Daily Archives: June 8, 2020

What Are Junket Trips – How to Travel and Gamble Like a High Roller – BestUSCasinos.org

Posted: June 8, 2020 at 10:47 pm

Have you ever found yourself daydreaming about the life of a high-roller?

Having your every want attended to hand and foot while lounging in the cabana pool side or getting that ticket for the hottest Vegas show is not often for the proletariat.

Enter the junket trip.

These all-inclusive casino trips will have you rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, if youre into that sort of thing. Junkets combine your accommodations, food, airfare and a casino trip in a convenient package.

Sounds expensive?

Not exactly or at all.

In fact, these junkets are often inexpensive or flat out free.

Whats the catch, right?

Well, there isnt one exactly. The single requirement is that you gamble.

Imagine setting sail on a cruise where you spend the morning at the blackjack or roulette tables and the evening enjoying the sun set over the open ocean. Think of the possibilities a family trip to Las Vegas provides. What memories would the family make on such a trip? Lavish hotels, fine dining and playing your top casino games is what these junkets are all about.

If you have friends or family that dont enjoy casino gaming, no problem. They can venture to the spa to be pampered or lounge by the pool enjoying drinks and the scenery.

These amazing adventures are similar to your average travel tour service in some respects. Youll just be going with a particular casino as the main attraction rather than a particular regions cuisine or heritage.

These package deals will include your transportation costs to get to your destination, accommodation at luxurious resorts, dining in some of the greatest eateries available and any other overhead that could possibly be associated with your stay.

The only stipulation being that you promise to either gamble for a predetermined amount of time or spend a specific dollar amount gambling.

Casino junkets are not some new age idea. In fact, junkets have been around since 1950s. Early on these trips were organized for the sole purpose of attracting gamblers and tourists alike to Las Vegas Casinos. The popularity of these trips soared for decades.

However, their shine began to dull and they were out of the limelight for a period. Recently though we began to see the popularity of junkets come back. Any avid gambler or even moderate gambler looking for a fun all inclusive trip which to be spoiled should consider the junket.

I am certain you have many questions and Im going to provide answers to some of these now.

In general, casino junkets are geared toward would-be vacationers that love gambling, gamble often and know how to play casino games. That hasnt always been the case. The early days of junkets were solely comped trips reserved only for VIPs, whales and others who spent a lot of time and as importantly money in the casinos.

The casinos would extend the invite and entice the players with posh amenities and staff at their beckon call. Of course, there was an understanding that once the guest arrived all gambling would be done at that casino. Junkets operate in much that same manner today, but you dont have to spend the kids college fund in hopes of catching an invite. Nope, you know who the real VIP is and you can book your own junket in accordance.

Be aware that the travel agencies that offer these junkets have different criteria. Many do accept players of all types. However, others only allow qualified players that meet their own standards. Also, age restrictions are often placed because some casinos wont allow players under 21. Additionally, and this is important to understand, you are typically required to gamble between 4 and 6 hours a day. So, you must be able to have a bankroll heavy enough to support that requirement for the stay.

What this says is that junkets are not for every aspiring gambler on the block. Rather, the junkets are geared to avid players who are able and willing to drop a large amount of money testing fate on the casino floor. Players that meet this qualifier typically get the entire trip for free. Other players ante up for the trip, but at a greatly discounted rate compared to what this brand of high society travel would cost at face value.

Obviously, now that you know qualified players get to lap it up in luxury for no out-of-pocket costs, you want to become one of those qualified. A qualified player is, according to junket operators, a person who has achieved a specific level of casino play.

What level a player stands at in the eyes of the junket company is based on two factors. How much time has a player spent gambling and what is the size of their average bet.

Each company sets their own requirements and if you are attempting to qualify it would probably be in your best interest to contact these companies directly. Bear in mind there are different levels of qualified players. Some may receive a completely free trip while others may qualify for only certain perks.

Depending on whether you are qualified or not and at what level determine the covered expenses. As Ive said, qualified players wont spend a dime on the trip. That includes transportation and flights, luggage and hotel accommodation.

Some operators have really lavished the players with casino comps including food, beverages, golf, skiing, spa time, gym use, VIP pool access and any form of entertainment the resort offers.

If you dont qualify, theres still good news. While you will have to fork over cash for some costs, you are going to be taking your trip for substantially less than it would cost if not for the casino being such a great host.

Certain state and casino regulations mandate certain fees that gamblers must pay. Players are taxed directly and junket operators are prohibited from covering them. You can ask the junket operator in advance if these fees will be incurred.

Gamblers in the United States are able to access a variety of junket trips. The length of the junket is really at your discretion, ranging from weekend trips to stays of several weeks. There is no short supply of possible destinations, including Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Miami, to name a few.

