Bluff Europe’s Neil Channing Issue Out Now

Channing Inflicts Some Bad Beats to Win the Irish Open, while ‘Jesus’ Wins

The May Issue of Bluff Europe is winging its way around the newsstands and card rooms of the UK as we speak. This month they get hold of one of the most modest players who just so happens to be on a bit of a roll, Neil Channing. For this month alone, the Londoner was bigger than Jesus.

Neil Channing is a name who is new to many poker players around Europe, but he’s been on top of the UK poker scene now for the last decade. Having deliberately turned down his chance of fame on the original recordings of ‘Late Night Poker’, Channing shunned his fifteen minutes of televised fame to keep doing what he does best – beating some of the biggest cash games in Europe. Now Channing tells Bluff about how winning the Irish Open has blown his cover, what the win means to him, and more – all of this while he was partially clothed in a boxing gym in the east-end of London.

Meanwhile, Chris ‘Jesus’ Ferguson was winning a poker tournament of his own in America. Chris Ferguson managed to make it third time lucky at the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championships this month, and Bluff Europe managed to catch up with the man many feel to be the best heads-up tournament player in the world.

With the World Series of Poker fast approaching, they couldn’t leave their Vegas-bound readers in the lurch, so this month’s issue also includes a six-page special on ‘Beer and Roving in Las Vegas’. If you’re heading out for the Series, or just wanting to know where the best places are to eat, drink and gamble are, don’t miss out.

This issue has a full report on the EPT Warsaw where Michael Schulz of Germany won £489,674 (€626,968), Shelley Rubinstein reports on the PartyPoker European Challenge II in Vienna, and Bluff Europe examines what happens when professional poker players take rubbish starting hands and play them like they’re aces.

Finally, Bluff Europe is offering its players an exclusive freeroll in conjunction with Betfair. Two of the best online players in the world, WSOP Europe Main Event winner Annette Obrestad and Sorel Mizzi, will be logging in on Tuesday 20th May, at 8pm BST for the $2,000 prize pool freeroll. Both of the pros will have a $250 bounty on their heads, while the remaining $1,500 will go into the prize pool. All you have to do to take part is sign up using the links on BluffEurope.com or use the bonus code “BLUFF”. Then, head on over there, generate 10 Betfair Points ($1 in rake), and away you go! Qualifiers will be pre-registered for the tournament.

All of that on top of the usual high-calibre writing you’d come to expect from Bluff Europe, with contributions by Jennifer Tilly, Dr Pauly and Adam Slutsky, and strategy from Brian Townsend, Mike Caro, Phil Laak and Paul Jackson – what more could a poker player want?!

Las Vegas and Monte Carlo – Two $10K Trips Celebrate Online Casino’s 10th Birthday

IntertopsCasino.com’s 10th Birthday Party Continues Through May

IntertopsCasino.com continues its 10th birthday celebrations this month by awarding first-class trips to the casino capitals of the world and by launching five new games. Everyone playing at the renowned online casino in May is automatically entered in a free draw for one of two first-class travel packages valued at $10,000 each. One European player will be flown to Monaco and an American winner will be the online casino’s guest in Las Vegas.

The world’s first online gambling company is making all the arrangements First Class: first class flights, a suite at the Bellagio (or equivalent in Monte Carlo), show tickets, chips and spending money.

“We’re very proud of the ten years of trust that we have with players around the world,” said Michl Posch of IntertopsCasino.com. “We thought birthday parties in the casino capitals of the world was a good way to celebrate!”

As it does every month, IntertopsCasino will add several new games to its existing portfolio of 350. On May 6th, Microgaming’s new Cashapillar, HoldEm High, Sure Win, Alley Cats and Quest for Beer slot machines will be released. Cashapillar is a cute 5-reel, 100 pay-line video slot that will "worm" its way into players’ hearts with its massive jackpots - up to 6,000,000 coins in the free spins feature.

The Trivia 500 promotion was so popular last month that IntertopsCasino.com is extending this chance to win bonuses through May. A game in itself, Trivia 500 gives players a chance to win bonus money by answering trivia questions.

Two $10K casino trips, five new games, and a special bonus trivia game may seem like a lot of celebrating for one month but IntertopsCasino.com vows to continue its tenth birthday celebrations again next month.

As always, Intertops welcomes American players to their online casino, poker room and sportsbook.

MIT “Blackjack Teams” to Test Backgammon Masters New Blackjack Platform

BackgammonMasters, the online gaming site that offers popular casino and board games including Blackjack, Backgammon and Poker, says they've enlisted the “Blackjack Teams” from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to test out their new Blackjack platform as well as their Basic Blackjack Calculator.

