G'day punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales, gambling millionaires and billionaires, poker sharks, entertainment and arts news junkies, media tycoons, politicians, insiders, outsiders, legal eagles... one and all. You know who you are. Today we have a massive Crown Casino Aussie Millions update for you, along with other big news from Crown Casino's parent company, Crown Limited, including the one and only 'Our James' (James Packer) and friends. Media Man and Gambling911 with a jam packed report we think the late, great, Kerry Packer would be proud of, and we hope you're delighted with it too...
Shane Warnie M.I.A At Aussie Millions Yesterday (Including Last Night); UK Connection?...
Champion spinner, celeb poker pro (sort of) and face of Crown Poker, Shane "Warnie" Warne was Missing In Action yesterday, including in nocturnal hours, as fellow hot blooded sportsman, Tiger Woods might say. Yep, no show of Warnie and Aussie Millions, but he wasn't seen on a jet either. Maybe one of Crown's private fleet was commissioned for special delivery. Warnie has been getting up nice and cosy to U.K babe aka "poker babe" Liz Hurley in Los Angeles of late, and we wish the happy couple many more winning hands (and kisses and hugs et al). Warne is full expected to show up at Crown Casino later this afternoon or in the evening, or tomorrow at the latest. Warnie, if you're a little behind schedule, its ok. No detailed step by step - blow by blow explanation is required. Great to see the work - life priorities in order. Poke - er, on and off the felt - way to go son. Stay tuned for more of the life and times of Shane Warne, but sorry, no nude shots here, but inside scoops none the less.
Melbourne, Australia and UK: Aussie Millions Gossip: Did Poker Ace Warnie Poke Her?...
The champion spinner and reported ladies man, Shane Warne, admitted he had been "busted" spending a romantic weekend with English actress - babe Elizabeth Hurley.
The cricket legend had been trying to keep the reunion under wraps after making a last-minute dash to Los Angeles to rendezvous with the glamorous movie star. But Warne, 41, was outed by keen News Limited newspaper readers who spotted him on a flight back from Los Angeles on Sunday evening. Approached by the News Limited's Herald Sun at Crown's Aussie Millions Poker charity fundraiser on Wednesday night, Warne grinned and said: "Yeah, I know we've been busted." He declined further comment on the success of his reunion with the 45-year-old beauty. "Er, next question," he replied. But mates at the benefit later revealed Warne had confirmed his weekend had gone "very well" and he had rekindled the flame with Hurley. Their romance has slowed a touch when it was revealed Warne has apparently sent more than 100 text messages to married Brighton woman Adele Angelari. "Let's just say he was pretty happy," said a mate. Hurley made no secret of being in Los Angeles, tweeting about the weather and saying she watched the Golden Globe Awards from her hotel. Shortly after Warne boarded the plane for home, she tweeted: "A great weekend. Best in a long, long time." We think congratulations may be in order for Warnie's speculative "innings" across the water. Yeah Warnie keep row row rowing the boat, life might be such a breeze. May the good fortune of Warnie rub off on you and may every hand and women bring you a champion result. Warnie is not only a solid poker player, but is a face of Crown Poker, and also a keen golf player. It's not known if he has scored a hole in one, but he sure knows how to play them birdies. You know what we mean.
Aussie Millions: A History Of Champions...
Who will win this years Aussie Millions Championship? It may be too early to tell, but Phil Ivey is a hot favorite.
Let's take a walk down memory lane and see who has taken out the big one over the years...
2010 Champion
Tyron Krost
Origin: Australia (Sin City Sydney)
Winnings: $2,000,000
Defeated 746 players
*sponsored by PartyGaming's PartyPoker
2009 Champion
Stewart Scott
Origin: Australia
Winnings: $2,000,000
Defeated 681 players
*sponsored by PartyGaming's PartyPoker
2008 Champion
Alexander Kostritsyn
Origin: Russia
Winnings: $1,650,000
Defeated 780 players
2007 Champion
Gus Hansen
Origin: Denmark
Winnings: $1,500,000
Defeated 747 players
2006 Champion
Lee Nelson
Origin: New Zealand
Winnings: $1,295,800
Defeated 418 players
2005 Champion
Jamil Dia
Origin: New Zealand
Winnings: $1,000,000
Defeated 263 players
2004 Champion
Tony Bloom
Winnings: $ 426,500
Defeated 133 players
2003 Champion
Peter Costa
Origin: England
Winnings: $39,4870
Defeated 122 players
Aussie Millions Player Profile: Phil Ivey; Hot Favorite...
