Familiar face
By MAK MUN SAN
LAST July, ESPN presenter John Dykes received a frantic phone call from his bank manager. It was right after news broke that StarHub had outbid ESPN Star Sports and SingTel for the exclusive right to telecast Barclays Premier League games in Singapore for three seasons.
StarHub's new football channel would be the home of the Barclays Premier League, replacing ESPN Star Sports, which had been giving Singaporeans their Premiership fix since 2001. Instead of Dykes and his team of familiar pundits, football fans would be watching studio shows helmed by Joe Morrison from Dubai-based broadcaster Ten Sports.
The newspapers ran stories with headlines like Exit: John Dykes, Enter: Joe Morrison, prompting the phone call from Dykes' bank, which was giving him a loan to buy a flat.
He recalls: "The bank manager said 'I've just seen the papers. So is that the end of the deal? You're leaving, right?' And I'm like 'My God, where did you get that from?'"
Soon, his property agent also rang him up with the same question. And when he went to his favourite hawker centre at Adam Road, he had stallholders saying: "Aiyah John, no more nasi lemak for you? What are you going to do?"
He stayed put.
Born in Essex, England, the 43-year-old is a Singapore permanent resident and has been living there since 1997. He and his Singaporean wife Gina, 36, have two daughters, Natalie, eight, and Saskia, four.
And to set the record straight, ESPN Star Sports, which is based in Singapore, still broadcasts Barclays Premier League matches live to 22 countries around the region and he remains the lead presenter of the shows.
So, yes, he still has his job. With a bemused expression, he says: "We're very much here. We still have the rights to the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, so we've not gone away completely."
If you remain unconvinced about how much his name and face have become associated with the Premier League, just listen to what Morrison, has to say about him.
"John's a legend in South-East Asia," he said in an interview last year. "Trying to fill his shoes is like trying to replace David Beckham after he left Manchester United."
While the new kid on the block has been praised for being like "a breath of fresh air", many viewers have said they miss Dykes' authoritative presence, insightful wit and charisma.
Dykes says: "They should miss us. I'm not going to mince my words because we put a good programme out. But I'm realistic enough to know there are other guys in our company who can do a great show too. I'm not on air all the time or people would get bored seeing you on all the shows."
Close friend and colleague Andy Tait, 43, describes him as the most "professional, knowledgeable and polished" presenter that he has ever worked with.
The ESPN Star Sports executive producer says: "He can be slightly impatient at times, but only because he sets very high standards for himself both professionally and personally. He has a very low tolerance for timewasters."
Despite Dykes insisting that he is "not vain enough to need to be recognised everywhere I go", he is very much a household name among football fans in the region.
Strangers greet him by first name on the streets like old friends, and taxi drivers in Singapore roll down their windows to say hello when they pull up alongside his car at traffic stops.
But what he really dislikes are punters who sidle up to him at coffee shops, asking for betting tips.
"If they ask me what I think of the 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle by Manchester United, I'd sit and talk with them and I'd love it.
"But the worst thing is when people come up to you and immediately go (puts on a Singlish accent): 'Eh, tonight, how many balls?' "he says, looking slightly exasperated.
Dykes, who does not gamble, usually answers with a simple "I don't know." - The Straits Times, Singapore / Asia News Network
Copyright (c) 1995-2007 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
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Sports betting online
Robin Brain
December 27, 2007
Online casinos are also referred to as internet casinos or virtual casinos and the coming of the internet has given both to these online casinos and therefore gambling is now only a click away. It is commonly believed by many that the odds offered by the online casinos to the consumers are not at par with those offered in the traditional casinos. However, it is necessary to point out that this is erroneous information as most of the online casinos offer almost similar amounts as payback percentages as the traditional casinos. There are a variety of gambling opportunities provided by online casinos and most of the popular traditional casino games like baccarat, roulette, poker etc are available for gambling in online casinos. One of the commonest forms of betting is sports betting. Sports betting is a popular means by means of which individuals place their odds by pre-determining the outcome of a game. This is the most prevalent form of sports betting though there are various other forms of betting in sports carried out. For example in case of a game of football, people can wager on not only the outcome of a game, but also on the number of goals that will be scored, the highest goal scorer etc. It is therefore doubtless that the advent of online casinos has made sports betting even more accessible to every individual across a personal computer and therefore facilitated its growth. It is to be mentioned here that while in the continent of Europe the act of sports betting is not considered to be an illegal or criminal activity, though kept under acute observation, in the United States of America it is considered to be totally illegal except in the Nevada casinos.
