family without your consent, despite knowing youre worried. This is not a partnership.

You obviously know that its time for a long-overdue talk with your husband about his decisions. And while Im being hard on him, Id suggest taking a different approach.

Dont lead with Im worried that youre gambling away our future. Its a 100 percent legitimate concern. I just dont think it will start a productive dialogue.

Tell him instead that you want to set aside a couple hours to go over all of your investment and savings accounts. Its harder for him to get defensive if youre simply seeking to understand where your family finances stand. If he resists having an open conversation, consider it a huge red flag.

Focus the discussion on your broader goals, like when you want to retire or whether you want to pay for your kids college. Dont let yourself get sucked into an argument about the returns hes gotten. Those returns are unattainable in the long run. Aim to figure out what you should contribute for retirement based on the modest 6 percent to 7 percent returns financial planners estimate youll average.

One thing Id insist on here is that he prioritize your retirement as well. Youre right that you cant contribute to a retirement account without earned income, but earning spouses can fund an IRA for a non-earning spouse. The regular IRA contribution limits of $6,000 if youre under 50 or $7,000 if youre 50 or older apply.

Once youve resumed funding your retirement accounts sufficiently and youre saving for any other goals, you can split any extra money between the two of you for your individual wants. If he chooses to trade stocks on Robinhood, he can bet to his hearts content.

Dont let him sway you with his stock market expertise. Your future is at stake. Personally, Id trust you to manage my money over your husband any day.

Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior editor at the Penny Hoarder. Send your tricky money questions to AskPenny@thepennyhoarder.com.

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Dear Penny: I think my husband is gambling away our future on Robinhood - Tampa Bay Times

The Commish’s gambling picks for Week 1 of the NFL season – The Gleaner

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Jason White, Special to the Courier & Press Published 11:36 a.m. CT Sept. 11, 2020 | Updated 11:39 a.m. CT Sept. 11, 2020

Editor's note: We're glad to welcome back Jason White (aka "The Commish") for a regular look at gambling each week.

Last year, Jason's picks were correct 59 percent of the time (50-34-3). This season, with limited college football schedules, he will be focusing on the National Football League.

His first picks of the season, along with a couple of prop bets, follow.

BUCCANEERS (+3 ) @ Saints: In 2019, Tampa Bay was able to win seven games despite the fact that quarterback Jameis Winston threw a mind boggling 30 interceptions. But six-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady is now running the show, and he has no shortage of offensive weapons at his disposal. Its usually not a good idea to pick against the Saints at home, but the pandemic protocol fan restrictions will take away some of the home field magic. Take advantage of one of the few times this season when Brady and the Bucs will be getting points.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during an NFL football training camp practice Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)(Photo: Chris O'Meara, AP)

BEARS (+3) @ Lions: When you think of the Chicago Bears, you think defense. Despite injuries to key defensive players, the squad performed at an extremely high level in 2019. Now healthy, this defense is ready to wreak havoc once again. But the offense of the Bears will have to contribute. In 2017, the Bears moved up to the No. 2 overall pick in the draft to select Mitchell Trubisky. In a draft where both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were available, the decision to take Trubisky has been widely criticized. Its make or break time for both Trubisky and head coach Matt Nagy, and I think they get off to a great start in Week 1 while riding the coattails of their stellar defense. Lions quarterback Matt Stafford will be running for his life on Sunday.

OVER (39 ) - Jets @ Bills: This is the lowest point total on the board and I think its too low for this Week 1 matchup. The number is primarily based on the fact that the Bills went 4-12 against the point total last season. And while the Jets defense (led by defensive guru Gregg Williams) is stout, the addition of Stefon Diggs to the Bills offense is going to open things up for quarterback Josh Allen this year. I look for Allen to have a great day in the air and with his legs to get enough points to push this pick over the top.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen during practice. (Photo: JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE)

GIANTS (+6) vs. Steelers: This Monday night matchup opened with the Steelers favored by 3 points and has ballooned to a six-point spread at the end of the week. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is returning from an injury, and the Steelers are led by one of the best head coaches in Mike Tomlin. But Daniel Jones gets to hand the ball off to Saquon Barkley, and the offense will be productive with new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett calling the plays. Despite the heavy money being placed on Pittsburg, I think the line has moved too far and the Giants will stay within the spread.

14. Colts If Philip Rivers has anything left in his arm, the Colts will make the playoffs.(Photo: Michael Conroy, AP)

Prop bets:

OVER (2 ) - Total touchdowns scored by COLTS vs. Jaguars (-165): Despite not getting a great rate of return, this is a classic bet to help with bankroll management. I trust Frank Reich and the Colts offense to make this happen by early in the 3rd quarter.

OVER (51.5) - Total rushing yards by Todd Gurley (Falcons) vs. Seahawks (-110): While theres still a mystery surrounding the health of Todd Gurley, he continues to be productive on limited touches. Dont be discouraged when he limps back to the huddle after his first run. I expect him to rip off enough productive runs to win this pick.

