Monthly Archives: August 2021

Pimpri-Chinchwad Police busted a gambling den at a video game parlour in Kalewadi area and arrested Thergaon residents Ali Dastagir Patel (30), Rahul Mallesh Rathod (20) and Deva Mohan Chavan (28).

Acting on a tip-off, a team from the social security cell of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Crime Branch raided the Lucky Video Game Parlour at Rahatni Phata Chowk in Kalewadi Thursday. The cops also seized seven video game machines worth Rs 70,000 and Rs 3,020 in cash from the spot.

The parlour allowed customers to gamble on a video game called Master Mega Free Play despite having no permit or licence to do so, a press release stated. A case was registered at Wakad police station.

Police said Patel, who runs the video game parlour, and the two others were arrested under various sections of the Maharashtra Gambling Act.

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3 arrested as Pimpri-Chinchwad Police bust gambling den in Kalewadi - The Indian Express

Brendan Gaughan lends a unique perspective to the intersection of gambling and NASCAR. The former NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series driver grew up in Las Vegas and around the casino business his father, Michael, and grandfather, Jackie, both magnates of the industry.

Michael currently owns the South Point Hotel & Casino, which houses one of Vegas most respected sportsbooks. On Super Bowl Sunday, in fact, youll find Brendan behind the counter, writing tickets for the bettors lined up to wager on the game.

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Brendan, who stepped away from NASCAR after racing in five Cup events last year, co-hosts Gone Racin,' a NASCAR betting-themed show on VSiN (for the uninitiated, thats the Vegas Stats & Information Network, a media company dedicated to sports betting founded by Brent Musburger in 2017). He also remains involved in his familys casino business, in addition to several entrepreneurial endeavors of his own, and yes, even some racing.

We recently caught up over the phone with Brendan and discussed his favorite casino games, why he doesnt bet NASCAR and the slick vehicles he drives to get his family around town.

NASCAR.com: I know you do some ticket writing on Super Bowl Sunday at the South Point. Gaughan: Thats been a special deal for my family. A Gaughan has worked a sportsbook since the dawn of sportsbooks and casinos, every Super Bowl. And as long as Im around, the trend will not be lost. And with any luck, my children will continue that when Im gone.

NASCAR.com: Whats the biggest bet youve ever written?Gaughan: I got to write one of the $250,000 ones. Just depends on what window it gets sent to, and they sent me one for $250,000.

NASCAR.com: Do you remember who it was on and if it was a winner?Gaughan: You know what, I dont. It was just a bet. You know what I mean? In our businesses, its wheres the number going and go to the next one.

NASCAR.com: What else are you doing these days? What else are you working on? I know you have some business interests. Whats keeping you busy?Gaughan: I have a moonshine company; we make a City Lights Shine. I have a chemical company and PPE company. Thats something that we started before the pandemic, and its doing well right now. And then of course the family business. We have Mesquite Gaming in Mesquite, Nevada Casa Blanca Resort and Virgin River Hotel and the South Point. I stay in Mesquite, because if my dads there, probably not a good idea for me to be there. We get along great, as long as we dont work with each other. Im sure anybody who has worked with their fathers many times could say that. So I stick with Mesquite, he sticks in the South Point.

NASCAR.com: Yeah, I heard you on a podcast characterizing your relationship with your father as unique.Gaughan: Hes an amazing man. I love him to death, and we get along amazingly until we have to share a boardroom.

NASCAR.com: Other than the South Point, whats your favorite sportsbook in Vegas?Gaughan: Well, Im kind of a homer when it comes to the South Point, so I stick mostly there. But I will have to say that Im a fan of the Stevens brothers (Derek and Greg), and Im a fan of what theyve built. I think its a beautiful place they built over there at Circa and that sportsbook, especially.

NASCAR.com: Do you bet a lot of NASCAR?Gaughan: No. Remember I wasnt allowed for the last 25, 30 years of my life. I couldnt. And it was definitely a different era. I mean, (todays legal sports betting environment) is very unique. Hell, in 2020, I was doing a gambling television show on a race that I was racing in. But I respected NASCARs wishes very, very closely on that and understood. I grew up in this business. Theres a fine line there. So no, I do not bet on NASCAR. And even to this day, truly, I dont bet on NASCAR. . Now that Im out of the sport, I talk about it more often, but I still dont feel like its right. I was too involved too long.

