Sep
19
$2 Million Bad Beat
September 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
It is one thing to have a bad beat dished out to you…but how about one worth $2 millions bucks
Sep
14
A New Player in the State of NH
September 14, 2007 | 1 Comment
Place your bets
Charitable gambling planned for Milford
By Rony Camille (from www.cabinet.com)
Published: Friday, Sep. 14, 2007
Texas hold ‘em poker continues to gain popularity across the nation through televised championship games and on the Internet, and now the games might be coming to Milford and Brookline.
The plan for New Hampshire Charitable Gambling (NHCG) to covert 12 out of the 20 thousand square feet of the former Violette’s IGA grocery store at Granite Town Plaza in Milford will go before the Milford Planning Board on Tuesday, Sept. 18.
The proposed River Card Room would have 25 poker tables and employ 82 people, and Jim Rafferty, president of New Hampshire Charitable Gambling, says he can raise nearly $350,000 for charities in the first year alone.
And last week, the Brookline Planning Board allowed Paul Andres, owner of Brookline’s Big Bear Lodge, to expand operating hours from 11 a.m.-1 a.m., a change that would allow Andres to lease the top floor to NHCG for the poker games, according to a site plan application.
Charitable gambling has been legal in New Hampshire for nearly a decade and in 2006, laws changed so that charities can hire a professional firm to run the games, with the New Hampshire Pari-Mutuel Commission overseeing the process.
State law mandates that gambling organizations place a $20,000 bond in case they are unable to meet the fundraising requirements.
Gambling has been a hot topic in Milford since last winter when Douglas Bianchi, a former Milford selectman and VFW quartermaster, and VFW steward Arthur Gagnon were arrested for allegedly operating five video poker machines at the Milford VFW that illegally paid out winnings.
Bianchi says he doesn’t mind a company offering gambling, but is troubled that the state allows it and not video poker machines that pay out winnings.
“It just shows more hypocrisy,” he said.
The Legislature is hypocritical, he said, because it says gambling will hurt New Hampshire’s quality of life, but allows the sale of $30 scratch tickets.
Bianchi said the money from his video poker games went to the town’s Labor Day parade and other causes, and he doesn’t think that much money from the poker games at the IGA will actually go to charity.
Rafferty said that is not the case.
“The pari-mutuel (commission) is the agency responsible for overseeing the operation to make sure it’s done right. It’s a shame what happened earlier this year but we plan on working with local charities because they need funding,” he said.
In June, neighbors of St. Stanislaus Hall in Nashua quashed his plan to establish gaming in the residential neighborhood, but Rafferty is confident that it will be accepted in Milford.
“It’s going to be really good for Milford,” he said.
The old IGA building is owned by Herb and Cheryl Hardman of Milford.
According to Sarah Marchant, Milford town planner, the Planning Board requires a change of use because it will need to examine traffic and parking issues, but she does not think this will be a problem at Granite Town Plaza.
In contrast to poker games like stud or draw where each player holds a separate individual hand, hold ’em is a community card game where each player may use any combination of the five community cards and their own two hole cards to make a poker hand.
During the 2007 World Series of Poker aired on ESPN a man won nearly $8 million, but don’t expect to win millions in Milford. The maximum bet that can be placed during tournaments would be $250, according to an NHCG preliminary presentation sent to Marchant.
Rafferty said a very skilled player could win up to $800 over several hours.
Cabinet reporter Daymond Steer contributed to this article.
Sep
12
The Taxman Cometh…
September 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment
If you have been paying attention (and winning big) at Foxwoods or at a variety of Harrah’s properties in Vegas you may have noticed that on poker tournament payouts over $5,000 the casino’s are starting to withhold 25% to be sent to Uncle Sam. We have checked with Foxwoods and they are withholding (except for tournaments with added $ to the prize pool). Not sure how or why this is the case; but it looks like early next year(2008) there is not going to be much of an option.
http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-law/article/2636/new-tax-law-takes-bite-out-of-tournament-winnings
This poker-themed commercial will help soften the blow of the enevitable theft of your 2008 winnings.
Sep
11
Lottery loophole discovered…wait for guy with winning ticket to die.