How you arrive at your destination is just as varied as your destination. You may find yourself tarveling thru the air, on land or even by sea. Which one of the options applies to you depends on your desired destination and qualification.

Before you can book your junket tour youll need to select the junket operator. I have found that because of the countless outfits offering these trips, it can be difficult to pick the right one. I suggest starting with only the operators that have destinations that you are excited to visit. This should at least narrow down the vastness of options.

Perhaps you want to channel your inner Bruce Springsteen and visit Atlantic City. Possibly the glitz and glamour of Sin City draw you in like a moth to a flame. Or the high energy action of the casino floor enough to get your attention. You certainly have a multitude of choices.

Next, contact the particular operator youve chosen to find out about their conditions and pricing. Make sure to discover their criteria for being a qualified player, what amount of time or money youre required to spend gambling, and the scope of their all-inclusive packages. I wouldnt want to be hit with any unexpected charges.

Most operators will not publish this information on their website or in print media, which means you need to reach out to them by phone or email.

Junket operators offer some type of trip to just about any destination where gambling is legal. The top 5 arent surprising: Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Mississippi and The Carribean. All these venues are renowned for their breathtaking architecture, wonderful selection of games or amazing locale.

Remember youll be enjoying some local flair while on your vacation. So, dont forget to pack accordingly and please dont forget the camera. Booking a junket trip for your next family vacation is sure to come up Aces.

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Rivers Casino to reopen Tuesday, masks will be required – WTAE Pittsburgh

Posted: at 10:47 pm

Rivers Casino on Pittsburgh's North Shore will reopen June 9. The casino has been closed since March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.What does the casino look like now? Click the video player above to see inside Rivers Casino as it gets ready to reopen.New weekday hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. The casino will be open around the clock on weekends, from Friday at 9 a.m. through Monday at 4 a.m.Casino officials said the downtime will be used for deep cleaning, in addition to continuous sanitizing throughout the day. That's just one of many new procedures under the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's reopening protocols. Masks will be required for guests and employees. A complete list of gaming floor modifications and safety precautions will be posted on the casino's website.To comply with state guidelines and promote social distancing, the casino said it will limit gaming floor and restaurant capacity to 50% occupancy. A customer counter will be used at both entrances."We have removed every other seat from the slot machines," Rivers general manager Bill Keena said. "Table games are going to have three people at each blackjack game; on the roulette will be four, and craps will be six. We are not opening poker."The majority of the gaming floor, including the sportsbook, will be open. Wheelhouse Bar & Grill, Ciao, Drum Bar, Spiral Bar and Flipt will have limited hours of operation.Valet parking, Grand View Buffet and the Event Center will remain closed for now.After most workers were furloughed in April, the casino says 1,000 of its approximately 1,700 employees have been called back to work."And number two is the revenue that has been lost by the industry's closure in Pennsylvania -- which is somewhere north of $100 million a year statewide, just the tax revenue -- is also going to start to return," said Doug Harbach, spokesman for the state Gaming Control Board.

Rivers Casino on Pittsburgh's North Shore will reopen June 9. The casino has been closed since March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

What does the casino look like now? Click the video player above to see inside Rivers Casino as it gets ready to reopen.

New weekday hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. The casino will be open around the clock on weekends, from Friday at 9 a.m. through Monday at 4 a.m.

Casino officials said the downtime will be used for deep cleaning, in addition to continuous sanitizing throughout the day. That's just one of many new procedures under the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's reopening protocols.

Masks will be required for guests and employees. A complete list of gaming floor modifications and safety precautions will be posted on the casino's website.

To comply with state guidelines and promote social distancing, the casino said it will limit gaming floor and restaurant capacity to 50% occupancy. A customer counter will be used at both entrances.

"We have removed every other seat from the slot machines," Rivers general manager Bill Keena said. "Table games are going to have three people at each blackjack game; on the roulette will be four, and craps will be six. We are not opening poker."

The majority of the gaming floor, including the sportsbook, will be open. Wheelhouse Bar & Grill, Ciao, Drum Bar, Spiral Bar and Flipt will have limited hours of operation.

Valet parking, Grand View Buffet and the Event Center will remain closed for now.

After most workers were furloughed in April, the casino says 1,000 of its approximately 1,700 employees have been called back to work.

"And number two is the revenue that has been lost by the industry's closure in Pennsylvania -- which is somewhere north of $100 million a year statewide, just the tax revenue -- is also going to start to return," said Doug Harbach, spokesman for the state Gaming Control Board.

