Monthly Archives: June 2021

J.B. Webb Bassmaster Classic will be one to remember – Sherman Denison Herald Democrat

Posted: June 13, 2021 at 12:52 pm

This weekend will see theBassmasterClassic come to Lake Ray Roberts. You can watch the boats go out return to the Texas State Park at Pilot Point. Thats about all you will see as the rest is at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

This is the Classic and while you might have seen a couple of major tournaments on Texoma, you are in for a surprise in Fort Worth. Some of you might have gone to the Classic in Tulsa some years back. It was my first and I worked it forTFORods andBlakemoreRoad Runner.

Tulsa was where I met GerryLoomisand we became friends before it was over. That Tulsa show also was where I met Bill Dance on a break. He had been at another show that we both were working. We were in the Tulsa break room, he kept looking at me and then said: "I know you but whats your name?"

After two shows we worked together, Jimmy Houston became a friend. He had been cold toward me at the other shows but after he saw that I was also serious about my work we became friends. Ray Scott was another friend I made at that Oklahoma City Tackle Show.

At another show later I was working with BillyMurrey, Ray came up behind me and got me in a headlock, dont know why but they were all laughing. It helped to know them all when I was into serious fishing.

Fast forward until this weekend. You just cant believe what you will see and can do. If you go with your family make sure your boy or girl has a new cap. They might get some famous fishing names on it. Friday will also be Military Appreciation Day. Saturday is FirstResponderAppreciation Day. There will be a load of things to do at the Outdoors Expo at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Friday from 4-10 p.m. will see the kickoff party. It starts with the Cattle Drive. Live music at 6 p.m. will include country star Jimmie Allen before he goes to play at Billy Bob's. The Squeeze Box Bandits will take over the rest of the time.

Tournament weigh-in each day will be atDickiesArena. There is a slew of great restaurants there also. Most of the entertainment is free.

Wednesday saw Charlie finally come out of hiding and we went fishing. Texoma continues to look like a bass fishermans dream. We were in Charlie's boat so I got to sit in the back and let him run the boat. After fishing our cove with no results, I had him head for the boathouses.

Using the newBooyahConvert SeriesSpinnerbaitI had talked about last week, I made a cast across the end of a boathouse and had the rod nearly jerked out of my hand as a hefty bass clobbered it. I put it in the boat; Charlie said I could count it.

Not long after, Charlie was throwing one of the olderBooyahSpinnerbaitsbut lost a fish. We went to the back of Little Mineral; we fished a long stretch of good-looking water and at one point I caught a nice bass on mySpinnerbait. While fishing was slow, the buck brush was biting as we had to go into it several times to get our lures back.

Moving over to another bank, Charlie's rod bent double it was a bigstriper; didnt count. Moved on up to another cove. We were fishing along and Charlie caught and lost another fish. Later he caught and got in another fish. It was silver; didnt count.

Giving myBooyahConvert SeriesSpinnerbaita rest, I tossed a YUM Breaking Shad Jerk Bait and was working it over a big limb in the water when a nice Kentucky crashed it. We heard a splashing and back down the bank a big school ofstripersorsandbasswere working over a school of shad.

By the time we decided to go back and try them they were gone. I got one more bass on the YUM Breaking Shad. It was getting hot so we decided to go in. I like to catch at least five fish before I write about them. I had to count Charlie's two to get to five.

Im at loggers end trying to figure out where the bass are. My most consistent bass structure continues to be boathouses with the newBooyahSpinnerbait. Crappie are slow and when I catch one it is in deeper water in or around brush. Even people fishing with minnows arent catching very many. Catfish will be spawning now and the lake has a lot of jug lines floating everywhere.

The rocks and black holes down towardEisenhowerMarina close to the bank are good places to look for the kitties. Look where you are running if you wrap one off those jug lines around your prop get it off quick as you can. Dont and it can melt your prop seal and possibly cost you a lower unit.

Stripers and sandbass are definitely your best bet for catching now. Live bait seems to be best now but some lures are also getting limits. Finding a place to park at our ramp is getting hard to do. Highport is running some people off with their new launch system and they are coming over here only to find no place to park.

Your best bets for finding launch parking will likely be the Lighthouse or Little Mineral Marina.

Have a great weekend and a trip to Fort Worth would be fun.

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J.B. Webb Bassmaster Classic will be one to remember - Sherman Denison Herald Democrat

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Global DNA/RNA Extraction Kit Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% over the Forecast Period, Owing to Rise in Demand from the field of Genetic…

Posted: at 12:51 pm

The growing application of genetic engineering across wide array of fields is driving the demand for DNA/RNA extraction kits. Botany is witnessing increasing use of genetic engineering for creating modified plant species. Researchers and agricultural companies are extracting desirable DNA from organisms which is then transplanted into the plants genome. Genetic engineering is also being used to create personalized medicines or precision medicine by analyzing an individuals genetic data. General Electric, in partnership with Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, launched a joint venture in 2016 to accelerate personalized therapies based on genetic engineering. DNA/RNA extraction is an integral part of the genetic engineering process for extraction and purification of DNA or RNA from the sample. Thus, the growing applications of genetic engineering is driving the growth of global DNA/RNA extraction kit market.