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The Commish's gambling picks for Week 1 of the NFL season - The Gleaner

How to Win More at the Casinos – Psychology of Winning Gamblers – BestUSCasinos.org

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

My goal with this post is to enable you to understand the psychology of gambling well enough that you can start taking control of your gambling hobby. The idea is to become a winner, and that starts in the mind. Im convinced that almost everyone has a winner inside, and the trick is to find the code to unlock that winner.

And my hope is that this post will set you off down the road to awakening the winner within.

Consistency is everything.

Ive written before about the differences between gambling with a positive expectation versus gambling with a negative expectation, but heres the deal:

If you gamble with a positive expectation some of the time and a negative expectation some of the time, you might as well be gambling with a negative expectation all the time.

This means if youre an expert poker player, and you need a change of pace, dont go blowing your money at the roulette table. If you need a change of pace, learn to count cards and go win money at the blackjack table instead.

It does you no good to book five small winning sessions if you just blow it on your 6th gambling session.

Im not as big a believer in trying to manage your state of mind as some success gurus like Tony Robbins are. Robbins seems to think you should try to control your mental state all the time, learning to associate painful emotions with stuff you dont want to do and feel-good emotions with stuff you do want to do.

Ive also done a lot of work with a therapist who says theres no such thing as a negative emotion. I know what she means, but I still dont enjoy grief.

Cognitive behavioral therapy works from the supposition that if you change your thoughts, your behaviors will change, too. After all, before you do anything, you have some kind of thought that leads you to that decision.

How does all this apply to gambling?

Mostly it just means you should pay attention to your state of mind when youre embarking on a gambling session. If youre feeling depressed or tired, maybe you shouldnt be at the blackjack table. Its easier to make a bad decision when youre in a bad state of mind.

You might be able to psyche yourself up occasionally, but it might also be good to just feel your feelings and avoid gambling when youre feeling bad.

I dont mean you get to make up the rules to blackjack as you go along.

Instead, Im suggesting that you have your own rules for your behavior in gambling situations.

Heres an example:

My friend Drunk Gary has a rule when hes playing blackjack for real money. When he has a hunch, he listens to it. A lot of gamblers have that rule.

I have a different rule when I play blackjack. I ignore all my hunches and stick with basic strategy.

You might have a rule that you only play blackjack when a single-deck version is available, and you deviate from basic strategy whenever the count says that its appropriate. (Im not talking about Count Dracula, here Im talking about people who count cards. The count is just a measure of how many high cards are left in the deck.)

Other people have rules they follow for how much money theyre willing to lose before calling it a day, while others have win goals that signal that its time to quit. I know some gamblers who stay in a game as long as the math is positive expectation for them. They only quit when theyre too tired to continue to win money.

Its easy to have low standards as a gambler. For example, you might think its no big deal to put $100 into a slot machine once in a while.

Thats not a winning decision, though.

Real gambling winners only make positive expectation bets, and you cant get a positive expectation on a slot machine no matter what youve read on the internet.

That little $100 losing session is the kind of leak you need to plug if youre really going to win at gambling consistently.

You also want to raise your standards for what kinds of bets youre willing to make. If you insists on only gambling when the odds are in your favor, youll eventually become a winner just because of the math behind the games.

Heres an example:

Drunk Gary loves to play blackjack, and he visits a casino in Las Vegas that offers $5 blackjack. But this game has a 6/5 payout for a natural. Gary doesnt care. He just wants to stay in action.

On the other hand, I refuse to play ANY blackjack game with a 6/5 payout. My standards are higher than that. Id rather not play than play such an inferior game.

Changing that payout adds 1.5% to the house edge, which makes any edge you might get counting cards null and void.

Losers just like being in action. They dont associate losing with pain or winning with pleasure.

Thats an important distinction to make. Youll see slot zombies losing money hand over fist enjoying (if you can call it that) a day in front of the one-armed bandits.

But I have a more important distinction for you:

You should be so focused on making good decisions that winning and losing just arent as important anymore.

If you get all your chips in the middle of the table before the flop when you have pocket aces, youve done great even if you lose the hand.

Thats because youve made a good decision that will result in long-term winnings.

You just have to stay in the game long enough.

Imagine never playing real money slots again.

Does that sound like a big commitment?

Now imagine spending 40 hours a month reading poker books for the next year.

Thats a big commitment, too, right?

These are the kinds of commitments winning gamblers make as a matter of course throughout the year.

You must become committed to learning how to make sensible decisions consistently.

Then you have to become so dedicated to doing so that you never make bad decisions when gambling.

Thats a commitment that makes marriage pale in comparison.

When casinos that are part of a publicly-traded company discuss earnings, they dont have the option of explaining that they just had a run of bad luck during the last quarter. They must justify their earnings based on how theyve managed the business.

Gambling is, at its core, an exercise in math and execution. Get the math wrong, and youll lose. Ignore the math and do something that isnt mathematically optimal, and youll lose.

Casinos are consistently profitable for two reasons:

Being a winning gambler at least doing so consistently means finding a way to flip that mathematical edge in your favor.

Getting lucky just isnt good enough unless you get lucky once early in your gambling career and quit forever.

Einstein said that compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe, but when it comes to gambling, expectation is the most powerful force in the universe.