Following the recent release of “21”, BackgammonMasters was inspired to put their software to the test. “21”, based on the book “Bringing Down the House”, written by Ben Mezrich, tells the story of a group of students at MIT who succeeded in beating Las Vegas odds by putting together teams of card counting blackjack players. Now BackgammonMasters is putting their software up against MIT geniuses to see how they do.

In BackgammonMasters online game of 21 Blackjack, five players can play at one time against the dealer. Additionally, the site is offering a new Basic Blackjack Calculator to help players increase their odds and even help card counting players.

However, while the Basic Blackjack Calculator helps prevent players from making mistakes and overlooking great decisions there are other elements that the MIT Team will have to deal with that are not found in a live casino setting. These variables include the online standards for a random shuffle, the number of decks and the extensive research and study that was put into designing the software.

BackgammonMasters’ new Blackjack platform also includes Blackjack tournament play. BackgammonMasters.com will offer 21 Blackjack Tournaments in which tables will compete against one another for top scores and huge prizes. BackgammonMasters’ Freeroll backgammon tournaments have already proven that they are capable of offering great tournament play.

Not just MIT Blackjack Teams are going to test the platform. BackgammonMasters invites all Blackjack lovers to come aboard and test out the system and is offering bonuses for teams that tell their friends and invite other players aboard.

To learn more about BackgammonMasters Blackjack and Poker visit:
http://www.backgammonmasters.com/blackjack.html
http://www.backgammonmasters.com/poker.html

Find more information about 21 Blackjack and Poker at:
http://www.gammonish.com/blackjack.html
http://www.gammonish.com/poker.html

Source: OnlineCasinoNews.com

Asian Poker Tour Names Matt Savage as Tournament Director

Luxury venue announced for Manila event


The Asian Poker Tour (APT) has signed on Matt Savage as tournament director for the APT’s Manila Main Event next month.

Few men are as qualified for the position. Matt was appointed tournament director for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) – the world’s blue ribbon poker event – in 2002 after working his way up the poker ladder. He oversaw a boom in prize money at the tournament from £6 million to £25 million. He has worked on more than 300 televised poker shows and in 2003 was awarded the inaugural Benny Binion award for outstanding service in the poker industry.

As the tournament director for the Asian Poker Tour Manila leg, Matt Savage will oversee six days of all-out poker action which is expected to attract around 400 players from all over the world. A third of the participants are expected to come from the Philippines, which has seen poker’s popularity surge in recent years.

With Matt Savage on board to lend his expertise, the APT is sure to be a much-anticipated series of events by poker aficionados across the globe.

There’s more good news - the ultra modern Dusit Thani Manila Hotel has been announced as the luxury venue that will stage the first leg of the 2008 APT. The exclusive venue in the Philippines’ central business district will provide a fitting backdrop to launch this year’s APT. The Dusit Thani Manila Hotel is the perfect venue for the event as it gives easy access to accommodations, shopping malls, tourist spots and transport services.

After the Philippine leg, the tour moves on to events in Macau, South Korea and Singapore. The buy-in at all four events is $2,500 and the prize pool will be a guaranteed $1 million -- which means the turn-out will be absolutely top-class in each of the cities.

Alongside some of the world’s best players will be a host of internet qualifiers competing for the money at all the venues. These qualifiers will be making their way to the main event by way of online satellite tournaments. The prize packages awarded from these satellites, which are worth $6,000 and cover hotel and travel expenses, will make a magnificent prize for any internet player.

For the APT Manila event, online satellites are currently being held on most iPoker-powered poker rooms like DafaPoker, Tila Poker, ChiliPoker, Titan Poker, Betfred and VC Poker. In addition, some of the world’s biggest and most popular poker rooms, including PartyPoker.com and PKR, will be running satellites for seats into the tournament.

These announcements underline what a top-quality event the APT will be. Further details about dates for the next three APT tournaments will follow shortly. The first leg of the APT 2008 runs from May 27 to June 1.

Sexy Casino Hostesses Award Trip to Rome to Dutch Streakers

Casino Affiliate Convention Junket Promotes RomeCasino.com’s Incredible $1000 Bonus

RomeCasino.com's recent venture to the Casino Affiliate Convention turned quite a few Dutch heads as the beautiful Romegirls, or ragazze di roma as they are known, toured Amsterdam.

The girls travelled to clubs, coffee shops, and cruised the canal meeting locals and tourists alike. In keeping with the Roman gambling spirit, they put their newfound acquaintances to the test in a public game of Truth or Dare. The game took a turn for the interesting after a trip to Abraxas Coffee Shop, near the Red Light District, where a tray full of hash muffins lead to streaking through the streets and a slew of shots. Two lucky winners were able to take home the first in a long line of all-expense-paid trips to Rome, courtesy or RomeCasino.com. Witnesses claim that the winners took home slightly more then that.

"We're bringing an entirely new level of gaming to the table," said Josh Cartu of RomeCasino.com. "We plan to foster an environment that brings a face to online gaming. The community we are creating gives our players not only a place to win money, but also many chances for life changing experiences, like our trips to Rome."