NASCAR.com: South Point title sponsors a race in September (at Las Vegas Motor Speedway). How does your life change during that week?Gaughan: Oh, God. If at all possible, I try to make sure I leave town (laughs). Its a very hectic week for the hotel, for me personally. Honestly, it was easier when I was behind the wheel, because at least I had an excuse for a few hours that nobody could bother me. Now its wide open. Everybody wants me to go everywhere, wants you to do something. Everybody thinks you have Ticketmaster tattooed on your forehead. So its definitely a difficult week. But you know what, so worth it. We love seeing the race fans at the hotel, love seeing the race teams. We have 47 teams total between Truck, Xfinity and Cup that stay with us. We take care of the race teams. Man, we love it.

RELATED: Buy tickets for the Las Vegas playoff weekend

NASCAR.com: Thats fun. To you, whats been the biggest surprise so far of the 2021 NASCAR season?Gaughan: Well, I think it just happened AJ Allmendinger (winning the Cup race on the Indianapolis Road Course on Aug. 15). That was phenomenal. I was so excited for AJ. . It wasnt a surprise to me, surprise to others Kyle Larsons dominance. I said in our first show of Gone Racin that I expected Kyle Larson to win at least five races this year. And hes already at that number.

NASCAR.com: I also heard you mention your nephew as an up-and-coming racer. Hows his career going?Gaughan: Jakers (Jake Gaughan) is making his way in, hes racing the off-road, and hes working hard at it. Hes going through the typical growing pains of trying to race in the desert. He has an allergy to keeping all four wheels down at the moment. Were trying to fix that problem. But hes doing great. He finished second last week at Reno in his class, and hes won a couple of big races, so hes doing well.

NASCAR.com: If you dont bet NASCAR, what do you play?Gaughan: Whats funny is growing up in this life Im not going to say I didnt make book with the nuns in fifth grade for extra credit in school but I dont tend to bet heavily. Ive watched my father do it, and what I learned a long time ago was, am I going to worry about my $100 bet, or am I going to worry about what the hotel needs? So Im rooting for the Denver Broncos, Dads rooting for the Washington Redskins, my $150 win is much less important than the win for the hotel (laughs). So I tend to not bet often. I only bet when I have fun feelings about things, where theres people that I like in a game. I used to love betting on (former Bucs and Falcons running back) Warrick Dunn. So Ill find a reason to bet, but I dont do it often anymore.

NASCAR.com: Any casino games?Gaughan: Yeah, once again growing up the business, you learn you get burned. But I love to shoot dice. If youre a real casino man, you know how to shoot dice and you know the odds on everything. So a dice table is where youll find me. If Im looking to play with friends and be social, youll find me a Pai Gow table. So depends on the mood.

NASCAR.com: What will it take to get you back in a race car?Gaughan: Well, I still go race in the desert, and Ill do that until you pry the steering wheel from my cold dead hand. But in a NASCAR? No thank you, Im good. Im happy. Ive been there done that. I bought many t-shirts, and Ive moved on. Youll find me in the dirt in Baja. Matter of fact, Im sitting here prepping for the Baja 400 (scheduled for September) right now. If youre looking for me, go looking in the dirt in Mexico.

NASCAR.com: What kind of car do you drive in real life?Gaughan: (laughs) Oh, everybody loves that question, they think my answer is funny. I have a 2012 Volkswagen Routan minivan and a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Red S Edition minivan.

NASCAR.com: Like a true family man.Gaughan: I love em! No, I love em. I love minivans! Even without the family. The Red S is my favorite minivan. It is so freaking cool. Look it up online. Its cool looking.

NASCAR.com: Your pick to win the Cup championship?Gaughan: I picked him at the start of the season to be a favorite, and everybody kind of laughed at me, but Kyle Larson is still my favorite. He is absolutely showing the talent that he is. If Ive got a dark horse sitting there, its William Byron, but Hendrick Motorsports is the favorite by far.

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow himon Twitter; do not bet his picks.

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Q&A: Vegas native Brendan Gaughan talks NASCAR betting, growing up in casinos and more - NASCAR

What happened

Shares of casino stocks jumped across the industry this week, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Stocks with exposure to Macao like MGM Resorts (NYSE:MGM), Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS), and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) jumped as Macao eased some travel restrictions to the region. U.S. casino operators Penn National (NASDAQ:PENN), Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR), and Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD) jumped on a combination of bullishness for online gambling and the relief of investors who think low interest rates will last a little longer. Here's a look at how these stocks performed from the close of the market last Friday through the close of the market on Thursday, Aug. 26.

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

With so many moving parts for casino stocks, let's break down what happened this week.

Image source: Getty Images.

The biggest news was out of Macao, where the government eased a rule that visitors from Guangdong province in China need a negative COVID-19 test from within 48 hours prior to arrival. The new regulation specifies a negative test from within seven days. This may seem like a small change, but for travelers going to Macao on short notice, it's great news.