The two are closely related, anyway.

If you can remember that luck happens but isnt what makes you a winner, you stand a chance at winning in the casino.

How do you awaken the winner within?

You need to examine your belief systems about gambling and change them.

When those belief systems change, your behavior will change, too.

Winners take different actions from losers, and you want to learn how to take those actions and do so consistently.

How to Win More at the Casinos - Psychology of Winning Gamblers - BestUSCasinos.org

Attractions and Gambling in Japan – Memorable Activities in Japan – BestUSCasinos.org

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Everyone knows that Japan is one of the coolest places to visit in the world. Featuring ancient art techniques, fascinating architecture, traditional music, and amazing food, Japan continues to be a hotspot for tourists from all over the globe.

One thing you may not associate Japan with is gambling. Thats because there are currently no casinos in Japan, however, it looks like there will be in the very near future. Even without casinos, there are some interesting things to gamble on.

Lets take a look at some places you can visit in Japan where you can gamble as well as take in the beautiful culture this country has to offer.

Here are three memorable places to visit while gambling in Japan.

Pachinko is a unique Asian gambling game and is most well-known in Japan. Its a form of pseudo-gambling that the vast majority of the Japanese population engage in.

There are Pachinko parlors spread all over Japan and if there is one place visitors should go its the Maruhan Shinjuku Toho Building where tourists can easily learn to play Pachinko.

There are over 1,000 gaming machines at the Maruhan Shinjuku Toho Building, consisting of pachinko and pachi-slots. You can get a membership card and rack up points from multiple visits and exchange them for prizes.

You can possibly exchange your points for cash, but the parlor isnt officially associated with businesses that will give you money for your points. Your best bet would be to ask another player at the parlor how and where to do this.

The staff at the Maruhan Shinjuku Toho Building speak Spanish, Turkish, Korean, Chinese, and English, and they are more than willing to help you while you are there. Shinjuku has some awesome historic sights to see such as the Shinjuku Samurai Museum. You can get a group tour in Chinese, Korean, English, or Japanese.

Once the tour ends, you can dress up as a samurai, or if you prefer you can wear a kimono instead. Sword fighting performances can also be viewed at the museum. If you want to learn some samurai moves, you can do that as well with the assistance of a choreographer.

You can easily travel from the past into the future by walking down the street from the Shinjuku Samurai Museum to the Robot Restaurant. This place is quite the spectacle, and while you are waiting for a table, you will be entertained by a robot band.

The name Robot Restaurant can be somewhat misleading, as there are only some light snacks available on the menu. The Robot Restaurants main focus is the show you will enjoy once inside.

Shinjuku is located in Tokyo, and Im sure most people dont think of beautiful green parks when they think of Tokyo but Shinjuku has just that.

At the Shinjuku Gyoen National Park, you will enjoy what used to be the Emperors private garden. Springtime is the quintessential time to visit as that is cherry blossom season. However, this park is still beautiful all year long.

Horse racing is extremely popular in Japan, and there are over 20,000 races held every year. Betting on horse racing attracts the most serious gamblers from Japan and around the world. If you want to have the real horse racing experience, you must go to the Kyoto Racecourse in Kyoto.

The Kyoto Racecourse was built in 1999 and can hold 120,000 people. This venue consists of a jump course, a dirt course, and two turf courses. Races are held year-round at the Kyoto Racecourse. Betting on horseracing in Japan can be quite lucrative, so you might just walk away as a big winner.

One of the best things about the Kyoto Racecourse is that it is in Kyoto. Surrounded by beautiful cherry trees on top of a magnificent hill, you will find the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. There, you will find the Jishu Shrine that was built for the god of love.

If you are a fan of beautiful scenery and monkeys, then you will want to visit Monkey Park Iwatayama. Now, consider yourself warned, there are monkeys everywhere, swinging from trees and always looking for an opportunity to steal some food from you.

Make sure that if you have any bags or a backpack with you that you keep them zipped up. These monkeys have no problem going through all of your belongings in search of some food or a free souvenir.

If you are looking for entertainment in Kyoto, the Gion district is just for you. There, you will find geishas, theatres, and some very talented artists.

Make sure to catch a kabuki show at the Minamiza Theatre. A kabuki show is a type of theatre that includes bright colors, elaborate makeup, and ancient dance techniques.

If you are superstitious, make sure you make your way down to the Yasui Konpira-gu Shrines magical stone. There, you can write down your dreams and offer it to a magical stone.

While in the Gion district, you can also enjoy great food as there are a huge number of cafes there. A short 20 kilometers away from Kyoto is the town of Kurama. While there you can travel to the top of Mt. Kurama where you will find an amazing Buddhist temple by the name of Kurama-dera. You will also find a beautiful hiking trail located just past the temple.

You will see birds, deer, and monkeys as you travel the trail.

Japan is very famous for its unique style of bicycle racing known as Keirin. Keirin emerged after World War II and is one of the most popular sports to bet on in all of Japan. It consists of nine cyclists doing laps around a velodrome.

