Italian Mafia Bosses Indicted Over Illegal Gambling

May 6, 2012

Mafia gambling

According to illegal gambling news, in a recent indictment, two New York metro mafia bosses have been indicted under numerous charges related to illegal gambling and sports betting, racketeering, violence, collection of unlawful and usurious gambling debts, extortion, and other felonies.

Capo di tutti capi (the boss of the bosses), as the Italian mobsters like to call their godfather, is not happy as his two henchmen face trial. As many know, those who dare to speak up against the mafia face punishment. In fact, one additional charge includes witness tampering.

Many victims are unlikely to speak up during the trial, worried about having their legs cemented to a bathtub and being thrown off George Washington Bridge into Hudson River. After talking to a Brooklyn gangster, many witnesses lose memory.

Some of the desperados, as rumors claim, have gotten themselves into trouble with mafia after being drunk, drugged, and finding themselves at mafia casinos in expectations of getting some subsidized crack and hookers while playing rigged blackjack where it is not possible to win.

The mafia blackjack cards are apparently marked and the signs of protest not tolerated. To get their nails into the sheep’ skins, the mafia dealer offers a loan. When one victim doesn’t pay on time, he becomes a baseball and the debt collector a batter.

Indeed, the Italian mafiosos in New York are great Yankees and Mets fans, thus always carry baseball bats. Other victims get threatened to be ”chopped up like pigs” or ”getting a bullet” in their heads if daring to leave the game too early.

The illegal gambling charges carry a penalty of 5 years, while each felony count of racketeering, extortion, and so on carries a penalty of maximum 20 years. If convicted of all of these, the men may get well over 100 years. So, there will be no surprise if FBI asks the men to cooperate and sell their godfather under the witness protection program.

But, will they do it? This certainly worries Capo di tutti capi.

Tags: Capo di tutti capi, George Washington Bridge, illegal gambling news, mafia blackjack cards, mafia casinos, rigged blackjack, witness tampering

Online Casinos News · Filed Under Blackjack News

Rule would limit card rooms, GOP insists

May 5, 2012

What they described earlier this week as an expansion of gambling and a fairness issue for Ohio counties that might want to startcharity gambling operations now is being explained by Senate Republicans as an effort to restrict gambling in Ohio.

As Republicans continue rewriting a gambling bill, debate continues over whether the stateshould allow the board of commissioners in each county to open a “card room,” where table gamessuch as poker and blackjack could be played year-round to raise money for a variety ofcharities.

Sen. Bill Coley, R-Middletown, chairman of the Senate Government Oversight Committee, saidyesterday that under current law, counties could open unlimited card rooms. “We have proposed toreduce that and limit it to one in each county.”

But so far, no county outside Cuyahoga County has started one.

Larry Long, executive director of the County Commissioners’ Association of Ohio, has said thathis group did not ask for the card-room language — and he questioned if many would do it,considering it could cut into casino revenue flowing to counties.Rep. Lou Blessing, R-Cincinnati,the sponsor of the gambling bill, said he has never heard a county official ask to start one.

The House-passed bill would have allowed only Cleveland to operate a card room. Blessing said hedidn’t like it, but because the room had been operating for several years and was stronglysupported by local officials, he let it stay.

Blessing said the Cleveland card room operates under a “very shaky” legal opinion by the countyprosecutor. “I guess the Senate doesn’t think the opinion is so shaky,” he said. “We are going tofind out for sure.”

Blessing said he is going to ask the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission for a legalopinion.

Senate Republicans changed the bill to allow one card room in each county. Coley said the stateshould not set up a monopoly in Cleveland.

“We’re in discussions with a number of entities on that issue,” Coley said of the card rooms. “Under current law, if you read what Cuyahoga County is operating under, that’s applicable to theentire state. We’re trying to provide some definition.”

Discussions are expected to continue through the weekend, along with other outstandinggambling-bill issues, including law-enforcement training money and earmarks for gambling-addictioncounseling. A committee vote is set for Tuesday.

Gov. John Kasich is still opposed to the card-room proposal, a spokesman said.