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The recent outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has hit multiple countries around the world with a total tally of 31.42 million reported cases. This growing number of COVID-19 patients has inflated the demand for RNA extraction kits to perform polymerise chain reaction (PCR) testing. For instance, the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh placed a demand for for 1.16 lakh RNA extraction kits in April 2020. This rise in demand has attracted new players to enter the market. For instance, Kilpest India Ltd. got approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration agency for its real-time PCR test kits in June 2020 and in the same month the company received an order of 500,000 for these kits from Government of India. Thus, the rapidly spreading COVID-19 infection and emergence of new companies is anticipated to propel the growth of global DNA/RNA extraction kit market.

In terms of revenue, global DNA/RNA extraction kit market was valued at US$ 586.56 Mn in 2018 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. The study analyses the market in terms of revenue across all the major regions, which have been bifurcated into countries.

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The detailed research study provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of DNA/RNA extraction kit market. The market has been analyzed from demand as well as supply side. The demand side analysis covers market revenue across regions and further across all the major countries. The supply side analysis covers the major market players and their regional and global presence and strategies. The geographical analysis done emphasizes on each of the major countries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America.

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Global DNA/RNA Extraction Kit Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% over the Forecast Period, Owing to Rise in Demand from the field of Genetic...

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Lab Leaks And Covid-19: Why The Lab Leak Hypothesis Doesnt Mean The Virus Was Engineered – Forbes

Posted: at 12:51 pm

Security personnel stand guard outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan as members of the ... [+] World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus make a visit to the institute in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on February 3, 2021. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP) (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

The lab leak hypothesis about the origin of Covid-19 has been getting a lot of attention lately, and deservedly so. This is the idea that the SARS-CoV-2 virus accidentally escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, that conducts research on coronaviruses. Just a few weeks ago, a group of highly respected virologists and epidemiologists published a letter in the journal Science calling for a more thorough investigation, stating that the lab leak hypothesis was not taken seriously enough in earlier investigations.

The coincidence of having a major virus research facility, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), just a short distance from the live animal food market that was originally believed to be the source of the outbreak is too great to ignore. Even more curious is that WIV was actively doing research on coronaviruses in bats, including the bats that carry a strain of SARS-CoV-2 that is the closest known relative to the Covid-19 virus itself.

From the beginning of the outbreak, attention was focused on WIV, and various conspiracy theorists suggested, without any evidence, that the Covid-19 virus was either intentionally engineered, intentionally released, or both. Let me just say right off the bat that I dont believe either of those claims.

However, I do think the lab leak hypothesis is credible, and its also possible that gain of function research (more about this below) might be responsible.

In arguing against (unsupported) claims that the Chinese released the virus on purpose, a group of virologists published a paper very early in the pandemic, in March 2020, which looked at the genome sequence of the virus and concluded that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus. Other studies since then have come to similar conclusions: the virus is very similar to naturally-occurring coronaviruses, and it is possible that it simply evolved naturally in the wild, probably in bats.

Even so, the lab leak hypothesis remains highly credible, regardless of whether or not the virus was genetically engineered. Heres why. First, we know that lab accidents can happen and viruses can escape, even if these accidents are rare. We also know that the Wuhan Institute of Virology had thousands of viruses, including coronaviruses, in its facility. And despite claims that viruses couldnt possibly have escaped accidentally, a 2017 Nature article describing the then-new Wuhan Institute reported, perhaps prophetically, that worries surround the [Wuhan Institute of Virology], too. The SARS virus has escaped from high-level containment facilities in Beijing multiple times.

The secrecy of the Chinese government, which has not yet allowed independent, outside scientists full access to WIV to investigate, hasnt helped matters. We need to know if any viruses in WIV are similar to the Covid-19 virus, and at this point we cant trust the Chinese governments assurances on this question. Of course, even if they allow outsiders to investigate now, we cannot know that they have preserved all the viruses that were present in the lab in the winter of 2019-2020.

Now lets talk about gain-of-function research. Gain of function, or GoF, refers to research that tries to make viruses or bacteria more harmful, by making them more infectious. This seems crazy, right? And yet its been going on for years, despite the efforts of many scientists to stop it. In the past, GoF research focused on the influenza virus, and in particular on a small number of scientists (highly irresponsible ones, in my view) who were trying to give avian influenzabird fluthe ability to jump from birds into humans. I wrote about this in 2013, and in 2017, and again in 2019, each time calling on the US government to stop funding this extremely dangerous work. The NIH did put a pause on gain-of-function research for a few years, but the work resumed in 2019.

Now, let me explain why GoF research does not require artificially engineering a virus. Viruses mutate very rapidly all by themselves, and RNA viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 mutate even more rapidly than DNA viruses. So a GoF experiment doesnt need to engineer a virus to make it more infectious: instead, scientists can simply grow a few trillion viral particles, which is easy, and design experiments to select the ones that are more infectious. For example, some GoF research on bird flu simply sprays an aerosol mixture of viruses into a ferrets nose (influenza research often uses ferrets, since you cant ethically do this with people), and waits to see if the ferret comes down with the flu. If it does (and this has been done, successfully), the strain that succeeds now has a new function, because it can infect mammals. The viruses that are artificially selected (as opposed to natural selection) in these experiments will appear completely natural; no genetic engineering required.