Macao is critical to operators like MGM, Wynn, and Las Vegas Sands because it's been the world's largest gambling market for about a decade. But gambling revenue in the region was just $1.05 billion in July, down from $2.84 billion in July 2019. There's a long way to go for the region to fully recover, so any good news is usually cheered by the market.

In the U.S., online gambling was in focus. After a rough summer, investors are betting that the upcoming college football and NFL seasons will lead to an increase in online gambling. Brick-and-mortar casinos have recovered well, but there's still an opportunity for more casual gambling on football from home. If football does indeed become a cash generator from the online business, MGM, Penn National, and Caesars likely have the most to gain.

There were also market tailwinds behind casino stocks this week. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has indicated the central bank won't take its foot off the gas too quickly when it comes to quantitative easing or interest rates. The idea for casino investors is that this will lead to continued low interest rates on debt, which could help drive better profitability from both brick-and-mortar and online casinos.

The hope for investors is that a recovery in Macao and growth in online gambling will turn casino stocks into growth stocks once again. This week, the tailwinds were behind these stocks as it seemed every bit of news was good for the industry.

What we haven't seen is these companies really turning the corner financially. Business is still down, particularly in Macao, and while there are signs of optimism, we need to see results eventually. I'm holding on to my casino shares this week, but don't be surprised to see more volatility if news from Macao or online gambling companies isn't as favorable as hoped in coming weeks.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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Why Casino Stocks Have Jumped This Week - The Motley Fool

Other Illinois-based video gambling operators also have been spending money on Missouri politicians. Gold Rush Amusements contributed $10,000 to Parsons PAC in 2018, as well as $10,000 to the House GOP PAC. Like Accel, Torch also has spent big bucks on lobbyists and campaign contributions, including more than $20,000 to a PAC formed to help Gov. Mike Parson.

Regulators allege the pact violated a law forbidding incentives to keep Accel machines in the various video gambling establishments that have mushroomed in Illinois since video gambling was legalized more than a decade ago.

In the case of Accel, the Illinois Gaming Board last year fined the firm $5 million in connection with an agreement it signed with DraftKings in September 2020.

The complaint by the Illinois Gaming Board includes comments by Accel officials describing the benefits of the allegedly prohibited agreement with DraftKings, which runs a sports betting platform.

This partnership will help us retain and extend agreements with existing locations, attract new organic and competitor locations, and most importantly drive additional players to our locations, the company said in a November 2020 earnings call.

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In spite of the problems in Illinois, the gambling company invests money in campaigns of Missouri | Politics - BollyInside

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It was disappointing that the AFL and ESPN removed the Love The Game Not The Odds campaign from their channels but we accept the AFLs explanation that it was a mistake and acknowledge the commitment to reinstate our campaign.

A VRGF survey in 2018-19 found that participation in sports betting was growing quickly, particularly among men aged 18-24. A Latrobe University survey last year found that 87 per cent of footy fans agreed that young people aged 12-17 were over-exposed to sports betting advertising.

Tobacco sponsorship of sporting events was considered normal for many years before the detrimental effects were acknowledged and action taken, said Lucas.

With research now showing that people aged 18-24 are now the largest group of sports bettors in Victoria, and children routinely quoting the odds, its clear that earlier action on sports betting sponsorship is needed to prevent the normalisation of betting on sport - and ultimately reduce harm from gambling.

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AFL admits error in pulling anti-gambling ad from website - The Age

Who does the journalist, betting analyst or data guru like? Or the caddie? Or the old-school gambler? Gimme the facts, storylines and trends. Gimme that inside-the-ropes look. Gimme your gut feeling.

You bet, bettor.

Welcome to GOLF.coms new gambling advice column, where weve assembled a panel of those aforementioned experts to make three best bets. A real-life professional bettor here will then heed that advice, add his acumen and wager his own cash. Its not unlike what you do through texts and Google searches except now its all in one place.

Our hope is to help you with your own weekly picks, whether those are for a low-stakes office fantasy league, (legal!) big-bucks bets with a sportsbook or through free-to-play Chirp Golf, an app from our parent company that is available in the App Store and at Google Play.

Now, on to some facts, the expert picks, the bettors best bets and info on how to bet for free.

This weeks tournament: The BMW Championship, Caves Valley Golf Club, Owings Mill, Md.