He's arguably the world's most famous gambler, only battling for headlines with living legend, Doyle Brunson. He bets, wins and looses fortunes on the flip of a card, and he's certainly living the American Dream... to be continued at Australia's expense many tipsters stay. The 34-year-old shark (affectionate)... we like you Phil, is playing in the Aussie Millions poker tournament at James Packers' Crown Casino but he states it's not the tourney or its million bucks main event first prize that got him down under - its "the action". Ivey is also rumoured to check out Sin City Sydney's Star City, something we're not sure Crown Limited powers that be wanted to read about, but we have to keep things fair in the world famous 'Australian Casino Wars' right? No, we don't own shares in Tabcorp - not yet anyway.
Ivey is understood to have some similar nocturnal habits to Tiger Woods, who he has sometimes been compared to. He's also widely acknowledged by his peers as the best player on at the planet at all 3 main poker disciplines of the poker: online poker, cash games and of course, tournament! Yeah, he's a killer, and he also excels at other casino games.
Master poker player Chris "Jesus" Ferguson generously shares the following to the press: "In the past that was three different people, but over the last few years the best player was just Phil Ivey, and there isn't even an argument, and that's really unusual in a game like poker.
Howard Lederer, another genius poker nut went on record with "It doesn't matter what the game is, Phil's the best". By the way, Lederer has a side bet with Ivey on whether the champ will win another World Series of Poker in the next two years. The bet is rumoured to be $US5 million.
'Aussie Millions' is Australia's undisputed richest poker tournament, but the organised (official) poker games are often quite the distraction for poker professionals playing private cash games and taking side bets, while they enjoy taking in everything that Australia has to offer, including the beaches, Melbourne culture and of course, the beautiful Australian women (and climate).
Ivey started playing card games at his grandfather's house in New Jersey, USA growing up, later moving to Atlantic City in his teen years. He trained 10 to 12 hours a day playing, under a fake ID of course. Hey, it is poker. Legend has it he went on to develop his game at a regular 7-card stud game run by the Hustler (the skin lad's mag and website) media mogul publisher Larry Flynt.
It was in 2002 Ivey won 3 WSOP bracelets thus establishing himself as the world's best.
The champ also plays table games including baccarat and craps, and is a very keen better on sports.
"I enjoy myself when I'm betting, life's just more fun that way," said Ivey.
This guys is loaded, on an off the felt. What's his fortune worth? No one knows for sure. He shares "can't relate to it and to talk about it seem crass". Industry sources say Ivey has made more than $US18 million in online poker games since circa 2007.
Folks, don't change your dials. The Aussie Millions Poker Championships runs until Sunday, and yes, Packer, Warnie and even yours truly are tipped to make a special appearance, planned or a surprise. Security is the strongest its every been, so no funny business everyone. Don't try to call our bluff.
Aussie Millions: Sam Trickett Wins $100,000 Challenge Yesterday...
Trickett Wins $1.5 Million to Grow his Career Wins to $3 Million after a Challenging 3-Handed Battle against Tony Bloom and Erik Seidel.
7 of the best players in the world, $100,000 each. Just 1 winner!
The Final Table Chip Counts (with thanks to our Crown Casino friends and spies)
1st Sam Trickett 961,000
2nd David Steicke 622,000
3rd James Obst 571,000
4th Jeffrey Lisandro 454,000
5th David Benyamine 363,000
6th Erik Seidel 169,000
7th Tony Bloom 148,000
8th Chris Ferguson 89,000
James Packer To Get High Roller Super VIP's On The Water Off Perth, Western Australia...
Gambling and media billionaire James Packer has an offer (and a boat ride) for you, if you can afford it.
Welcome to 'Infinity', a $50 million, 40m long Italian-made 'super yacht' to be berthed full time in Perth as part of the Crown's 'World Of Entertainment' offering. It's now tied into Burswood Casino, who are looking to lure in more Asian - Oriental gamblers.