Initially, this sport was developed for the sole purpose of being gambled on, but today, it is also appreciated as one of Japans finest sports. The Omiya Velodrome is a perfect place to get in on the action of betting on Keirin. Located in Omiya-ku, Saitama, the Omiya Velodrome has an oval whose circumference is 500 meters.

Omiya-ku is usually just thought of as a hub that connects Tokyo to the northern parts of Japan. However, it is an excellent tourist spot as well. Omiya actually means great shrine. There, you will find the Hikawa Shrine that dates back to 473 BCE. Surrounding this shrine are bridges, ponds, and other smaller shrines.

To learn more about Omiya-kus history, you can visit the Omiya Railway Museum. Omiya has always been a transportation hub in modern times and plays an important role in the Shinkansen bullet train network.

Among the cool things you will see at this museum is an Imperial carriage that was used by Japanese royalty as well as steam locomotives and model trains from Japanese history.

If you are an even bigger history buff, you will want to make sure to pay a visit to the Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore. Here, you will find ancient pieces of fine art from 1000 BCE, as well as more modern works from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Visitors can also make folk crafts at some of the workshops that are held regularly. Omiya-ku also has a park that is well-known for its cherry blossoms as well as its apricot and red pine trees.

A visit to Japan wouldnt be complete without seeing some bonsai masterpieces. At the Omiya Bonsai Village, you will see not only bonsai masterpieces but bonsai related artifacts as well. This village is also home to the Great Bonsai Festival which is held every May.

The Omiya Bonsai Village is only a short walk from Omiya Koen Station which is located on the Tobu Urban Park Line.

Japan is unlike any other country you will ever visit. The beauty of its culture and nature is unparalleled. Couple this with some unique gambling opportunities and you have a potential trip that will change your life forever.

Again, it is anticipated that land-based casinos will soon be in operation in Japan within the next couple of years. So, now is the best time to be thinking about planning a gambling trip to Japan.

Did you enjoy reading about these places to visit while gambling in Japan? If so, let me know in the comments.

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Attractions and Gambling in Japan - Memorable Activities in Japan - BestUSCasinos.org

Diving into the great gambling unknowns of the 2020 NFL season – New York Post

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

As a historic NFL season kicks off Thursday, there is still so much that bettors and bookmakers dont know. How will home-field advantage be impacted without fans in the stadium? How will teams be affected by not playing any preseason games (or intersquad scrimmages)? How will COVID-19 impact the season?

Bettors and bookmakers alike have had to prep for an NFL season unlike any other, including less public information without any preseason games, and a plethora of other betting options not normally available this time of year.

Its been like March in August, Chuck Esposito, sportsbook director at Stations Casinos, said.

Ive spent more time reading through the house rules in the last month than I have the previous decade, Dave Sharapan, a longtime Las Vegas oddsmaker, joked.

We asked bookmakers across the country what NFL home-field advantage was worth this season, how they were dealing with all of the uncertainty and more.

Ask five different bookmakers and youll get five different answers on how much home-field advantage is worth in the NFL and the impact of reduced (or zero) fans in stadiums.

For years, the general perception was that bookmakers gave home teams three points and adjusted based on the strength of the home-field advantage, travel and other factors. As others have noted, though, home-field advantage has been declining for years and most teams home stadiums arent worth a full three points. Last season was the first NFL campaign in which visiting teams outscored home teams, John Sheeran, director of trading at FanDuel Sportsbook, noted.

The media has overreacted to home-field over the years, Sheerhan said. While its a certainly a small size [of visiting teams outscoring home teams], we have a degree of confidence that home-field advantage is diminishing.

Another variable is that for the first time in NFL history, different teams will have variable amounts of fans in the stadium at home games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With more than two-thirds of NFL teams announcing they wont have fans at home games to begin the season, home-field advantage could diminish even further. The Seahawks will travel nearly 29,000 miles in 2020, the highest total in the league, for example. Teams coming to Seattle will still have to get there, but now wont have to face the Seahawks feared 12th Man as well.

I do think home-field is an impact, but the biggest impact is when the road team is on offense and has trouble communicating, said Chris Bennett, sportsbook manager at Circa Sports. It feels like less than a full point difference from a normal season.

Especially Week 1, I think its worth nothing to some teams and up to 1.5 points for others, Chris Andrews, a sportsbook director at Las Vegas South Point Hotel & Casino, told me over the phone. Particularly Week 1, when these coaches have known their opponent for several months, I think home-field is worth less. After that, well see.

Every bookmaker I spoke with acknowledged that home-field advantage was one of many unknowns surrounding an unprecedented season.

There are still so many variables that Im not sure theres a lot you can do as a bettor or bookmaker, Bennett said. Im not really doing anything special.

Normally, August is a time for preseason football, which not only builds anticipation for the regular season by discussing training camp standouts and analyzing roster cuts and injuries, but also provides sportsbooks with a good portion of their August handle.

However, with Major League Baseball, golf and MMA, and with the NBA playoffs, Stanley Cup playoffs and other sports being played at a time when they normally wouldnt be, anticipation for the NFL season has been lacking for bettors.

Weve been in a position where there is a whole degree of uncertainty that weve never thought about before and bettors have been slower to move than they normally would be, across all sports, Sheerhan said.

