Wild World of Sports Gambling
Reed Holmes
So you figure a parlay is a sucker bet?
Maybe you should consider the payoff on two winning parlay bets made by a 52-year-old California man earlier this month.
The lucky bettor made about $80,000 on two parlays he made on July 3 with British-based bookmaker bet365.com. The first bet was a 12-team parlay for $25, the second was nine-teamer for $100.
The first bet earned the man more than $36,277. That shot up by 50 percent to over $54,000 courtesy of bet365's bonus offer.
The second bet earned the man nearly $19,000. That was boosted 35 percent to more than $25,000, again thanks to bonuses.
Both bets involved Major League Baseball games. Here is the breakdown of each ticket:
10-teamer:
Colorado -140 and Over 13.0 +105 (vs. Detroit)
Houston -160 and Over 8.0 -110 (vs. Texas)
St Louis -155 and Over 8.5 -105 (vs. Seattle)
San Diego -183 and Over 7.5 +115 (vs. Kansas)
Pittsburgh -125 (vs. Milwaukee)
LA vs. Anaheim Over 9.0 -130
Minnesota vs. Arizona Over 10.0 -110
Oakland vs. SF Over 9.0 +105
Nine-teamer:
Boston -176 (vs. Atlanta)
Texas vs. Houston Over 10.5 -115
Pittsburgh -153 and Under 9.0 +105 (vs. Milwaukee)
Cincinnati -160 (vs. Cleveland)
Detroit vs. Colorado Over 13.0 -105
San Diego -200 and Over 7.5 (vs. Kansas)
Minnesota vs. Arizona Over 11.0 +105
So, does this sort of thing happen often?
"Too often!" said John Coates, Chief Executive of bet365. "It maybe happens a couple of dozen times a year that we have parlay payouts (to small stakes) in excess of US$20,000."
bet365 has one customer in the Bahamas who has hit six 10-teamers in the last 10 months, in baseball, college football and college basketball. The payouts have ranged from $30,000 to $75,000.
In July, the bettor was right on 11 plays in a 12-team parlay, narrowly missing out on a $170,000 payout.
Wacko wagerer awaits trial in Wisconsin
When is comes to wagering, bettor be careful who you associate with.
Nineteen-year-old Meng-Ju Wu, also known as Mark Wu, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with a triple homicide in Verona, Wisconsin last June.
The native of Taiwan was arrested 10 days after three men, ages 17, 25 and 28, were found shot to death in an apartment in downtown Verona.
According to a criminal complaint filed by police, Wu had met one of the victims, 28-year-old Jason McGuigan, about two month before the shootings. McGuigan helped Wu set up an account and place sports bets with an offshore book based in the Bahamas.
After his arrest, Wu told police he had lost $15,000 between June and April, and as a result gave up gambling for fear that his parents would find out about his gambling addiction. Bank records indicate that Wu had withdrawn $72,000 from his bank account between December and June.
Despite his apparent gambling losses, Wu also won $17,000 based on a tip provided by McGuigan, according to the complaint.
McGuigan subsequently threatened Wu at gunpoint to "keep his mouth shut" after Wu began to celebrate his victory in front of others. A witness told police McGuigan later said Wu "was going to get was coming to him".
Wu, who had been studying Chinese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was arrested in New York last June then was extradited to Wisconsin. His trial is set to begin in January.
Although a specific motive for the crime has not been determined, police say money and gambling is likely at the heart of the murders.
Gamble on Google
Think the stock market is a gamble? Well, you're right.
For those of you living under a rock the last few months, the world's favorite Internet search engine, Google, is set to make an initial public offering (IPO) of shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange sometime in August (Stock symbol: GOOG).
Shares are expected to sell for $108 to $135 each when they hit the markets. Regardless of what price it opens at, one online bookmaker is offering odds on the performance of the stock once it's let out of the gate.
At Dublin-based Tradesports.com you can bet on whether Google's stock price will rise or whether it will fall on the first day of trading.
Those who are really bullish on the stock can bet on whether the share price will rise by more than 25 percent or even 50 percent on the first day. Bears can bet on the share price decreasing by 25 percent on Day 1.
Another website called the Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM), run by the University of Iowa's business college, is also taking bets on the performance of Google stock.
Bets from $5 to $500 can be made on whether the market value of all Google shares - stock price multiplied by number of shares - will rise or fall. Analysts predict Google will have a market value of Google between $29 billion to $36 billion.
Based on the recent problems Google had with the MyDoom Internet worm, betting on a fall in Google's share price might be profitable.
