Inside Atlantic City's casinos: bettors still willing to ...

is the borgata in atlantic city open

is the borgata in atlantic city open - win

GameAccount Network to electricity Ocean Resort Casino on line services

After remaining week inking a strategic partnership for the United States with sportsbetting answers innovator SBTech, British online gaming 우리카지노 software program provider GameAccount Network has now found out the signing of a multi-12 months deal with the new owner of the approaching Ocean Resort Casino.

Previously called TEN Atlantic City till it was bought for $two hundred million in advance this month to an entity referred to as AC Ocean Walk LLC and renamed, the 1,399-room Ocean Resort Casino expects to re-open for enterprise within the summer entire with a casino offering some 2,000 slots in addition to about a hundred gaming tables.

To complement this casino, the Atlantic City assets moreover intends to offer actual-money on line gaming and sportsbetting utilizing the New Jersey-licensed platform from GameAccount Network at the same time as moreover integrating these propositions with its on-website rewards program via the London-based firm’s Patent3 innovation.

“This new Internet gaming destination is presently expected to launch in [the first half of] 2018 and will contribute materially to GameAccount Network’s revenues and earnings in [the second half of] 2018,” examine a Tuesday statement from GameAccount Network. “Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is the vast on line casino belongings previously called TEN Atlantic City/Revel Casino Hotel Atlantic City.”

GameAccount Network also said that it intends to release its monetary results for the twelve months to the cease of December on March 29 and expects these to have benefitted from the signing of four greater clients for its United States-going 골드카지노 through Simulated Gaming imparting. It declared that this innovation is now utilized by twelve casinos throughout the country and bills for over $eight billion in annual land-primarily based gaming sales.

“GameAccount Network’s United States-dealing with Simulated Gaming commercial enterprise persevered to enjoy the launch of several new United States on line casino operator clients in 2017 consisting of Ocean Resort Casino, Chickasaw Nation’s WinStar World Casino, MGM’s The Borgata, Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone and Station Casinos,” examine the declaration from GameAccount Network.
submitted by leelandylar to u/leelandylar [link] [comments]

[Sat, Jan 16 2021] TL;DR — This is what you missed in the last 24 hours on Reddit

worldnews

Canada Goose Workers Allege Unsafe Working Conditions in Winnipeg Factories. “Before I came to Canada I was in Qatar and then Dubai and it’s the same here in Canada Goose: No humanity.”
Comments || Link
COVID-19: Ice cream tests positive for coronavirus in China
Comments || Link
South African scientists discover new chemicals that kill malaria parasite
Comments || Link

news

Texas real estate agent who took private jet to D.C. charged in Capitol riot
Comments || Link
Capitol rioter known as "QAnon Shaman" will be jailed until trial
Comments || Link
6 suspects in MI Governor Whitmer kidnapping plot set to stand trial in March
Comments || Link

science

Raising the minimum wage by $1 reduces the teen birth rate by 3%, according to a new study examining U.S. state-level data.
Comments || Link
Providing workers with a universal basic income did not reduce productivity or the amount of effort they put into their work, according to an experiment, a sign that the policy initiative could help mitigate inequalities and debunking a common criticism of the proposal.
Comments || Link
Women who are young, “conventionally attractive” and appear and act feminine are more likely to be believed when making accusations of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment often stems from hostility toward women, the desire to dominate women, or backlash against women who violate gender norms.
Comments || Link

space

SLS: Nasa's 'megarocket' set to fire up engines in crucial test
Comments || Link
NASA InSight's ‘Mole' Ends Its Journey on Mars
Comments || Link
Blue Origin launched and landed its reusable New Shepard spacecraft yesterday. The test flight sent a capsule containing 6 passenger seats and a test dummy named "Mannequin Skywalker" to an altitude of around 65 miles (105 km), paving the way for commercial flights as soon as April.
Comments || Link

Futurology

Biden elevates White House science post to Cabinet level
Comments || Link
Wind overtook coal as a power source in Texas last year
Comments || Link
Raising the minimum wage by $1 reduces the teen birth rate by 3%, according to a new study examining U.S. state-level data. "For each $1 increase in the minimum wage, the number of children born to women who were 15 to 19 years old decreases by 2.8% to 3.4%"
Comments || Link

AskReddit

What's the most f*cked up thing you saw at a sleepover?
Comments || Link
[Serious] Men of Reddit, what are some questions you have regarding women's anatomy?
Comments || Link
What cinematic death would have had the best oompa loompa song?
Comments || Link

todayilearned

TIL Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930 and further investigated it across his lifetime. He died in 1997 aged 90, less than a decade before the New Horizons launch to Pluto. To honour his wishes his ashes were launched inside the spacecraft, making it the longest post mortem fight ever recorded.
Comments || Link
TIL: In 2018, doctors found that a patient, Kendra Jackson, had a leaky brain for 5 years. After an accident in 2013, she had a daily runny nose for years and suffered headaches. She lost half a pint of brain fluid a day through her nose.
Comments || Link
TIL Patricia Demauro walked to a craps table at Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa with $100. Four hours and 18 minutes later, Demauro had rolled the World Record for Craps Rolls. She rolled 154 times, the odds of accomplishing this is 1 in 1.56 trillion.
Comments || Link

dataisbeautiful

[OC] Countries that have a lower total wealth than Elon Musk
Comments || Link
Numbers from 0 to 1000 and the SUM of their digits. Nothing special, looks cool though... [OC]
Comments || Link
IMDB Ratings >5 By Language -- Are Some Audiences More Forgiving? [OC]
Comments || Link

Cooking

Green Onions for free
Comments || Link
What are some of the cooking rules you break every time?
Comments || Link
Does anyone have a homemade recipe for the sauce they put in Taco Bells quesadillas?
Comments || Link

food

Chicken Tikka Masala [homemade]
Comments || Link
[Homemade] General Tso's Chicken
Comments || Link
[Homemade] Butter chicken with Garlic naan
Comments || Link

movies

‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ Jumps Up To March 26 In HBO Max & Theatrical Debut
Comments || Link
I miss going to the movie theater.
Comments || Link
After ‘Tenet,’ Christopher Nolan Wants to Film More in India and Work with More Indian Actors
Comments || Link

Art

Tiger, Me, Hand Embroidery, 2020
Comments || Link
Yellow, me, digital, 2021
Comments || Link
Celtic Tomahawk, Me, 80 hour Wood Carving, 2018
Comments || Link

television

Ethan Hawke to Play Villain Opposite Oscar Isaac in Marvel's 'Moon Knight'
Comments || Link
James Avery (Uncle Phil) surprises Reginald VelJohnson (Carl Winslow) on "Family Matters"
Comments || Link
'Last of Us' HBO Series Finds Director With 'Beanpole' Filmmaker
Comments || Link

pics

5 year old girl comforts her 4 year old brother struggling from chemotherapy.
Comments || Link
Not much but I bought my first couch for my first place and I'm super happy with it (M21)
Comments || Link
I work with CGI and this is my 2nd attempt in trying create Photorealism with interiors!
Comments || Link

gifs

Superman!
Comments || Link
Viking animation
Comments || Link
Catculated Attack
Comments || Link

educationalgifs

Launching a TBM
Comments || Link
Blood type compatibility
Comments || Link

mildlyinteresting

The blossoms on my LEGO bonsai are small frogs
Comments || Link
This laundromat has old washing machine drums as chandeliers.
Comments || Link
Found a patch of moss behind a loading dock that looks like a tiny tropical island with a palm tree.
Comments || Link

interestingasfuck

The letter my great great uncle sent his wife to let her know he survived the pearl harbor attack.
Comments || Link
12,000 Year old Mammoth tusk found in Siberia
Comments || Link
Spruce cone turning into knife handle [OC]
Comments || Link

funny

Will Smith's facial expressions in this scene in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Comments || Link
Every time I visit my grandmother (84 years old) she "races" me down her driveway and gives me the V sign when she beats me
Comments || Link
Remember
Comments || Link

aww

My husband captured this photo of my dog and I. It perfectly describes the partnership I’ve built with her!
Comments || Link
Angela will be 16 on March 5th and is very exited to be alive everyday
Comments || Link
My dog giving his biscuit to his son. The dad thought the son didn’t get one and stood by the door until I opened it so he could give to his son. I cried.
Comments || Link

Random Subreddit of the day: Bossfight

These are its 3 top posts of all time:
We need players for the new FCC raid boss!
Comments || Link
The Beatle, lord of all music
Comments || Link
Bearers of the Eternal Duel
Comments || Link
submitted by _call-me-al_ to RedditTLDR [link] [comments]

The next Detroit: The catastrophic collapse of Atlantic City

With the closure of almost half of Atlantic City's casinos, Newark set to vote on gambling and casinos or racinos in almost every state, it seems as if the reasons for the very existence of Atlantic City are in serious jeopardy.
Israel Joffe
Atlantic City, once a major vacation spot during the roaring 20s and 1930s, as seen on HBOs Boardwalk Empire, collapsed when cheap air fare became the norm and people had no reason to head to the many beach town resorts on the East Coast. Within a few decades, the city, known for being an ‘oasis of sin’ during the prohibition era, fell into serious decline and dilapidation.
New Jersey officials felt the only way to bring Atlantic City back from the brink of disaster would be to legalize gambling. Atlantic City’s first casino, Resorts, first opened its doors in 1978. People stood shoulder to shoulder, packed into the hotel as gambling officially made its way to the East Coast. Folks in the East Coast didn't have to make a special trip all the way to Vegas in order to enjoy some craps, slots, roulette and more.
As time wore on, Atlantic City became the premier gambling spots in the country.
While detractors felt that the area still remained poor and dilapidated, officials were quick to point out that the casinos didn't bring the mass gentrification to Atlantic City as much as they hoped but the billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs for the surrounding communities was well worth it.
Atlantic City developed a reputation as more of a short-stay ‘day-cation’ type of place, yet managed to stand firm against the 'adult playground' and 'entertainment capital of the world' Las Vegas.
Through-out the 1980s, Atlantic City would become an integral part of American pop culture as a place for east coast residents to gamble, watch boxing, wrestling, concerts and other sporting events.
However in the late 1980s, a landmark ruling considered Native-American reservations to be sovereign entities not bound by state law. It was the first potential threat to the iron grip Atlantic City and Vegas had on the gambling and entertainment industry.
Huge 'mega casinos' were built on reservations that rivaled Atlantic City and Vegas. In turn, Vegas built even more impressive casinos.
Atlantic City, in an attempt to make the city more appealing to the ‘big whale’ millionaire and billionaire gamblers, and in effort to move away from its ‘seedy’ reputation, built the luxurious Borgata casino in 2003. Harrah’s created a billion dollar extension and other casinos in the area went through serious renovations and re-branded themselves.
It seemed as if the bite that the Native American casinos took out of AC and Vegas’ profits was negligible and that the dominance of those two cities in the world of gambling would remain unchallenged.
Then Macau, formally a colony of Portugal, was handed back to the Chinese in 1999. The gambling industry there had been operated under a government-issued monopoly license by Stanley Ho's Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau. The monopoly was ended in 2002 and several casino owners from Las Vegas attempted to enter the market.
Under the one country, two systems policy, the territory remained virtually unchanged aside from mega casinos popping up everywhere. All the rich ‘whales’ from the far east had no reason anymore to go to the United States to spend their money.
Then came the biggest threat.
As revenue from dog and horse racing tracks around the United States dried up, government officials needed a way to bring back jobs and revitalize the surrounding communities. Slot machines in race tracks started in Iowa in 1994 but took off in 2004 when Pennsylvania introduced ‘Racinos’ in an effort to reduce property taxes for the state and to help depressed areas bounce back.
As of 2013, racinos were legal in ten states: Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia with more expected in 2015.
Tracks like Delaware Park and West Virginia's Mountaineer Park, once considered places where local degenerates bet on broken-down nags in claiming races, are now among the wealthiest tracks around, with the best races.
The famous Aqueduct race track in Queens, NY, once facing an uncertain future, now possesses the most profitable casino in the United States.
From June 2012 to June 2013, Aqueduct matched a quarter of Atlantic City's total gaming revenue from its dozen casinos: $729.2 million compared with A.C.'s $2.9 billion. It has taken an estimated 15 percent hit on New Jersey casino revenue and climbing.
And it isn't just Aqueduct that's taking business away from them. Atlantic City's closest major city, Philadelphia, only 35-40 minutes away, and one of the largest cities in America, now has a casino that has contributed heavily to the decline in gamers visiting the area.
New Jersey is the third state in the U.S. to have authorized internet gambling. However, these online casinos are owned and controlled by Atlantic City casinos in an effort to boost profits in the face of fierce competition.
California, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Texas are hoping to join Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey and the U.S. Virgin Islands in offering online gambling to their residents.
With this in mind, it seems the very niche that Atlantic City once offered as a gambling and entertainment hub for east coast residents is heading toward the dustbin of history.
Time will tell if this city will end up like Detroit. However, the fact that they are losing their biggest industry to major competition, much like Detroit did, with depressed housing, casinos bankrupting/closing and businesses fleeing , it all makes Atlantic City’s fate seem eerily similar.
submitted by IsraelJoffeusa to u/IsraelJoffeusa [link] [comments]