We know that WIV was conducting gain-of-function experiments, and we know that its work included coronaviruses. Was the Wuhan Institute of Virology running GoF experiments on SARS-CoV-2 viruses from bats? Possibly. And if it was, these experiments could easily have produced a strain that infected humans. If a lab employee was accidentally infected with such a strain, that could have started the pandemic. And even if SARS-CoV-2 wasnt the subject of GoF experiments, a naturally-occurring strain being studied at WIV could still have infected one of their scientists and thereby leaked out into the population.

Im not saying that any of these events is likely. I am, however, agreeing with the scientists who, in their recent letter to Science, called for a deeper investigation into the cause of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, let me echo a sentiment they expressed in their letter, which is best said by simply quoting them: in this time of unfortunate anti-Asian sentiment in some countries, we note that at the beginning of the pandemic, it was Chinese doctors, scientists, journalists, and citizens who shared with the world crucial information about the spread of the virusoften at great personal cost. Rather than seeking to cast blame, we need to uncover the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, and any behaviors that led to it, as a means to help all societies prevent future pandemics.

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Lab Leaks And Covid-19: Why The Lab Leak Hypothesis Doesnt Mean The Virus Was Engineered - Forbes

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Research project aims to make CAR-T-cell therapy safer and more effective – Medical University of South Carolina

Posted: at 12:51 pm

A new project led by researchers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Centercould significantly decrease the side effects associated with CAR-T-cell therapy and make the treatment available to more patients who could benefit.

Led by Hollings hematologist and oncologist Brian Hess, M.D., and Shikhar Mehrotra, Ph.D., co-leader of Hollings Cancer Immunology Program, the project involves manufacturing a purified version of the CAR-T-cells that are currently used to treat patients with certain types of lymphoma and leukemia to reduce the side effects associated with treatment and potentially make the treatment more effective. The therapy will be given to patients as part of a clinical trial, including lymphoma and leukemia patients who dont currently have approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to receive CAR-T.

The project is supported in part by a new $50,000 grant from LOWVELO, Hollings annual community event that rallies everyone together to raise money for lifesaving cancer research. The CAR-T-cell program is one of the first programs to benefit from the fund.

The grant weve received from LOWVELO is a really great start to help us to get this project off the ground and to help us to treat our first patient, Hess said.

CAR-T-cell therapy works by collecting a patients T-cells, genetically modifying these cells to identify specific targets (CD19) on cancer cells and then infusing them back into patients to fight their disease.

CD19 directed CAR-T-cell therapy is currently approved for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients age 25 or younger and adult patients with specific subtypes of CD19 expressing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The clinical trial at Hollings will be open to adult patients with B-ALL up to any age and certain patients with CD19 expressing non-Hodgkin lymphoma both who are and are not currently eligible to receive the FDA-approved products.

As part of this trial, researchers at Hollings are collaborating with Loyola University Chicago researchers to build on their existing technology by utilizing a specific cytokine (protein) IL-12 in the manufacturing process of the CAR-T-cell product. In September 2018, Loyola and Loyola Medicine received a $250,000 grant from the Leukemia Research Foundation to develop purer, less toxic CAR-T-cells to treat leukemia and lymphoma.

Mehrotra, who also is the scientific director of MUSCs FACT-accredited Clean Cell Therapy Unit, said the MUSC project for developing CD19 CAR-T was initiated through a collaboration with Michael Nishimura, Ph.D., at Loyola, who worked with the researchers to generate CD19 CAR-T-cells at MUSCs clean-cell facility.

Our clinical partnership with Brian will not only help to treat patients, but we are excited to gain more understanding of the complex biology of patient responses as we track these adoptively transferred CAR-engineered T-cells. This will be an important advance for Hollings, where we strive to bring cutting-edge treatment for cancer patients, Mehrotra said. As they say, It takes a village. The different basic science and clinical expertises that we have developed over many years at Hollings are all coming together to implement new strategies for cancer care. It is a great testimony to a big team effort and institutional leadership and vision.

Hess agreed and hopes the treatment will not only improve patients outcomes but their quality of life during treatment. This new approach will hopefully improve the toxicity profile related to CAR-T-cell infusion as well as make the CAR-T-cells more effective in fighting the lymphoma or leukemia, he said. We also hope that this trial improves the availability of this dynamic therapy to patients throughout South Carolina.

Patients often are referred for CAR-T-cell therapy when they have relapsed multiple times and have few or any standard therapy options left available to them. While there are associated risks, CAR-T-cell therapy provides hope to these patients.

CAR-T-cell therapy has been able to provide durable remissions and hopefully a cure to patients who otherwise have an extremely poor prognosis, said Hess. FDA-approved CAR-T-cell therapy, as well as this upcoming trial, helps in the hope of offering cures to patients who otherwise would have very poor outcomes.

Hollings first introduced CAR-T-cell therapy to South Carolina in 2019, and it is the only center in the state with both an adult and a pediatric CAR-T-cell program. In 2020, the therapy was used to treat 14 patients. In 2021, Hollings physicians expect to treat between 40 and 50 patients, with continued growth on the horizon, thanks to new approvals to use the therapy in additional cancer types.