I'll take Jennings for $200, Alex
Costa Rican-based bookmaker WagerWeb.com is offering odds on how much longer jeopardy genius Ken Jennings will reign as champion on the TV game show.
The 30-year-old software developer from Salt Lake City is on an unprecedented streak of 38-straight appearances on the famous show and has earned a record $1,321,660. In the last episode of the season on Friday, July 23, he set a new one-day record earning $75,000.
"The streak is as exciting in the game show world as the recent Eric Gagne save streak in the sports world," said Dave Johnson, CEO of WagerWeb.com. "However, just like the Gagne streak everyone realizes that it will someday have to come to an end."
The new season of Jeopardy starts in September and WagerWeb.com is offering odds on how many episodes Jennings will continue as champ. The odds are a follows:
5 shows or less
6-10 shows
11-15 shows
16-20 shows
21-25 shows
26-30 shows
31 shows or more +200
+400
+600
+800
+1,000
+1,200
+1,500
A jolly good year
It appears as though placing a bet in Britain is becoming as popular as drinking a cup of tea.
According to recently released financial numbers, gambling revenue in the U.K. has increased dramatically over the past three years. Three years ago, Brits spent more than 7 billion pounds ($12.5 billion U.S.) on gambling activities; last year, they spent nearly 30 billion pounds (nearly $55 billion U.S.).
There are several reasons for the eye-popping increase with one being the elimination of a betting tax. However, the biggest reason for the increase appears to be the availability of betting options on the Internet, especially the recent emergence of betting exchanges.
Betting exchanges like Betfair.com allow bettors to bet against one another as opposed to betting against a book.
Watch out for grandma
Italian police arrested an 80-year-old great-grandmother this month for suspicion of drugging and robbing people for money that she used to fuel her gambling addiction.
Vittoria Benetti was arrested after she was identified her in a photo by her latest victim, a 70-year-old woman who rode in same train compartment as Benetti.
According to an Italian newspaper report, Benetti drugged the victim's coffee and made off with $1,000 Euros ($1,226 U.S.), which she quickly burned through at a casino in Slovenia.
It's believed Benetti had been drugging and fleecing easily fooled victims for years. Thanks to her past record of scams and her well-known addiction to gambling, Italian police had little trouble tracking the old lady down.
Reed Holmes
So you figure a parlay is a sucker bet?
Maybe you should consider the payoff on two winning parlay bets made by a 52-year-old California man earlier this month.
The lucky bettor made about $80,000 on two parlays he made on July 3 with British-based bookmaker bet365.com. The first bet was a 12-team parlay for $25, the second was nine-teamer for $100.
The first bet earned the man more than $36,277. That shot up by 50 percent to over $54,000 courtesy of bet365's bonus offer.
The second bet earned the man nearly $19,000. That was boosted 35 percent to more than $25,000, again thanks to bonuses.
Both bets involved Major League Baseball games. Here is the breakdown of each ticket:
10-teamer:
Colorado -140 and Over 13.0 +105 (vs. Detroit)
Houston -160 and Over 8.0 -110 (vs. Texas)
St Louis -155 and Over 8.5 -105 (vs. Seattle)
San Diego -183 and Over 7.5 +115 (vs. Kansas)
Pittsburgh -125 (vs. Milwaukee)
LA vs. Anaheim Over 9.0 -130
Minnesota vs. Arizona Over 10.0 -110
Oakland vs. SF Over 9.0 +105
Nine-teamer:
Boston -176 (vs. Atlanta)
Texas vs. Houston Over 10.5 -115
Pittsburgh -153 and Under 9.0 +105 (vs. Milwaukee)
Cincinnati -160 (vs. Cleveland)
Detroit vs. Colorado Over 13.0 -105
San Diego -200 and Over 7.5 (vs. Kansas)
Minnesota vs. Arizona Over 11.0 +105
So, does this sort of thing happen often?
"Too often!" said John Coates, Chief Executive of bet365. "It maybe happens a couple of dozen times a year that we have parlay payouts (to small stakes) in excess of US$20,000."
bet365 has one customer in the Bahamas who has hit six 10-teamers in the last 10 months, in baseball, college football and college basketball. The payouts have ranged from $30,000 to $75,000.
In July, the bettor was right on 11 plays in a 12-team parlay, narrowly missing out on a $170,000 payout.
Wacko wagerer awaits trial in Wisconsin
When is comes to wagering, bettor be careful who you associate with.
Nineteen-year-old Meng-Ju Wu, also known as Mark Wu, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with a triple homicide in Verona, Wisconsin last June.