My Poker Journey, From Online Crusher, to Feared Live Pro

*record scratches*
Yep that's me. You're probably wondering how I got to betting my last $15 preflop at 5NL. It all started when I was twelve years old with a little something called Luigi picture poker. This was obviously before I was even into furry porn, and my life still held promise for the future. Now, my wife has left me, I've still never had sex, and I've finally lost the custody battle for my three children. This is my story.
By any metric I was a young whipper snapper. My historic run at 25NL really was something out of a comic book, and anyone who saw me play agreed that I had what it took to play 100KNL with The Baron and Linus. I started playing when I was only thirty-two, stealing my mother's credit card from off her dresser whenever she made the mistake of leaving it out in the open, usually maxing it out to as much of the $500 spending limit that remained on it. She was a single mother, my father had left when I was only seventeen, leaving her to care for me alone. She worked hard at the casino slots to provide for herself and me, and my dream with poker, the thing that kept me focused through all the bad beats and variance, was to one day repay her for everything she had done for me.
My career had no doubt been a rocky one, but after over three years of playing I had finally run up a FIVE HUNDRED dollar bankroll, which was enough to take a shot. To make my move. I was headed to the Borgata in Atlantic City to play $5/$10 Unlimited Texas Hold Them poker, minimum buy-in $500. I knew I was ready. You see, online poker is a LOT tougher than live poker, and the adversity I had endured molded and chiseled me into a world class player, both in terms of technical skill, and making big hands. That very night, my mom had just kicked me out for using her credit card without permission again (women, right?), but I wasn't worried one bit. Because I knew. Tonight, I'd be rich.
I got to the casino that night around 3:00 pm. I was ready to play, to bring my best in a world-class lineup, and I knew I'd fit right in. I picked up my rack of chips, and took a seat to prove my worth. I played tight for an hour, folded mostly. Then I made a score. Rags. I opened the CO with pocket fours to $30 and the button snap-3bet me to $130. He knew I was new. But I had seen this guy 3bet before, and this time I wouldn't be pushed around. I bet all-in! THREE HUNDRED and TWENTY ONE dollars! I was gonna put this punk to the test. And you know what happened? He CALLED me with Ace Nine off suit! I was repping ACES, and he called me with ace nine off suit. The board ran out KK993. Sometimes the fish get lucky and there's nothing you can do. All you can do is get it in good. Devastated I checked my online account for any rakeback I might have. I threw it down at 5NL. This was my last stand. I quickly doubled, my KJs sucking out against AK for 150bb preflop, classic cooler turned bad beat when I turned the nut straight. And so everything was ready for the final hand. I opened the CO J7dd, and the button 3bet me to 10bb. I had seen this before an knew he was weak. I 4bet big. He 5bets. I knew what I had to do. There comes a time in every man's life where he has to make a choice between the right way, and the easy way. And I'll go to my grave proud of the choice I made that day, to 6bet all-in.

I'm broke now but I'm more than happy to get staked for my main game, $5/$10 at the Borgata.
submitted by K-Fresh_actual to poker [link] [comments]

r/popheads Album of the Decade #11: Paramore - Paramore

PARAMORE – PARAMORE
Release date: April 5, 2013
Album Cover
Deluxe Version Album Cover
Produced by Justin Meldal – Johnsen & select tracks (2, 3, 6 and 16) by Taylor York
Band Members:
Hayley Williams
Jeremy Davis
Taylor York
Singles –
  1. Now – January 22, 2013
  2. Still Into You - March 14, 2013
  3. Daydreaming – December 2, 2013
  4. Ain’t It Fun – February 4, 2014
a. Video directed by Sophia Peer b. Best Rock Song – 57th Grammy Awards i. Hayley became the first woman to win the award since Alanis Morrissette in 1999
It’s funny, I shouldn’t like Paramore like I do. I shouldn’t, I should actually probably loathe the ever-loving hell out of Hayley and co., I have too many bad memories associated with them, but they keep coming along and slapping me across the face with greatness.
Imagine this, it’s like 2005 or something. I’m a sophomore in high school. There I am in my black skinny jeans, long hair, and a t-shirt from Hot Topic, either Led Zeppelin or Metallica but what matters is the shirt is black. Like my soul. I get home from school and immediately go to the computer room, remember computer rooms? (Of course you don’t, you were all like 4 in 2005.) I turn the beast on and wait for it to boot, I get signed in and double click on the icon for AOL Instant Messenger or AIM as the cool kids called it. I see who on my Buddy ListTM is signed on and I see my girlfriend at the time is on but away, “Hanging out with Kevin and Kirsten, have work later, catch me there.” Normal to me, I had plans to visit her and get some ice cream from the ice cream shop she worked at. But I scroll down and see she had changed the lyrics in her Buddy ProfileTM, they were lyrics I was unfamiliar with.
If you’re unfamiliar with computer instant messaging in the midaughts these profiles were E V E R Y T H I N G. Mostly they were just filled with song lyrics that reflected how you were feeling, how great your school sports team was doing or dumb little jokes. It was a good time. I read the lyrics in my then-girlfriend’s profile.
Cause I've seen love die way too many times When it deserved to be alive (It deserved to be alive) I've seen you cry way too many times When you deserved to be alive, alive I Googled and found out that it was a song called Emergency by a band from Franklin, Tennessee called Paramore. I thought the song was fine, I really didn’t focus on the lyrical content, but I should have because it was a precursor to a breakup. We broke up literally the next day.
For comparison sake these were the lyrics I had in my buddy profile at the time:
We live happily ever trapped If you just save my life Run and tell the angels That everything is all right
Flashforward
The year is 2014. I’m at the Monumentour with my sister, her best friend and my girlfriend at the time. This was the show that made me a Paramore fan. Before this I liked Paramore but they weren’t the first band I reached for when scrolling down my iPod Classic, in black of course. Seeing Hayley live changed everything for me. But again, I was with a girl who in a very short time would not only break my heart but emotionally destroy me.
It’s May of 2015. I’m driving to Atlantic City to see Paramore on the Writing the Future tour. I’m traveling with two friends from work. I have a thing with the one girl, it’s more or less ending, but we as people were still on good terms. She ended up getting married a few months after this show. (And yes, I was invited to the wedding.)
We jump again
It’s late2017. I’m on a bed with a girl as she plays 26 on her ukulele. Another Paramore record. Another Paramore song. Another girl who didn’t work out.
There’s no other band that I have this connection with when it comes to relationships. I should shun Paramore at every turn because I know it means heartache. (Paramore pls release Paramore6 and destroy me again, thanks.) But I can’t. I keep coming back to Paramore, day after day, time after time and for good reason. They just know how to write music that is relatable, that is catchy, that makes me want to keep listening. I think part of it is the age difference, there isn’t much. Hayley is 3 years older than I am, Taylor is 2 years older than I am, Zac is barely a year older than I. So the things they’re going through are the things I’m going through, and that connection can’t be broken. And even more personal, Hayley loves the kind of music that I love. Her favorite band is the Philadelphia based post-hardcore group MewithoutYou. While I don’t specially love MWY, I love the genre and of course I love their city.
In April of 2013 the band that released their self-titled album though wasn’t comprised of Hayley Williams, Zac Farro and Taylor York though. The Self-Titled era line up comprised of Hayley Williams on vocals and pianos, Jeremy Davis on bass guitar and Taylor York on literally everything else. (Okay, not literally everything but basically.) Rounding out the band in the studio was Ilan Rubin on drums and Justin Meldal-Johnsen as producer and various percussion. (Fun fact: Ilan and Justin both played in Nine Inch Nails for a time, so thinking about it that is a strange vibe to bring to Paramore of all bands, but it worked.)
Between brand new eyes and the Self-Titled Record Paramore would see themselves go from a 5 piece band to the 3 piece that ultimately released the record. On December 18, 2010 a message released through Paramore.net stated that the brothers Josh, guitar, and Zac, drums, Farro were departing the band. A few days later Josh Farro released his fiery own statement. This left the future of the band in doubt, especially as they were about to go on another tour leg, but the remaining members said they were dedicated and would keep touring and keep releasing tracks. This strength as a threesome eventually was reflected in the new branding of the band, they adopted a simple geometric logo that was comprised of three bars. One for each member.
But like my love for the band, the band has endured, and in the Spring of 2013 Paramore released Paramore and the Self-Titled era had arrived. And in a big way.
I’m not going to tackle all the tracks here, and I apologize if I skip something that is your favorite, I’ve never been the best at describing music. I can describe my thoughts and feelings towards the songs, but I can’t really articulate it in musical terms. It’s probably why I was a drummer and it probably is for the same reason I was never able to do abstractions in math class.
Select album tracks:
Fast in My Car
Boom kick snare, boom kick snare, boom kick snare. A guitar riff that knocks you on your butt. A lyric that punches you across the face. Fast in My Car opens the album and sets the story straight, it’s us three against the world and we’re going to do everything that we can to continue our take over. It’s a constant theme that runs through this album. Paramore got personal in the past, but I truly feel that Paramore took a huge risk with this album and went more personal than ever. And that theme continued into their next record, After Laughter and we can only hope it continues into Hayley’s new record (Petals for Armor something is coming January 22, if you are unaware.)
Now
Now was our first taste of Paramore after brand new eyes and it was a shot to the chest. If you hadn’t been paying attention it was your first taste of Paramore since Playing God debuted in November of 2010. To those a little more in tune with the current of the times it was the first song since November 2011 when Paramore released In the Mourning, the final of three tracks released from The Singles Club. Either way you were transported into an entirely new world. I very clearly remember my first thought upon hearing Now, “Wow, this sounds like No Doubt.” I really don’t know why I thought this, because comparing Now to No Doubt as an entire entity there really isn’t any similarities. I was, and most likely still am, a dumb ass back in January of 2013.
Like Fast in My Car this song is another kick ass alt rock song that retains their pop punk sensibilities that were all over their debut and Riot!, but it’s also grown up. Which is pretty interesting since the next track is literally called Grow Up. Even if I’m not talking about Grow Up, whoops.
Interlude: Moving On
Paramore includes three ukulele interludes on the album and for an album this size, 17 tracks, I think it’s important to have these cleansers between the different sections of the album. The first four tracks are pretty much standard Paramore fare. This is what you expected out of them.
Then this track hits. I know I scratched my head the very first time I heard this track. A uke on a Pmore track? Yeah, okay, acoustic I can understand, but a ukulele? Alright then.
I didn’t love this album the very first time I heard it. Actually, I downright hated it the first time. I had a very narrow-minded view of what Paramore was as a band this record took a wrecking ball to that notion. They bamboozled me. But they introduced me to some of the finest damn music I have ever heard in my life.
Ain’t It Fun
I don’t really know if I have anything to say about this song that hasn’t already been said since it was released to the world. If you know, you know. And in a world where we may no longer get Misery Business this is a worthy successor, at least I think. If you’ve never stood in a crowd while you’re all screaming Ain’t It Fun then you’re missing a very key piece of your life and I suggest that the next time Paramore comes rolling through your town you check them out. (Even if this track is somehow not played you won’t be disappointed because like I said they put on a hell of a show.)
Ain’t it Fun though is the first real departure from the band’s signature sound. They embrace the pop of pop punk or punk pop or whatever you want to call it. And they nail it. From the piano riff to the xylophone phone every note is perfect and every note makes you want to hear more. Once this was released as a single I heard it all the time on the radio, and you know what? I didn’t care. It was a song I was always excited to hear and a song I always blasted when my locals played it.
Last Hope
If you know one thing about me know this, I don’t watch music videos. Sure, if it exists I’ll watch it once and then never again. And usually I don’t even give live videos the time of day, it just isn’t for me. But this? This version of Last Hope from the Monumentour I find myself coming back to again and again and again. Even now almost 6 years later. It encapsulates everything that I love about this song. Hayley’s voice is on point and it lets the emotion of the song just shine through.
Like Ain’t it Fun, this song plays with the classic Paramore sound a bit. Sure, we’ve gotten this pseudo sort of ballad in the past but nothing like this. Everything from the music to the lyrics to Hayley’s own voice just seems so much more mature. This song is a reminder to myself, and others, that eventually things are all going to be alright. You got to let it happen.
Still Into You
Look, I enjoy this song, but I really don’t want to talk about it but I feel like I need to at least touch on it because it’s a single and it brings some humanity to this record in a different way. Songs like this are interesting because it helps you remember that music is written by real people and it isn’t just spat out by a computer, or at least it shouldn’t be. It helps remind you that life is ever changing and you really never know where and how you’ll end up next, good or bad.
Still Into You was written by Hayley about her then fiancé Chad Gilbert, from pop punk band New Found Glory.
Since the record was released, they got married and also got divorced. To my knowledge, which could be wrong, Hayley is currently single and Chad recently proposed to a new girl. Hayley was younger than Chad, and this new girl is even younger than Hayley. So big yikes right there on Chad’s part. It’s a fun song but it’s just so hard for me to listen to, I can’t disconnect, I’m jealous if you can. Chad is just a shit bag and while I was never a fan of NFG I did enjoy a handful of tracks and his predatory behavior really turned me off completely. My Friends Over You, more like Paramore and their Feelings Over You.
Hate to See Your Heart Break
I’m gonna be honest, this is the only track on the album I don’t like. It just doesn’t do it for me. And I was sad when the deluxe edition was released and we got two versions of this track. At the end of the day this song can only be defined as “fine.”
(One of Those) Crazy Girls
Probably one of the most interesting songs on the album because it’s so not Paramore’s vibe. In music nor in lyrics, and I think that’s part of the reason I’m so intrigued by it and in love with it. It’s almost jazzy. You’d expect to hear this crooned in a very smokey and very seedy night club off the beaten path. In my mind I just seeing a woman on a stage lit by a single light in a Jessica Rabbit type dress and a feather boa. You sit there with your two fingers of whiskey and wonder “Is this girl playing a character right now or is this how she really is?” But at the same time you say fuck it, and go for her anyway.
When I saw Paramore on the Writing the Future tour this track was the biggest surprise in the setlist for me.
My long term ex-girlfriend also really really loved this song, I should have taken it as some sort of weird sign. I kid. A bit.
Be Alone
The intro guitar part, and really the guitar throughout the whole of this song is one of those things that dreams are made of. It reverberates not only through the track but also through my mind. I have a couple of songs that play in my head when nothing is going on and the intro to Be Alone is one of them.
Besides the guitar I’m a real big fan of how hard hitting the drums are mixed in this song. The snare has a pop that isn’t like any other pop on the record, the cymbal splashes are the same. The harmonies near the end of the song really put it over the top too. I’m a sucker for female fronted rock bands partly because I love the combo of a male and female voice together. And turn that into gang vocals and boy you got a stew cooking and I’m ready to visit for dinner.
It gives it such an extra oomph! And it really plays into the very next track and how spacey it is. You have this tight monster of a song that is fast pace and exciting and a lot of snare rolls and then you hit the next track, but first with almost a level of silence that drives you crazy.
Future
Future, the final track of the standard edition is a great track. Neigh, an amazing track. It’s tied for my favorite Paramore song of all time. (The other song is also on this record.) While much of the record was a departure from their established sound, which has roots in the previous record brand new eyes and would follow on their next record After Laughter, Future takes that weirdness and runs with it. Runs far away with it. But Paramore would go to even greater lengths to do that on their next record as well. After Laughter includes the amazing and perfect track No Friend; in this essay within an essay I will begin to dissect why….
Anyways, where was I?
Future starts and stops, it’s sparse and it is full at the same time. This is one track I’ve always had trouble explaining to people. It’s Paramore if Paramore decided to be a jam band and it somehow absolutely works and is them at their very best. They played this song on the Writing the Future tour as the encore song and seeing and hearing it was as a religious experience. I was in awe at that performance and I think about it all the time. I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my 28 years and most of those were things that happened. Future on the Writing the Future tour is something that is part of me and has shaped me to this day. That’s weird as hell to say, but it’s true. This song just makes me want to be a better human being. There are other songs on this record that state that more explicitly through the lyrics but you know when a song hits you in the right way, well Future does that to me.
Escape Route
Escape Route is tied with Future as my other favorite song on the record and tied as my favorite Paramore song. It’s a shame that it is bonus track and not in the main track list, but I understand why. It’s pure pop punk, as well as the other two bonus tracks Native Tongue and Tell Me It’s Okay, and they wouldn’t fit the vibe of the record. This may be a Paramore record but it isn’t a pop punk record. It’s pop punk, but aged like a nice red wine. Lyrically the song hits me in the right way and one of my favorite lines in the song
I’m in all the echoes that have faded out
became a rally cry on a piece of Paramore merch that I feel lucky to own, and still own and still wear.
You know, I really should have done something for every track, I wanted to, but life got in the way. Life is dumb. We should all just lay in the forest and camp and just listen to music, life would be more perfect that way.
And that’s that. I love this record with my entire heart. I think embracing this album and embracing this band for who they became helped me to appreciate music in a much broader sense, it helped me realize that you don’t always have to stay in your neatly defined musical box. You can take your influences and meld them with your sound, you can explore new sounds, you can stay the same. And you can do them all together on the same record and have it all be cohesive. I think that’s the true sign of a great band, not only making a cohesive record but one that is sonically all over the place and still being One ThingTM.
This album is 17 tracks long and never once have I ever felt that it felt too long. Every listen, except maybe the first few, it feels too short. I could listen to this record every day for the rest of my life and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it. I’ll always find some new nuance in it, some new note that Hayley sings or Taylor strums that I somehow never caught the first time, or maybe I did catch it and I just appreciate it in a new way.
I never imagined that the band who released Emergency or MizBiz or That’s What You Get would evolve into this beast that they are now. To tell you the truth, I thought they were a fad. After I learned who they were I was so certain they were going to burn out bright and. But they didn’t, and I’m happy for that. I’ve now seen Paramore 4 times and each show just out does the last. I’ve vowed to myself that as long as they tour I’m never going to miss a show. I’ll be there belting out Ain’t It Fun until my last dying breath. See you in the pit. (Yes, Pmore shows somehow end up having a pit, they may have strayed a bit from their Warped Tour roots, but they fans haven’t.)
Bonus Round During the Self Titled touring cycle I was lucky enough to have seen Paramore on two different tours, which I mentioned above. For fun, here’s the setlists to those shows.
Monumentour – Camden, NJ
Writing the Future – Atlantic City, NJ
Discussion Questions
  1. If you’re old like me what were your first impressions of this album based on the material Paramore had put out before it?
  2. Where do you think Paramore is headed next after After Laughter, and after Hayley’s solo record? Or, are you one of those who believe the band is done and it’s Zac and Half Noise while Hayley is off on her own and Taylor is out here just producing records?
  3. Do you genuinely enjoy when a band completely flips the script and does something out of left field, like Future or No Friend, or do you prefer for them to stick to one style?
  4. When Paramore burst on the scene they were led by a small fireball with a head full of bright orange locks, through the years the shade has changed and with the Self-Titled era Hayley really began to experiment with her hair color. Even eventually launching a hair dye brand! What’s your favorite Hayley hair look?
At the end of all of this I feel so bad for focusing mostly on Hayley. I truly didn’t mean to. I’m not one to read or watch interviews so when it comes to my favorite artists I’m pretty in the dark. I mean, let’s put it this way, as much as I love Taylor I still don’t know all the details on the whole Taylor and Kanye thing that led to Tay writing Reputation. Yeah, that’s how not in the know I can be, it just isn’t stuff that interests me. All I know is Paramore makes me feel stuff and I hope they make you feel something too.
Happy Saturday, dudes. Have a good one!
submitted by McIgglyTuffMuffin to popheads [link] [comments]