TV schedule: Thursday, August 26: 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Friday, August 27: 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, August 28: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. ET (NBC); Sunday, August 29: 12-2 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 2-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

Defending champ: Jon Rahm

Top 10 in odds (via DraftKings): Jon Rahm +600; Justin Thomas +1800, Xander Schauffele +1800, Bryson DeChambeau +2000; Collin Morikawa +2000; Dustin Johnson +2200; Jordan Spieth +2200; Brooks Koepka +2500; Cameron Smith +2500; Louis Oosthuizen +2500.

Jessica Marksbury, GOLF.com, @Jess_Marksbury:

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, to win, +650. These odds arent great, but Rahm has really risen to the challenge when he has something to prove. The near-miss at the Northern Trust should fuel his fire this week.

Bet 2: Brooks Koepka, top 5, +450. Its getting close to crunch time, and thats when Koepka seems to perform his best. And this PGA Tour statistic is encouraging: Koepka hasnt gone more than two events without posting a T6 in all of 2021. So, after a T54 and a T31, hes due.

Bet 3: Webb Simpson top 10, +200. My man, Old Reliable! Hell be on the outside looking in for next weeks Tour Championship if he doesnt step it up this week. Im banking on him to deliver.

Brady Kannon, host, Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), @lasvegasgolfer:

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, top 5, +130. The best player in the world came four holes short of going wire to wire last week. I expect more of the same this week and possibly a win. Hes playing on a much higher level than anyone right now (as evidenced by the odds this week).

Bet 2: Scottie Scheffler, top 10, +230. Much like Rahm, he ranks very high on Tour in Total Driving and Birdie Average, which will be paramount at this BIG golf course. Hes also 24th in the FedEx Cup points, so he knows he has to show up in order to be around for next week.

Bet 3: Xander Schauffele, top 10, +140. Xander is the master of the limited-field, no-cut event, as evidenced by his gold medal in Tokyo, which by the way also came on a Tom Fazio design. He has two top 25s at the Wells Fargo (Fazio) and a 2nd-place finish last fall at Shadow Creek (another Fazio). Current form and comp courses check out. I think hell have a good week.

Wes Reynolds, host, Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), @WesReynolds1:

Bet 1: Bryson DeChambeau, top 5, +450. The wedge game has been struggling as of late for DeChambeau but he showed signs of life last week in New Jersey. He was 4th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 20th in SG: Approach. DeChambeau has always been good with the longer irons, ranking 9th for Greens in Regulation of 200-plus yards and 2nd for Proximity from 200-plus yards on the season. The putter did not fire last week, but all other facets of his game looked good. He is still the biggest hitter in the game and that will play well on a big boy golf course.

Bet 2: Keegan Bradley, top 10, +400. Bradley has a lot to play for this week. At No. 32, he needs to climb just two spots to get into the Tour Championship and earn himself invitations to the 2022 Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship. He ranks 4th for Total Driving and 1st for Greens in Regulation from 200-plus yards.

Bet 3: Patrick Cantlay +100 over Collin Morikawa. Morikawa is battling a bad back, and walking a 7,500-plus-yard hilly and undulating course is not the best thing for it.

John Rathouz, PGA Tour caddie and Caddie Network contributor, @rathouz:

Bet 1: Sam Burns +105 over Harris English. Burns in a bentgrass birdie fest!

Bet 2: Dustin Johnson, to win, +2200. Cutter, bomber and birdie-maker. His strategy is underrated and will come in handy on a course many are playing for the first time.

Bet 3: Webb Simpson -115 over Joaquin Niemann. Word is Webb has played this course more than anyone and he checks the box in every category I valued.

The old-school gambler:

Bet 1: Jon Rahm, to win, +600. Rahm in a romp. Its fun to say. Should also be fun to watch.

Bet 2: Justin Thomas, to win, +1800. Thomas has been rounding into form. In this case, JT stands for Just in Time.

Bet 3: Jordan Spieth, top 5, +333. A disastrous final round last week was entirely out of character for Jordan, who has been playing some of the steadiest golf on Tour this year.

Erick Lindgren. Lindgren, the 2008 World Series of Poker Player of the Year,has won more than $10.5 million in poker tournament earnings and is an avid sports bettor. @EdogPoker:

Bet 1: Bryson DeChambeau, to win, +2500. Its been a bumpy stretch for Bryson, but hes been playing better than results indicate. The public has steered clear of him, making these odds a good value play

Bet 2: Hideki Matsuyama, to win, +4000. The long game is as solid as ever, and the short game isnt shabby either, especially on bentgrass greens.

Bet 3: Sam Burns, top 5, +8000. A macho ball-striker on a meaty course. I like him to be in the mix.

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BMW Championship picks to win: Who a professional gambler is betting his money on - Golf.com