Blessing said the new proposal could put county commissioners under pressure to open card rooms,both from charities that would benefit and groups like the tea party, which would see them as a wayto avoid tax levies to support local entities such as zoos.

Net proceeds from the card rooms — after paying 15 percent of revenue to the owner of thelocation plus expenses including dealers, security and management — would go to charity.

It is unclear whether the provision would affect poker clubs that have operated across centralOhio. The clubs charge an annual membership fee in addition to a buy-in for tournaments and, inmany cases, a daily fee to enter the tournament or the facility.

Rule would limit card rooms, GOP insists

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Nevadan at Work: Pastry chef aims for sweet impressions

May 4, 2012

Jaret Blinn is doing what any gracious host would do. As executive pastry chef at Red Rock Resort, Blinn’s is preparing his staff to please some of the world’s top chefs, all while making thousands of chocolate-covered treats, cheesecake pops and other delicious pastries.

Blinn and his staff of 26 people are getting ready to host the World Pastry Forum and Championship at Red Rock Resort from July 4-9.

Some two-dozen pastry chefs representing eight countries will compete to be named the world’s best. Japan won the last competition in 2010.

It’s also an opportunity to showcase the hotel-casino’s pastry department, which Blinn and his team made from scratch six years ago.

"It’s an honor to host this event," Blinn said. "It’s also very stressful, because people I’ve admired for a long time are coming here to Red Rock. We are not in the competition, but we know that everyone walking through that door will be looking at every little thing we do."

The stress of producing under a bright spotlight is nothing new for Blinn, who has worked at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco and Le Cirque/Circo at the Bellagio.

But Blinn said the industry has changed since he graduated from culinary school in 1997. Today, the business of pastries and desserts has evolved into a profit center.

Ten years ago, he said, what mattered was what a pastry chef could create; most people didn’t care about the cost. Today, Blinn said management monitors the bottom line a lot more closely and wants to see what you can do with a budget.

Blinn said the key to his business is creating memories.

"People remember desserts, because they are the last impression," Blinn said. "If you had a great meal, but the dessert isn’t any good, forget it. But if the dessert is good, then it’s a memorable experience."

Question: How did you become a pastry chef?

Answer: I actually trained to be a chef, just because my mother and grandmother always cooked and I enjoyed (cooking) with them. I went to the California Culinary Academy and from there went to restaurants in San Francisco. I was doing banquets at the Ritz-Carlton where they had a pastry chef named Michiel Lugt, who was always in competitions. I’d also go see what he was up to because I was curious and the next thing you know he asked me if I wanted to come into pastry. I started at the bottom, with my first task being to scrub the freezer floor. I just saw it as a new challenge.

Question: What was your favorite cooking show on television?

Answer: It was "Yan Can Cook" with Martin Yan. I actually got to do a show with him. I was in the back doing his prep when I was in culinary school. That was the greatest honor because I just idolized the guy.

Question: What is it like to be the executive pastry chef at Red Rock Resort?

Answer: When you work in restaurants, you are basically going through Groundhog Day. It continues every single night. When you are on the Strip it’s all about the tourists. They are here today and you’ll probably never see them again. It’s always that way. But here at Red Rock, you get to build relationships with people. For the last six years I’ve been here, we’ve really grown having so many restaurants, catering, and having locals whose kids have birthday parties. It always changes.

Question: What was it like when Red Rock opened in 2006?

Answer: When we first opened, we were the new kid on the block. We came to Summerlin. We had to grow. We had to feel out the locals (and learn) what exactly do they like and what exactly don’t they like and go from there. … The local customer knows what they like and we have to deliver it to them. But we also want to grow and bring in new things, so we are always changing.

Question: How do you make those changes, so a dessert or pastry is appealing in 100-degree heat?

Answer: It’s not about what the weather is here; it’s about what’s in season. I think people can’t get a lot of things in Vegas, but as a large property we are able to bring in fresh products … to offer our guests something different. We change more with the seasons than with the weather. In the summer time you use fresh fruits, lighter soups, dishes that are a lot more refreshing. In the fall, it’s the puddings, the warmer foods. You’re offering them comfort foods.