A Live Performance of Every Paramore Song (That They've Played Live)

I decided to make an archive of sorts of my favorite performances of all Paramore's songs that they’ve done live (to my knowledge). Sorry if some are low quality. With some of these songs, low quality video/audio is all there is. Added date and location to each just for some more context. Most of these are the ones I find myself watching most frequently which is why I chose them - not really based on any criteria other than that. Hope I didn’t miss anything :)
ALL WE KNOW IS FALLING
All We Know
September 3rd, 2006
House of Blues; Anaheim, California, USA
credit: ChloeHayes

Pressure
June 14th, 2008
Norwegian Wood; Frognerbadet, Oslo, Norway
credit: Daniel Garcés Velasco

Emergency
May 10th, 2008
BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend; Maidstone, England, United Kingdom
credit: juan ferro

Brighter
April 30th, 2010
Trump Taj Mahal; Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
credit: RTMorasonMD

Here We Go Again
September 3rd, 2006
House of Blues; Anaheim, California, USA
credit: ChloeHayes

Never Let this Go
May 22nd, 2015
Open Air Theater; San Diego, California, USA
credit: TheRealConcertKing

Whoa
June 15th, 2008
Provinssirock Festival; Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland
credit: hanu767

Conspiracy
March 9th, 2014
Parahoy!
credit: Shannon Moore

Franklin
June 15th, 2007
Rocketown; Nashville, Tennessee, USA
credit: Kerrie Simmons

My Heart
December 18th, 2009
Wembley Arena; London, England, United Kingdom
credit: nayrh89

RIOT!
For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic
July 20th, 2011
Warped Tour; Cleveland, Ohio, USA
credit: propertyofzack

That's What You Get
March 13th, 2008
MTV Spring Break; Panama City Beach, Florida, USA
credit: yxXParamorexXy

Hallelujah
August 12th, 2008
Congress Theater; Chicago, Illinois, USA
credit: amaia182

Misery Business
September 1st, 2009
MySpace Secret Show; Munich. Germany
credit: Warner Music Germany

When It Rains
June 14th, 2008
Norwegian Wood; Frognerbadet, Oslo, Norway
credit: Manon Let

Let the Flames Begin
May 26th, 2013
BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend; Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
credit: Bianca Rodrigues

Miracle
March 10th, 2014
Parahoy!
credit: TheLeaD88

Crushcrushcrush
July 16th, 2009
Rexall Place; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
credit: catcrackermusic

We Are Broken
August 12th, 2008
Congress Theater; Chicago, Illinois, USA
credit: musicfan556

Fences
August 14th, 2012
Fox Theater; Pomona, California, USA
credit: RTMorasonMD

Born For This
June 13th, 2007
The Sauce on FUSE
credit: yxXParamorexXy

BRAND NEW EYES
Careful
October 17th, 2009
The Electric Factory; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
credit: RTMorasonMD

Ignorance
September 8th, 2009
Taratata
credit: zildjiandrum1

Playing God
September 7th, 2011
Fueled By Ramen 15th Anniversary; New York, New York, USA
credit: marcellaaac

Brick By Boring Brick
June 18th, 2010
Hurricane Festival; Scheeßel, Germany
credit: TerpMusic

Turn It Off
July 28th, 2017
Grand Casino Hinckley Amphitheater; Hinckley, Minnesota, USA
credit: Jonathan Hanson

The Only Exception
December 10th, 2010
Jingle Ball; New York, New York USA
credit: 106.5 The End

Feeling Sorry
August 3rd, 2010
Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion; Gilford, New Hampshire, USA
credit: saskatchawan

Looking Up
July 16th, 2011
Warped Tour; Montreal, Quebec, Canada
credit: RTMorasonMD

Where the Lines Overlap
August 7th, 2009
Summer Sonic; Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
credit: Paramore Videos

Misguided Ghosts
July 11th, 2018
Concrete Street Amphitheater; Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
credit: JasonJude1

SINGLES CLUB
Renegade
June 7th, 2013
Rock Am Ring; Nürnberg, Germany
credit: FueledByPmore

Hello Cold World
August 14th, 2012
Fox Theater; Pomona, California, USA
credit: RTMorasonMD

In the Mourning
April 5th, 2013
The Garage; London, England, United Kingdom
credit: steveatgigs

PARAMORE
Fast In My Car
September 4th, 2013
iTunes Festival; London, England, United Kingdom
credit: LiveConciertLive

Now
February 1st, 2014
Celebrity Beach Bowl; New York, New York, USA
credit: MaisParamore

Grow Up
October 23rd, 2013
Viejas Arena; San Diego, California, USA
credit: jsradiohead

Daydreaming
November 11th, 2013
Sands Event Center; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
credit: RTMorasonMD

Interlude: Moving On
April 20th, 2013
Grimey’s; Nashville, Tennessee, USA
credit: StevenSalazar1995

Ain't It Fun
August 22nd, 2014
Reading Festival; Reading, England, United Kingdom
credit: Paramore BR

Part II
July 12th, 2014
Bunbury Festival; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
credit: Amanda S

Last Hope
June 19th, 2014
Xfinity Theater; Hartford, Connecticut, USA
credit: RTMorasonMD

Still Into You
September 20th, 2014
iHeartRadio Music Festival; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
credit: LiveConciertLive

Anklebiters
July 31st, 2013
Espaço das Américas; Barra Funda, São Paulo, Brazil
credit: Bianca Souza

Interlude: Holiday
March 9th, 2014
Parahoy!
credit: Roxi

Proof
May 1st, 2013
Wiltern Theater; Los Angeles, California, USA
credit: Lauren Leialoha

Hate to See Your Heart Break
June 16th, 2017
Waterfront Hall; Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
credit: Mark Withers

(One of Those) Crazy Girls
May 8th, 2015
Borgata Event Center; Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
credit: Paul Roma

Interlude: I'm Not Angry Anymore
January 9th, 2014
Brisbane Entertainment Center; Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
credit: crabsmen

Be Alone
March 7th, 2016
Parahoy! 2
credit: Michael Esposito

Future
April 27th, 2015
Bell Auditorium; Augusta, Georgia, USA
credit: MizBizSav

AFTER LAUGHTER
Hard Times
June 17th, 2018
Lakeview Amphitheater; Syracuse, New York, USA
credit: John Mann

Rose-Colored Boy
January 19th, 2018
Manchester Arena; Manchester, England, United Kingdom
credit: towerxoverxme

Told You So
July 2nd, 2017
Admiralspalast; Berlin, Germany
credit: Domi Diamond

Forgiveness
October 17th, 2017
The Ryman Auditorium; Nashville, Tennessee, USA
credit: karunadreamer0

Fake Happy
July 5th, 2017
Rock For People; Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
credit: Johny362

26
July 7th, 2017
Cirkus; Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden
credit: Sofia Blomgren

Pool
February 14th, 2018
Genting Arena; Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
credit: Aisling Meade

Grudges
July 5th, 2018
The Armory; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USAcredit: Jonathan Hanson

Caught in the Middle
June 20th, 2018
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook; Gilford, New Hampshire, USA
credit: John Mann

Idle Worship
April 8th, 2018
Parahoy! 3
credit: Kaz

No Friend
April 8th, 2018
Parahoy! 3
credit: Kaz

Tell Me How
September 7th, 2018
Art + Friends; Nashville, Tennessee, USA
credit: karunadreamer0

B-SIDES
Rewind
February 14th, 2006
Beat Kitchen; Chicago, Illinois, USA
credit: NadeHQproductions

Temporary
February 11th, 2006
Ascot Room at The Quest; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
credit: s0c0ntroversial

Oh Star
March 7th, 2016
Parahoy! 2
credit: Kaz

Stop This Song (Lovesick Melody)
June 14th, 2008
Norwegian Wood; Frognerbadet, Oslo, Norway
credit: Luiza P

Decoy
May 19th, 2009
Save Mart Center; Fresno, California, USA
credit: k9ripper85

Decode
August 7th, 2009
Summer Sonic; Chiba City, Chiba, Japan
credit: Paramore Videos

I Caught Myself
March 7th, 2017
Hamburg Stadtpark; Hamburg, Germany
credit: ANJA_SIMBA T.

