This week’s gambling news finds March Madness wrapping up, Ontario online gambling kicking off, and Hooters offering sports betting! Yes, it took nearly three years, but Ontario online gambling has finally gone live. Residents in the province are now able to bet on casino games and sporting events via websites and mobile apps.
Hello friends, and welcome to This Week in Gambling, the only show NOT discussing Will Smith slapping the shit out of Chris Rock! Except for just now… And this is my last show before I head across the pond to London, England for the International Casino Expo next week! Yes I’ll be in the United Kingdom next week, so no gambling news. But before I get on that airplane, I did want to send out a big congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks on their Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship, and the South Carolina Gamecocks on their Women’s NCAA Basketball Championship!
Speaking of the tournament, it was expected that about 45 million Americans would wager about $3 billion on March Madness this year, but here’s a surprise: It seems that very few people are bracket betting anymore, and that the legalization of sports betting that’s sweeping the country is pushing more players to bet on individual games. And as college basketball wraps up, it’s time to start betting on the Boys of Summer, as the Major League Baseball season kicks off this week. And hey, if you’re interested, I hear the Baltimore Orioles are currently paying 300-to-1 if they win the World Series!
Of course, sports betting isn’t the only gambling news from America right now. In fact Las Vegas casinos just recorded their 12th consecutive month of bringing in over a billion dollars in gambling revenue! A streak that doesn’t look to end anytime soon as we’re just getting ready to head into the summer travel season, and the World Series of Poker kicks off in just a few weeks!
And if all that wasn’t enough, the Canadian province of Ontario just launched regulated online gambling this week, which has me a bit conflicted. On the one hand I’m very happy to see our industry expanding. But on the other hand, all those states out there that haven’t regulated online gambling yet, you let the Canadians beat you?
This week’s game review is for the Lightning Joker online slot, a straightforward, high volatility game with three reels and five pay lines from our friends at Yggdrasil. It comes with wilds and mystery symbols, as well as a rapid re-spin feature and mystery wins that could earn you up to 10,000 times your bet! Find this review and hundreds more on our YouTube channel.
And finally in gambling news this week, restaurant chain Hooters… who are best known for their their… hot wings. They have announced a strategic partnership with DraftKings and PointsBet to be able to offer their customers sports betting while visiting their establishments! You know, as a way to incentivize them to stay longer. Because if it’s one thing we all know, it’s men need a reason to stay longer… at a Hooters. Remember: No show next week! And everyone have an awesome Easter holiday! Please silence your cell phones.