Question: What’s a typical day like?

Answer: I have to say a lot of the credit goes to my team. On any given day, I come in about 7 a.m. say hello to everybody. I’m one of those who believe that if you get in early, you’ll get ahead and you’ll stay ahead. If you come in late and fall behind, you’ll never catch up. We have a number of teams, because we are a 24-hour operation. We haven’t stopped our shop since three weeks prior to opening Red Rock. For me, it’s about checking on the operations, walking around and making sure everything looks and tastes great.

Question: Is pastry a profitable business at Red Rock?

Answer: Yes. It goes back to if you want to save money you do it at home. Instead of going out to dinner, you make it at home. That’s what we’ve all been taught. We’ve taken that concept here. I know how much labor is going to cost, I know how much my supplies cost and I know my food costs. Now we are going to deliver top product to our guests.

Question: How difficult does that become with prices changing regularly?

Answer: (Gasoline) prices go up, so my suppliers may change their minimum order. We’ve had to fluctuate with everything else also. We are not going to pass that on to our guests. We’ll absorb that cost. It’s not fair to them. They are already getting nickeled and dimed from everything else.

Question: How did you become involved with Project Pink?

Answer: How that all came about was unfortunately I lost my mother (Diane Neri) to cancer. When she was dying, we had hospice care, and she cared more about showing them a magazine with an article about me doing pastry than she did about having less than a month to live. When I lost my mom, I wanted to give it all up. I didn’t want to do anything anymore. My mom loved how much I loved pastry. So from that moment on I decided I had to make it worth something. Then I lost an aunt to breast cancer. So, from then on, it was all about Project Pink. I went to a manager and said I wanted to do a promotion, so 50 percent of all the profits from the Grand Cafe sales at Red Rock during (October) went to breast cancer awareness.

Question: Has it been as successful as you hoped it would be?

Answer: We had a good first year where we raised $15,000. It was a very good. I felt I was finally giving back, especially to the local community. So this past year, management wanted Station Casinos to participate also. So we were able to take blackjack tables and donate part of the proceeds from certain night and all the properties sold pink desserts. This year we raised almost $50,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and next year, it will keep growing and keep getting better.

Contact reporter Chris Sieroty at or 702-477-3893.

Nevadan at Work: Pastry chef aims for sweet impressions

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Attractions abound near Derby

May 3, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Shadowbox with a silhouetted Muhammad Ali. Grab a bat and take a few swings in a batting cage at the Louisville Slugger Museum. Dig into a Hot Brown at the place where the savory sandwich was created. Sip Kentucky bourbons at a hotel where Al Capone played blackjack.

Louisville is home to plenty of originals that liven up a visit to Kentucky’s largest city, best known for a 2-minute sporting event.

It’s the iconic horse track that overshadows everything in town on the first Saturday in May. That’s when the Kentucky Derby is run at Churchill Downs – where mint juleps flow, women sport flowery hats and sleek thoroughbreds race for immortality.

Visitors don’t have to be horse racing buffs to enjoy the charms of this city along the Ohio River.

Usually, the city is adorned in red, pink and white blossoms as springtime thoughts turn from following NCAA basketball brackets to handicapping the Derby. But this year’s unseasonably warm weather resulted in a showy but early bloom.

But the spring greenery is always dazzling in the Bluegrass state. While in Louisville, visitors can stroll along Waterfront Park – the city’s 85-acre front yard. The expansive playground near downtown offers panoramic views of downtown and the Ohio River.

“This time of year, Louisvillians get so happy,” said local restaurateur Lynn Winter. “It’s like everyone comes out.”

Not far from the park, several museums are clustered within four blocks in the city’s downtown, which features an array of restaurants and shops. Among the most popular destinations are the Muhammad Ali Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.

The Ali Center showcases the boxing career of the former world heavyweight champion known as “the Louisville Lip” and highlights his social activism and humanitarian causes out of the ring.

Ali, who turned 70 in January, grew up in a West End neighborhood of Louisville.