Monster
February 22nd, 2013
Sydney Enmore Theater; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
credit: Luque Coolhand

Escape Route
March 7th, 2014
Parahoy!
credit: Anna Smart

Tell Me It's Okay
April 30th, 2015
SunFest; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
credit: Mikey Nguyen
submitted by livingalien to Paramore [link] [comments]

After winning $1.3 Million at a Casino, Why does a man cover himself in Gasoline and drop a lit Match?

Myra Kindle is an independent investigative reporter.
Her other reports:

Boardwalk Attraction

What drives a person to cover themselves in gasoline and drop a match by their feet?
That was the question that ran through the minds of many in a crowd outside the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey on March 23rd, 2019.
At approximately 7:45PM on that cold spring eve, a Mr. James Ferdini, age 47, covered himself in gasoline and was prepared to drop a match in the fuel.
As the crowd shouted for him to stop and several witnesses called the police, Mr. Ferdini reportedly stood unfazed, simply grinning and appearing to revel in the crowd’s shock.
“It was a suicidal action but it didn’t look like a suicidal person,” says Sam Kenset, an eyewitness to the incident. “I guess I don’t really know what a suicidal person looks like, but his movements and the way he was talking -- he just didn’t seem like a man down on his luck.”
Ms. Kenset is quite astute in her observation -- Mr. Feredini was certainly not down on his luck. In fact only moments before covering himself in gasoline, Mr. Ferdini had cashed out more than $1.3 million in winnings from the Borgata Hotel and Casino, making his suicidal action all the more puzzling.
However dangerous, Mr. Ferdini’s gasoline soaked stunt would not lead to his death on March 23rd, but his life was not long for this world either. Three days later on March 26th he would be found dead from an entirely different cause.
In Mr. Ferdini’s incredible winnings and suicidal tendencies leading up to his unusual and grizzly death on March 26th, many questions remain. Who was James Ferdini? What happened to his more than million dollars in winnings? And what was the lead up of events that caused his demise?
Based on interviews with management at the Borgata Hotel and Casino, local police and investigators, and corroborated with eyewitness accounts, independent investigative reporter Myra Kindle, for the first time, brings you a report on the man who nearly bankrupted a casino, and whose luck seemed to make him invincible until his highly improbable death.

What are the Odds?

As the match fell to James Ferdini’s feet outside the Borgata Hotel and Casino, the crowd stood agasp as they waited for the inevitable fire and horrible death of a gas soaked man. This moment would never come however, and the match reportedly landed in the puddle of gasoline meeting it as though it were water.
“The crowd started to look away the moment he dropped the match,” says Matthew Gershowitz, a witness to the event. “I couldn’t though -- I needed to see what would happen. I mean we all thought we were witnessing a suicide or something, but the guy was jovial, happy, making jokes with the crowd before he lit the match. And then when it hit the gas, it just burned out, and the man started laughing. We were all amazed. It was like a miracle -- we thought he’d die for sure.”
While it’s quite understandable that the crowd believed they had witnessed a miracle when James did not burst into flames, professor of organic chemistry at Villanova University, Marcy Li, says the odds of Mr. Ferdini’s death were far less than certain.
“Gasoline is certainly flammable, but not like in the way shown in movies and TV,” says professor Li. “It’s the layer of vapor above that gasoline that is most likely to combust. There could be a number of factors like wind, humidity and temperature that improved Mr. Ferdini’s chance of avoiding being burned alive. I would certainly say he’s lucky, but I wouldn’t say it’s a miracle he didn’t burst into flames.”
If Mr. Ferdini relied on luck that day to survive, it would appear to have been with him in spades for quite some time.
Having just come from the Borgata casino floor, James was reportedly on a ‘hot-streak’, winning tens of thousands of dollars an hour over the preceding two days.
“You have to imagine we were pretty happy when he left the casino,” says Richard Markelson, a floor manager at the Borgata. “Normally we want customers to stay as long as possible so the house can win our money back, but Mr. Ferdini never had a bad roll, spin, or lever pull the whole 40 consecutive hours he was gambling at the Borgata. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Mr. Markelson was able to confirm through cash-logs and casino surveillance that Mr. Ferdini had indeed won big at the Borgata, and records show his total winnings amounted to $1,348,427.
Mr. Markelson said of the winnings: “It was enough of a loss over a short period of time that the owners of the casino were worried our insurance premiums were gonna jump. A casino in Atlantic City simply doesn’t lose that much money in such a short time, at least not to a nobody, and Mr. Ferdini was certainly a nobody.”

A Career Loser

While management at the Borgata Hotel and Casino did not know Mr. Ferdini prior to his 40 hour lucrative gambling binge, many on Atlantic City’s boardwalk have been acutely aware of James for years.
For example after James’s stunt with the gasoline, he was arrested and taken to the Atlantic City jail and held on the possible charge of disorderly conduct, but was released after the charges were dropped. The reason? The police had a long record of interactions with Mr. Ferdini and thought of him only as a minor risk.
“We were more worried about the guy’s mental health than him causing a scene on the boardwalk,” says Atlantic City officer Paul Stevenson. “We’ve known James for years -- I mean he’s a loser. Is it a shock to me that he would try and commit suicide like that? Absolutely not.”
When asked why the police did not opt to commit Mr. Ferdini to a hospital on a psychological evaluation, officer Stevenson replied: “The plan was to have him committed, but some lawyer showed up and we didn’t want a legal fight, so we decided to release him instead. I felt a bit mixed about it. I mean the guy was clearly suicidal -- why else would you douse yourself in gasoline?”
When told that Mr. Ferdini was reportedly jovial and happy during the gasoline incident, and that he had in fact won more than a million dollars immediately prior to the event, officer Stevenson struggled with the narrative: “That doesn’t sound like the James Ferdini I know. He’s always been a depressed gambler, and never won a game in his life as far as I know. He couldn’t win a hundred bucks, let alone a million. I can’t even believe they let him into the Borgata in the first place, but I guess the cash winnings explains the lawyer.”
Officer Stevenson asked if I could confirm the details of the winnings and that Mr. Ferdini was in a jovial mood during the gasoline incident. When I showed documentation of Mr. Ferdini’s winnings provided by Mr. Markelson and relayed several eyewitness accounts as to his temperament, officer Stevenson replied: “I don’t get it. So, why’d he try to burn himself alive?”

The ‘Cooler’

Perhaps no individual has a better sense of who Mr. Ferdini is and what happened to him than the floor manager at the Borgata, Mr. Markelson.
For 40 hours prior to the gasoline incident, Mr. Ferdini bet heavily at the Borgata casino, and Mr. Markelson was in close proximity for much of his hot-streak.
“I was actually supposed to be on vacation that week,” says Mr. Markelson, “but I got called in because the other cooler was sick.”
A ‘cooler’ as Mr. Markelson explained, is a relic of old casinos that today is rarely used, however some establishments still invest in what could be called ‘charms’ to bring bad luck to high rollers.
“I got hired because I’m unlucky,” explains Mr. Markelson. “I can do the job of floor manager just fine -- don't get me wrong -- but it was my knack for bad luck that got me the job for sure.”
A cooler operates by simply being present around those that are on a run of good luck. In Mr. Markelson’s account, he says that being around him will bring such bad luck to any gambler that their cards will go cold, their lever pulls result in no winnings, and their wheel spins doomed to lose money.
“It’s a talent I’ve had since, well, forever,” says Mr. Markelson. “If I just stand near someone, they’ll start to have bad luck like me. I know it sounds crazy, and sometimes I don’t believe it myself, but it’s true. I mean, like I said, I think that’s why the casino hired me. They could count on me to go onto the casino floor and bring bad luck to anyone that’s winning a bit too much. Best part, since it’s based on superstition, it’s completely above board.”
With James Ferdini, Richard Markelson found that his power did not work however.
“I don’t know about before I showed up, but for when I was watching him, that man could not lose. The casino made me stay multiple shifts, I’m talking nearly 40 hours to watch him and were hoping I’d bring him bad luck, but it never happened. He just kept on winning no matter what game he played.”

An Escalation of Bets

In attempting to find James Ferdini’s state of mind prior to the gasoline incident, floor manager Richard Markelson provided unfettered access to video of the casino floor, even though he realized he could be breaking several state gambling commission laws by allowing a reporter to look at such surveillance. In fact, more than taking the risk, it was Mr. Markelson that called me and led me to this story in the first place.
“The police didn’t send him to the hospital after the gas thing I’ve been told. I figured the truth has to be somewhere and when police won’t do their job, I guess it’s reporters that have to step in,” says Mr. Markelson. “The most important thing to be me personally is finding out why he died just a few days later in that horrible freak accident -- the one on March 26th.”
When asked if Mr. Markelson had any interest in finding Mr. Ferdini’s still missing $1.3 million, he replied: “Of course, but that’s not my primary concern here. I just want to know what the fuck happened. How does a guy who should have felt on top of the world go to dousing himself in gasoline, and then ends up dead a few days later? I really want to know.”
In the video access provided by Mr. Markelson, I managed to find new clues that might be able to explain Mr. Ferdini’s downward spiral.
It could best be described as an escalation of bets that appeared to take place soon after Mr. Ferdini began his run of good luck. According to video of the casino floor, around the time manager Richard Markelson appeared, Mr. Ferdini started his miraculous winning streak.
The video shows Mr. Ferdini starting with craps, moving to baccarat, then slot machines, and followed by a long run at twenty-one. He continues to gamble for 40 straight hours, much of it with Mr. Markelson in close proximity.
“I was the only cooler around, so the higher ups at the Borgata made me stay the whole time. I got a lot of overtime that week,” says Mr. Markelson.
Curiously, the video shows that at around the 25 hour mark Mr. Ferdini attracts something of a crowd. While the video offers no sound, it appears as though Mr. Ferdini is making several wagers with his new found groupies.
At first a few in his new entourage gamble him directly in casino floor games like Texas Holdem, but it appears as though they make several bets outside of the casino games as well.
In one instance Mr. Ferdini appears to bet that he can drink boiling hot water. The video shows him drinking a scalding hot cup and immediately receiving a small payout from several people he was talking to before beginning the stunt.
It became clear to me after reviewing the video surveillance that for this story, I would need to speak to at least one of the people who witnessed Mr. Ferdini taking on these non-casino game bets. Thankfully, with Mr. Markelson’s help I was able to track down Maria Nowak, who in the video appears to spend several hours with Mr. Ferdini.
A resident of Atlantic City, Ms. Nowak was able to confirm that Mr. Ferdini was taking part in what she describes as “extreme behavior”, and that he was seemingly willing to bet on anything and everything. Even games that were clearly not of chance, like drinking boiling hot water.

”For $500, Right?”

Why did Mr. Ferdini cover himself in gasoline and drop a match? It’s a question essential to understanding his mindset, and one for which the answer appears to be quite simple.
After tracking down Ms. Nowak, a long time resident who often partakes in long gambling binges herself, she claims Mr. Ferdini covered himself in gasoline and dropped a match in the fuel simply because of a wager.
“We had been doing side bets for hours,” says Ms. Nowak, who agreed to meet me at Hayday Cafe, a local coffee shop. “I was with a group of friends and we noticed that this guy [Mr. Ferdini] had not been losing any bets for hours. The guy was pretty much throwing money around and that type of attitude attracts the crowd I was with. So, we started making small talk and then made a few bets, dumb, small ones to start.”
When asked what bets her group made with Mr. Ferdini, Ms. Nowak replies: “At first it was things like, how many casino chips he could fit into his mouth. But then it escalated pretty quickly, like soon we were betting on how much money he could win in an hour. Then a bit after that he did this really stupid boiling hot water challenge -- he simply bet he could drink boiling hot water without having to go to the hospital. The bet didn’t make any sense, but like everything else, he won.”
“The gasoline challenge was the craziest though,” she continues. “It was clearly a joke when my friend suggested it, but James took him up on it right away. The challenge was, like, ‘can you cover yourself in gasoline, drop a match, and survive?’ James said he would do it for $500, and we just assumed he was kidding, but sure enough he was dead serious.”
Ms. Nowak claims that she too was present in the crowd outside the Borgata when Mr. Ferdini made good on the gasoline bet, and that immediately prior to him dropping the match, he said to her and the rest of the gambling entourage, “This is for $500, right?”
“He said it but I’m not too sure how many people heard it,” Ms. Nowak says. “I mean the whole crowd was screaming for him to stop. They all thought the guy wanted to kill himself. I guess one of us nodded our heads to James’s question, and then he dropped the match. I’ll be damned, but he won that bet too. We gave him $500 alright, not that he needed it after making all that money at the Borgata.”
When asked if Ms. Nowak saw Mr. Ferdini after he was released from the police station, she responds: “Yea, we hung out for the next two or three days -- all of us -- the gambling group that had formed at the casino, James Ferdini, and then, oh yea, that guy Richard Makel-something. I think he worked at the Borgata but he hung around with us for a couple days while we partied at a different hotel. It was around the time Richard and the rest of us left that James was in that freak accident.”