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Darwinism in full play as the pandemic rages – Deccan Herald

Posted: at 10:46 pm

If you are, like most people, anxiously awaiting the good news that the lockdown has finally been lifted, in all likelihood you missed out on all the other news that have been making the headlines recently. Here is a sample of those headlines: How data can aid the fight against COVID-19; Facebook invests $5.7 billion in Indian internet giant Jio; Chile will issue immunity cards to people who have recovered from the virus; Why the wealthy fear pandemics; Miamis rich-poor divide is exposed by flawed Covid-19 testing; With selective coronavirus coverage, China builds a culture of hate; In India, a pandemic of prejudice and repression.

I find the above disconcerting because the overall theme of the articles contents reflects social Darwinism or survival of the fittest. It is hard not to miss the pivotal roles played by social media, e-commerce and money in setting the parameters of coronavirus testing, which is crucial to containing the pandemic.

Now that Facebook has acquired a 9.9% stake in Reliance Jio, it is only a matter of time before FB ends up owning Jio, whose assets of $26 billion pale in comparison to FBs $133 billion. If you think it wont happen, think again. Walmarts attempt to enter the Indian market in a big way was initially rebuffed, but it found a backdoor by buying up Flipkart, Indias e-commerce giant. At the time of the takeover, Flipkart had assets worth $2 billion versus Walmarts $236 billion. FBs first attempt to enter the India market by offering Free Basics was strongly rebuffed. It has since found a backdoor by zeroing in on Jio. All of this does not bode well for the public.

In an incredibly self-serving op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Facebooks CEO Mark Zuckerberg opined that Facebook was in a unique position to help researchers and health authorities get the information they would need to respond to the pandemic since it knew the identities of large numbers of people. Quoting from the op-ed piece, The world has faced pandemics before, but this time we have a new superpower: the ability to gather and share data for good. Note the use of the words we and superpower.

While we lost the war on privacy a long time ago, I think there is still time to contain its fallout.

When a successful vaccine is developed, I presume FB will be in a unique position to identify aggrieved communities to whom the vaccine should be made available. Just as effectively as it did in the Cambridge Analytica scandal?

In two recent coronavirus testing studies done in California, one set of volunteer participants was drawn from a random sample of email addresses and telephone. The second set of participants was obtained through advertising on Facebook. The first people to volunteer came from wealthy neighbourhoods.

Even though the population of New York State is 19.4 million (55% white, 15% black) and that of the State of Nebraska is 1.93 million (86% white, 4% black), NY received a paltry $12,000 in federal aid per infected case while Nebraska received more than $380,000. Likewise, in Europe, Hungary and Poland (both countries have been actively gutting democratic institutions over the past two years) which have recorded around 1,143 and 545 coronavirus deaths respectively, received 48 million Euros in assistance, whereas Italy and Spain, which have more than 60,000 deaths between them, received 6.5 million Euros.

As an article in the Guardian newspaper nicely put it, Using Big Tech to tackle coronavirus risks swapping one lockdown for another. To which I might add, physical lockdown is only temporary and will end, sooner or later, but the virtual lockdown never will.

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World Series of Poker Online to begin in July – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted: at 10:44 pm

The World Series of Poker Online will be held for players in the U.S. and around the world starting in July, featuring 85 gold bracelet events.

Bracelets will be awarded every day in July on WSOP.com, available to players physically located in Nevada and New Jersey.

Starting July 19 and running through Sept. 6, bracelet events will be held on GGPoker, marking the first time that players outside the U.S. can compete for an online WSOP bracelet. U.S. players are prohibited from playing on GGPoker.

The flagship World Series of Poker at the Rio has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. WSOP executive director Ty Stewart said in an email that he was absolutely still hopeful to have a traditional WSOP late in the fall.

Stewart said gaming guidelines calling for live poker to be limited to five-handed play and good common sense make the WSOP unviable for the summer, but he said officials would continue to monitor the return of live poker and conceive proper protocols for multitable tournaments.

This years WSOP had been set to run May 26 to July 15 at the Rio Convention Center.

Six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu, now an ambassador for GG Poker, said putting together WSOP Online was a classic case of making the best of it.

Having thousands of players cramped in a room just isnt feasible, he said. Some people will consider this an asterisk-type year, which I understand.

Negreanu said he was pleased that the partnership with GGPoker would mean players outside the U.S. could compete for bracelets and make for a more representative player pool.

Negreanu, a Las Vegas resident, said he planned to play in both series. He said he will play on WSOP.com until the start of the GGPoker series July 19, then travel to Canada, if border restrictions have been loosened, or Mexico for the international series.

I think my wife is rooting for Mexico, he said.

The buy-ins for the U.S. online WSOP range from $400 to $3,200. The $1,000 buy-in No-limit Holdem Championship will be held on the final day of the series, July 31.