The center replays his most famous bouts and features plenty of memorabilia. Visitors can shadowbox, punch a speed bag and lean into a heavy bag that lets them feel the power of an Ali punch. Other exhibits retrace Ali’s fight against war, segregation and poverty.

A short walk away, visitors can see workers crafting bats used by big leaguers. The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is a treasure trove of memorabilia that features bats used by Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams and other Hall of Famers.

Visitors can pick a bat, wood or aluminum, and take a crack in the batting cages.

“We have little kids and big kids alike,” said employee Tony Fowler.

The springtime pace in town can seem as fast as on the track at Churchill Downs.

The big horse race may only last two minutes, but the pre-race celebration lasts weeks during the Kentucky Derby Festival.

Leading up to the Derby, the city celebrates with a giant fireworks show, a parade, a steamboat race and a balloon race – among the highlights of a festival that also features athletic events, music and food.

Restaurants and watering holes are abundant in town, an hour’s drive or so from distilleries producing world-famous bourbons.

At the Brown Hotel, one of the city’s landmark places to stay, visitors can dig into a Hot Brown. The local favorite, an open-faced turkey and bacon sandwich covered with Mornay sauce (a creamy cheese sauce), was first served at the hotel decades ago.

At the Seelbach Hilton, another renowned Louisville hotel where Al Capone played blackjack, there’s an extensive bourbon collection, including ultra-premium single-barrel bourbons, served in a bar restored to an early 1900s feel. The cocktails are made from scratch, with Kentucky limestone water dispensed from old-fashioned seltzer bottles. The Oakroom at the hotel is one of the city’s premier dining spots.

One restaurant that’s become a staple for visitors and locals alike is Lynn’s Paradise Cafe, where the funky decor and comfort foods are big draws in the Barret Avenue neighborhood east of downtown. The baked macaroni and cheese, hot browns, meat loaf and omelets are among the favorites. You can wash it down with a bourbon ball milk shake.

Winter, a Louisville native who opened the restaurant in 1991, said the trend toward owner-operated restaurants has mushroomed in Louisville’s many distinctive neighborhoods in recent years.

“The restaurant scene, I’ve never seen like this in any city,” she said. “It has blossomed into these incredible, cutting-edge, hip restaurants in great buildings that they are renovating. The quantity of them is just astonishing. To me, it’s like a breath of fresh air.”

Attractions abound near Derby

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Chance of a lifetime to play blackjack with Nickelback in Las Vegas – RGT Online

May 2, 2012

Chance of a lifetime to play blackjack with Nickelback in Las Vegas 9 April 2012

NEW YORK — (PRESS RELEASE) — Multi-platinum rock band Nickelback is teaming up with Clear Channel and Live Nation Entertainment to offer one lucky fan a chance to party like a rock star in Las Vegas this summer. Beginning today, fans will get the chance to win a trip for six to board a private jet to Las Vegas where they will get VIP tickets to see Nickelback perform on tour June 16, 2012 at the MGM Garden Arena. The lucky winner and guests will have after party access and accommodations – the winner will enjoy a suite and each of the five guests will receive a king room at the MGM Grand. Additionally, the winner will receive $5,000 cash to play “Blackjack With Nickelback.” “We can’t wait to have one of our amazing fans plus five lucky friends win the opportunity to join us in one of the wildest cities in the world,” said Nickelback front man Chad Kroeger. “Every show is a party with our fans but the Las Vegas shows are always some of the most memorable (at least for that night). So get your game face on ‘cause we’re going to play blackjack in Sin City.” The “Blackjack With Nickelback” contest will run nationwide across Clear Channel rock radio stations beginning April 9 and ending May 18, 2012. Fans can listen to these stations each weekday for the cue to call-in for a chance to qualify to win. The grand prize winner will be announced May 21, 2012. “We love connecting our listeners with the artists they’re passionate about,” said Tom Poleman, President of National Programming Platforms for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “Few bands can party like Nickelback, and this ultimate experience is destined to be legendary.”