Richard Markelson

The details of Ms. Nowak’s account have confirmed two things to this reporter.
One, Mr. Ferdini’s suicidal gesture to cover himself in gasoline was nothing more than a bet to earn more money. Feeling high from his good luck at the casino, it would appear Mr. Ferdini thought himself invincible and was willing to take on any challenge, even if it put his life on the line.
Two, Borgata floor manager and ‘cooler’ Richard Markelson has not been fully forthcoming in his account of what happened. For example, he never mentioned spending time with Mr. Ferdini after leaving the Borgata.
Confronting Mr. Markelson, I ask him for a more accurate account of what happened after Mr. Ferdini’s gasoline soaked stunt. Mr. Markelson is nervous in his reply, realizing he’s been caught withholding valuable information.
“You have to understand that James is not particularly good with money,” starts Mr. Markelson. “I know I’m saying that having really only met the guy at the Borgata casino, but you could just tell he was something of a loser. Maybe other people told you that too, I don’t know. My point is James was destined to spend that money on drugs and alcohol, and well, we all kind of just tagged along for the ride.”
Mr. Markelson goes on to describe a drug fueled binge that lasted from Saturday March 23rd until sometime before Mr. Ferdini’s death on Tuesday, March 26th.
“James and I had been awake for more than 40 hours when he left the casino, and I was going to go to bed, but somehow I got roped into his entourage he found at the Borgata when he was raking in cash. I would’ve gone home, but free cocaine is free cocaine. I’m not particularly proud of saying that, but it’s true -- I really like the drug.”
Richard Markelson says that in addition to drugs, Mr. Ferdini hired prostitutes and strippers for the group’s amusement.
“I’m not into all the seedy stuff, but we had been awake for a long long time and on so much shit. I mean we were taking meth rips and stuff. Yea, it’s weird now that I look back on it, but a binge can be like that sometimes.”
The most important question to this reporter is what happened in the final hours of Mr. Ferdini’s life. In this respect, Mr. Markelson claims to know nothing.
“I left before he died on Tuesday,” says Mr. Markelson. “It doesn’t surprise me that he died though. The gasoline bet was just the beginning of it. That girl, Maria Nowak, the one that told you I was hanging out with the impromptu entourage -- it was her boyfriend that really stepped things up in a pretty violent way in terms of betting.”
When asked what he means by “violent”, Mr. Markelson responds: “I mean they were actually gambling on Russian roulette in the hotel room when I left.”

That Other Roulette

Once again reaching out to Ms. Nowak, I ask her about Mr. Markelson’s description of partying and gambling in a hotel with Mr. Ferdini.
It was at this point that Ms. Nowak declined any further questions, only providing the statement: “I’ve said everything I’m going to say.”
While this seemed like a certain dead end to discovering what happened in the final hours of Mr. Ferdini’s life and also possibly to tracking down what happened to his $1.3 million in winnings, I by luck received a phone call shortly before I was ready to call it quits on this investigation.
The phone call was from one Mr. Samuel Howlser, boyfriend to Ms. Maria Nowak.
Mr. Howlser said he wished to speak with me to clarify a few details that Ms. Nowak had shared with me and to dispute any “lies” stated by Mr. Markelson.
“Me and Maria didn’t steal nobody’s money and we’re not gonna get in trouble for what Richard Markelson or anyone in that entourage might be telling you,” Mr. Howsler said to me in a phone interview.
When asked about details of the drug fueled gambling binge shared by Mr. Markelson and Ms. Nowak, Mr. Howsler mostly confirms their accounts, however his description of floor manager Makelson is less favorable than what Mr. Markelson told me himself.
“He was the craziest fucker of the bunch, definitely,” says Mr. Howlser. “He knew the hookups for the crystal and coke, got us ketamine too. But the nuttiest thing about him is what the fuck he’d bet on. Like if Ferdini thought he was invincible, doubly so for that manger from the Borgata. Markelson was the one that brought out a revolver for Russian roulette too, and they played like dozens of games.”
Russian roulette, a lethal game of chance that has the player hold a loaded pistol to their head and fire, is an extremely dangerous game that has been popularized in media and fiction for decades. The game requires a loaded revolver to have at least one bullet chambered before firing, with the odds of death usually being one in six.
“It was fucking crazy when Markelson said he’d play it, but the dude was having as good luck as Ferdini so he thought he could do it,” says Mr. Howlser. “So they load a pistol with a bullet and start playing each other cause they were the only two fuckers crazy enough to do it. They play one round, but no winner so they go again. Second round, no winner so a third. Eventually they play enough rounds where they figure they gotta up the odds. So instead of loading one bullet, they load two. They play round after round with two out of six chambers loaded with bullets, spinning the revolver cylinder each time before they pull the trigger. This goes on for a while right, and then they load another fucking bullet. Each round now these guys have a one-in-two chance of blowing their brains out, but they keep playing.”
In Mr. Howlser’s recounting over the phone, I hear he is deeply disturbed by this story and ask why him and everyone in the gambling entourage continued to sit in the hotel room. In response he says, “We had been up for days smoking crystal and doing other shit. We were fuckng zombies. It’s only looking back now, sober, that I can see how crazy it was.”
But the game of lethal roulette was not over yet. Mr. Howlser claims that Mr. Ferdini and Mr. Makelson continued to play round after round, occasionally loading another bullet until finally the revolver was fully loaded.
“With six out of six chambers loaded, the odds of them dying on the next trigger pull was 100%,” says Mr. Howsler. “And I’ll damned, but they both went, and they both fucking lived. Somehow, they both got dud cartridges. After that, they both just had huge laugh for a while. A little bit later, Richard Markelson leaves and James Ferdini and the rest of us stay doing drugs for a bit until the rest of us guests leave too.”
Before Mr. Howlser ends the phone call, he stresses again the reason for contacting me.
“What happened is a messed up story, I know, but the point is that me and Maria don’t know anything about James Ferdini’s death or where his money is. Once we were sober enough to leave that seedy hotel outside Atlantic City, we left along with the rest of the people that were following James. And when we left, he was alive, and he had his money.”

Bad Luck

While Mr. Markelson, Mr. Howlser, and Ms. Nowak all say they only know the most basic details of how James Ferdini died, his death has actually been well documented by investigators and the coroner's office for Atlantic City.
Prior to this report, it was the mindset of Mr. Ferdini that was previously unknown. Sill up in the air is the whereabouts of his $1.3 million. But from what I've found, the report on his death is fully accurate, and even clears any of the entourage that was following him from being involved in any possible wrongdoing related to James Ferdini’s death.
On Tuesday March 26th at approximately 4:30AM, it would appear Mr. Ferdini’s luck simply ran out.
In that early morning hour, someone on Mr. Ferdini’s floor had ordered room service. As the porter was delivering the food, he slipped and fell outside of Mr. Ferdini’s room.
The noise from the fall awoke Mr. Ferdini who opened his door to find the porter picking up a tray of food in the hallway.
Upset at the disruption and the clanging of silverware outside his room, Mr. Ferdini proceeded to yell at the porter, pushing him against the wall in the hallway.
The confrontation ended when Mr. Ferdini told the porter that he was so upset that he was going to go down to the lobby and speak to management about the disruption.
Heading to the elevator, the porter told Mr. Ferdini that it was out of service. Frustrated, he turned to the stairwell and began walking downstairs.
Mr. Ferdini would never make it to the lobby however.
What Mr. Ferdini didn’t know was that the porter had also used the stairs to walk up to his floor, and that along the way he had spilled a small dish of ketchup.
When Mr. Ferdini walked across the spot where the porter had dropped the ketchup, he slipped and fell, falling down the stairs and knocking himself unconscious on the ground floor.
While in bad shape, investigators say that Mr. Ferdini was still alive at this moment, but what came next would be the fatal blow, or series of blows.
With the elevator out, the stairwell was the only way up and down the hotel floors. While Mr. Ferdini was unconscious on the ground, he blocked the entryway to the stairwell from the ground floor. A guest a moment later would attempt to open the door to the stairwell, but found that it was blocked by some obstruction that he could not see. Bothered and wanting to get to his room, the guest then started slamming on the door, thrusting it open with all his energy. He did not realize it, but the door he was thrusting over and over was slamming into the left side of Mr. Ferdini’s temple. The heavy metal door banged away over and over again, causing Mr. Ferdini’s brain to hemorrhage, and eventually doing enough damage that it would kill him fully.
The guest only stopped thrusting as the porter came back down the stairs to see Mr. Ferdini with his head being repeatedly bashed in by the door.
The porter screamed and soon the guest was made aware that he had accidentally killed Mr. Ferdini.
In this unusual and grizzly death, a confluence of bad luck came together to end Mr. Ferdini’s life.
If the elevator had not been out. If a guest on Mr. Ferdini’s floor had not ordered room service. If the guest had not ordered a dish that came with ketchup. If the porter had not spilled ketchup in the stairwell or dropped plates outside Mr. Ferdini’s room. If Mr. Ferdini had not waken up. If he had not confronted the porter and decided to go down to the lobby. If he had not slipped in the stairwell. If a guest on the ground floor did not repeatedly try to enter the stairwell. If any of these things had gone slightly differently, Mr. Ferdini would still be alive.
It could be said that Mr. Ferdini had finally found a run of bad luck, and incredible bad luck at that.

Double Negative

I cannot speak to Mr. Ferdini. He died long before I came to Atlantic City. For this story I’ve had to rely on the video surveillance from the Borgata casino and several eyewitness accounts of the drug fueled binge at the seedy hotel outside Atlantic City.
In those accounts from Mr. Ferdini’s hotel room, I’m left with conflicting views and shattered narratives.
It is clear to me that Ms. Nowak, Mr. Howlser, and Mr. Markelson cannot be trusted to give a full accounting of what happened. In my mind, the clearest liar of them is Mr. Markelson, who both omitted his story of seeing James after the gasoline incident, and also whose story is in direct conflict with Mr. Howsler and Ms. Nowak. While Mr. Markelson claims it was Mr. Howlser that had a revolver to play roulette, Mr. Howlser and Ms. Nowak both say it was Mr. Markelson.
Embedded in these lies and less than full accounts is a still missing $1.3 million. Something I believe Mr. Markelson is desperate to try and find, and for which was his original impulse to contact this reporter.
Now with an understanding of James Ferdini’s mindset leading up to his death, I am left with the unanswered question of what happened to Mr. Ferdini’s missing money.
I head back to where this story started, the Borgata where the gambling binge took fold. I seek an interview with Bill Hornbuckle, President of MGM resorts and a majority stakeholder in the Borgata Hotel and Casino. He agrees to speak with me and provides a full record on floor manger Richard Markelson.
I start the interview by asking if he’s aware if Richard Markelson owns a handgun, and in particular a revolver. In response, he says: “Our records indicate Mr. Markelson has a concealed carry license from the state of New Jersey for a Ruger LCR Six-Shot revolver. We have this in our records because Mr. Markelson is authorized to carry the weapon on the premises.”
Mr. Hornbuckle asks if I believe Mr. Markelson was involved in Mr. Ferdini’s death, to which I tell him I do not believe he is. I give the accounts of Mr. Markelson, Mr. Howlser, and Ms. Nowak, and while Mr. Hornbuckle is disturbed by the story, he agrees that Mr. Markelson has done nothing strictly illegal outside of drug use. He does add however: “The story with Russian roulette, if true, would certainly make us reconsider allowing Mr. Markelson to carry a weapon in the casino.”
Confirming that Mr. Markelson was the owner of the revolver has led me to believe Mr. Howlser and Ms. Nowak’s account over Markelson’s. It seems likely now that like Mr. Markelson did indeed play a dangerous game of Russian roulette with Mr. Ferdini, and that it was he who provided the gun to use.
Before I leave the Borgata, I ask Mr. Hornbuckle about another detail Mr. Markelson told me that I am no longer sure is true. I ask if a ‘cooler’ is something casinos really use, and if specifically Mr. Markelson is designated as one at the Borgata.
His response is to laugh at first, but he goes on to say: “Yes, a cooler is a real term. I actually believe in them myself. Luck is real. It’s a tangible thing that follows people around -- good luck and bad luck. I believe coolers have saved my casinos a lot of money over the years, and Mr. Markelson certainly fits that role at the Borgata. He's terribly unlucky, couldn't win a game of cards if his life depended on it. Still, he's invaluable at cutting the luck high rollers short."
He pauses before continuing: “There is of course the problem of the double negative, or when two coolers are together. It happens when a cooler is around someone who has luck just as bad as him or her. Like two positive or negative charges on a magnet, they repel each other, and the cooler’s effect instead of bad luck is one of incredible good luck. I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that even the most unlikely people on earth can have incredible runs of good luck if someone as equally unlucky as them is near.”
I propose the idea that maybe Mr. Ferdini was as unlucky as Mr. Markelson, and that together they achieved this ‘double negative,’ bringing them good luck while they were together.
“Yes,” Mr. Hornbuckle says. “I suppose that’s possible. It’s a very dangerous situation though for an unlucky person to suddenly be met with non-stop good luck. It could make you think yourself invincible, unable to be defeated in any challenge. You might even start to take on bets on things that aren’t real games of chance, like harming yourself by drinking boiling water. There’s also the danger of what happens when the double negative effect is over. One cooler parts ways, then each would fall into their own run of terrible luck, not realizing that their hot-streak has ended.”
As the interview concludes and I leave the Borgata, I think about the good luck Mr. Ferdini and Mr. Markelson had. I consider the incredible odds that both survived firing a loaded gun to their temples only for each to find a dud cartridge. I ponder the unfortunate series of events that would kill Mr. Ferdini after Mr. Markelson left his hotel room.
Lastly, I think about Mr. Markelson’s own luck since March 26th. Maybe it hasn’t been as bad as Mr. Ferdini's, but I know he contacted a reporter and as a result management at his casino will be looking into his behavior. I consider and think, that is not too lucky.