The native of Taiwan was arrested 10 days after three men, ages 17, 25 and 28, were found shot to death in an apartment in downtown Verona.
According to a criminal complaint filed by police, Wu had met one of the victims, 28-year-old Jason McGuigan, about two month before the shootings. McGuigan helped Wu set up an account and place sports bets with an offshore book based in the Bahamas.
After his arrest, Wu told police he had lost $15,000 between June and April, and as a result gave up gambling for fear that his parents would find out about his gambling addiction. Bank records indicate that Wu had withdrawn $72,000 from his bank account between December and June.
Despite his apparent gambling losses, Wu also won $17,000 based on a tip provided by McGuigan, according to the complaint.
McGuigan subsequently threatened Wu at gunpoint to "keep his mouth shut" after Wu began to celebrate his victory in front of others. A witness told police McGuigan later said Wu "was going to get was coming to him".
Wu, who had been studying Chinese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was arrested in New York last June then was extradited to Wisconsin. His trial is set to begin in January.
Although a specific motive for the crime has not been determined, police say money and gambling is likely at the heart of the murders.
Gamble on Google
Think the stock market is a gamble? Well, you're right.
For those of you living under a rock the last few months, the world's favorite Internet search engine, Google, is set to make an initial public offering (IPO) of shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange sometime in August (Stock symbol: GOOG).
Shares are expected to sell for $108 to $135 each when they hit the markets. Regardless of what price it opens at, one online bookmaker is offering odds on the performance of the stock once it's let out of the gate.
At Dublin-based Tradesports.com you can bet on whether Google's stock price will rise or whether it will fall on the first day of trading.
Those who are really bullish on the stock can bet on whether the share price will rise by more than 25 percent or even 50 percent on the first day. Bears can bet on the share price decreasing by 25 percent on Day 1.
Another website called the Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM), run by the University of Iowa's business college, is also taking bets on the performance of Google stock.
Bets from $5 to $500 can be made on whether the market value of all Google shares - stock price multiplied by number of shares - will rise or fall. Analysts predict Google will have a market value of Google between $29 billion to $36 billion.
Based on the recent problems Google had with the MyDoom Internet worm, betting on a fall in Google's share price might be profitable.
I'll take Jennings for $200, Alex
Costa Rican-based bookmaker WagerWeb.com is offering odds on how much longer jeopardy genius Ken Jennings will reign as champion on the TV game show.
The 30-year-old software developer from Salt Lake City is on an unprecedented streak of 38-straight appearances on the famous show and has earned a record $1,321,660. In the last episode of the season on Friday, July 23, he set a new one-day record earning $75,000.
"The streak is as exciting in the game show world as the recent Eric Gagne save streak in the sports world," said Dave Johnson, CEO of WagerWeb.com. "However, just like the Gagne streak everyone realizes that it will someday have to come to an end."
The new season of Jeopardy starts in September and WagerWeb.com is offering odds on how many episodes Jennings will continue as champ. The odds are a follows:
5 shows or less
6-10 shows
11-15 shows
16-20 shows
21-25 shows
26-30 shows
31 shows or more +200
+400
+600
+800
+1,000
+1,200
+1,500
A jolly good year
It appears as though placing a bet in Britain is becoming as popular as drinking a cup of tea.
According to recently released financial numbers, gambling revenue in the U.K. has increased dramatically over the past three years. Three years ago, Brits spent more than 7 billion pounds ($12.5 billion U.S.) on gambling activities; last year, they spent nearly 30 billion pounds (nearly $55 billion U.S.).
There are several reasons for the eye-popping increase with one being the elimination of a betting tax. However, the biggest reason for the increase appears to be the availability of betting options on the Internet, especially the recent emergence of betting exchanges.
Betting exchanges like Betfair.com allow bettors to bet against one another as opposed to betting against a book.
Watch out for grandma
Italian police arrested an 80-year-old great-grandmother this month for suspicion of drugging and robbing people for money that she used to fuel her gambling addiction.
Vittoria Benetti was arrested after she was identified her in a photo by her latest victim, a 70-year-old woman who rode in same train compartment as Benetti.
According to an Italian newspaper report, Benetti drugged the victim's coffee and made off with $1,000 Euros ($1,226 U.S.), which she quickly burned through at a casino in Slovenia.
It's believed Benetti had been drugging and fleecing easily fooled victims for years. Thanks to her past record of scams and her well-known addiction to gambling, Italian police had little trouble tracking the old lady down.