Chance of a lifetime to play blackjack with Nickelback in Las Vegas – RGT Online

Online Casinos News · Filed Under Blackjack News

MTV Multiplayer – We place our bets in Mobile Deluxe’s Big Win Blackjack for iOS

May 1, 2012

Apple’s App Store is littered with Blackjack games and apps, but the free-to-play Big Win Blackjack from Mobile Deluxe (the folks behind Solitaire Deluxe and Big Win Slots) promises to teach players how to improve their skills with a new Professor Blackjack mode. We spent some time playing Big Win Blackjack over the weekend – head past the break for our impressions.

The first thing we noticed about the app was how easy it is to just pick up and play. Each day you open the app you’re given free chips so you can get right to the table and place your bet. The hardest part of getting into a game is choosing which “Casino” you want to play at. Locations range from Las Vegas to the legendary lost city of gold, El Dorado, and different locations feature different rules. Taking a trip to Tokyo? Play at the Tokyo tables for beforehand and brush up on the game style.

“With Big Win Blackjack, we’ve created a game that will captivate the most experienced players and those playing for the first time,” said Josh Hartwell, the company’s CEO. “It teaches users everything they need to know about the game with premium graphics and fluid game play.”

Another great feature of the game are the table and card layout and appearance. The cards are easy to read and if you happen to have a new iPad packing the Retina display you’ll be treated even further by Mobile Deluxe’s exclusive, hi-res Easy Read cards.

The game is fun and a great way to kill some time for anyone who enjoys card games. What really sets this title apart from all of the other Blackjack apps at our finger tips on iOS are the real-world benefits that players can gain thanks to the Professor Blackjack feature. It’s only available via an $8 in-app purchase (that’s where they get ya!) but will teach players everything from the basic rules of the game to how to count cards. Yes, Professor Blackjack is a digital card-counting mad man and feels compelled to share his skills with anyone who wants to learn.

If you’ve been looking for a good Blackjack app, Big Win Blackjack is going to be hard to ignore as a free download. My only complaint is the price Mobile Deluxe is asking for added features like Professor BJ and the worldwide locations – paying $5 to play at the Tokyo tables (which are essentially just tables with a different rule set) seems like a little much. If you’re ready to place your bet head over to the App Store.

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MTV Multiplayer – We place our bets in Mobile Deluxe’s Big Win Blackjack for iOS

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High-Risk and High-Reward 2012 NFL Draft Picks

April 30, 2012

When NFL general mangers, presidents and coaches assemble in their respective war rooms, it’s as if they’re bellying up to the blackjack table at a casino, risking money and future success on draftees.

That goes for any player being drafted, but some players are even riskier and can cost franchises dearly. On the other hand, if a team is willing to go “all in” on a risky athlete, it could earn them the jackpot.

That’s the subject of this week’s Rush Segment from NFLDraft365, as Matt Miller, Dylan MacNamara, Evan Adrian and Ryan O’Leary discuss the merits of drafting some of the riskier picks in the year’s draft crop.

See what they have to say about the likes of Janoris Jenkins, Dontari Poe, Quinton Coples and Alshon Jeffery.

NFLDraft365 is a production of Bleacher Report Videos. The show highlights all of the players, news, happenings and opinions surrounding the NFL draft and is covered year-round for NFL fans who are serious about their teams.

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High-Risk and High-Reward 2012 NFL Draft Picks

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Lucky the Leprechaun looks back as O’Sheas pours its last green shot – Las Vegas Weekly

April 29, 2012

You may recognize this face. If you want to see it again, hit The Final Countdown party at O’Sheas. Do some shots, sign the wall, shed a tear for the fabulous green one’s last dance.

Caesars Entertainment

The first time I ever gambled in Vegas, it was at O’Sheas. My local friends took me there for the cheap drinks and blackjack buy-ins. Compared to the marvels of steel and style that dominate the Strip’s façade, this felt like a place I’d been before, a warm, broken-in, neighborhood hangout that wouldn’t make me look like a jackass.

I bought $100 in chips and played for hours—up, down, drowning in rum and Cokes and having a ball. I walked away with a single chip in my hand, worth the exact amount I’d started with. For some, that’s chicken sh*t. For me, it was the perfect night.