I would agree that its the least-hyped football season in memory due to everything thats happening with the other major sports, said Tom Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata in Atlantic City. Football has taken a back seat.

The shutdown of major sports in March due to COVID-19 hurt the bottom line for bookmakers, but also allowed them to offer markets they wouldnt ordinarily offer (remember the pingpong craze in April and May?) and prepared them for a new time in bookmaking in which events could be postponed or canceled at any time.

Bookmakers have had to reach out more consistently to regulators for new events (seven-inning MLB doubleheaders) and be quick to react to rule changes in various sports.

Weve needed to be quite agile and nimble, and react to more breaking news as it comes through, Sheeran said.

For both bettors and bookmakers, it has been a feeling-out process that will continue into football season.

With all the constant changes, it has been very challenging, Gable said. Trying to keep up with all of the news is tough. As a bettor, its probably frustrating as well.

Ben Fawkes writes for VSiN.com, The Sports Betting Network.

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Diving into the great gambling unknowns of the 2020 NFL season - New York Post

Gambling Tax Income Boosts The Swedish Economy European Gaming Industry News – European Gaming Industry News

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Parimatch has been confirmed as Leicester Citys new Official First Team Training Wear Partner ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

Parimatch, an international betting and technology company based in Cyprus, will see their branding appear on the training and warm-up wear of Leicester Citys First Team squad during all domestic and UEFA Europa League fixtures for the upcoming season.

The partnership will also see the companys branding visible on pitch-side LED advertising boards at all home Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and Carabao Cup games, as well as on interview backdrops for all top-flight fixtures at the King Power Stadium and on the Clubs social media channels.

Harj Hir, Head of Partnerships at Leicester City, said: We are really pleased to partner with Parimatch, an exciting international brand. We look forward to working together and helping to grow each others international profile.

Parimatch connect traditional and emerging markets with an innovative betting platform and are one of the most popular operators within the CIS region, and are shortly launching a new site specifically created for customers in Great Britain.

The company prides itself on a reliable, and responsible, experience across an original mobile-orientated digital platform. Their betting products provide an exciting form of entertainment that enhances customers enjoyment of sport and gaming.

Sergey Portnov, CEO at Parimatch said: This is a fitting and excellent partnership for Parimatch. Firstly, the Premier League is one of the greatest and most popular competitions in the world. Our brand belongs on this stage. Secondly, we see a lot of similarities between ourselves and Leicester City Football Club. Leicester are the great surprise story of the Premier League. Their title win in 2016 will be forever remembered around the world and they have since firmly established themselves amongst the Premier Leagues elite. Yet, just over ten years ago they were playing in third tier of English football. Their meteoric rise is because of their shrewd management and drive to succeed. Parimatch are also underdogs in the international gaming industry. We have had to overcome many obstacles and continue to better ourselves to get to where we are today. Leicesters indelible spirit will help ensure we remain on this exciting path.

Ivan Liashenko, CMO at Parimatch added: Leicester City will be forever known as the miracle makers because of their extraordinary Premier League title win. At Parimatch we believe that miracles can only be made through hard work and a fighting spirit. We are delighted that Leicester City have chosen Parimatch as their Training Wear Partner and as an Official Betting Partner. Working with Leicester City ensures that Parimatch is partnering with a club that embodies the same values we hold at the heart of our business.

In July 2018, Parimatch became the official betting and wagering partner for the UFC in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), while they are also the shirt sponsor of APOEL FC in the Cypriot First Division.

Furthermore, the Parimatch Foundation was launched in 2018 and has significantly invested in promoting health and wellbeing through empowering education and community participation in sports.

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Gambling Tax Income Boosts The Swedish Economy European Gaming Industry News - European Gaming Industry News

The Math Behind Casino Baccarat – Win More Using Gambling Math – BestUSCasinos.org

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

If youre looking for a combination of an easy gambling game and a low house edge, baccarat is exactly what youre looking for. The house edge is lower than almost every other option in the casino, and you only need to know how to make a single wager.

Everything you need to know about baccarat is based on math, but you dont have to figure out any of the logistics by yourself. Here are five things that you need to know about baccarat math. Once you learn these five things, you can quickly use them to help you win.

This page is about baccarat games available at smaller tables. This is called midi or mini baccarat, and the casino has a dealer that runs the game. The baccarat game at larger tables is basically the same, but players are more involved in dealing the game.

The thing about baccarat that can be a little bit confusing is the commission that the dealer takes out of winning banker wagers. This isnt a big deal, but some players struggle with understanding the process and how it influences how much they win or lose.

Basically, any time you place a wager on the banker hand and win, the casino collects a 5% commission. This means that if you make a wager of $100 and win, you only get back $95. Or, if you bet $20, you only get back $19.

This seems simple enough, but where some baccarat players get confused is when they try to understand the house edge on the banker hand wager. The house edge on this wager is 1.06% after the casino collects the commission. This is really all you need to know.

The problem is, if you dont understand that this is the edge after the commission, it might lead you to think that the player hand wager is better. The banker hand wager is always the best bet when you play baccarat. You dont have to compute the commission, so theres really no reason why you shouldnt make the banker hand wager every time.