Other highlights include the $500 No-limit Holdem Kick-Off on July 1, the $500 Big 500 No-limit Holdem on July 12, the $3,200 No-limit Holdem High Roller on July 14 and the $500 No-limit Holdem Seniors Event on July 30.

The schedule is dominated by No-limit Holdem, but events will be held in Pot-limit Omaha, Pot-limit Omaha High-Low and limit Omaha High-Low.

Satellites for entry into the events will start as low as $1, officials said.

The schedule for the GGPoker events has not been announced.

Negreanu bemoaned that the normal WSOP schedule of mixed games would not be available this year, but he would rather have something than nothing.

GGPoker recently finished a WSOP Online Circuit Event with a total series prize pool of more than $134 million.

Any player discovered to be trying to play GGPoker events from inside the U.S. will be deemed ineligible and have their prize money subject to forfeiture, the WSOP said.

Poker Central, the WSOPs official production partner, is planning extensive coverage of the series, including live streams and interviews with winners.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.

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Bans on smoking and poker are part of plan to reopen Detroit casinos – The Detroit News

Posted: at 10:44 pm

The Michigan Gaming Control Board has a plan for safelyreopening Detroit casinos, and that means banning smoking and poker, andgreatly restricting the number of people on the floor as COVID-19 precautions. Casinos are now waiting for the green light from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Bans on smoking, eliminating poker and restricting numbers of people on the floor are part of the plans to reopen Detroit's casinos, which have been closed since mid-March due to the pandemic.(Photo: David Guralnick / The Detroit News)

The plan approved Monday includes:

In compiling these minimum guidelines, we considered CDC recommendations, Nevada Gaming Board guidelines and information from the National Indian Gaming Commission, Richard S. Kalm, the board's executive director, said in a statement. "We required the casinos to propose reopening plans, and we consulted with the casino unions on the guidelines. We believe the guidelines will protect the public when it is safe to reopen the casinos.

The MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casinohave been closed since March 16to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The three casinos year-to-date combined revenue of $299.2 million was down by 51.6 % through May compared with $617.9 million in combined revenue reported for the same period in 2019, Michigan Gaming Control Board said Monday.

The revenue losses from the closures have impacted the casinos as well as the city and state, which collect hundreds of millions of dollars intax revenue annually from the casinos' more than $1 billion in revenue.

"MotorCity Casino Hotel looks forward to reopening our casino complex as soon as authorized by Governor Whitmer,"Bruce Dall, president ofMotorCity Casino Hotel said in an email Monday."Since closing, we've consulted with health experts, and worked with City of Detroit leadership, state leadership, the MichiganEconomic Recovery Council,as well asthe Michigan Gaming Control Board in its efforts to develop reopening guidelines designed to protect the health and safety of our guests and employees."

Dall said that MotorCity Casino Hotel'sguidelines include screening employees and customers including temperature checks, property-wide social-distancing signage and spacing in slots and tables, access to masks and gloves, and 200 hand-sanitizing stations.

Last month,MGM Resorts Internationalreleased a Seven-Point Safety Planoutlining the health and safety protocols it would implement in its properties, including MGM Grand Detroit.

MGM Resort's plan includesscreening, temperature checks and employee training,mandatory masks and personal protective equipment and physical distancing. The company's planalso addresses air quality and the operation of itsheating ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2020/06/08/bans-smoking-and-poker-part-plan-reopen-detroit-casinos/5320757002/

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Poker Lovers To Enjoy Reward-Winning Tournaments On partypoker App – TimesOfCasino

Posted: at 10:44 pm

The leading online poker brand, partypoker has announced the news about the onset of a chain of exciting events on the High Roller Club designed to immerse the players in a one-of-a-kind experience and fun. The team took to its official Twitter handle to broadcast the strategic news about the event, which started on June 7, 2020, and shall remain open up till July 16, 2020. The crucial post read:

According to the reports, the High Roller Club Leaderboard will pay out whopping prizes and rewards worth $100K to the tournament players, making it a golden opportunity for all the poker lovers worldwide. The events will be organized every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. The Leaderboard will open on June 7 and will conclude on July 16 while covering all amazing tournaments with lobby title as High Roller Club.

The players who will register themselves for the Main Events before the set opening date of the tournament will play no rake on their first entry. Rake refunds shall be made to the participants the following Tuesday prior to Midnight BST. Any amount of cashback awarded from the fee will be reduced before making a refund to the participant.

The Leaderboard points are mentioned below:

Launched in August 2001, partypoker is one of the most trusted online poker brands available in the market at present. It caters to the needs of thousands of poker lovers every day with its cash games, tournaments, and lucrative rewards and promotions. You can access the app by downloading it on the web or on mobile for iOS and Android players.