Nationwide, CAR-T-cell therapy currently is being tested as a possible treatment for blood, brain, breast, gastrointestinal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic and skin cancers. On March 5, it was approved by the FDA for a common type of lymphoma called follicular lymphoma, and on March 27, it was approved for multiple myeloma.

Hess said Hollings is fortunate to have access to a clean-cell facility that is necessary to manufacture these cells and the benefit of a multidisciplinary team to oversee a program of this scope.

A patients journey from evaluation for CAR-T, to infusion of cells, to the post CAR-T therapy care requires multidisciplinary expertise throughout Hollings, including cellular therapy coordinators, apheresis/cryopreservation nurses, clinic nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, quality coordinators, physicians, etc., all of whom specialize in cellular therapy. We also rely on the expertise of other departments outside of Hollings, such as a partnership with the emergency department and the medical intensive care unit, which help to manage side effects of CAR-T.

By doing this work at Hollings and taking advantage of the centers multidisciplinary team of researchers, Hess hopes to learn more about the science behind CAR-T-cell therapy to determine how to make it safer, more effective and applicable to additional cancer types, including solid tumors.

Just like we need physicians to see patients and administer CAR-T-cell therapy, we need researchers to be able to manufacture the best possible CAR-T-cell product. They are a vital partner in making this clinical trial available to patients, said Hess. Theyre also the team with whom we will collaborate to perform the science related to this study to advance the field and inform future studies.

Mehrotra sees this as the beginning of an array of promising trials. Generally, most patients T-cells are collected and sent off to commercial labs for genetic engineering. This new in-house approach involving the creation of purer CAR-T-cells could help patients to avoid serious side effects and lower the cost of treatment, making it available for more cancer patients.

These are exciting times for cellular therapies and engineering autologous T-cells with CARs to recognize tumor antigen puts us at the forefront of treating cancers, said Mehrotra. We are excited to partner with Brian and to be able to treat patients in the next six to eight months with the first in-house generated CAR-T therapy. I am sure that once we get off the ground, similar strategies can be used for targeting other cancers.

Learn how you can get involved with LOWVELO to support lifesaving research projects at Hollings by visiting the LOWVELO website. Registration is open for 2021.

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Can India re-visit UK’s stand on gap between two COVID-19 jabs? – BSI bureau

Posted: at 12:51 pm

Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, has highlighted the need for due scientific process in arriving at such decisions

The UK government has reduced the gap between two doses of COVID-19 vaccines from 12 weeks to 8 weeks for the people who are in the top 9 priority groups who are yet to receive both doses. This latest development was announced on June 11, 2021 as a recent study by Public Health England (PHE) showed that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant.

It may be noted that the Delta variant, which was first detected in India, is spreading rapidly in the United Kingdom and has quickly become the dominant strain there, and causing surges of COVID-19 in some parts of England.

While India which is just taking control of the second wave of COVID-19 and preparing for the third wave, it is looking at what the UK government has taken to control spreading of the B.1.617.2 variant.

On June 12, 2021, India has reported 84,332 Daily New Cases in the last 24 hours. The country has recorded less than 1 lakh Daily New Cases for 5 continuous days now. Out of the people infected since the beginning of the pandemic, 2,79,11,384 people have already recovered from COVID-19 & 1,21,311 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours. This constitutes an overall recovery rate of 95.07 per cent, which is showing a sustained increasing trend.

However briefing media on June 11, Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog has assured that there is no need for panic on the need for an immediate change in the dosage interval.

Dr Paul has highlighted the need for due scientific process in arriving at such decisions. He has appealed to the public to respect the decision taken by National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), where there are quite a few people who have been a part of World Health Organisation (WHO) panels and committees and are globally renowned and recognized for their eminence.

Let the decision regarding dose interval be examined by NTAGI, as per due process. The United Kingdom must have adopted due process and examined data scientifically, to revise their previous decision regarding the gap. The UK had earlier kept the gap at 12 weeks, but as per data available to us, we did not consider it safe at that point. So, let us entrust this to our scientific fora, they must be addressing it already. They will review it based on the pandemic situation in our country, depending on the extent of prevalence of the delta variant in our country and then take a comprehensive view. Whichever decision is taken by our scientific community, we will honour it.

It may be noted that India had extended the gap between two doses of COVISHIELD vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks based on recommendation of COVID Working Group on May 12, 2021.

The COVID Working Group chaired by Dr N K Arora has recommended extension of the gap between the first and second doses of COVISHIELD vaccine to 12-16 weeks. Based on the available real-life evidences, particularly from UK, the COVID-19 Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of COVISHIELD vaccine. No change in interval of COVAXIN vaccine doses was recommended.

The COVID Working Group comprises of the following members: Dr N K Arora- Director, INCLEN Trust; Dr Rakesh Agarwal, Director and dean, JIPMER, Puducherry; Dr Gagandeep Kang, professor, Christian Medical College, Vellore; Dr J P Mulliyal, Retd professor, Christian Medical College, Vellore; Dr Naveen Khanna, Group Leader, International Centre For Genetic Engineering And Biotechnology (ICGEB), JNU, New Delhi; Dr Amulya Panda, Director, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi; Dr V G Somani, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Government of India; The recommendation of the COVID Working Group was accepted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC), headed by Dr Paul, Member (Health) Niti Aayog in its meeting on May 12, 2021.