Its best to make wagers that are easy to compute the commission so you know that the dealer doesnt make a mistake. If you usually wager $20 a hand, keep a stack of $1 chips. The dealer can pay you $20, and you can slide a $1 chip forward to pay the commission.

The second wagering option at the baccarat table is the player wager. The player hand doesnt charge a commission when you win. But even without the commission, it has a slightly higher house edge. The house edge on the player hand wager is 1.24%.

This is not the worst wager you can make, and in truth, it doesnt cost you too much more to wager on the player hand than the banker. Here are some exact numbers to show you the long-term difference in losses.

As you can see, the expected loss difference, even at $10,000 total wagered, is only $18. This means that if you simply want to avoid the commission that comes with the banker hand wager, you can lose a small amount more in the long run and use the player hand option. The choice is yours.

I still recommend the banker option because the casino takes care of taking the commission. This way, you dont have to do anything except make the wager.

I know that this page is about baccarat math, but theres no need to dig very deep in the math behind the tie wager in baccarat. The main reason why is because the tie bet is so bad that you should never make it, no matter what.

The house edge at most baccarat tables for the tie wager is a huge 14.36%. Let me put this in perspective a couple of different ways.

The first way to put this in perspective is that almost every other wagering opportunity in the casino is better than this.

Another way to put this in perspective is to do some quick math to show your expected loss on the tie wager. Every $100 you wager on the baccarat tie option costs you $14.36. Every $1,000 you risk on this wager costs you $143.60.

Skip the math behind it, and simply skip the tie wager option at the baccarat table.

Im going to give you the answer to the question first because its simple. The best wager size when youre playing baccarat is the smallest wager you can make. When youre playing baccarat in land-based casinos, this is the table minimum.

When youre playing baccarat in an online casino, this is the smallest wager they accept.

The reason why you should always make the smallest baccarat wager that you can is because this is the best way to alleviate the house edge. Youre always going to be at a disadvantage in the long run when you play baccarat.

This is the answer to what size wager you should make when playing baccarat. This means that the best course of action is to not play at all, and the second-best course of action is to always make the banker wager with the lowest possible bet amount.

This advice is true for almost any casino game you play. You need to learn the best strategy, then play with the lowest possible bet amount. Any gambling option that has a house edge, and this is almost all of them, needs to be played with the lowest wager possible.

It might seem strange to find a section about baccarat and slot machines on a page about baccarat math, but theres something important that every slot machine player needs to know.

People play slots for many different reasons, but one of the main reasons they play is because its easy. All they have to do is put some money in and press a button. The biggest problem with slot machines is that they have a higher house edge than most other gambling options in the casino.

You might think that this doesnt make as much difference because youre making smaller wagers, but this is offset by how many wagers you make in an hour.

If youre wagering $2.50 on every spin and take 550 spins every hour, youre risking $1,375 every hour. Compare this to wagering $20 on every hand at a baccarat table and playing 70 hands every hour. In this case, youre risking $1,400 every hour.

Now, consider how much you can expect to lose playing slots and baccarat. If the slot machine has a 5% house edge, youre expected loss is $68.75 every hour. Your expected loss playing baccarat is only $14.84.

As you can clearly see, baccarat is much less costly to play than slot machines. And its just as easy to play online baccarat as it is to play online slot machines. All you have to do is place a bet on the dealer hand. Everything else is taken care of by the casino, just like when you bet on slot machines.

Many gamblers worry about the need to understand how baccarat is played and scored. Youre welcome to learn all about how to score baccarat hands, but you dont need to know anything about the game to play.

The only reason why you might want to learn how to score baccarat hands is to make sure the dealer doesnt cheat you out of a win. And this isnt something you need to worry about in most modern casinos.

Baccarat is as simple as any game in the casino. All you have to do is place a wager and wait for the result. And baccarat offers a much lower house edge than slot machines and many other options in the casino.

The best strategy is to use the banker hand every time you play, even with the commission on winning wagers. With a house edge of just over 1%, your bankroll is going to last longer and youre going to have a better chance to walk away from the table a winner than most games give you.

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The Math Behind Casino Baccarat - Win More Using Gambling Math - BestUSCasinos.org

Liberal MP who quit over massive gambling debts charged by RCMP over ‘millions’ in personal loans while in office – National Post

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Mr. Grewal adamantly denies these allegations as he has done steadfastly since 2018

Grewal, whose full name is Rajvinder Singh Grewal, was a lawyer before entering electoral politics, having graduated from York Universitys Osgoode Hall Law School. He returned to a private law practice after leaving Parliament, according to his LinkedIn resume.

The Law Society Tribunal alleges he used false pretences to obtain or borrow money from six different people in 2016 and 2017, while he was a Liberal MP.

His first loan or payment, for $50,000, was on June 27, 2016. An amount of $250,000 was received on May 28, 2017, $200,000 two weeks later on June 12, and another $250,000 on June 20.

The last two amounts from individuals came at the end of 2017: $100,000 on Dec. 4 and $250,000 on Dec. 19, according to tribunal documents.