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Avoid the Sharks by Playing Stream Satellites on Unibet Poker – PokerNews.com

Posted: at 10:44 pm

Do you hate grinding hard in order to satellite into a major online poker tournament, only to get busted by sharks with big bankrolls who can buy-in direct? Well Unibet Poker have just the tournament for you.

Starting June 9th, players can earn their way into a 25 buy-in Final on July 5th exclusively through satellites. The Final offers no direct buy-in which means every player must satellite in.

The lowest tier is a freeroll satellite, with passwords being given out on Unibet Poker Ambassador Ian Simpson's Twitch stream all this month. Simpson is one of many popular poker Twitch streamers out there and he'll be looking to get involved in this exciting tournament.

Did You Know You Can Play on Unibet Poker Direct From Your Browser?

However, no one is exempt from the "no direct buy-in" policy, especially not Simpson who must win his way into the Final as well! Here are details of the three different tiers of satellites leading up to the 25 Final.

The streams start on June 9th and take place every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The tournaments take place at 6pm or 8pm (BST) with freeroll passwords given out on the Twitch stream.

Mastering satellites is not an easy subject, but thankfully fellow Unibet Poker Ambassador Dara O'Kearney is on hand with his top tips on how to plug leaks from your satellite game.

In the article he explains how to avoid high variance plays and put yourself in a position to lock up a seat more often.

Battle Against the King of Flips And Win Cash, Tickets and More!

Youre going to need a Unibet Poker account to play in any of these satellites. Those of you who have one, go right ahead! If you dont have an account, download Unibet Poker via PokerNews for a welcome bonus worth 200.

Unibet rewards you with cold, hard cash each time you hit specific rake milestones. For example, you receive 1 when you rake 2 and an additional 4 once youve generated 10 in rake.

The bonus expires 60-days after you create your account so get your grind on and see how much cash you can earn.

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Odds of Being Dealt a Royal Flush – Royal Flush Odds and More – BestUSCasinos.org

Posted: at 10:44 pm

Getting a royal flush is the hardest hand to obtain when playing poker online or in a casino. If youre wondering what your odds are of being dealt a royal flush and other hands, youve come to the right place. Weve developed this page to equip you with all the information you need to know about your poker hand odds.

In this detailed guide about your odds of being dealt a royal flush and other hands while playing poker, well provide you with tons of information. You can check out the preview below to get an idea of everything well cover. Feel free to click on one of these section titles if you want to jump ahead.

Before we dive into royal flush odds and other hands, we wanted to first ensure youve got a good understanding of the different hands possible when playing poker. Check out the sections below to look over all the different poker hands. Weve listed them in the order of their rank when playing the game.

This one should be pretty obvious. In casino poker and online poker, if you dont have a single pair or higher in your hand, you have whats considered a no pair hand. In this case, your hands value will depend on the highest card youve got.

If you end up getting a one pair hand, it means youve got two card values that match in your hand. For example, if you have two 4s, you have a single pair of 4s. While this isnt a powerful poker hand, it does outrank anyone who has a no pair hand.

Kicking things up a slight notch from a single pair would be a two pair hand. In this scenario, you have two sets of matching card values. As an example, if you have two Ks and two 10s in your hand, it would be a two pair hand. In turn, it would outrank any players with just a single pair or no pair.

As the name implies, a poker hand that counts as three of a kind has three cards of the same value. For example, if you have three jacks in your hand, this would create a three of a kind poker hand. If you end up with the three of a kind hand, youll have a better hand than no pair, single pair, and two pair hands.

Up next on the poker hand rank scale is a straight. Here, were only focused on standard straights, which means were not counting straights that are either flush or royal in nature (more on those in a moment). To make a straight, youll need all five cards in your hand to be in sequential order. As an example, if you had A, 2, 3, 4, and 5, youd have a straight poker hand.

Topping out straights and the other hands below it, a flush is another form of a poker hand. With a flush, youll have all five cards of your poker hand of the same suit. As an example, if all five cards in your hand are spades, you have a flush. For this particular hand, your cards do not count as a straight flush or a royal flush. Well touch on each of those below.

The next hand up the poker hand ranking scale is a full house. To make a full house with your hand, youll need to have a three of a kind paired with a two of a kind. If you have three 10s and two 5s, youd have a full house.

One of the toughest hands to get when playing poker is a four of a kind. Here, youll need to have four cards of the same value in your hand. As an example, if you had four queens in your hand, youll have made a four of a kind poker hand. With four of a kind, there are only two other poker hands that can beat you.

Second from the top of the best poker hands possible is the straight flush. The flush portion of this name implies youll need all your cards to be of the same suit. However, to make a straight flush, they also must be in sequential order. For example, having 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the same suit would provide you with a straight flush poker hand.