On June 11, Dr Paul has pointed out that We must remember that when we increased the gap, we had to consider the risk posed by the virus to those who have received only one dose. But the counterpoint was that more people will then be able to get the first dose, thereby giving a reasonable degree of immunity to more people.

Dr Paul further added that We need to balance these concerns. So, please remember, that we need to necessarily have this debate and discourse in the public domain; however, the decision has to be taken by appropriate fora comprising eminent people who are knowledgeable about this.

Let the COVID Working Group take an appropriate and quick stand regarding the gap between two doses so that it will be a win-win situation for all.

Narayan Kulkarni

(narayan.kulkarni@mmactiv.com)

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Can India re-visit UK's stand on gap between two COVID-19 jabs? - BSI bureau

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Free Slots Online – Play 7,780+ Online Slots FREE

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Free Slots Online - Play 7,780+ Online Slots FREE

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Michigan Online Casinos – Top Online Casino Apps in MI 2021

Posted: at 12:50 pm

Which online casinos are live in Michigan

Here is what we know so far about online casino apps in Michigan:

Some of the above operators are familiar to most people. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to understand who BetMGM, DraftKings or FanDuel are.

However, you may not know some of the other names. Additionally, you may not be familiar with all the details about BetMGM, DraftKings or FanDuel, either. To that end, below are quick rundowns about several top operators here in Michigan.

Over the past few years, DraftKings has expanded far beyond its somewhat humble roots as a daily fantasy sports provider. The company launched in Michigan through a deal with the Bay Mills Indian Community.

The key feature that sets DraftKings apart is its software. Not many casino apps will move with DraftKings speed and fluidity. You will also find some unusual games and offerings with DraftKings Casino.

Few sites can match the variants of blackjack it has available, and there are several other games that you dont regularly see, such as DJ Wild Stud Poker, Dream Catcher and Wheely Wheely Big Win.

Of course, DraftKings has a sports focus, even in its casino. Many of the table games and slots you find will have sports themes, so youll never forget where youre playing.

FanDuel is another brand best known for its daily fantasy sports offerings. In fact, the company was a pioneer in that space, so its a little surprising to see how much the folks at FanDuel have expanded in the past few years. Now, the FanDuel Casino is in Michigan, courtesy of a partnership with MotorCity Casino in Detroit.

FanDuel distinguishes itself through quality over quantity in its casino offerings. Although there are fewer games than at some other sites, there are exclusive titles and content that you cannot find elsewhere.

Needless to say, there is also a great deal of integration onsite with the other functions that FanDuel offers. You can move back and forth between casino and sports betting with the same wallet in a matter of seconds.

BetMGM is the online casino wing of MGM Resorts International, one of the largest casino operators in the world. Unsurprisingly, BetMGM is partnering with MGM Grand Detroit in Michigan.

The MGM online casino app is easy to use. It features 75 slot titles and a full slate of table games. A companion BetMGM Poker service launched in March 2021. Navigating the sites is intuitive.

In addition, the MGM loyalty program, MLife Rewards, is both available and active on the BetMGM Casino app. You can earn free play, comps and perks at MGM locations (including at MGM Grand Detroit) simply through your play. Some perks can include items such as hotel stays, food vouchers and show tickets at MGM properties. Higher tiers in MLife also get preferred seating for MGM restaurants and get to skip the line.

Obviously, we dont know exactly what bonus BetMGM has in store for its new Michigan clients in the coming months. Rest assured, however, that there will be plenty of money flying around.

Golden Nugget Online is the online offering from the casino chain of the same name and is one of the most successful online casinos in the US. It has partnered with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

Golden Nuggets online casino features one of the most diverse sets of games youre likely to find online. It has more than 100 slot titles and more than two dozen table games ready for you to play.

Like most big online casinos, Golden Nugget offers a rewards program to incentivize return visits from its players. The Golden Rewards Club has a very simple system earn points, and trade thems for more cash to play.

Best of all, theres nothing you have to do in order to join. Every Golden Nugget player is automatically a member, so you can start earning points right away.

William Hill is a company best known for its sportsbooks. No other company has more active betting shops in Nevada, for instance, than William Hill. So, its a bit surprising that the UK-based company wanted to enter Michigan as a casino provider as well. However, a deal with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians confirmed that it does.

William Hills offering proves that it is no slouch with casino gambling, either. There are tons of slots, video poker, table games and other types of games available for play onsite. William Hill also features a deep loyalty program for its guests. Playing on-site earns you both complimentary points and William Hill points. Complimentary points are exchangeable for cash rewards and site credits. William Hill points determine your tier level and can result in discounted complimentary point exchanges, faster withdrawals and other perks that make life at William Hill Casino easier.

BetRivers Casino is the online casino arm for Rush Street Interactive. Rush Street is primarily centered in the northeastern US and owns the Rivers brand of casinos. BetRivers Casino enters Michigan in cooperation with the Little River Band of the Ottawa Indians.