He is further accused of defrauding a corporation, which was a legal client, by using false pretences to borrow $200,000 in February 2018, the tribunal records say. He further faces discipline for allegedly misleading his corporate client about the purpose of the loan.

The documents do not identify those providing the money. The Law Society allegations were filed Aug. 10.

This matter is on-going. Pending the outcome of proceedings, Mr. Grewal is able to practise as a lawyer licensee of the Law Society. There is nothing to report regarding bankruptcy, practice restrictions or undertakings, the Law Society said in a written statement.

The RCMPs Ottawa-based Sensitive and International Investigations unit laid the criminal charges. The unit handles domestic corruption and political investigations.

A mandate of the unit is to investigate allegations of financial crimes such as fraud, corruption and procurement against senior federal employees as well as allegations of fraud, financial crimes, corruption and breach of trust against elected officials, senators or executives of the federal government.

Grewal is scheduled to appear in court in Ottawa on Oct. 6.

Email: ahumphreys@postmedia.com | Twitter: AD_Humphreys

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Liberal MP who quit over massive gambling debts charged by RCMP over 'millions' in personal loans while in office - National Post

High Rank Prosecutor and Head of National Police Branch Arrested in Ukraine – GamblingNews.com

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

Ukranian Security Services (SBU) arrested officials in the Smila region of the country for alleged corruption related to illegal gambling. A local prosecutor and a high rank policeman were detained after being discovered to have accepted bribes.

The head of one of the branches of the National Police in the region, as well as one of the heads of the local prosecutors office have been arrested by the SBU for receiving the equivalent of more than 1,500 in local currency from the owner of an underground gambling establishment. The payment was related to a monthly fee the businessman agreed to pay to the high ranking officials, who in exchange, promised to turn a blind eye.

The police chief was arrested at his workplace as an accomplice to the prosecutor who was detained under Article 208 of the countrys Criminal Procedure Code. The illegal gambling establishment was raided and shut down and investigators are currently looking into other possible accomplices in the illegal activity.

The directorate for combatting corruption and organized crime within the SBU, the State Bureau of Investigation and the National Police of Ukraine worked in collaboration on the case, under the guidance of the Office of the General Prosecutor. The arrest shows the determination of Ukraine authority to enforce a new regulation in the sector and legalize the industry which was outlawed in 2009, while tackling all illegal operations.

Under the new legislation which was approved by the President last month the country will allow land-based gaming establishments such as casinos, as well as online gaming, albeit the two gaming verticals will be charged different tax rates the legislation for which is still to be approved.

In June, the Parliament of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, passed Bill 2285-D to approve casinos and sports books, with the prerequisite for casinos to be located within hotels. The bill that was initially introduced in 2019 also stated licensing fees for gambling operators, and online gambling will have a 1million for a five-year license fee, while sports books will have to pay 2.28 million.

The bill also introduced certain restrictions for business owners within the sector, setting a ban on residents from countries which are considered aggressive towards the country. However, until the signed into law legislation is implemented, authorities are adamant to tackle and prosecute all forms of illegal gambling, including iGaming, as they recently ordered locals internet service providers (ISPs) to block multiple domains of offshore operators.

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High Rank Prosecutor and Head of National Police Branch Arrested in Ukraine - GamblingNews.com

Gambling Mobile Games Market to Witness Robust Expansion Throughout the Forecast Period 2020 – 2026 – AlgosOnline

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

The latest report on ' Gambling Mobile Games market' Added by Market Study Report, LLC, provides a concise analysis of the industry size, revenue forecast and regional spectrum of this business. The report further illustrates the major challenges and the latest growth strategies adopted by key players who are a part of the dynamic competitive spectrum of this industry.

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Gambling Mobile Games Market to Witness Robust Expansion Throughout the Forecast Period 2020 - 2026 - AlgosOnline

Power disconnected to 41 illegal gambling outlets in Sibu, Dalat – The Star Online

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

SIBU: Power supply has been disconnected to 41 illegal online gambling premises 37 in Sibu and four in Dalat in a massive crackdown.

Sibu OCPD Asst Comm Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said a combined operation involving police and Sesco (Syarikat Sesco Berhad) was conducted from 1pm to 4.30pm on Thursday (Sept 10) to disconnect electricity supply to these illegal gambling premises.

The team included an assistant superintendent of police, two inspectors and 10 policemen. Joining them were seven technicians from SEB.

"All of these premises had been issued notices on the disconnection," he said.

ACP Stanley said the process of cutting off electricity supply was smooth. It was carried out under Section 21A of the Common Gambling House Act 1953.

Mukah OCPD Deputy Supt Jimmy Panyau said the successful operation in the four premises in Dalat, Stapang, and Oya area meant they could no longer continue illegal online gambling activities.

"We will continue with the operation until such activity is wiped out from the district," he assured.

He also welcomed information from the public on any illegal online gambling activity for the police to act on.

Power disconnected to 41 illegal gambling outlets in Sibu, Dalat - The Star Online

Betting & igaming contribution to US gambling grows in July – iGaming Business

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

US commercial gross gambling revenue (GGR) continued to recover in July as more casinos and other venues reopened following the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) shutdown.