Multitudes of sporting events provide impetus to the activity of sports betting and the most common term with reference to online sports betting is definitely the ‘odds comparison sites'. These are specific websites in the internet which provide vital data and information to aid both professional as well as inexperienced gamblers. This information allows them to place their odds in accordance with the data which can usually assure them great monetary returns. It is also interesting to note that with the advent of online gambling different forms of arbitrage betting that were prevalently practiced have lessened considerably. However, the internet has ensured greater reach and therefore it is possible for more people to indulge in betting and while sports history is scandalized by various teams and sportsmen falling victim to the lure of betting, online betting has further facilitated it.
Be lucky at an online casino and it can change your life forever.
www.americanchronicle.com
NFL lineman among 5 arrested in Somerset sports gambling ring
by Jennifer Golson/The Star-Ledger
Monday December 17, 2007, 1:21 PM
Five men, including a former National Football League lineman, were arrested for allegedly promoting gambling through an Internet sports betting ring, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said this afternoon.
Those arrested were: former lineman Richard Todd Burger, 37, of Freehold; Anthony Pecoraro, 44, of Colts Neck; Stephen Barone, 44, of Jackson; Daniel Alaimo, 51, of Metuchen; and Peter Carfaro, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Burger started all 16 games and both postseason games for the New York Jets in 1998. He played for the Chicago Bears from 1993-97, starting a total of 24 games. He was signed by the Bears as a free agent after playing at Penn State.
The arrests came after a four-month investigation dubbed Operation Net-Bet Blitz, a joint probe by the prosecutor's Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force and the State Police Organized Crime North Unit. It started when authorities learned gamblers in Somerset County were placing bets through www.beteastsports.com, an illegal sports betting Web site connected to the operation, Prosecutor Wayne Forrest said.
Undercover detectives infiltrated the gambling operation and identified individuals who served as New Jersey agents and were able to place dozens of bets on sporting events through the Web site, Forrest said.
The men were arrested on third-degree charges of promoting gambling and conspiracy to promote gambling. Bail was set at $20,000 for each defendant, Forrest said. The investigation is ongoing.
(c) 2007 New Jersey On-Line LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions Betting Preview
Kris Lazaro, expert football handicapper from NFLSystems.com, has made a prediction on this game.
The surging Dallas Cowboys will hook up against the pathetic Detroit Lions this Sunday as 11 point road favorites at Ford Field. After a promising start, the Lions have now sputtered to a 6-6 straight up record and have now lost 4 games in a row. The author does not see the Lions taking this game, for the Boys' offensive line is much too big to penetrate and quarterback Tony Romo is having a great year.
The Cowboys quickness should give them many opportunities to score in this matchup. The 'Boys have a 4-1 ATS record on the road, while going 5-0 in those contests. Wide receiver Terrell Owens has been a great addition to this Cowboys offense, and one of Romo's favorite targets. America's team has now been a betting favorite among sports bettors, but the author suggests to not go against this team for right now. They are playing on a whole new level, and the author will not be surprised if Dallas wipes the astro-turf with the Lions’ jersey this Sunday.
Copyright 2007, TransWorldNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Sports Betting to send fan to Euro finals
By Phillip Corry
ONE football fan will watch the 2008 European Cup final in Austria and Switzerland courtesy of Sports Betting Africa (SBA).
On Friday, the betting company launched a promotion where the lucky winner will travel to Europe. SBA CEO Simon Mpanga said the fan who will have sh1m pocket money will watch the semi-finals and the final.
Published on: Saturday, 3rd November, 2007
(c) Copyright The New Vision, 2000-2007. All rights reserved.
Jeff Haney points out the NFL's hypocrisy in staging a game in betting-crazed England while taking a hard line on Las Vegas
October 26, 2007
The latest line on Sunday's game between the Giants and the Dolphins has New York favored by 9 1/2 points, according to a major British bookmaking outfit called Betfred.
English gamblers routinely make bets on American football along with snooker tournaments and the latest misadventures of the royal family, so there's nothing inherently unusual about that.