BetRivers Casino is one of the smoothest online casinos that you will find in Michigan. The sleek, streamlined design makes navigation easy and intuitive. Furthermore, few casinos can match the sheer number of games and types of games that youll find on BetRivers. The catalog is extensive, and you will be best served if you use the dropdown menus to sort through the pack of games a bit.

Barstool Casino is the online brand for gambling powerhouse Penn National Gaming in Michigan. The company owns and/or operates casinos throughout the US. It is the operating company for the Greektown Casino in Detroit, so needless to say, it did not have to go looking for a partnership. Barstool Casino launched in Michigan in February 2021.

The casino site itself offers a decent roster of games for players to enjoy. There are roughly 100 slot titles, including games from IGT and NetEnt. There are also licensed titles from WMS and Everi. Barstool also features a few table games to enjoy.

Mobile gaming is quickly becoming the most popular type of online gambling. That means that in addition to the browser-based online casino that you can access from a mobile device or computer, Michigan online casino sites also release iPhone and Android gambling apps.

These online casino apps feature a similar navigation system as the browser-based casino website. Its just that the apps often dont have the full selection of games. The mobile-friendly versions you can download to a smartphone or tablet feature full account management and cashier functionality. Plus, the graphics are held on your phone, meaning most of the games they do have will initiate faster.

iPhone or iPad users will find the casino apps by visiting the Michigan casino and clicking on the Apple logo. Android users will have to download the app directly from the casinos website.

The best Michigan casinos will offer free promos to new and certain existing players. Michigan online casino sites award this free play to new and returning players in a variety of ways, including:

Online casino ads are often focused on attracting new players with no-deposit and first deposit bonuses. Like land-based casinos, real-money casinos in Michigan will offer player loyalty programs aimed at retaining existing customers by rewarding loyalty. The more you play, the more you earn.

You can convert loyalty points into free play at Michigan online casinos. Plus, since the online casinos are all tied to land-based properties in the state, you should be able to convert your points into various rewards at the brick-and-mortar locations as well. Some of the larger casino corporations may even make their lucrative land-based loyalty programs available online in Michigan.

The Michigan law includes language that requires online casino players to be in the state when they play. You dont have to be a resident to sign up for an account, but you have to be inside state lines when you do decide to play.

Michigan online casinos need to verify your location. Since the law makes it their responsibility to make sure players are where they say they are, online casinos will employ geolocation programs to ensure their players are inside Michigans borders.

Basically, geolocation is a positioning system used to pinpoint a players coordinates. Geolocation is achieved mostly by tracking the players IP address and triangulating his or her Wi-Fi signal. Theres really no getting around geolocation technology. No IP masking software or VPN will help. Thats why Michigan online casinos will employ geolocation technology to make sure online casino players are in Michigan when they play.

If youve ever been to a retail casino, you know that nothing really comes for free. You have to pay for everything. Even the free craps lessons the casino offers come with the hope that youll fork over some cash later on in the day when youre trying out your new skills.

However, it is possible to play most slot titles and table games on online casinos for absolutely nothing. Nearly every game you encounter will ask you if youd like to play the demo mode or for real money.

If you choose to play the demo mode, the casino will take you to the actual game you would play for real dollars. In most cases, the only functionality that you might not be able to enjoy is a progressive jackpot.Instead, the casino will provide you with a certain amount of play money to use on the machine or game. This amount is usually $1,000 or so, and you can bet however you like.

Your play money amount will almost always disappear when you close out the game. So dont feel as though you have to conserve your resources. Instead, use this money to enjoy the game as much as you can. If you run out of chips, simply reload the game and the funds will replenish.

Naturally, you can always choose to play casino games for real money if you click on the title in the lobby. However, even if you want to use the demo version to get your feet wet, most online casinos will keep a button prominently displayed that will instantly switch you to the real-money version.

The ability to use a demo mode is a win-win for both the player and the casino. As a player, you can use the demo mode to figure out all the ins and outs of a game and whether or not you like to play it. The casino doesnt mind, since it costs nothing to run and may lead to your investment of actual cash.

So dont be afraid to play for free on MI online casinos. If you decide that its all too overwhelming after youve played, thats fine. However, you might find a game or two that you like.

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TV football pundits accused of helping to push gambling on young fans – The Guardian

Posted: at 12:50 pm

A viral social media campaign featuring high-profile BBC and ITV football pundits has been accused of normalising betting among the young and encouraging problem gambling during the Euro 2020 tournament.

Sky Bet last week launched a series of videos starring BBC Euro 2020 pundit Micah Richards and ITV Euro 2020 pundit Roy Keane on a banter-packed road trip to Wembley. The five Sky Bet-branded videos have so far racked up more than 6 million views on the companys Facebook and Twitter accounts, which also include posts offering free initial bets on the competitions top scorer and prizes on Sky Bets online casino.

Sky Bets social media channels have also shared a branded interview with England captain Harry Kane by another ITV Euro 2020 pundit, Gary Neville. He joins Richards and Keane on their road trip to Wembley in the betting brands latest video, where the trio discusses Englands chances and who will be the Euro 2020 top goalscorer.