Porter

What was meant to be a short report about an unusual death in Atlantic City has grown into something longer. This is now a meandering investigation with unreliable characters, newly discovered details, and a still missing $1.3 million.
Before I leave New Jersey and return to New York, I go to the seedy hotel where Mr. Ferdini and his entourage consumed drugs and played Russian roulette, and where he would eventually die. It is my hope that I can speak to the porter -- the last person to ever see Mr. Ferdini alive.
At the hotel I speak to the manager and ask her who was the porter in the early morning hours of March 26th. The manager tells me that the porter no longer works for the hotel, and that in fact he had quit the very same day Mr. Ferdini died.
“After the police left, he flipped us all off,” the manager says. “That son of a bitch quit in style, telling us he didn’t need to work here no more. He said he was set and that we can kiss his ass goodbye.”
I ask the manager if they knew where the porter could have gone, to which she replies: “No idea. After he was done talking to the police about the death in the stairwell, I think he was out of New Jersey for good. He used to live nearby so I saw him when he left. He was fully packed. Had all of his stuff with him and three really full duffel bags I’d never seen before. He really didn’t seem like he was coming back -- had everything with him.”
Like the porter, I load my bags and finally prepare to leave New Jersey. As I do a thought pops into my mind: Could the porter that night have discovered Mr. Ferdini’s $1.3 million in three duffel bags in his room? I consider and think, maybe, and if he did, maybe this porter is the luckiest man in Atlantic City.
Myra Kindle is an independent investigative reporter. She covers tech, law, politics, and other stories that would be impossible to write about in more traditional outlets.
submitted by crazyguzz1 to nosleep [link] [comments]

Which is best small stakes daily tourney in AC?

I have time off this week and I wanted to hit up AC for the first time. I've casually played poker with friends and also played when online poker was still legal but I'm a bit rusty since I haven't really played in a few years.
The Borgata Poker Open is going on right now but I didn't want to jump right into the big buyin tournies. I would like to try out a small stakes tourney just to get a feel for live play in a casino.
I see that Ballys, Trop, harrahs and Golden Nugget run daily tournies for ~$50 buyin. Which of these are the best on any given day?
submitted by FatPhil to poker [link] [comments]

Old man talks to himself about favorite Weezer shows

Tower Theater Philly March 1995 - First Weez show, my 2nd concert overall. Tuscadero opened. Weezer opened with Jamie and played all of Blue but Holiday. Hooked me on lifetime of concerts.
9:30 Club Wash DC Nov ‘96 - 1st road trip concert with my friend Sean (who’s passed). Played ALL of Pinkerton. Say no more.
Y100 Sonic Sessions Philly June ‘97 - famous intimate acoustic set (some songs on Pinkerton Deluxe). Highlights Dukes of Hazzard and Undone with Tim “Speed” Levich, a version I love to this day. Got to meet whole band.
TLA Philly Summer 2000 “comeback” Tour”. My fav local concert hall, small and great sound. 4 SS2K songs. Great seeing them in small setting after 3 year break!
Electric Factory March 2001 Yahoo Outloud broadcast. (pre-Green), hearing some of those songs live
Borgata Atlantic City July 2005 - I liked Make Believe out of the gate but goddamn the band sounded absolutely amazing this night. By the end of ‘Peace’ live, my voice was hoarse. They need to break that out again for shows.
The Block at Harrah’s Chester PA December 2017 - acoustic set for private event I was lucky to be invited to. Only 5 min drive for me! Nice mix of songs and Where is my Mind? covered for 1st time.
These are my most memorable Weezer shows. I was trying to remember them all and these stood out with something special. Not sure my total but maybe 14-15. Saw them whenever I could during years of first 5 albums.
submitted by cargocitycomics to weezer [link] [comments]

1/2 Bad calls on river cooler?

I have played live poker twice. Have been studying (reading Sklansky, Annie Duke (is this bad?), Ed Miller) and watching hand analysis from card runners and doug polk mostly.
Playing in Atlantic City (Borgata) this Saturday and sat down at a 1/2 table around 11:00pm.
Hand 1 Villain is Old Man with a Coffee. Haven't seen him get involved in a lot of pots. Has around $300 behind
Hero has Ac 4c in SB with around $100 Folds around to Hero Hero opens to 12 Villain calls in BB
Flop comes Kc 7c 7d Hero check, Villain check
Turn is 9s
Board is: Kc 7c 7d 9s Hero bet 15 (is this bet too big considering pot is $24), Villain calls
River is Qc
Board is: Kc 7c 7d 9s Qc
Hero shoves all in for around $75
Villain snap calls with Kh Ks
Did I play this hand incorrectly? I think I should probably size smaller on the turn but I don't think my flop check is that bad (how often should I be betting the flop?) I mean I think I'm getting stacked no matter what against this exact runout and villain's hand but wanted to hear your opinions. Thanks.
Hand 2 (after rebuying) Straddle pot ($4) Raise to $12 from 35 y/o white dude in MP, seems like a good reg? (honestly not that good at telling good from bad yet) with $400 behind.
Folds to Hero on the button with As 10c and about $180 behind
Hero 3-bet to $25 (was getting really ****ty cards for 90 minutes and wanted to play poker dammit ) Folds to MP raiser who calls
Flop 9s Qs Jc Pot ($57)
Villain bets $15 Hero calls
Turn Jh Pot ($87)
Board is 9s Qs Jc Jh
Villain bets $40 Hero calls
River Kc Pot ($167)
Board is 9s Qs Jc Jh Kc
Villain bet $75 Hero moves all in for $100 more
Villain calls shows Kc Jd with the full house
I don't think this is really a cooler just a poorly played hand by me. Is the reraise to $25 a good idea (my thought was that I block a lot of his nutted hands)? I don't think there are many hands that I beat (AA, QQ reraise pre). Jack Ten suited maybe? From my very primitive analysis I probably should have folded to the turn bet.
Let me know your thoughts. Sorry if this is a standard snap fold, just want to learn.
submitted by MrMagicMike to poker [link] [comments]