The entourage was in town to announce Rome Casino 's latest promotion, which hails to be one of the largest deposit bonuses the online gaming industry has seen. The $1,000 bonus is part of Rome Casino's unique approach to multi-leveled bonusing, which allows the end user to continue to receive bonuses up to their 5thdeposit.

Back at the Casino Affiliate Convention, Rome Partners debuted their affiliate software, which eases the normal frustrations of obtaining and implementing creative, as well as offers easy to understand, yet detailed reports.

"We’re building strong partnerships with an array of affiliates based on our ability to create enticing offers, as well as our willingness to adapt to the needs of our affiliates," said Mati Gross, Affiliate Program Director for Rome Partners. “Rome Partners is also paying for a weekend of fun with the Rome girls for all our affiliates in Rome in the very near future. We recognize the need for our affiliates to share ideas amongst themselves and with us, to increase our ability to communicate with the end user."

Click here for photos from the Rome Casino girls' trip to Amsterdam.

Online Casino Celebrates 10 Years of Trustworthy Service

When IntertopsCasino.com launched one of the first online casinos back in 1998, sceptics asked the same thing they’d asked two years before when the pioneering company launched the very first online sportsbook. Those who wondered if anyone would ever trust an online casino with their money underestimated the trust Intertops had already earned and has continued to earn since then.

“Trust is everything in this business,” said Michl Posch of Intertops. “To earn that trust you have to pay out all winnings quickly and reliably. That may seem pretty basic but not all operators make it a top priority as Intertops has ever since it began its sportsbook in London twenty-five years ago.”

The other priority that has kept IntertopsCasino.com on top the last ten years is its commitment to continually adding the best new games. Thanks to a ten-year partnership with gambling software leader Microgaming, IntertopsCasino.com now provides hundreds of state-of-the-art casino games. The most recently added was the new Lara Croft Tomb Raider slot machine.

“IntertopsCasino has set the bar very high for other online casinos,” said Michael Corfman of the GPWA, which evaluates and endorses gambling websites, as he raised a glass of champagne with hundreds of online casino webmasters last week in Amsterdam. “I know many online casinos will have tenth birthdays coming up, but IntertopsCasino.com is one of the first and one of the best. We congratulate them on ten years of honest operations.”

“IntertopsCasino uses industry-leading Microgaming software… You benefit enormously from this, as they seem to always be able to offer games that capture the imagination and provide a great balance between exciting game play and great opportunities to win,” says popular online casino portal, Online-Gambling-Insider.com. “New games are released every single month so there’s never a need to look for any other casino to keep your interest up.”

Huge jackpots and unique monthly promotions also keep things interesting for players at IntertopsCasino.com. There is currently almost $8 million in the progressive jackpot pool and the Mega Moolah jackpot alone is over $5 million. And, far more than the usual online casino bonuses, IntertopsCasino promotions – like last month’s All American Road Trip – are entertainment in themselves. Special birthday celebration promotions will continue throughout this milestone year.

Slotland Auctions African Art at CAC, Amsterdam to Raise Funds for Malawi Aid Project

Like many other online casinos, Slotland.com is exhibiting at the Casino Affiliates Conference in Amsterdam this week. But Slotland isn’t like any other online casino. Like their competitors, representatives from Slotland will be discussing online and mobile business opportunities with affiliates. But unlike the others, Slotland will also be using the event to raise further funds for the school it has built in Malawi and to acknowledge the support affiliates have given to the project.

Over the last two years, Slotland has donated nearly $100,000 to build a school and community center in a remote village in Malawi, one of the poorest nations on earth. Earlier this year, the company donated a fundraising website (http://www.help-malawi-children-charity.org/) where players and affiliates can make personal contributions.

“One of our affiliates, CasinoRanking.com, was so moved by our project,” said Affiliate Manager Martin Smith, “They donated a full month’s commissions. As a successful affiliate that’s been working with Slotland for many years, this was quite a significant amount.”

The Slotland exhibition booth will feature the usual marketing posters and paraphernalia associated with a trade show, but it will also display a collection of unique African artwork. The paintings will be sold by silent auction throughout the conference and all proceeds will go directly to the boNGO Worldwide Project Team in Malawi, as do all donations made through the website.

Building partnerships with webmasters since 1998, Slotland has earned a reputation for giving a good deal, and paying promptly. One of the world’s most trusted and reliable casino affiliate programs recently extended its reach to the mobile games platform. Slotland.com, one of the first to release real-money casino games for mobile phones and PDAs nearly two years ago, brings experience and a stellar reputation from its online business to the new world of mobile entertainment.