While the gambling industry has agreed to a voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on TV ads shown during live sports events before 9pm, there is no such restriction on digital promotion, which accounts for 80% of gambling advertising spending.

The Observer has established that ITVs Twitter accounts, which have more than 2.2 million followers, will be showing Euro 2020 goal highlights throughout live matches badged with a gambling company logo.

Research by Ipsos Mori and two university teams into the impact of gambling advertising on young people and vulnerable adults highlights the use of celebrity endorsement, humour and fun to promote an image of gambling as harmless and lighthearted.

The study, which was carried out on behalf of gambling charity GambleAware last year, found exposure to betting promotions made young people more likely to gamble.

There are 55,000 children with a harmful gambling problem in the UK, according to the Gambling Commission. There are 300,000 problem adult gamblers and 440,000 at-risk gamblers. The gambling industry makes 60% of its profits from these problem and at-risk gamblers, whose addiction can wreck families and damage communities. Betting is estimated to cost society up to 1.2bn a year in its effects on health, employment and the criminal justice system.

Matt Zarb-Cousin, the founder of Clean up Gambling, said gambling firms were producing and sponsoring highly shareable online content, which was bound to reach a wider audience, including children. There is a very good chance that under-18s will be exposed to gambling brands though these viral videos, he said. Children will be familiar with these pundits and so it will normalise gambling for a younger generation.

The betting industry, he added, was using Euro 2020 to gain new customers for its most profitable products, such as casino games and online slots, which account for half of the profits made from online gambling.

Football is very low-margin for the operators, he said. They try to hook new customers in with football betting and then cross-sell the more addictive products like online slots, which have no limits on the stakes. Thats where the industry makes its money.

ITV faced criticism last week for failing to drop gambling adverts before and after live games, including the England v Scotland clash on Friday. This is now likely to grow, as the channels social media highlights throughout the competition will carry a gambling companys logo.

Carolyn Harris MP, chair of the cross-party group on gambling-related harm, said she was disappointed with ITV.

This is absolutely soul-destroying because gamblers are not only losing their livelihoods, their homes and their families in many cases people are losing their lives, she said. ITV is allowing gambling firms to push an addiction. It is reprehensible.

She added that Keane, Richards and Neville should meet problem gamblers. If they knew the damage caused by gambling, I would like to think they would walk away, she said.

They are all respected and have a high profile. Their presence normalises gambling for those who havent gambled, and gives permission to those with a disordered gambling problem to do something which is destroying their lives.

The close relationship between gambling and football is under scrutiny, with ministers considering tougher regulation. Eight Premier League clubs began the season with gambling company logos on the front of their shirts.

BBC Euro 2020 host and former England striker Gary Lineker has come out against the growing influence of betting firms. Last season he took to social media to criticise clubs, including Leicester and Arsenal, for promoting gambling.

Sky Bet said: Safer gambling is of critical importance to Sky Bet. As sports fans celebrate around the world as Euro 2020 finally gets under way, we will continue to put the safety of our customers at the heart of everything we do.

ITV said it took its responsibility to viewers very seriously. It said the amount of gambling advertising connected with the live broadcast of football matches at the Euros would be significantly reduced compared with the 2018 World Cup.

The majority of matches ITV plans to broadcast live have 2pm or 5pm kick-offs and will have no gambling ads under the whistle-to-whistle ban. The remainder [which all have an 8pm kick-off] will have no gambling ads in the ad breaks before kick-off or at half-time, said a spokesperson for the broadcaster.

The BBC, Micah Richards, Gary Neville and Roy Keane were all approached for comment.

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WV Online Casinos Top $4.3 Million In May Revenue – Play WV

Posted: at 12:50 pm

The online casinos in West Virginia had a resurgent month of May. After seeing a decline in betting during April, figures rose back up last month.

Overall, WV casinos generated over $4.3 million in revenue.

This is now the most profitable month since the Mountain States online casino market launched in July 2020.

It is also the first month in which the state offered four different online casinos. Both BetRivers Casino WV and FanDuel WV are relatively new to the rotation.

BetRivers launched in April, while FanDuel went live at the beginning of May.

They joined DraftKings Casino WV and BetMGM WV to have an impressive showing last month. The online casinos earned more than $1 million in three out of the four weeks.

Their best performance came during the week of May 15. They netted over $1.5 million in that week alone.

Online casinos also set a new record for total handle in one month with more than $138 million. This is about $23 million more than in April, and $15 million more than their previous best from March.

Lets breakdown Mays online casino figures more closely.

The more than $4.3 million earned in May was a 14% increase compared to the previous month.

It could have been an even bigger month if the online casinos didnt have such a slow first week. They only brought in around $550,000. This was the first time weekly revenue fell short of $600,000 in 13 weeks.

The rest of the month made up for it, though, with The Greenbrier leading the way in terms of revenue.

Its two online casinos in BetMGM and FanDuel combined for almost $2.1 million in revenue in May. Oddly enough, they only made about $200,000 in the first week, but rebounded with over $900,000 the following week.

The Greenbrier exceeded $2 million in revenue in March, as well.

Hollywood Casino and its DraftKings app were close behind with more than $1.9 million. The online casino saw at least $275,000 in earnings each week, with its best showing around $585,000.