There's nothing unusual, that is, until you consider Betfred has the sports bookmaking concession at London's Wembley Stadium - the site of the Giants-Dolphins game, the first regular-season NFL game outside North America.
That's right. In a betting-mad country filled with legal bookie shops, the capital city's most venerated sports stadium has its own official bookmaker. Under a contract good through 2010, Betfred operates dozens of betting windows at Wembley.
In acquiescence to the NFL, the windows at the stadium will be closed for Sunday's game.
Yet copious gambling on the Giants and Dolphins will surely be taking place at the hundreds of other bookie shops, run by Betfred and other companies, throughout London.
An NFL game in a U.S. city with legal sports betting (read: Las Vegas) would be virtually unthinkable.
When the NBA played its All-Star Game here, it was under the condition - which Nevada gaming interests ridiculously agreed to - that no wagering would take place on the game or related activities.
NFL officials, though, are so virulently anti-gambling - or at least anti-Vegas - that the prospect of holding a game here has not reached even the level of serious discussion.
Remember, this is the league that cracked down on Las Vegas casinos for showing games on big screens at private parties for high-rolling gamblers. This is the league that prohibits promos for a dumb TV dramatic comedy called "Las Vegas" from airing during football telecasts.
It has become a running joke in betting circles that it is impossible to bet on the Super Bowl in Las Vegas - although you can wager as much as you want on the "annual professional football championship contest," or whatever goofy, non trademarked euphemism is en vogue among casinos these days.
But London gets off easy. OK, no gambling on the game ... inside the stadium. Big deal.
The NFL's schizophrenic stance on gambling has not gone unnoticed by sports -betting insiders in Las Vegas.
"This is another example of the monumental hypocrisy of the NFL when it comes to betting and Las Vegas," said UNLV professor Bill Thompson, who studies gaming issues. "Sports betting is so widespread throughout Britain, and yet the NFL continues to pick on Vegas."
Thompson recently spent a couple of weeks touring Ireland and was struck by the presence of a sports bookmaking shop in "every little town" of a few thousand souls.
The NFL is trying to expand its appeal abroad, where it will encounter a more enlightened approach toward sports betting than the prevailing attitude in the United States, best described as an unholy alliance of puritanism and paranoia.
"At some point, the NFL is just going to have to bite the bullet and deal with it," Thompson said.
The phenomenon of a regular-season NFL game 's being held in a city with rampant legal sports betting has received surprisingly little notice in the media, which is usually saturated with all things NFL.
If it were taking place in Las Vegas, the nation's self-described, self-promoting and self-important sports "experts" and pundits would be debating the issue ad infinitum.
"I think the NFL is hoping it goes unnoticed," said oddsmaker Jeff Sherman, assistant manager of the Las Vegas Hilton sports book.
An aficionado of European soccer, Sherman has spent time in London and is familiar with the city's bet-shop-on-every-corner layout.
"Even if betting is disallowed at the stadium, it will be going on right down the street," Sherman said. "I guarantee all the bookies in London will be taking plenty of action on this game. The NFL takes such a hard stand against Las Vegas, but they don't do anything to try to stop them."
Bookies in the United Kingdom are known for taking offbeat bets on topics ranging from U.S. politics (Hillary looks unstoppable) to which Catholic saint will be decanonized (Italy's Padre Pio accused of faking his stigmata!).
Dozens of betting propositions - or "props" - on Sunday's game at Wembley are expected to be offered in London, which drew Sherman's attention. The Hilton annually issues the most extensive selection of Super Bowl props in Las Vegas.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently floated the idea of one day playing the Super Bowl abroad. Can you picture a Super Bowl in Las Vegas and the ensuing betting frenzy?
"Give us a shot," Sherman said. "We could do a better job on props than anybody."
It's a far-fetched notion. But whether they like to acknowledge it or not , NFL officials took a small step in the right direction when they gave the OK to a regular-season game in a sports -betting city.
"If the NFL tried to say that betting on the NFL would have to stop before they played in London," UNLV's Thompson said, "well, they just wouldn't have been able to go to London. The NFL isn't going to stop the betting."
Jeff Haney can be reached at 259-4041 or at haney@lasvegassun.com.
All contents (c) 1996 - 2007 Las Vegas Sun, Inc.