The king of all poker hands is the royal flush. With a royal flush, its essentially a very specific straight flush. For starters, all your five cards must be the same suit. On top of that, it must be the 10, J, Q, K, and A of a particular suit to complete the royal flush.

Up first, we wanted to start by presenting you with your odds of being dealt a royal flush and other hands when playing five-card games of poker. Most notably, this will include Five-Card Stud Poker. Weve included a chart below which showcases your odds of being dealt each hand in conjunction with the potential combinations and associated probability.

One thing worth noting is that the chart below showcases your odds of having one of the hands in a five-card poker game. This data does not account for any possibilities of wild cards or draws, which may be present in select games like Five-Card Draw.

As you can see from the chart above, youve got the highest chance of being dealt a no pair or single pair hand when playing a five-card variant of poker online or in a casino. Interestingly, theres roughly a 50% chance you wont have a pair or better.

However, you can see just how tough it can be to get some of the other higher-ranking poker hands. Even two pair hands only happen about 5% of the time. And if youre hoping for a royal flush, the odds of it happening are minuscule.

Since the royal flush is the hardest poker hand to achieve, we wanted to provide you with some visualizations to help you grasp just how rare it is. Check out the list of things below, which are more likely to happen to you than being dealt a royal flush when playing a five-card variant of poker.

Getting in a Car Accident 1 in 103

Getting Audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)1 in 175

Winning an Academy Award 1 in 11,500

Losing an Appendage in a Chainsaw-Related Accident 1 in 4,464

Going to the ER With a Pogo Stick-Related Injury 1 in 103

Up next, we wanted to provide you with royal flush odds and other poker hands when playing seven-card versions of poker. If youre into games like Seven-Card Stud and No Limit Texas Holdem, this is the section for you.

While the addition of two extra cards to work with doesnt sound like much to some, it creates a dramatic difference. Instead of just 2,598,960 potential hand combinations, playing poker with seven cards brings the possibility of 133,784,560 hands. That means there are more than 50 times as many possible hand combinations thanks to those extra two cards in play!

This chart focuses on your odds of being dealt one of these hands in a game of seven-card poker. As with the previous five-card section, the poker probability and odds below do not take into account wild cards and draws from specific versions of poker.

Immediately, youll probably notice how much better your odds of getting most hands are. In the next section, well provide you with even more information about how much better your chances are for each of these hands if you play a seven-card variant instead of a five-card one.

Thanks to the additional two cards, offering you the chance to make your best five-card hand, there are more potential combinations which can help you improve your starting hand.

Now that weve broken down the difference in royal flush odds and other poker hands between five- and seven-card poker games, we wanted to help you visualize just how much better your odds are when playing a seven-card game. Check out the chart below to see why you might opt to choose a seven-card game if youre hoping to land a significant hand like a royal or straight flush.

As you can see from the chart above, theres a 2000% greater chance youll get a royal flush when playing a seven-card poker game instead of a five-card game. Other hands which have an increased chance of happening when youre playing a seven-card variant of poker include the straight flush, full house, flush, and straight.

Interestingly, theres one hand where you have a lower chance of getting it when playing a seven-card game of poker instead of a five-card game. That hand is the no pair hand. Intuitively, this makes sense since there are increased chances youll make at least a pair thanks to the expanded cards youre playing with. In this case, your chance of getting a no pair hand is 65% less when playing a seven-card game as opposed to a five-card one.

Thanks for stopping in to check out this page about poker probability and the odds of being dealt a royal flush when playing online poker and casino poker. If youre planning to play poker soon, dont miss our complete guide to real money poker. In it, youll find all sorts of helpful information, including terminology, strategies, and so much more.

If you enjoyed this page about the odds of getting a royal flush, you might also enjoy other pages weve developed in this series. Check out the choices below to explore some of our other What Are the Odds? pages.

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Who was Poker Alice? The gunslinging gambler of the Wild West who may have come from Sudbury – East Anglian Daily Times

Posted: at 10:44 pm

PUBLISHED: 06:00 07 June 2020

Katy Sandalls

Poker Alice may have grown up in Sudbury but it was her life away from the town that hit the headlines Picture: GREGG BROWN

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Sudbury may seem an unlikely place for the birth of a legendary character of Americas Wild West but its not impossible says Suffolk history buff Peter Driver.

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Alice Ivers, later to become Poker Alice was born February 17, 1851, she was the daughter of a schoolteacher.

Alice is quoted as saying that her birth place was Sudbury though some historians believe that she may have actually been born in Devon or even America.

The story goes that when Alice was 12 years old her family decided to emigrate to America.

The family settled in Richmond, Virginia, where Alices father secured a teaching role.

They remained there until the end of the American Civil War when they moved to Denver, Colorado.