“The mobile gambling business is exploding and I think a lot of affiliates will want to hear about opportunities in the mobile gambling market,” said Smith. “We have an excellent mobile affiliate program that offers benefits most do not. For one thing, we pay commissions on ALL mobile deposits. There’s never any negative carryover. We think that’s only fair, and fair is how we like to do business.”

Earlier this year, Slotland.com launched a free 3D casino, WinADay.com, a whole new kind of online casino experience with realistic three-dimensional lobbies and virtual casino employees to assist with the free instant-play Flash games.

Canadian Wins Almost $200K Spinning Slotland’s Treasure Box

Regular video poker player gets lucky when he switches to slots


Spring time in Canada is looking that much sweeter for a video poker player who switched to slots on a recent spring day and won a nearly $200,000 progressive jackpot at Slotland.com. Slotland’s jackpot is hit, on average, every six or eight weeks. Since it had been more than that since an American player won the last $100,000 jackpot, many players sensed this win was overdue.

“It’s hard to resist when the jackpot gets to big numbers like that,” said Martin Smith. “Lots of players play a little more when they feel like there’s going to be a big jackpot winner any second. They want it to be them! So we’d been very busy in the days before the win.”

“I usually stick with video poker,” said the player known as TEXASTEASER who’s been a regular at Slotland.com for five years. “I don’t know what made me think I should take a spin or two on the slots that day instead, but I’m sure glad I did!”

The lucky canuck won the biggest Slotland progressive jackpot ever: $195,083 (€126,910). He was playing Treasure Box, one of the most popular slot machines on the site which now features 6 unique slot machines and 4 video poker games. JAMKAT2 won a $113,418 (€89,067) progressive jackpot playing “Treasure Box” last year. Prior to this springtime windfall, the biggest jackpot ever won at Slotland was $179,166 won by TOPNOTCHED playing the Golden 8 slot machine last May.

The progressive can be played on any of the slot machines and video poker games on the Slotland.com web site. Most of the games are also available on mobile phones and PDAs where they are tied into the same progressive jackpot. The next big winner could be at their computer or anywhere they take their mobile phone. The last player to win a large jackpot playing on their phone was OLYMPIAGOLD who won $163K playing the mobile version of Lucky Stars in early 2006.

Re-set at $50,000 after each win, Slotland.com’s progressive jackpot is already back up to over $70,000 (€45,000).

$1 Million up for Grabs in Asian Poker Tour

Asian Poker Tour to include 4 events each with $1,000,000 to be won

The Asian Poker Tour has announced its 2008 calendar with four events set to capture the imagination of the poker world and to make the Tour bigger and better than ever.

The Tour will kick off in the Philippines from May 27 to June 1. It will be followed by similar events in Macau, Asia’s gambling capital, South Korea, and Singapore, which will be the last leg of the Tour. Venues and dates for the last three events will be announced shortly. Each tournament will offer a US$1 million guaranteed prize pool, which is sure to attract poker players from all over the world. There will also be internet qualifiers which will ensure that online players can rub shoulders with some of the world’s leading poker pros at each live tournament.

The opening APT leg in Manila will be a poker tournament of world class standards – more than 400 players will battle it out during six days of thrilling poker for a share of the guaranteed $1 million prize pool. The buy-in is $2,500 – but there’s the chance of winning one of the online satellites, which includes an all-expenses paid trip as well as the buy-in. You can also expect similar fare at the other three events – huge prize pools will be up for grabs as well as fantastic tournament packages for online qualifiers.

Poker has been growing in popularity in Asia for years and the APT announcements will make it an even bigger phenomenon. For all the latest news on the APT, including online satellite details, visit the APT website at http://www.asianpt.com/ for regular updates.

AsianLogic CEO Chris Parker said: “The Asian Poker Tour (APT) will definitely be a top-class brand. This is such an exciting time for poker players in Asia and we feel that with our expertise and skills, we can make the APT a bigger and better series of events each year. From the four events that will take place this year, the APT plans to expand to a total of six events in 2009. We are continually working to set up some of the world’s most exciting and prestigious poker tournaments.”

Online gaming company ESL-Asia, a subsidiary of AsianLogic, has taken over the APT and will organise all the online and land-based tournaments, as well as brand management. ESL-Asia will also oversee the APT’s plans to launch their own online poker rooms in the months ahead, where internet players can improve their skills and win money.

Source: OnlineCasinoNews.com

The World's First Online Gambling Company Toasts 25 Years of Trustworthy Gambling

The First to Take Online Sports Wagers Celebrates 10th Birthday of Casino

The world’s first online gambling company has begun a yearlong celebration of the 25th birthday of its sportsbetting business, established in London in 1983. Intertops.com, which took the first online sports bet ever in 1996, this year also celebrates the tenth birthday of its online casino. Pioneering once again, the company accepted the first mobile bet in 2001 and added a world-class poker room in 2003. Over the years, by staying on top of trends and technology, and by paying players, partners and affiliates quickly, Intertops has earned a reputation for being exciting, innovative, trustworthy and reliable.