Don’t trust the man with one eye playing poker in Atlantic City

It was a measly little game. Innocuous by all accounts. A routine for many. A setting I was familiar with. But this game was different. All thanks to the man sitting next to me. I never did catch his name. I just knew him as the man with one eye.
The Borgata is a place I don’t belong, yet I fit right in. You can assimilate with any crowd when you manipulate their vulnerabilities. The aristocracy here all look at me; contempt in their eyes. Pretentious. They underestimate me. I know them better than they know themselves. Once they reach that sweet spot of inebriation and self-loathing they start to play loose with their money. And that’s when a guy like me takes advantage.
I’m glad I don’t belong.
The game was no limit Texas Hold ‘Em. $1-$2 blinds. I had bought in for $100 at 9:00pm and methodically turned it into about $1,250 by 1:00am. It’s early in the morning, but the casino is still bustling with energy. Saturday’s always bring out the crowds.
I’ve been watching the guy across the table. He’s a shark. He thinks he can win every pot by tripling the current bet. If I bet $10, he bets $30. Every damn time. I love playing with sharks. The aggressive players are the easiest to wipe clean. The conservative players take longer, but in the end I always walk away a winner.
I’m really good at poker.
On the final hand of my night I cleaned his stack by check-raising with a 7-2 off-suit and added another $300 to my winnings, bringing my total profit for the night just under $1,500.
“It’s been a pleasure playing with you all this evening,” I said as I gathered my chips together and prepared to cash out. The shark was pulling out his wallet to buy in again, eagerly waiting for the chance to blow another few hundred dollars. I flipped the dealer a $10 chip before walking away from the table. He held it in front of his face and nodded to say thank you. I nodded back, then turned and headed towards the cashier to collect my winnings and call it a night.
But my night was just beginning.
After cashing out I headed back through the casino towards the exit, passing the blackjack tables while the adjacent slot machines chimed their attractive melodies. I had gotten about halfway when I felt three taps on my shoulder. I spun around and found myself looking at the man who sat next to me at the poker table. He had been there when I initially joined and played ultra conservatively the entire night. I had studied him at the table, assessing my opponent. But he hardly participated during the game. He folded almost every hand, and only played beyond the flop when he was big blind.
“What’d you have that last hand?” He stared at me from behind his sunglasses, slightly tilting his head forward to look out from under the brim of his baseball cap. Typical poker attire for the inexperienced. I let out a short laugh. “Sorry buddy, I never reveal my cards unless I have to. You should have played the hand if you wanted to know.” “C’mon...you can tell me.” I winked at him and smiled. “Maybe next time.” Before I could turn away the man placed both hands on my shoulders and held me in place, still shielding his face with his baseball cap. “You’re quite the poker wiz.” I felt uneasy. “Uh, thanks.” “How’d you like to play a real game?” “I, uh, think I just did.” “You mean the kiddie table? No, not that. I’m talkin’ high stakes, man. $50,000 buy-in. $1,000-$2,000 blinds.” I reached up, grabbed his arms and released myself from his grip. “Sorry bud. I don’t have that kind of cash.” “I do! I can post your buy-in!” He turned his head and looked directly at me. The bright lights of a nearby slot machine shined onto his sunglasses and I could vaguely see the outline of one eye staring at me. The other side of his face appeared to be a dark crater of an empty eye socket. I squinted and tried to make out more of the features that were behind his sunglasses, but he quickly lowered his head. “Why would you cover my buy-in?” He lowered his head further, looking directly at the ground. “I am...not the best at poker. Terrible, actually. But you! You’re an expert!” “I’m not going to play for you, if that’s what you’re getting at.” “No no. You pay back the fifty-K I give you and then we can split whatever you win.” “And what if I lose?” He took off his sunglasses and looked at me, exposing his eyeless cavity in the glow of flashing lights. I winced at the sight. “I’m willing to take that risk.”
Despite his disfigurement, the one-eyed man had dangled a tempting carrot in front of my face. A fifty thousand dollar buy-in that I didn’t actually have to pay for? It was free money. And losing wouldn’t cost me anything. That carrot was far too tempting to resist.
He gave me an address and instructed me to meet him there in thirty minutes. It was just outside Atlantic City on Route 40 at an auto body shop. When I pulled up the place looked deserted. Beyond rows of mangled cars I could see that the building had no lights turned on. I sat in my car and observed the perimeter. Not a sign of life anywhere.
A sudden knock on my passenger side door startled me. I jumped in my seat when I turned and saw the gaping hole in the face of the one-eyed man staring back at me. He held up a large brown paper bag. “I’ve got the cash!” His voice was slightly muffled from the other side. “There’s no one here!” I yelled at him. “It’s around back.”
I’d heard of shady backroom poker games before. They always depict them in movies as places where someone gets caught with cards up their sleeves and gets shot in the chest. I didn’t think I had anything to worry about. The people that get shot at these places are usually the ones cheating. And I don’t cheat.
I exited my car and walked with the one eyed man through the lot of totaled cars. We circled around the building and approached a large steel door with a small rectangular slit that was covered by another piece of retractable metal.
“Here, take the money,” he said, handing me the paper bag. I grabbed it and peeked inside, revealing stacks of $100 bills. While I had an uneasy feeling about this place, I must admit, holding that amount of money in my hands gave me a bit of a rush.
The man pounded a fist on the door three times and almost instantly the metal window slid open. All I could see on the other side was two eyes staring back at us.
“Back again, are ya?” A deep voice from the other side of the door bellowed. “Brought another chump to try to win back what you’ve lost?” “This is my secret weapon,” my one-eyed confidant replied. “He knows the stakes?” “Yes yes, he’s been briefed. Let him in already.”
The window slid closed and with a loud metal clang the door slowly opened.
“That’s Bruno. Go ahead and follow him, he’ll take you to a table.” “Wait, you’re not coming in?” “They don’t allow pairs. Afraid someone will cheat. But you don’t need me. You’re a stud! You’ll be fine.” I gulped and took a step forward, then stopped and turned to him. “How will I find you afterwards?” “I’ll be in my car, right behind where you parked yours.”
I gave him a nervous nod and walked through the door. It sounded like a prison cell when it closed behind me.
Inside, Bruno peeled back a black curtain revealing a room filled with a plume of smoke from cigars and cigarettes. Through the thick smoke I saw four different half-circle tables, each one with between five and six men seated in front of a topless female dealer. The tables immediately struck me as odd. Not the topless women. That part I instantly liked. It was the half-circle that threw me off. Typical poker games are played in a circle or an oval. These looked more like blackjack tables, except they didn’t have the traditional green felt. Instead they were covered with an over-sized white sheet that concealed the legs of the dealer, almost like an upscale Italian restaurant.
“You got the cash?” Bruno asked. Being so transfixed on the room I had almost forgotten about it. I handed him the bag. He peeked inside, then quickly closed it. “Looks good. We’ll count it in the back room. You can go ahead and take a seat at that one.” He pointed to a table with five other men. “The chips are already set up at the end chair.”
I walked to the table, took a seat and made a quick assessment of my opponents. An old man smoking out of a pipe who looked like he hadn’t shaved in ten years. Two young, clean cut snobs that looked like they were mooching off daddy to afford the buy-in. A middle-aged man in a suit and tie. And a biker guy with a black leather vest and a handlebar mustache.
I sat out the first few games, waiting for the dealer button to pass me before entering play and watching how the other men played. They all seemed to play loose with their money. Something I was very happy about.
On the last hand before the button passed me the biker was pushed all-in on the river by one of the young snobs. The cards on the table were an 8♦, 9♦, 9♣, 7♠, & Q♦. It was a hand with a ton of possibilities. Three of a kind, straight, flush, full house. The biker contemplated his move for about five minutes, staying deep in thought the entire time. He finally pulled the sheet from under the table and reached below, pulling up a small cooler on placing it on his lap.
“I call and raise.”
He pushed his chips forward and then opened the cooler. I stared at him confused. He kept extra cash in a cooler?
He shuffled around inside the cooler; the sound of ice being shoved around and banging against the sides echoed through the room. Once he found what he was looking for he pulled his hand out, grasping the item in a closed fist. He shook the excess water and ice off his hand, then tossed the item into the pot.
Rolling over the chips and across the table was a severed human finger.
All the other players around us stopped and gawked at our table. Some of the other men had wild excitement in their eyes. The biker kept a straight face as I stared down at the finger mixed among the chips, both perturbed and horrified.
“I call.”
Loud commotion from the other players engulfed through the room as everyone jumped out of their seats and rushed to surround our table. My eyes went wide from disbelief. What the hell was this?
The biker smiled and flipped the two cards in front of him. 10♦ & J♦. Straight flush. He had the nuts - the best possible hand with the cards already on the table.
The crowd erupted with cheer, eventually falling into a chant of “Cut it off! Cut it off!” while some of them pumped fists into the air. The young snob placed his cards face down on the table and mucked; his face turning white in the process.
It all became clear to me. This was more than just high stakes poker. They weren’t only betting cash at this place. They were betting human body parts.
Bruno quickly emerged from within the chanting crowd wearing latex gloves and holding a partially rusted hacksaw, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his mouth. One of the topless dealers followed him with a large smile on her face carrying medical supplies. She placed a stool next to our table and a metal tin positioned underneath.
“Index finger. Give it.” Bruno ordered the snob. He gave the order in such a casual tone, like he had done this before.
The snob raised a shaking arm and presented his hand. Bruno moved quickly, grabbing the snob’s finger and yanking it over to the stool. In the same motion he raised the saw and instantly went to work sawing off the finger. Droplets of blood flew through the air as the snob screamed from the pain.
My mind raced as I watched it all unfold. I was in trouble. I couldn’t just up and walk out of the place without playing a single hand. Leaving so suddenly would arouse suspicion. Obviously what these men were doing wasn’t legal. They might think of me as a possible snitch. And there was no telling what the man with one eye waiting for me outside might do if he found out I abandoned the game.
Bruno threw the freshly severed finger of the snob to the biker while the topless dealer went to work applying a tourniquet with fishing line, then she used a metal sheet with a wooden handle heated with a blow torch to cauterize the stump. The crowd dissipated back to their tables as the biker picked up the finger on the table and stored it away in his cooler. I shuddered at the thought of what else was in that cooler.
The night moved on from there like a regular poker game. Every so often someone would reach under their table and bet a body part. An ear. Part of a tongue. Skin from someone’s shoulder. A toe. Most of these hands were met the same enthusiasm, but the result was usually a fold. One guy called and wound up having a molar pulled out of his mouth with a pair of plyers. I dumped my usual style of play and resorted to a more conservative approach. I fully admit, I was scared. Still, I managed to pull in about $5,000.
After two hours people started to cash out and leave. I thought it might be a good opportunity to make my way out. I was sure the man with one eye expected me to come out doubling his investment, but $2,500 profit was better than going back out there empty handed. No pun intended.
On what I decided would be my final hand for the night I was dealt an incredible hand: pocket kings. No starting hand in Texas Hold ‘Em is ever a guaranteed win. But I liked my odds. The only possible starting hand that was better than mine would be pocket aces.
The biker raised $5,000 pre flop; my entire profit. I had been watching his game all night. He was smart. He knew when to fold and when to raise. He won the majority of the hands I had witnessed. And he used the contents of his cooler under the table to intimidate and bring an entirely new element of strategy to poker. Admittedly I admired his play style, and his raise was an indicator that he had a strong hand. But my hand was likely stronger. It was worth at least calling and seeing what the flop would bring me.
I tossed $5,000 worth in chips to the center. “Call,” I said out loud, trying to sound confident.
The dealer laid out three cards on the table. J♠ K♦ 8♠. I had flopped three of a kind; fairly decent, but not the nuts just yet. The other two cards left a lot of possibilities. If the biker had four to a straight or a flush he had pretty good odds at beating me with the last two cards. There was also the chance he had pocket jacks or 8’s and wound up with four of a kind.
I tapped a finger on the table indicating a check. The biker quickly went to his stack and pushed forward a stack of chips.
“$20,000.”
A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead as I thought more about the possibilities. At the moment I had the best hand. The next two cards would dictate whether it stayed that way or not. Usually in this scenario I would make a large bet to try to force the other player to fold, protecting my lead and eliminating the chance of my hand being beaten with the turn or the river. The fear of potentially losing a limb kept me from making that play all night.
I decided to trust my years of experience. My instinct. “I’m all in.” I said waving the back of my hand over my chips. I was sure he would fold.
The biker stared me down from across the table, studying me while he shuffled chips in his right hand. He held that position for a good three minutes that felt like an eternity. I, meanwhile, tried to act as though I hadn’t a worry in the world. My heart was pounding so hard I worried it would be a tell.
“You came here with that one eyed man, didn’t you?” he asked me. “I might have.” “How do you think he lost his eye?” I didn’t react, not wanting to give him any sort of indication of my hand. “How’d you like to win his eye back?” He reached below to table and pulled out his cooler. “I call and raise.” He shuffled around inside his cooler, looked up at me, and tossed an eyeball into the table. It rolled over the pile of chips and eventually came to a stop with the pupil staring right back at me.
The risk of losing my eye was too great. I may be winning right now but that could easily change. My gut told me to fold, but it meant I would be leaving with nothing. And it meant the possibility of a far worse punishment from the man with one eye.
“I call.”
The remaining crowd moved in on us. I flipped my cards displaying my pocket kings. He flipped his cards. 10♠ Q♠. He had both four to a straight and four to a flush. An ace, a nine, or any spade meant I would lose.
The dealer burnt a card and laid down the turn. 5♣. It didn’t help either of us and my chances of winning became greater. I stood up and rubbed my eyes, worried that it would be the last time I’d get to see out of one of them.
Then the river. Q♦.
Relief swept over me. He had a pair of queens. I had three kings. The crowd clapped and I let out the breath of air I had been holding. I got to keep my eyes. And I had just won a pot worth more than $100,000, at least $25,000 of which was all mine.
“Well played,” the biker said. "I’m sure your partner will appreciate having his eye back, even if it doesn’t work anymore.” How the hell am I going to transport this eyeball? I thought to myself. “Just one minute!” Bruno yelled across the room. “Don’t give him those chips or that eye!” I squinted at him, confused as he moved briskly to our table. He peered at me as he walked, a stack of cash in his hand. “There’s a problem with your money.” “What do you mean? It’s all there!” I yelled back. “Oh it adds up, alright. Only problem is...” he waved the cash in front of him “...this money is counterfeit!”
I was in complete shock. The one eyed man had used me. No wonder he didn’t care about losing the $50,000 he gave me. I was his patsy.
Bruno moved in on me and grabbed me by my shirt, pulling me right in front of his face. “Thought you could pull a fast one on us?!” He raised his other arm and I briefly saw a shiny object held firmly in his fist. Before I could make out what he was holding he plunged his fist downwards and I felt the object pried into my left eye socket, wiggling its way to the back of my eye. “You’re not leaving here with any money. Or one of your eyes.”
Two months later and I was back at $1-$2 table at The Borgata wearing a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap, sticking to games much more low key. My days of being an active participant in high stakes poker games are over.
But tonight I’m watching the chubby man across the table. He’s good. He’s accumulated about $2,000 worth of chips in just a couple of hours. He was worthy. My perfect patsy.
I followed him when he excused himself to use the bathroom, waiting outside for him to come back out. As soon as he exited I approached him, placing my hand on his shoulder to stop him in his tracks.
“You’re pretty good. How’d you like to play a real game of poker?”
I’ll never be able to see out of it again, but I’ll also never get any sleep at night knowing that someone got the best of me. And that my eye is sitting in a cooler that belongs to a biker with a handlebar mustache.
You can’t trust a man with one eye.
Survival Procedure
submitted by survivalprocedure to nosleep [link] [comments]

Best casino in North East for mixed games?

Hey ya'll, I live in the north east, about 2 hours from Atlantic City and I'm interested in playing some live low stakes (5/10 - 10/20) mixes game. I'm interested in 8 game or horse, but these never run at Borgata. One table of 100/200 mixed opened this weekend but I'm not nearly rolled for that. Is there a better casino for mixed games within driving distance or am I SOL?
Thanks for any help. I did some googling but came up empty.
submitted by Is-idiot to poker [link] [comments]

I [24M] was cheated on by my GF [21F] of a year, while I was in hospital getting a bone marrow transplant 8 months ago; still can't get over it.. Please help..