Well, almost perfect. Had I know the bar is often home to a 4-foot-1 charmer in a silky green suit, I would have been sure to make his acquaintance. Since then I’ve seen Lucky the Leprechaun in action a few times. He’s a lap-dancing, shot-pouring, photo-posing, shtick-performing Energizer Bunny, and at noon on Monday, he will finally hang up the green hat.

Not forever, I hope. Even though O’Sheas is closing in its current space and current form after almost 23 years, it will reopen in the mega-project LINQ sometime next year. I’ve heard it will be smaller, and I have no idea how much of the essence of the original will survive, but the memories of playing blackjack and watching Lucky work it for the crowds will never die.

There’s still time to drink with him and reminisce at the Final Countdown, a “celebration to commemorate the beloved property’s history.” That history involved a lot of drinking, and there will be more, starting Saturday, April 28 at noon and continuing till noon on Monday, April 30.

Lucky will host, and guests will enjoy discounted memorabilia, live entertainment and drink specials. The daily drink specials include $1 10-ounce Miller Light drafts and $4 O’Sheas souvenir shot cups filled with any call liquors (while supplies last). Bands will include Bullzeye and Rock Your Soul. And those who want to gamble one last time will be happy they did. A poker buy-in comes with a commemorative shot glass; throw down $40 to play blackjack and get an O’Sheas T-shirt. And you can become part of O’Sheas history by signing a wall that will be photographed with Lucky and installed in the new incarnation.

From noon on Sunday to noon on Monday, there will be free shots at the center bar at the top of every hour to celebrate the last 24 of the casino’s existence. There’s a two-shot limit per person, but that’s still like finding a pot of liquid gold.

Lucky, also known as Brian Thomas, spent some time on a live Facebook feed today saying farewell to his fans. And he also spent some time with us, looking back on the O’Sheas that was, and that infamous lap dance on Shannon Tweed.

Do you remember your first day in the shiny green suit, back in early 2006?

When I first walked in as Lucky in the Leprechaun outfit, the employees actually had no idea what the hell was going on. They were like, what is this? What are we in for? So it took about a good month, a month and a half, to prove myself to the employees that, hey, I’m on your team, and I’m here to make everybody happy, make everybody money and make our guests have a memorable experience. So it was quite interesting, but after that month and a half it really became one big family.

How big an impact do you think the character made on the experience and popularity of O’Sheas?

When I walked into O’Sheas prior to being the spokesperson for them, it was just a fun place. And I guess I just made it a lot more … fun. (Laughs) You know Cheers, that show, and actually the Cheers bar in Boston, that’s what I compare O’Sheas to. The people are real; they’re real down to earth; and it’s a broad range of guests that walk in there, from 21 to 80, and everybody seems to have a smile on their face. And our employees are just as down to earth as they are. You can sit there at a blackjack table and have a perfect conversation like you’ve known this employee forever. You can talk to the bartenders and be open and honest and they don’t pass judgment; they’re not snobby. They’re really personable people.

We don’t know many details about the new O’Sheas, but will Lucky rise again?

We’re working on some deals right now, so hopefully you’ll see my face. (Laughs) I will still be with the company, with Caesars Entertainment. I don’t want people to think that I’m gone. They will be able to find me throughout the Caesars properties, but also I’ve joined forces with KISS. I am with Christina Vitaliano and Patrick over at KISS by Monster Mini Golf. I’m their spokesperson for that particular property. I became ordained, so I can perform marriages. I call myself a “mini-ster.” I’m doing that as well as some nightclub gigs over at Chateau. … I’ll be in Vegas for quite some time. I don’t plan on leaving the city any time in the near future.

As you say goodbye to the good old days of O’Sheas, are there favorite memories you can share, beyond the daily joy of pouring mysterious booze into the mouths of crazy tourists?

The biggest one for me was with Oscar Goodman, receiving the key to the city for my contribution to the tourism industry. Second would be, we filmed a segment of Gene Simmons: Family Jewels. During my shtick, you know how I pour shots on the bar? Well I poured shots for Nick and Shannon Tweed. I got to give Shannon a lap dance on my bar, so that was a highlight for me.

Are you a natural lap-dancer?