Two years ago, Intertops celebrated the tenth anniversary of their very first online wager, but the story actually began back in April 1983 when founder Detlef Train revolutionized the German sportsbetting market with a UK bookmaking license from London. He offered punters back home fixed odds as an alternative to the unsatisfactory offers of the state monopoly.
The World Wide Web, as we know it today, hadn’t even been imagined back when Intertops was born. The fledgling company began by sending weekly betting slips to customers in Germany who then placed their bets by phone or post. In the days before modern online payment processing, the first Intertops customers sent their stakes in cash by post. The company moved to Austria in 1992 to avoid British postal delays. “By sending betting slips to Germany, 30 million mail boxes were potential remote betting shops,” says Train.

Not long after the company set up in Salzburg, and long before many others saw commercial possibilities in the infant technology, Train was dreaming of conducting his business on the Internet.

“Everyone told me to leave it well alone,” he recalls. “They said it would only ruin the reputation of my business. But my view on life is that one shouldn’t just accept things as they are, but start questioning and looking at things from different angles. I just ignored those who asked why anyone would ever want to place a bet on the Net. And with 30 million Internet users worldwide in the mid 90s I saw more huge potential for remote betting shops.”

After the unstoppable success of their online sportsbetting business, Intertops partnered with Microgaming to offer the best available online casino games to their customers as well. In 1997, with a strong monopoly on casinos in Austria, the company had to be split up. Train stayed with the traditional betting business in Austria whereas the online part of the company moved to Antigua and started its online casino in May 1998.

In 2001, Intertops was the first to take a sports bet via mobile phone and in 2006 launched its mobile casino with many of the Microgaming online casino games adapted for cell phones and powered by Spin3.

“Our introduction of both online and mobile betting has played a major role in making the business more democratic,“ says Michl Posch, Head of Marketing. “Every citizen can now decide what he wants to do and what not. He is no longer at the mercy of state regulation. Our whole business has always been customer-centric. It has to be as convenient as possible for the customer.”

Intertops Toasts Anniversary at Lyceum iGaming Social Thursday Night in London

Lyceum's regular igaming business social in London is celebrating a whole bunch of birthdays tomorrow night at a hip new club in Soho called Maya.

Intertops.com is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first UK bookmaking license and the 10th birthday of their online casino. Michl Posch is flying in from Austria to make a champagne toast and cut the first birthday cake.

Later in the evening the assembled igaming business crew will celebrate the 2nd annual 29th birthday Michael Caselli and Aideen Short.

If you're in London and working in the igaming business, get your invitation here and join the party on Thursday night!

Intertops Kicks Off 25th Birthday Celebrations with $25,000 March Madness Bracket

Players can begin making their 63 tournament picks after Big Dance teams announced on Sunday

It’s been twenty-five years since Intertops took their very first wager and this month they begin a yearlong birthday celebration with a free $25,000 March Madness Bracket. All through the silver anniversary year, the site that started it all in online gambling in 1996 will be giving away trips to major sporting events including Super Bowl XLIII, the NFL game in London, the MLB All Star Game, the tennis US Open, the PGA Championship, the BCS Championship and the NCAAB 2009 final plus NHL season tickets.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty-five years since we took the first sportsbetting wager!” said Michl Posch of Intertops. “So much has happened since then – online betting, online casino games, online poker, mobile gaming… We’re always adding something new and exciting for our players. We’ve also always made it a top priority to provide the very best customer service. Over all these years, we’ve earned our customers’ trust by living up to our promise to make deposits and withdrawals quick and easy.”

The free March Madness Bracket is the first special offer in the anniversary celebrations. The challenge is to pick the winner in all 63 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games. The prize is $25,000 and tickets to the Final Four 2009. If more than one punter picks all 63 correctly, the cash prize will be split and the tickets will be allocated by draw. Even if nobody picks the perfect bracket, the full $25,000 will still be awarded and split between those with the most correct picks.

As soon as the NCAA brackets are announced on March 16th, players can enter their picks at Intertops.com/Sportsbook. They’ll have until the start of the first round games on March 20th to enter their selections. (The Opening Round game will not be included in the contest.)

In keeping with the “25” theme, Intertops is also giving two special 25% bonuses on deposits made between March 17th and 23rd and ahead of the Final Four tournament between April 5th and 7th – that means up to a total of $500 free money.

“We’ve taken a lot of bets in twenty-five years,” said Posch. “This is always the most exciting time of the year – the crazy March Madness days provide us with the most action during the year outside of the NFL season.”

As always, Intertops welcomes American players to their online casino, poker room and sportsbook.