Will sports betting pay off? State officials eye game wagering to keep revenue edge
By Drew Volturo, Delaware State News
DOVER - For nearly 12 years, Delaware has cornered the market on slots, drawing patrons throughout the region to feed the one-armed bandits, pouring more than $1.7 billion into state coffers since 1996.
Pennsylvania has opened several slots parlors since late last year, but Delaware negated that impact with legislation keeping the First State's three racinos open virtually around the clock.
Last month, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley proposed 9,500 slot machines to help bail the state out of a $1.7-billion budget deficit, noting that Marylanders contributed about $150 million to Delaware and West Virginia last year.
But Delaware still has an ace up its sleeve, and state officials are engrossed in a six-month review to determine how to reinstitute sports betting in the First State.
"There are two things that have given (sports betting) emphasis - our competition is out there in Pennsylvania and possibly Maryland, and our revenue projections are down," said Rep. Vincent A. Lofink, R-Bear, who sponsored legislation in June commissioning the study.
"Those are two pressure points that have brought it home."
Delaware is one of four states - and the only east of the Mississippi River - grandfathered from a 1992 federal law prohibiting the practice because the state had a sports betting game in 1976 and the state constitution allows it.
The state task force has been charged with outlining the benefits and "unintended consequences" of reinstituting sports betting. The final report is due Dec. 21.
Deputy Secretary of Finance Thomas J. Cook said the group is examining how to implement sports betting in Delaware, and that could include visits to Oregon and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which also has sports betting.
"There are various questions that need to be answered," Mr. Cook said. "Before we reinvent the wheel, we want to see what the wheel looks like.
"If this gets implemented, we have only one shot to do this, so we have to make sure it's structured in the most efficient and effective way."
Controller General Russell T. Larson, whose office also is part of the task force with the finance department and Office of Management and Budget, said talking with sports gaming officials in other states would help determine what rules and regulations are needed.
Mr. Larson and Mr. Cook agreed there are numerous issues to be sorted out, such as whether to charge a franchise fee, whether to require a certain amount of capital investment to get a license and where to allow sports betting - limit it to the three racetracks or allow sports betting parlors.
The financial impact also has been questioned. A study commissioned by the Video Lottery Advisory Council projected earlier this year that sports betting would contribute $70 million annually to the state.
According to the study, sports betting alone would generate $26 million annually but also would create an additional $169.3 million in slots revenues and about 250 new jobs.
The state's share of the sports betting and additional slots revenue would be about 36 percent, or $69.7 million, annually.
But Mr. Cook is quick to point out that the finance department has not signed off on a dollar figure.
The professional sports industry - Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and National Collegiate Athletic Association - has railed against the notion of reauthorizing sports betting in the First State and questioned the accuracy of the VLAC study.
Lobbyist W. Laird Stabler III, who represents all four sports groups, hopes the task force's review takes into account the type of sports betting that would be permitted under Delaware law.
Unlike Las Vegas, where you could bet on a single game, Delaware would only be allowed to operate games requiring combination or parlay bets because this was the type of betting allowed in 1976.
"Frankly, I don't think it would be that attractive to the average person who would place a bet," Mr. Stabler said. "It can't be a one-to-one bet, it has to be a lottery-type bet, a game of chance, not skill.
"I don't think the revenues will offset the negative impact that sports betting will project onto our (sporting events)."
Legislation introduced earlier this year would bettors to place wagers on any professional or collegiate sporting event, including racing, held within or outside the state, but would not include events involving Delaware colleges.
Rep. Lofink said predicting exactly how much sports betting would generate in state revenue is very difficult, noting that original projections vastly underestimated slots revenue, calling for about $2 million in 1995.
In fiscal 2007, slots contributed $218.8 million to state coffers, Delaware's fourth-largest revenue source.
While Rep. Lofink doesn't expect a sports betting proposal to move forward until Gov. Ruth Ann Minner's term ends in January 2009 - the governor has said she would veto any legislation authorizing the practice - he said it's critical to develop a plan of action now.
Laying the groundwork through the task force would allow the next governor to take action upon assuming office, he said.
"We know we're not going to start in this governor's administration, but ... we need to be prepared to get started," Rep. Lofink said.
"We can't snap our fingers and make it happen. It's going to take a few years to build up."
Staff writer Drew Volturo can be reached at 741-8296 or dvolturo@newszap.com
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