After two straight months of about $1.7 million in revenue, this was DraftKings best month so far.

Mountaineer Casino finished third with its BetRivers platform. In its first full month available in the market, it earned just shy of $300,000.

The online casino didnt break $100,000 in a single week, but it was right there with about $97,000 for the week of May 22.

BetRivers is likely to receive more betting action as it builds more of a customer base within WV. Each of the other three online casinos feature an online sportsbook in the state, too.

In total, WV online casinos are responsible for over $29 million in revenue since releasing last summer.

The overall betting handle took a sizable jump in May. The more than $138 million was a 20% increase from April betting.

Online casinos accepted at least $32 million in each week of the month. They took in over $37 million during the first week for just the third time ever.

Again, The Greenbriers two online casinos beat out Hollywood Casinos by the slimmest of margins.

BetMGM and FanDuel totaled nearly $68 million in handle for the month. They took in a minimum of $15 million each week, including May 29 when wagers almost hit $20 million.

The Greenbrier topped its performance from April by about $16 million.

Hollywoods DraftKings Casino was around $65 million for handle last month. It also had a week that exceeded the $19 million mark.

Although the betting figures remained tight in May, its just a matter of time before The Greenbrier separates itself. It seems like Hollywood will need to add another online casino skin in order to keep up.

Mountaineer Casino accounted for nearly $6 million in handle from BetRivers. It saw at least $1.2 million in bets each week to close out its first full month.

With the conclusion of May, the state passed $1 billion in total handle since going live.

Now that there are more options available, betting should increase at an even higher rate moving forward.

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10 Best Casino Based Hollywood Movies of all Time – Inspired Traveler

Posted: at 12:50 pm

Many well-known game players, gamblers, and online casino lovers globally had something that inspired their love for the casino. For some, it was being around physical casinos, desire to make money from the game they love, while others got enticed watching a movie.

Movies have a way of affecting our psychology and how we see things. They can make us gain more interest in something and can also make us lose interest in it.

If you are looking for a movie to inspire your online casino love or youre a lover of casino already who wants to learn from movies, then here are the ten best casino-based Hollywood movies of all time.

Released in 1980, Atlantic City is one casino-based movie that has remained relevant since that time. It isnt easy to talk to a movie lover who has not come across this lovely casino movie. This is the perfect movie for a beginner trying to get the hang of playing on an online casino. Youre also going to find it great if youre looking for something to spur your interest in an online casino.

Many people who go into casino games do so because they are trying to make money from it. However, before you can know the color of money playing on casinos, then you must have experienced the downsides of the game. You have to lose and learn before you can master and earn, and thats exactly what The Color of Money portrays to viewers.

Owning Mahowny is a movie that expresses the luxury one can make from mastering the basics of casino games. As a beginner who is just starting on casinos, you have to give yourself to the process. It expresses the patience dimension of playing on casinos. This movie also provides you a list with best casino bonuses. From Owning Mahowny, you get to learn that those who make a fortune from playing casinos are those who have been patient through their losses.

Released in 1998, Rounders is a casino-based game that is popular among big casino players. This movie is celebrated globally because of how much detail was paid to its production. The characters, casinos, game strategy, and many more are a perfect depiction of what you get in todays casino world.

This very recent online casino will forever go down as one of the best casino movies of all time. It portrays a character who got into a new city unaware of what to expect from living there but built a fortune. How was it done right? Trying several things resulted in the lead character here considering online gambling as a grind. Though it wasnt a walk in the park, it paid off in the end.

Croupier is one movie that is talked about amongst casino lovers. Most of the terms that are used in the game today were gotten from this well-presented movie. Though released in 1998, watching this movie gives you a fresh insight into what is currently going on in the online casino industry.

When playing certain casinos, you must have heard about hard eight and the strategy required to arrive at it. If yes, then you will find it easy to relate to this movie at all levels. It explains how easy and difficult achieving the hard eight can be. Watching this movie will give you an insight into how to achieve that without going through stress. Do you love playing on casinos? Then, Hard Eight is a must-watch for you.

The most recent on this list and on every other list of the best casino-based movie of all times is Uncut Gems. This 2019 movie hoovers around characters who devoted their entire life to gambling. However, the difference is that these people were not just gambling out of the blues but were doing so from understanding the different strategies that exist. Uncut Gems gives you hope that regardless of how low gambling is going for you, there can still be golden linen.

Not everyone gambles in a physical store or online casino that qualifies as an expert gambler. Some people have mastered the art and science of gambling and can be sure that a certain move will produce a definite result. One of such is the lead character in The Gambler movie, released in 1974. In this movie, you get to see the efforts needed to achieve success in gambling, and of course, its benefits.

Many years after California Split premiered, it is still rated as one of the best casino movies of all time. With carefully selected characters and clear attention to the details of movie-making, you will not be surprised why it is on this list after watching. It captures everything that goes on in a casino inside and outside, making it the best movie to watch for anyone who wants to subscribe to full-time gambling.

Are you looking for a casino movie to watch, and you want the best? Then, you can check out any of the movies that have been outlined above. Regardless of the one you pick, you will love it and learn alit watching it.

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