Operators generated $2.83bn (2.19bn/2.40bn) during the month, which represented a 56.4% rise on the $1.81bn recorded in June and the third consecutive month of sequential growth. However, Julys total was down 23.9% year-on-year, as operating restrictions such as capacity limits continue to impact operators.

However, the latest figures from the American Gaming Association (AGA) revealed significant growth in the sports betting market, with revenue up 86.2% year-on-year to $69.0m. iGaming was the standout performer, however, with revenue rocketing 253.6% to $142.9m.

Land-based slots were by far the main source of income in July, with revenue amounting to $1.88bn for the month, down 26.8% on last year, while table game GGR also fell 36.3% to $482.1m.

Looking at the performance of individual states, Nevada was some way out in front with $756.8m in GGR, though this was 26.1% lower than last year, as its casino and gambling venues continued to operate at reduced capacity.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

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Betting & igaming contribution to US gambling grows in July - iGaming Business

Movie review: New doc chronicles chilling tale of Pepe the Frog – Online Athens

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Danzig

By JOCELYN NOVECK, AP National Writer

"I didn't even know what a meme was," confesses cartoonist Matt Furie in the documentary "Feels Good Man," demonstrating just how ill-equipped he was to resist the dark forces that engulfed him and his creation, Pepe the Frog, during the brutal election season of 2016. "I still don't know if I'm saying it correctly."

Most of us know what a meme is by now. But we may not all be acquainted with the anthropomorphic amphibian know as Pepe. And in a way, it's better to approach "Feels Good Man," directed by Furie's friend and fellow cartoonist Arthur Jones, without knowing too much. Because seeing what happened to Furie and his chill stoner frog dude spoiler alert, he became a hate symbol of the alt right will likely make your blood run cold. It sure makes for a chillingly effective internet-era cautionary tale.

The story begins back in 2005 when Furie, an amiable San Francisco-based artist, decides to draw, rather crudely, a frog character for his comic series "Boy's Club." Furie had always been enchanted by frogs. "It's been a slow drip of frogs throughout my entire life," he says in the film.

This particular frog had a penchant for, well, an unusual way of urinating. Why? "Feels good man," he would say. Hence the catchphrase. It was no more complicated or sophisticated than that.

But, as director Jones tells it, with the use of some clever, often beautiful animation as well as abundant archival footage and commentary from a host of sources (including a "memetist"), Pepe was to embark on a strange and terrible journey.

At first, the constant appropriation of the image isn't too troubling. It starts with fitness videos. "I was just, haha, whatever," says Furie. But then things get ugly.

The "sad frog" becomes a favored image among users of the anonymous message site 4chan, a culture, one commentator says, "of saying the most offensive thing." And as Pepe grows more popular and mainstream, with his image used by celebrities like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj, some users get angry and seek to reclaim the frog from so-called "normies" (normal people).

Pepe pops up as an evil perpetrator of the 9/11 attacks, or as a symbol of hatred against Black people and Jews. He appears surrounded by swastikas, in what one expert calls "the Nazified Pepe." The frog becomes "this impossible mixture of innocence and evil," smiling that familiar grin as he commits atrocities, notes another.

And then comes the election, and the candidacy of Donald Trump, and the use of Pepe as a symbol by young supporters. In October 2015, Trump himself retweets an image of him as Pepe.

In one of this jam-packed film's most effective sequences, director Jones shows us the web message traffic in which an alt right supporter says he is, at that moment, attending a Hillary Clinton rally. People urge him to shout out "Pepe!" And then we see him do it.

The message board goes wild. Rachel Maddow describes the incident on MSNBC: "To the white supremacist, anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi alt right in this country, that was a moment of triumph," she says.

In the fall of 2016, the Anti-Defamation League puts Pepe on its list of hate symbols, a crushing blow for Furie. Less than a year later, in May 2017, the cartoonist tries to "kill" Pepe by literally having him die, in a comic strip, and burying him.

But the genie has long been out of the bottle, and it's made painfully clear here that Furie waited too long to fight. When he learns of the existence of a children's book using Pepe to push anti-Muslim themes, Furie finally enlists the pro bono services of a high-powered law firm, Wilmer Hale, to successfully halt release of the digital version.

Furie also successfully sues a number of other entities, including Infowars' Alex Jones for his use of Pepe in posters (footage of the depositions of both Furie and Jones is fascinating.)

But the cartoonist fails to convince the ADL to remove Pepe from the hate symbol database. Never do you feel more sorry for Furie than when he tells an official there: "This is going to be a lifelong journey for me, because I'm going to be entangled with this character forever."

Yet the film ends on the unexpectedly positive note of the repurposing of Pepe once again this time, seemingly out of nowhere, by youthful pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Suddenly the frog is being spray-painted on walls as a sign of hope.

"To me he has already become my hope," says a young protester carrying two stuffed Pepes. "Also, I believe that one day his frowning face will smile." They are heartwarming words, but one senses the story of this frog is far from over.

"Feels Good Man" is now available for streaming rental at athenscine.com.

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Movie review: New doc chronicles chilling tale of Pepe the Frog - Online Athens

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