FlopTurnRiver.com Poker Forum Regular is a Contender in PlayersOnlyVIP.com Video Contest on YouTube

Unless someone can do better, GiveMeMyLeg likely to win $10,000 prize

An avid online poker player who’s active at popular poker forum, FlopTurnRiver.com, is poised to win PlayersOnlyVIP.com’s $10,000 video contest on YouTube. His rivals at FTR – or any other online poker community for that matter – have until March 31st to enter their own video clip in the contest. The video that best shows what it means to be a “player” will win $10,000 and a night out with PO hostess (and Playboy/FHM model) Carrie Stroup.

Known as “GiveMeMyLeg” at FlopTurnRiver.com where he’s active in online poker discussions, and at YouTube where he’s posted seven other videos, the Michigan contestant’s clip is about a “Pretend Player”.

“Sometimes you feel like a bit of a player,” he said. “Then reality kicks in.”

In his clip, a wannabe player may blow his nose and wipe his butt with twenty-dollar bills – but when it comes to wheels his old beater shows he’s definitely not player material.

“Being a player means different things to different people,” said Stroup. “Most people agree a real player’s gotta have confidence. And style. A Rolex and a Ferrari sure help. But using money for toilet paper might be going a bit far!”

“Who wouldn't want to be a player? (or "baller" as some of my friends call it),” admits GiveMeMyLeg. “I'm pretty far off from it right now, but I know if I were to win the 10k and a night out with Carrie, it would definitely change a lot of things!”


Contest entries can be viewed at www.youtube.com/Group/UnleashThePlayer where anyone can enter the free contest. Details, including complete contest rules, are available at www.PlayersOnlyVIP.com/videocontest.

Source: Unleash-the-Player-In-You.com

Intertops Launches New Tomb Raider Video Slot with PSP Giveaway

New Lara Croft video slot "Tomb Raider - The Secret of the Sword™" is a glossy 5-reel 30 pay-line offering lots of ways to hit major cash rewards


Intertops.com has added a brilliant new Lara Croft Tomb Raider game -- the most ambitious video slot ever seen in online gambling -- to their already incredible selection of online casino games. To celebrate the launch of this fantastic new interactive entertainment, Intertops.com is giving away 10 PSPs -- Sony´s newest portable model of its famous Playstation.

The new “Tomb Raider - The Secret of the Sword™” video slot is a glossy 5-reel 30 pay-line multi-faceted video adventure that sets new standards in every aspect of online gaming. This outstanding game offers hours of interactive entertainment -- and the chance to hit major rewards through a variety of free spins, bonuses, wild and scatter awards and free games.

The latest adventure of the intrepid Lara Croft, “Tomb Raider - The Secret of the Sword™” is a licensed concept from the globally popular series by Eidos. The new game captures the gripping excitement and suspense of the movie and video series. With unique twists and turns, it makes for a fully immersive online gambling experience.

Until March 21st, just spinning the wheels on the Tomb Raider video slot will automatically enter players in a random draw to win one of ten PSPs including an astonishing Lara Croft console game. (Ten spins for one draw entry.)

Intertops has a longstanding tradition of global customer service. As always, they welcome American players to their online casino, poker room and sportsbook. Trusted around the world for two and a half decades, Intertops guarantees easy and secure deposits and withdrawals.

Backgammon Masters Blackjack and Poker Software Now Available in Bulgarian

BackgammonMasters now offers Blackjack and Poker in Bulgarian. This multi-lingual gaming software is available to players around the globe in 13 additional languages, including English, Hebrew, Arabic, French, Italian, Japanese, Turkish, Danish, Portuguese, Chinese, Greek, Spanish and German. BackgammonMasters is currently in the process of adding two new language options, Dutch and Russian, and will continue to add additional languages to meet players’ increasing demands.

BackgammonMasters’ software package offers players a wide variety of popular games, including Backgammon, Poker, 21 Blackjack, and Perudo. Because BackgammonMasters software features so many different games and language options, BackgammonMasters attracts an exciting mix of worldwide players to its gaming competitions. By allowing players to connect over the internet in real-time, BackgammonMasters has created one of the largest shared gaming communities on the internet. When joining one of the open tables at any playing level, players can enjoy synchronized chatting and a competitive global playing standard.

By navigating to the All-in-One Game Lobby, players can choose their language preference by selecting the country flag of their choice. In addition to various language options, players can also enjoy the convenience of different currency options. At the BackgammonMasters Cashier, players can make transactions in any currency, including GBP, USD, Euros, and CAD (Canadian Dollars). BackgammonMasters will then exchange the money into USD at the best possible exchange rate available for no extra fee.

If players have any questions while enjoying a BackgammonMasters game, there is always an expert to turn to by clicking on LIVE Customer Support. This feature is available to all players in English, and will soon include live operators that offer assistance in many other languages.