The floating 5 star plus pad (if you can rate the unbelievable luxury), along with its crew of lucky seven will be available for the enjoyment of VVIP (very, very important person) high rolling gamblers.
They will lap up 4 guest rooms, including a huge owner's stateroom complete with his and hers bathrooms.
Infinity was unveiled to a group of Perth business folks this past Thursday, strategically ahead of the opening of the $10 million Rockpool restaurant, a new secret weapon of Burswood.
Packer was quoted by our friends at The Western Australia "We regard ourselves as very lucky to be in Perth. Clearly it's the boom city in Australia. I also personally love Western Australia. "I've spent - for an easterner - a lot of time in the west over the years. I think the best of Australia is found in the characters in Western Australia." It's well know that one of Packer's good mates and close business associates, Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest is also based in Western Australia.
Burswood's makeover is targeted at China's billionaires... all 150 of them! Yes, someone counted them.
Packer is aware of the Burwood's casino and entertainment complex mixed reputation and shares "If we keep investing in the facility and we keep making it better and better, then I think that will change. If you look at Crown (casino) in Melbourne, all segments of society frequent (it) from all different stratas - and that is absolutely our desire for Burswood over time."
Also forecast this year are are two Infinity Mansions...total price tag of $25 million - to be built in the grounds at Burswood and the completion of a new and exclusive Infinity gaming room, currently under way via the rooftop of the Intercontinental Hotel of the complex.
"Our genuine hope is that the mansions will be the two best hotel rooms in the world," Packer said. "That was our brief."
A Media Man Int spokesperson said "Don't bet against James Packer. He's proved the knockers wrong so many times before its not funny. If you had believe the naysayers, Packer would have lost all of his fortune a few years ago. He bounced back in champion fashion in is now regarded as one of the very best gambling and media tycoons on the planet. Apart from that, he's also a heck of a nice bloke who is fair and balanced with his dealing with the press and public, and the universe continues to reward the man and his family for their good deeds. Packer is on a roll and nothing not nobody looks to be able to catch him at the moment, including Tabcorp or anyone else that dare try. Yeah, we're glad we bought shares in his company also, and make no secret about it. Of late, just about everything he touches turns to gold. It's going to be a golden year aboard the Packer express".
James Packer Loves Perth: People, Innovation, Lifestyle, His Casino And Food...
JP told The Sunday Times on Friday, "I love the Swan River ... it's better than Sydney Harbour." Packer who is doing Perth with prime goals including the launch the new Rockpool restaurant at his Burswood complex, flew in from Singapore on Friday and posed for photographs before heading off for an appointment with mining heiress Gina Rinehart (a fellow major shareholding in Ten). "We want to invest more money in Perth. We regard ourselves as very lucky to be here. It is clearly the most go-ahead city in Australia and has an enormous future." Ok, so what else can we tell you? His $350 million plans to upgrade the Burswood resort include revamped rooms, a new pool, a private gaming den, an extra 250 electronic gaming machines aka "one armed bandits" (Aussie slang), 50 more gaming tables and a 40m luxury yacht for entertaining high rollers. Packer advised he was looking forward to digging into a steak sourced from five tonnes of beef on site but did not share the same tastes as his late father, Kerry, who famously walked out of the Barrenjoey House restaurant in the 1980s when Neil Perry, head chef at the time, refused to cook him a well-done steak with tomato sauce. "I like my steak medium-rare," JP said. For the record likes with tomato sauce (so do we). "And Neil doesn't cook enough of them for me." Punters, what are you waiting for. Get yourselves over to Burswood for a bit of 2, 4, 6, 8, dig in, don't wait. And, good luck on the slots, tables, and out on the water, if your lucky enough. Crown Limited powers that be - your throw of the dice.
Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting...
Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
PartyCasino.com
Captain Cooks Casino
Betfair (sports betting only)
PKR.com (poker, slots including Marvel slot games and sports betting)
PartyPoker.com (online poker at one of the world's most respected poker rooms and gaming brands)
Profiles
Australian Casinos
World Casino Directory
Global Gaming Directory
Casino Travel
Casinos
Australia
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*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
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