September 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment
BOSTON (AP) - The name of the Massachusetts Lottery game is $10,000,000 Hold’em Poker - appropriate because some players probably will have held their tickets for more than three years by the time the grand prize is awarded.Some players, already kept waiting more than two years, have given up hope of even getting a shot at winning the $10 million grand prize. Lottery officials are waiting until all 80.6 million tickets are sold to conduct the big drawing, but acknowledged that a few of the hundreds of finalists have died waiting.“I’m really disgusted,” Nicholas Zeogas told The Patriot Ledger of Quincy. “I’m 73. What happens if I die?”He became the second Hold ‘em Poker player in the state to move to the championship round after buying his ticket in June 2005, and says he was told the grand-prize drawing would be held in mid-2006.
But interest in the game, inspired by the recent Texas hold’em poker craze, has fallen short of lottery officials’ expectations. They still have more than 27 million $10 tickets left to sell, and only 358 of the 560 finalists needed to finish the game have qualified so far.
“The game is successful, but it’s not as successful as what the initial estimates were,” lottery spokesman Dan Rosenfeld said. “That drawing is going to be held. It’s fair to say the drawing is still a ways off.”
At the sales rate so far, the drawing for $15.2 million in prizes - including the $10 million prize- could be held a little more than a year from now, Rosenfeld said.
Elsie Singh, 59, of Quincy, doesn’t believe it will ever happen.
“Oh God, that’s a long time ago, over two years,” said Singh, who won a miniature pool table as her initial prize while also winning a spot in the grand-prize drawing.
Sep
10
Chip and a Chair!
September 10, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The inaugural Gulf Coast Poker Championship down in Biloxi, MS at the Beau Rivage Casino and Spa was the stage for one of the most exciting comebacks in poker history. Many a desparate runner has uttered the words “..chip and a chair…” before being sent to the rail. This time the poker deity shone upon Bill Edler.
http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/article/9703/bill-edler-wins-gulf-coast-poker-championship
Sep
9
This week in New England gaming
September 9, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The past few months have been interesting for those on all sides of the casino gaming debate in the Commonwealth. The recent week has those in Massachusetts waiting for the Governor Deval Patrick(d) to get out of vacation mode and communicate his decision regarding casino gaming in the state. A fiscal crunch, recognigition of the Maspee
Not too long after the door was opened for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe by gaining federal recognition it faced two significant obstacles. The first was in the form of an announcement last May where the state established a task force to examine whether the governor should support legalizing gambling outside of the already legal lottery, and horse and dog tracks. The second, being the controversial resignation of tribal chairman(and chief negotiator) Glenn Marshall; forced to do so after information regarding his 1981 rape conviction and lying about his military record became public. On the surface, this scandal did not help anyone wanting to see gaming in the state.
The governor was supposed to communicate his decision prior to labor day; but instead he has chosen to extend his vacation and read up on the issues a little more before presenting his findings. The governor must be quite busy weighing the balance between fiscal, social and political issues in coming to a final decision…yet you would think he and his advisors have had plenty of time to formulate a decision. While those in local MA communities certainly have a stake in this decision, one must also consider the impact the governor’s decision will have on the revenue lock CT indian casino’s currently have on the New England states.
Sep
7
Foxwoods - World Poker Finals - ACTs Underway!
September 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The Foxwoods World Poker Finals are right around the corner with its menu of ACTs underway. Many No Limits card holders have done quite well in past Foxwoods’ WPT preliminary and main events. We are hoping to see a strong showing this Fall with many of us in the money. More information and surprizes will be coming in the near future. Stay tuned.
Sep
6
Seabrook Poker Prize Giveaway - Sponsored by LA CHIQUITA RESTAURANT
September 6, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Poker Prize Giveaway
Win a Trip to Las Vegas
Sponsored by LA CHIQUITA RESTAURANT on Route 1 located on the Mass/NH border in Salisbury, MA
Full food menu til 1AM
WHERE: The Poker Room at Seabrook Greyhound Park Seabrook, NH
HOW: Starting Sept 1st for the month of September a point system will be established for the nightly 7PM $100 Tournament. Just for entering 7PM tournament players will receive 20 points. Any player who cashes in the tournament will receive points. The top point leader at the end of September will win the grand prize - a trip to Las Vegas.
NOTE: If players make a side deal and add places to the prize payouts, this additional place will not be accounted into the point system. For example players agree to subtract $100 of first and pay an additional place, the player who places in the additional spot would not receive any points.
La Chiquita Restaurant
(978) 463-4688
Food menu open til 1am,
183 Tequilas
Located on Route 1 on the Mass/NH border in Salisbury, MA.
Exit 60 off of Interstate 95.
Show your NO LIMITS VIP card at La Chiquita’s and receive 5% off the FOOD menu.
« go back