More information about games and promotions can be found at: c (in 14 different languages)
Additional BGM Blackjack and Poker information is available at: http://www.backgammonmasters.com/blackjack.html
http://www.backgammonmasters.com/poker.html

Source: OnlineCasinoNews.com

Online Poker Star Bertrand Grospellier Featured in This Month's Bluff Europe Magazine

The March issue of Bluff Europe is on UK newsstands and in card rooms today -- featuring an in-depth interview with one of the games biggest online stars, Bertrand Grospellier.

The Frenchman might not be a name you’re familiar with, but his online alias is one that is well known to online players. ‘ElkY’ has been one of the leading lights on PokerStars and is the first player to achieve the esteemed Supernova and Supernova Elite statuses on the site. ElkY has now landed on the live scene with a bang, winning the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for a $2,000,000 payday. He tells Bluff Europe how he took it down, about his rise to internet phenomenon and he’s former life as one of the world’s most famous cyber gamers.

This issue also takes a retrospective look at the highlights – and lowlights – of poker in 2007. It was a massive year for Phil Hellmuth, Spain’s fiercest competitor Carlos Mortensen, and a certain young lady from Norway called Annette Obrestad. We also remember the more sombre moments, including the passing of legend Chip Reese and the shock of the great poker scandal of 2007.

“Grospellier is one of the hottest players in the game.” said Bluff Europe Editor-in-Chief Michael Caselli. “We’ve not only got an exclusive interview with the man himself, but we’ve cooked up a great looking cover to complement this superhero’s persona. If you can’t wait to pick up your copy from the newsstand, visit http://www.bluffeurope.com/ and see for yourself.”

Other highlights in this issue include:

> Michael McDonald’s €933,600 success in Germany
> The Top Ten Poker Howlers
> Sam Simon’s love of poker
> Heads-up with whiz kid Jon ‘PearlJammer’ Turner.
> And awesome regular columns from Paul ‘Action’ Jackson, Jennifer Tilly and Phil Laak.

Lucky Fish Hopes for More Good Fortune in Saturday’s PlayersOnlyVIP.com Million Dollar Free Roll Tournament Monthly Final

This week, PlayersOnlyVIP.com players are winning their way to Saturday’s monthly final in the site’s richest poker tournament ever, the Million Dollar Free Roll series. A player that came close to taking it all last month hopes to win the $75,000 first prize this weekend.

“Just get this over with” moaned one of the other players at last month’s Final Table as the tournament’s eventual winner was dealt a pair of Queens. The hand began a series of winning hands that won “TylerC” the monthly championship and $75,000. But PlayersOnlyVIP.com player “Swancott21”, a college student from New York, didn’t give it up easy and held his own until the bitter end.

“I’d win a hand,” said the second place player who was happy with his $10,000 second place, “Then he’d win five hands. Then I’d win a nice pot – and he’d win the next three.”

The rookie player surprised some when he went all in on a 10-7. “What can I say,” he said later, “10-7 anything is my favourite hand.”

“Fastest final table I’ve ever seen“ said another player when “Swanscott21” was dealt 4h8s and forced to fold moments into the final hand.

As part of the fastest growing poker network, PlayersOnlyVIP attracts a healthy mix of new and inexperienced poker players.

“Some of the guys on the network are pretty hard core poker players. I’m just a little fish from PlayersOnlyVIP that got lucky and almost won last month,” said the surprised near-winner. “I’ve won my way to the final table again this month but let’s be realistic – let’s just say if I don’t get eliminated too quick I’ll be happy!”

“Free roll tournaments bring out all kinds of recreational players,” said David Anderson, manager of PlayersOnlyVIP.com. “All you’ve ever got to lose is your tournament entry fee so the pressure’s off. If you win your seat in a qualifier during the week, well, then you have nothing at all to lose!”

The first place player on Saturday will walk away with $75,000 but 29 others will also win cash prizes from $100 - $10,000 for a total of $100,000 this month and every month. The ten-month series will award a total of $1,000,000.

PlayersOnlyVIP.com Million Dollar Free Roll Tournament
Monthly Final #6: Saturday, March 1st at 4:00 pm ET
Daily Qualifiers: All this week

iGaming Portal Challenges Others to Support African Aid Project

Online-Gambling-Insider.com Donation Will Support Malawi School Built by Slotland.com

Leading gaming portal Online-Gambling-Insider.com has made a substantial donation to Slotland.com’s community development project in Malawi (Help-Malawi-Children-Charity.com) and challenged others in the online gambling industry to share their success in this way as well.

"When Slotland initially announced the building of the school we ran the story on our news network but we felt that a project such as this needs every little bit of support it can get," said Ryan D, Founding Editor at Online Gambling Insider. "To see the dedication of the Slotland team, and the amazing results they have achieved in what is a challenging environment deserves the utmost respect."

The Online Gambling Insider’s donation is already at work in Malawi since the PayPal donation processing puts the money directly into the Project Team’s hands.