In those days Denver was made up of mainly log cabins built around the silver mines and it was there that Alice met her first husband a mining engineer who was killed just a year later when a mine collapsed.

Alice was forced to look for a way to support herself, and, having watched her husband playing cards in a local saloon, she persuaded the owner to teach her to become a dealer.

This earned her the nickname of Poker Alice and she travelled many of the frontier towns following her new profession,

She took to carrying a gun and smoking cigars giving her the appearance of a formidable woman who made a lot of money and spent most of it on spending sprees in the city.

In 1892, she took a job in the Number Ten saloon owned by Bob Ford, the man who shot and killed the famous outlaw Jesse James.

She was dealing on the evening when he in turn was gunned down by a man who wanted to be known as the man who killed the man who shot Jesse James.

After this Alice moved to Deadwood, South Dakota where one evening, a drunken miner attacked a fellow dealer named Tubbs, with a knife.

Without hesitation, Alice is said to have pulled out her revolver and shot him in the arm.

Soon after Alice married Tubbs, retired from gambling and bought a farm where they adopted seven orphans.

Tubbs died of pneumonia in 1910 during a blizzard that was said to be so bad that fire had to be lit on the ground for four hours before a grave could be dug.

Alice did marry again but her third husband soon died and instead Alice opened her own saloon.

One night, after she had closed up, a group of drunken soldiers tried to force their way in and a frightened Alice.

After shouting a warning, fired through the door killing one of the men.

At her trial, she was found guilty but a kind hearted judge released her saying that they were unable to send a white-haired old lady to prison.

Poker Alice died aged 79 on the operating table after taking her final gamble in 1930.

Since her death Alice has been fictionalised on film in a number of different tv shows and films.

The most notable of these portrayals was by legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor in a made for tv film in 1987.

These days you can visit Alices home in Sturgis, South Dakota where it forms part of a local motel.

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Poker games, Miss Universe and the untold story of a P20 million painting – ABS-CBN News

Posted: at 10:44 pm

The year was 1974. The Sarimanok, that exuberant bird from Maranao mythology, icon of power, wealth and prestige, was strewn all over the city. It happened to beat least for that yearthe chosen symbol of the biggest beauty pageant in the world. Miss Universe, for the first time in its 22-year history, was being staged in Asia, and in Manila at that.

After all, the year before, in Greece, it was the Filipina Margarita Moran who won the crown, soits but natural that her country host the 1974ceremonies. The pageant was a big deal, like most international events that happened in those days of the Marcos years.The Price is Righthost Bob Barker was coming to host the event, and LA Lakers point guard Jerry West was going to sitas one of the judges.More important than any of these, however, 65 of the worlds most beautiful women in the worldgatheredin Manila that July, heating up what was already a pretty hot month (as Mr. West observed to Mr. Barker who asked about the basketball star's photo in the papers showing him playing a round of golf in the city's greens). And while there were many earlyfavorites, everyone was smitten with the starlet from Spain, Amparo Muoz, a sweet-faced beauty blessed with a bombshells body.

The Miss Universe fever was inescapable, and the invasion of these earthly goddesses was not lost to three men then in their 40s and 50s, who at that time has just been commissioned to work on a mural in the basement of a friends house. The friend is Pablo Bustamante Jr. who ran the respected Bustamante Press Inc. The three men were Ang Kiukok, Hugo Yonzon Jr., and Mauro Malang Santos, then already quite recognized as respected painters in the local art scene.

The trio also happened to bebrothers in cartooning for the nations dailies, with Malang having created the beloved comic strip Kosme The Cop, among others.

Bustamante invited the three that one day in July for their regular poker game in the basement of his residence, which also served as the family's den. According to Pablo Bustamante III, son of Pablo Jr., Malang was an old family friend while Yonzon has done illustrations for some books published by the familys printing press. Kiukok, for his part, was a former acquaintance.

The year prior, the troika staged a three-man show called Tatlo at a space called Gallery One. The purpose of Bustamante's invite for the three was two-fold, recalls Pablo III. First:to play poker. Second: for home improvement purposes. Pablo Jr.wanted a painting for a large blank wall in the basement.

The said wall was adjacent to the swimming pool. Prior to the renovation that wall had a large glass pane through which one could view the swimmers from the basement, explains Pablo III.But water from the swimming pool found its way around the viewing glass and began to leak, prompting the family to replace it with a wall. The blankness, we imagine, probably started digging into Pablo Jrs consciousness. He needed to do something about it.

Pablo III remembers that meeting with the three artistsDad brought three pieces of plywoodone for each artistto the basement and requested the artists to paint during their poker game breaks. Each of the three pieces wascut to a standard 6-feet height; the standard 8 feet would not have fitthe basement wall. Now thesize of the mural wasperfect. The only thing missing were the paintings.