Entertainment has always been my passion, so it’s kind of been a natural ability. Ever since I was born, I stand out in a crowd. Growing up, at an early age, I learned to respect people for who they are and not really what they look like. But I also knew that eyes are always going to be on me whether I’m on or off, so I kind of had to train myself on how to work a crowd.

Are you burnt out at this point on the pace and energy required to perform, or are you planning to keep the characters going full-tilt?

Heck yeah. I’m going to look like Yoda in about 20 years and then I’ll still continue doing it.

What are Lucky’s plans for the Final Countdown?

I’m going to just be with our guests, for the most part, and just make sure their experience is great and fulfilled, and have that last memory be their first memory they remember about O’Sheas. I’ll be doing the shots, of course. We’ll be doing specials for blackjack and poker; we’ll be giving away shirts and souvenir shot glasses. We also have a commemorative wall that people can sign. There’s going to be a spot for it somewhere within the new O’Sheas coming up. So that’s another little draw for people to come back to and say, yeah, I remember those days and that’s my name. A really sentimental piece.

Have you seen any tributes to you in recent weeks, with people gearing up for the end?

There’s a group of people that have come in recently with my face on their shirts. … I was actually in the middle of a shtick on a microphone, and I saw this group walk in and I honestly stopped talking because I had no idea what the hell I was looking at. I was like, that looks like me, but then I’m like, I’m not that catty; I can’t be like that. And then the closer they got, sure as hell it was me. I was like, oh my god—this rocks.

Any last words for the Lucky faithful?

I just want to thank everybody for their support and making Lucky who Lucky is. … They really, really embraced this character, and it’s very, very rewarding. It’s going to be an emotional day on Monday.

Lucky the Leprechaun looks back as O’Sheas pours its last green shot – Las Vegas Weekly

Online Casinos News · Filed Under Blackjack News

‘Phnom Penh Post’ tags Filipinos in blackjack scam in Cambodia

April 27, 2012

26-Apr-12, 5:52 PM | InterAksyon.com

InterAksyon.comThe online news portal of TV5

A group of Filipinos are reportedly behind a gambling scam in Phnom Penh, swindling tourists and later threatening violence if they refuse to fork out cash.

The group operates around Sisowatch Quay, the Phnom Penh Post says in a report, referring to a popular tourist district located near the Royal Palace of Cambodia. [See: Blackjack scam a bust for tourists]

A member of the group will first approach a tourist, complimenting them on their appearance, the report said.

Once the member determines the tourist’s nationality, the con-artist will then narrate a story about relatives who will be moving soon to the prospective victim’s country.

The tourist will then be invited to lunch to soothe the relatives’ parents who have expressed concern over their move to the tourist’s home country, the report said.

During lunch, the tourist will then be offered a chance to participate in a rigged game of blackjack against “a man purported to be a Brunei national, with the “croupier” employing an elaborate system of signals,” the report said. “After being asked to stump up money for the game, the tourist inevitably loses the hand and is taken to a nearby Western Union, where they are made to withdraw funds under threat of violence.”

“Our police have often received complaints and reports from many foreign tourists about this Filipino group’s activities in Phnom Penh,” Phnom Penh deputy police chief Hy Prou told the Post. “We now are still working and investigating this case,” he said, adding that they still lack the specific information necessary to make arrests.”

Some 19 tourists have already fallen prey to the con, the report said. One Swiss national has reportedly been swindled of $11,000 while another British tourist parted with $3,000.

“I feel like such an idiot,” the Post’s report said, quoting the British national. “At the time, my instinct was telling me this was completely wrong, but for some reason I just got caught up in it. I felt like I was in a position where I couldn’t get out of it.”

‘Phnom Penh Post’ tags Filipinos in blackjack scam in Cambodia

Online Casinos News · Filed Under Blackjack News

DAYS AT THE DERBY

April 25, 2012

Online Casinos News

Italian Mafia Bosses Indicted Over Illegal Gambling

Rule would limit card rooms, GOP insists

Nevadan at Work: Pastry chef aims for sweet impressions

Attractions abound near Derby

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