Hoping to appeal to the competitive nature of people in the online gambling industry, the Editor has challenged gambling operators, affiliates and players to also make a donation.

Malawi is the 8th poorest nation on earth. Nowhere has AIDS had such a severe impact. Education is the key to ending the poverty so, two years ago, Slotland funded the construction of a school and community center in the remote village of Juma. They have since built a maize mill in a nearby Kantimbanye that provides a small income for the school and a much-needed service to area farmers. The school’s teachers have become a resource for teachers in surrounding villages, and farmers in the area have learned new sustainable agriculture methods in the center’s demonstration gardens.

From the torrential rains that hindered volunteers during construction to the opening ceremonies last fall, the story of how western philanthropy can make such a huge difference is told on a fundraising website launched this winter, Help-Malawi-Children-Charity.com.

“We got the idea to produce the website because so many of our players were asking how they could donate personally,” said Martin Smith of Slotland.com. “Food for the students. Gas for the jeep. Building materials. The project is becoming more and more self-sustaining, but they still need help. The beauty of this fundraising site is that donations go directly to the Team in Malawi.”

The Project Team in Africa – a small group of dedicated European and American aid workers -- has registered a non-profit organization called boNGO Worldwide to receive online donations. The organization is committed to assisting communities develop self-sustaining projects. boNGO is an acronym for “Based On Need-driven Grassroots Ownership”.

Cryptologic Earns Industry's Top Casino Software Honour for Third Consecutive Year

Top Casino Software Award based on votes from hundreds of thousands of players


For the third consecutive year, CryptoLogic Inc. has captured Gambling Online Magazine’s Top Casino Software Award for world-class software. The award, based on the votes of thousands of readers, players and website visitors, is widely recognized as the industry’s top honour. CryptoLogic was recognized for its innovative gaming software, revolutionary gaming concepts and spectacular graphics delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiary, WagerLogicâ Limited.

“CryptoLogic has always focused on delivering the ultimate online entertainment experience to players around the world, and to receive this kind of validation means our strategy is paying off,” said Javaid Aziz, CryptoLogic’s President and CEO. “With our ground-breaking innovation and partnerships with the world’s biggest gaming and entertainment brands, we’re exceeding the needs of today’s online players — this translates into more satisfied players on our customers’ sites.”

CryptoLogic has introduced some of the most popular games in the industry, including fan favourites Bejeweled, Jewel Quest, and the first-ever version of Multi-Hand Video Blackjack, a game that combines the excitement and action of Video Poker with the world’s most popular casino game. CryptoLogic also delivered the exclusive online slot version of Cubis, the award-winning, visually stunning 3D puzzle game, and its patented Millionaires Club, which boasts the highest jackpot payout in online history.

“CryptoLogic’s award-winning casino lineup delivers big-screen excitement, stunning graphics, amazing bonus rounds and impressive prize pots — in pounds, Euros or dollars,” added Justin Thouin, CryptoLogic’s Vice President, Product Management and Business Development.
With more than 280 games in its online casino suite — and more than 100 games launched since 2004 alone — CryptoLogic has one of the most comprehensive casino gaming suites on the Internet.

It’s 'Sloan’s Seat' For Bluff Europe Virgin Poker Festival Freeroll Winner

Qualification for the Virgin Poker Festival is in full swing, with Tony Sloan one of ten qualifiers set to take part at the next leg in Newcastle.

Tony Sloan, a 34 year-old from Blythe, Newcastle, was one of ten players from a field of 190 this week to win a spot at the Virgin Poker Festival in April. The £105 buy-in tournament held at Aspers Casino on the 12th and 13th April, and so will be a tournament on home soil for the online qualifier.

Commenting in an interview with Bluff Europe Sloan spoke of how impressed he was with the standard of play during the qualifier. “It was different from a lot of other freerolls where everybody is going all in. It was a better class, with proper raises and nobody just going all in really early on. That’s why I enjoyed the Bluff freeroll. It was a much better style of play from everybody.”

He also admitted to getting a helping hand early in the tournament from Lady Luck. “I got a few good hands, and the flops were just coming at the beginning! In the first four or five hands I had pocket aces and Ace-King, and I was up to 3,000 quite quickly.”

The trip to Aspers won’t be the first for Tony, who enjoyed success there in his debut tournament at the Newcastle casino. Speaking about his ambitions for the Virgin Poker Festival itself, Sloan fired out an early warning to the field.

“To get to the last two tables in Newcastle, with a lot of people who play from the Virgin website as well, it would be outstanding. If I do get to the final two tables though, I think that’s where I’ll push on. I think when it gets near the end I can play really good poker. Later on, the better players won’t risk the tournament on middle pair, and they’re going to have to make some really good decisions.”

Source: BluffEurope.com