Pablo III says he doesnt recall much of the collaboration among these three greats when it was happeningExcept for a few instances when I would hear boisterous laughter from these poker buddies by the stairwell, he says. They must have found humor in the subject and the various elements of the paintings. Elements such as the female body or their favorite nightclub along Roxas Boulevard might have tickled their funny bones.

Indeed the entire work is ruled by elements that tickle a man's interests, foremost of which is women. Beautiful, curvaceous figures. Naked goddesses descending from the clouds. Floating and lounging and carousing alongside the shapes we have come to associate with Ang Kiukokwho was clearly very much influenced by the Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (seeing the Guernica on a visit to New York proved to be life-changing for the artist). And that was just Panel 1.

In the panel of Hugo Yonzon, the woman is Eve, hourglass-shaped, completely unashamedly naked, still oblivious tothe fruit that will alterher destiny.

Finally, we come to Malangswho historically insists on earthly, more everyday vignettes, jeepneys andbarong-barongsand such. From the street, a svelte lady isacknowledging a compliment from the jeepney driver (Sweet lover?). From an open window in one of the shanties, a woman is making love to a man. And then at the bottom rightcorner, a cock is ready for sabong, a popular past time in those days,and somewhere in the center, a partly hidden Amihan, a favoritenightclub in 70s-era Roxas Boulevard.

I do not recall how long these poker-cum-painting sessions lasted, recalls the younger Pablo. But I distinctly remember going down to the basement one day to find the paintings joined together andfind a 6x12 foot mural. This was framed and hung on the wall. As a teenager then I had not much interest in art but I have to admit that I was in awe seeing that mural on that wall by the basement bar.

One would be hard pressed not to be enthralled, just imagining the size of it and looking at a photograph of the work. It's in the way each painter was able to fully express his individual stamp, and the way the three collectively came up with a whole that looks totally harmonious in both style and vision. Its a testament to the friendship of these men, how each considered the other, and how they all agreed on a path and kept to it. Its the kind of painting one wants to see over and over; the kind of work whose many little details reveal themselves little by little over the passing of time.

Pablo III says the poker games eventually came to an end, as his own generation of men took over the place as a hangout. The mural was a fixture that always elicited interest and humor between me and my friends, he says. That went on throughout my teenage years.

Later on, he would notice that the paintings were unsigned and asked the older Pablo why.

He said that during one of their poker sessions, an argument ensued between Ang Kiukok and Malang. This argument led to a quarrel between the two which eventually ended the poker-cum-painting sessions," says Pablo III.He says his father later told him the quarrel becamea popular story in the art circlealthough the Bustamantes don't offer details. Malangs son, the artistSoler Santos, says he only remembers a falling out between the two giants in the late 80sway past the making of the mural. Before Kiukoks death nagbati din sila, says Soler. A lifestyle editor echoes Solers response, but adds that underneath the friendship there was also a sort of friendlycompetition between the two who were incidentally both disciples of the great Vicente Mang Enteng Manansala.

By the end of the 70s, Malang, Kiukok and Yonzon would settle into their own individual successes. Hugo Yonzon, though, would not be as visible in the art firmament as his younger comrades, his works often snagged even before he could put a show together. His images revolved around what is distinctly Philippine life, whether in the urban or rural setting.

Fast forward to today and Goddesses, the title of that July 1974 collaborative work is up for bidding this month at Leon Gallerys Spectacular Mid Year Auction. The oil on panel work is the piece de resistance of this particular saleithas a starting bid of P20,000,000.

Of the three artists that worked on the triptych, only Malang was able to sign his contribution. Yonzon died in 1994while Ang Kiukok passed away in 2005. The Bustamantes brought Malangs panel to his residence at West Gallery for his signature before the artist passed on in 2016.

Many years after the making ofGoddesses, and years after the poker sessions came to an end, the mural was transferred from the basement of the Bustamante residence to its living room, and then eventually to another house. The house where the mural was transferred did not have the luxury of space nor the wide walls unlike our old home, says Pablo III. The only wall it could fit in was by the staircase.

Soon, the triptych, as with every important piece of art, will be welcomed into a new home, and space will be made for it, along with everything it carries: nostalgia for a distant past, the styles and obsessions of three great Filipino painters, their friendship and humor. Add to that, of course,the pairs of eyes that admired it over time, the faint smell of swimming pool water, and the memory of that sweet, innocent smile from Amparo Muoz, Miss Universe 1974.

The Len Gallery Spectacular Mid-Year Auction is happening on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 2 p.m. Co-presented by ANCX.ph, the urban mans guide to culture and style, the online lifestyle website of the ABS-CBN News Channel.

View the Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2020 catalogue as well as register to bid now at http://www.leon-gallery.com.

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