So this is my first post on here, never really used this site before but I see that there are a ton of people on here that respond and maybe I can get some advice on what to do.. And I am going to be really honest in this post, so, here we go..
A little backstory: I was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) back in July of 2010 when I was 20. I was in remission later that year but continued treatment, keeping me from working and school until early 2012. January 2013 I returned to school where I met my ex (Cass). We started going out April 4, 2013. The very next day, I received a call from my doctor saying that my cancer was back and that I needed to start treatment immediately. It was heartbreaking, but she was there for me and really helped me during this time. Throughout the treatment I always came up to see her after getting chemo and just hang out with her. It really felt good to be out of the house during this time. This was also the time we began having sex and when we both admitted we loved each other. The first 3 months of our relationship was spent with me getting varieties of chemo, and coming out to see her (a 30 minute drive for me) as she did not have her license, but eventually I helped her get her license. This 3-month period ended with me going through an experimental treatment called Cart-19, I was the 16th patient to ever go through it, and it almost resulted in me losing my life, but ultimately saved my life in the end.
Now a little description of Cass. She is a short brunette (I've always thought she was attractive) that is bi-polar and comes from a shattered home where her parents are just complete scum of the earth, and hate / cheat on each other and are in the middle of the longest divorce I have ever heard of (think Pam's engagement to Roy in the Office, but the opposite). She isn't afraid to speak her mind, but usually rubs people the wrong way and ALWAYS has to get her way, otherwise she acts like a petulant child. She smokes weed and cigarettes like a chimney, sometimes ever smoking right next to me even when I was being treated for fucking cancer (sounds like a winner, right?). She has no ambition to further her life, dropping out of college and not going back into class, constantly putting it on the backburner. She likes to hang with people and is definitely an extrovert.
When I got out of the hospital from Cart-19, I began the recovery process. During my recovery we hung out all the time, and got extremely close. I was always at her house - slept over countless times hung out with her friends and they all loved me, we never got into any major fights about anything and I treated her like a queen. There were even talks about our future about getting married and kids and all that, it really seemed like she was the one. Even her mother was asking when the wedding was going to be and pretty much accepted me as a son-in-law already; things were THAT perfect..
Fast forward to January 2014 and my doctors told me that the Cart-19 therapy was starting to fail on me, and I needed to act now and get a bone marrow transplant. I accepted and began the process. The thing that I made sure to let my doctors know, was that I was NOT going to do anything until after Valentine's Day weekend (her birthday is Valentine's Day - and this was her 21st) the reason being, that for Christmas, my aunt had got us a comped room at the Borgata in Atlantic City for the entire weekend (on top of me getting her a $300 Michael Kors bag) and this is where things start to seem different..
When we got to the hotel, we were greeted by my aunt and my mother (who absolutely hated Cass) and we were led to our room and I kept one surprise from her - the room was upgraded to a suite overlooking the water. It was spectacular. When we opened the door, she seemed really disappointed and just barely got out a thank you.. I was mortified. But we got on with our night and we gambled and drank and met up with my old college roommate and his GF and had an amazing night. We didn't get back to the room until almost 4am. The following day our mutual friends made the trip down to party with us and I felt out of place. Cass made no effort to be with me the night before, she hardly acknowledged my existence while her friends were there and I felt miserable. When we were on the floor we kept moving around the casino and hardly spoke to me but had this look of sadness on her face as she had no more money to gamble with. I ended up taking out the last of what money I had left and gave it to her. She barely said thanks and immediately put it into the machine.
Now this is where everything goes hay-wire.
The month before I went in for transplant, Cass got her car repaired at a shop in town and she noticed a guy working there that she went to high school with. She used to smoke with him and seemed very interested in hanging with him again. I have no problem with that, a lot of her friends are guys and I completely trusted her, until he uttered the words "He wanted to fuck me in high school.." That's when I got a little nervous, not of her, but of him. But I never met him, and I never said anything about it.
The day before I went into the hospital, I walked into her job (Starbucks) and was going to wait for her to get off work so we could hang out - and the FIRST thing she says to me is "I got home really late last night from hanging out with [guy from above] and I'm so tired from smoking so much.." and I was a little upset, and said "So, we're not hanging out?" and she shot back with "YEAH GO HOME" in a super shitty manner. I just stared at her, almost in tears because it was the last chance for me to be with her and started walking away. She knew she was an asshole there because she grabbed me saying she was only kidding. The entire rest of the day was spent in her room napping and smoking weed.. And that really pissed me off, I wanted to go out with her and everything but she had no intention of doing anything with me. In fact, when she went to the bathroom she left her phone on the bed unlocked texting the guy.. He asked if she wanted to smoke and she said yeah and was planning on going over to hang with him and just send me home. I was a little mad, but didn't bring it up and she ended up hanging with me all night which I was happy about; and then I went home.
I got into the hospital April 3, 2014 (the day before our 1-year anniversary) and immediately began treatment, and barely heard from her. I was giving her her space even though I wanted to talk to her. A week after going into the hospital was when I was to begin the actual transplant. I had talked to her less and less every day up to this point, and she was hanging with that guy and "his sister" almost every single day. The night before my transplant she went out with some friends to a bar and she called me as they arrived and she was talking to me, kind of pepping me up for the transplant. She admitted she was being a horrible girlfriend because she wasn't around as much as she should be, that she was just scared, and that things were going to change and she was going to talk to me more. It was a really heartfelt moment and she was crying and told me everything was going to be ok.
She began a 2nd job at PetSmart and befriended a guy there by the name Lee. I didn't think anything of it, until I noticed that her Facebook page was very different from the last time I checked it out. She removed all posts that had me tagged in them, all posts from me, all her pictures of her gifts from Christmas and birthday, and most importantly, she removed the Relationship Status from view (we were still in a relationship on Facebook, but you couldn't see it anywhere on her page - and by all accounts, you'd never know I even existed). 2 days later I ended up calling her concerned and asked her about it and she just told me that Facebook must've just been fucked up and that I was just being paranoid. I told myself I was being crazy, but I realized that Lee was commenting on a lot of her statuses and posting stuff on her wall and my mind was going insane. I couldn't contain my thoughts and just started really going crazy.
I got out of the hospital on May 3, 2014. I told her the exciting news about me getting out of the hospital and she replied with 'K'.. Figuring she was busy, I let it go, I was too happy to let this bitch bring me down. The next day I asked her if she wanted to hang out, and she actually chose the Guy from the car shop over hanging with me. I was severely disappointed, but she said tomorrow definitely. So I texted her the next day and just told her "yeah, we're just gonna probably have to watch some movies in the living room, because my mom doesn't want any germs in my room" and she went INSANE over that, refusing to come down because of a simple sanitary request from my mom.
The following morning I texted her to see what was up, and told her that I was sending her a surprise through the mail, and she replied with "Stop sending me gifts" and when I asked her what she was talking about, she claimed that I was "trying to buy her love" and that "we were in different places in the relationship" so I sent her a long, scathing text about how shitty she was over the last 3 months, calling her out on everything that happened and how little she was involved in my life. She told me that it was the worst she's ever felt, but at this point I was beyond angry - I am not someone who gets angry, ever - but I broke up with her on the spot because of her attitude. 2 weeks later I saw she was in a relationship with that guy from her 2nd job.. But only just recently I found out they 'officially' began dating the DAY AFTER we broke up.. I have no evidence of them cheating, but it's kind of apparent that they began "officially" dating the day after we broke up.
I am currently in a great relationship now, and am doing much better health-wise but I can't get my ex out of my head. I cannot fathom how someone can be that shitty, and it just always is in the back of my head. My current GF is an amazing girl and has her priorities in order and is all-around a much better person, girl, and girlfriend than Cass; but for some reason I can't get over Cass..

Is there anyone out there that can give me some advice on how to just let the past be the past and move on?

tl;dr: My ex was with me for a year. During that year I treated her like a queen and when I went in for a life-saving Bone Marrow Transplant to treat my leukemia, she ended up getting with another guy.
submitted by dsutt16 to relationships [link] [comments]

Revel closing has kinda messed up my vacation plans

Was planing to spend 3 nights in AC with my girl at the Revel during the second week of September. Last beach trip of the year kind of thing. Well now that the Revel is closed what place should I stay at? I'm open to anyplace as long as its on the beach which crosses Borgata off the list. I stayed at Atlantic City Hilton (not its the The Atlantic) and didn't like how far away it was from the rest of the Casinos.
submitted by DeadlyDuckie to atlanticcity [link] [comments]

Shout-Gun Saturday Night 7/18/15

A graphic is shown with the SBCW Logo. "SBCW. Where the champions rise!" Firestarter by Prodigy opens the program as clips of the SBCW Superstars are shown. The intro plays as we go to a live shot of Caesars and Ballys, panning down the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The images shifts to the Steel Pier and then to the Borgata at night, in purple lighting, and Harrah's with their light show on their tower. The camera then pans down from the moon to the Atlantic City Convention Center. A graphic flashes across the bottom of the screen, SGSN! Live from Atlantic City, NJ.
Joey Companyman: Ladies and Gentlemen, WEEEELCOME, EVERYONE, TO SHOUT-GUN...SATURDAY NIGHT!!!
Pyro explodes and the trail of sparks leads to the large shotgun above the entrance way as the barrels explode with fireworks. Fans erupt and chant "SBCW!"
Joey Companyman: ...and if you're wondering where all the action is here in the North East's most favorite playground, you can bet on SBCW!
Geno Blaze: ...And you can win on Shout-Guuuuuun...SATURDAY NIGHT!!!
JC: that's Geno Blaze, and conspicuous by his ansence, Thaddeus Buckswealth is not with us.
Geno Blaze: --HANG ON a second there, Joey, I have got the scoop on our broadcast partner, Fatty Taddy!
JC: Well is he alright, Geno?
GB: --lets roll the footage!
(Footage of Thaddeus Buckswealth is shown making his way up to the front desk to check in at Caesars.)
Thaddeus Buckswealth: Yes, checking in. Last name, Buckswealth.
Caesars Employee: Hmmm, and how are you spelling that?
TB: that's Buckswealth! B-U-C-K-S-W-E-A-L-TH. I should have a suite reserved.
Caesars Employee: hmmmmm, I'm sorry Mr. Buckswealth, I'm not showing a reservation in your name. Do you think perhaps you made a reservation with another resort?
TB (agitated): No, what do you mean, you aren't showing a reservation, Ms. Bunny made me the reservation weeks ago! Check it again, numb nuts! I DONT HAVE TIME FOR GAMES, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!?
Caesars Employee: Sir, please, I'm checking the system, and I don't see you at all. Let me check the rest of the area. OH! Hang on, ok yes, I see something. Mr. Buckswealth, you DID make a reservation, but I see a note here. Yes your associate, Ms. Bunny, said that you didn't have the resources to stay here at Caesars so we booked you at one of the economy hotels we work with in these situations.
TB: ECONOMY? No no no, I'm staying here, how much is a room?
(The employee shoes TB a price guide.)
TB: WHAT!?!?!? No those cant be the prices. This is bull! Ok where am I booked?
CE: ok Mr. Buckswealth, if you go out to the curb, our jitney cab will take you to the place you are have been booked at, the Moonshine Motel.
TB (looking destroyed): This is a disaster. Fine! I'll stay at your fleabag motel. Is there someone who can take my things? And I want you to know, you will be hearing from my team of lawyers over this situation!
(An employee comes and takes TB's bags)
TB: HEY! Where are you going with that? Easy with the goods punk! (Redirecting his attention to the Caesars employee) YOU HAVNT SEEN THE LAST OF ME! Don't give away my suite! I'm gonna get on the phone and figure this out and I will be back! HEY! GET BACK HERE WITH MY BELONGINGS!
(Back to Joey Companyman and Geno Blaze now laughing to themselves in the arena)
JC: Oh boy! So where is Thaddeaus now?
GB: you just hang in there Joey, there is much much more to come.
Well in the meantime, let's go to our broadcast colleague, Emily Everready who has a very special guest.
Emily Everready (backstage): Thanks Joey, with me now is Siren, and his signer, Angelica. Siren, I would like to know how you and "Canadian Dragon" Deacon Clark came to be?
Angelica answering for Siren as he signs: well Emily, Deacon and I have very similar styles, high flying, explosive, and we have been working out a lot lately, and he can sign. So all things considered, it just felt like a perfect balance. Deacon can communicate with me by signaling me and with this upcoming tag team title tournament, I feel like we can make some magic happen.
Deacon Clark makes his way into the interview.
CDDC: AND FURTHERMORE! Furthermore, Emily, we not only are gonna make short work of our opponents tonight, we are going to show THE WORLD, that we have what it takes to go out and grab the tag team championship! Tonight is just gonna be an example, a sampling of the bigger things to come. So sit back, and watch, these 'TAG TEAM SPECIALISTS' make magic happen, team Air Raid is going to destroy the competition with the utmost SHOCK...AND AWE!
Clark and Siren walk off and make their way to the ring.
Back in the arena. https://youtube.com/watch?v=a3JSbOt7CLo Siren's theme music plays as he enters the arena and makes his way down to the ring. As he makes it half way down, he stops, and points back to the curtain.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=pt3RTzRHGSA "Canadian Dragon" Deacon Clark's music hits and the duo make it down to the ring, each ascending a turnbuckle. They both do a simultaneous back flip into the ring and stand in the center, Clark on one knee and Siren standing behind him with his arms outstretched, Angelica standing to their side and pointing to the duo. They pose as thousands of flashbulbs go off.
As Deacon Clark puts his mask on, Knight & Daye's theme music hits. https://youtube.com/watch?v=d2XdmyBtCRQ
Knight & Daye make their way out and flirt with every attractive woman around the ring. When they get to the ring, the stop and point at Air Raid standing against the ropes, staring down at their opponents. Jimmy "The Genius" Goldman can be heard on camera saying "Don't worry about these punks! Focus on Jekyll and that monster."
Almost on cue, Jekyll & Hyde's theme music hits. https://youtube.com/watch?v=o1tj2zJ2Wvg
Welcome to the Jungle plays as Jekyll saunters through the curtain, he takes a few steps into view, poses, then turns, and uses his cane to pull back the curtain where the enormous 6'9" 300+ pound Hyde stands. Hyde lets out a roar and leads the duo to the ring to do battle. They get into the ring, and Hyde chases Mitch Knight and Andy Daye out of the ring, while Jekyll sizes up Air Raid. Siren and Clark stand firm in their corner while they communicate through sign language. Siren steps out of the ring first, leaving Clark to start it off. Hyde steps out of the ring next. Knight & Daye stay outside the ring and huddle up with Goldman. They finally take to their corner, and it appears that Jekyll is going to start the match with Deacon Clark.
JC: so here we have Clark starting out with Jekyll, two very fast paced superstars here in SBCW.
GB: don't sell either man short, though, they are both very scientifically gifted as well. Excellent ring technicians.
JC: they lock up! Clark overpowers Jekyll and pushes him into a neutral corner. Clean break.
GB: we won't see to many clean breaks once Knight & Daye make their way into this one.
JC: both me tie up again, this time, Jekyll pushes Clark into the corner of Knight & Daye. Clean break again.
GB: BUT LOOK AT THAT! As the referee stands between the men, averting his attention to Jekyll, both Knight & Daye get a shot in on Deacon Clark. Let's go to the action...
-Clark turns and slugs both Andy Daye and Mitch Knight.
-Knight and Daye attempt to come into the ring but when they do, both Deacon Clark and Jekyll send them to the floor with dueling standing dropkicks.
-Clark turns his attention back to Jekyll and takes him down with a Japanese Arm Drag.
-Jekyll to his feet.
-CDDC hits a dragon screw leg whip on Jekyll.
-CDDC hits a dragon screw leg whip on Jekyll again.
-CDDC hits a dragon screw leg whip on Jekyll for a third time.
-Jekyll slides away to his corner and tags in the big man.
JC: and HERE COMES HYDE!
GB: OH MY WORD, JOEY! He is MASSIVE!
-Hyde taunts Clark with a roar, and Clark manages to turn and tag in Andy Daye.
-Daye looks angry and scared, and steps into the ring.
-Daye runs at Hyde and attempts a running shoulder block, however, Daye goes down instead.
-Daye begs off and slides back to his corner. Mitch Knight tags himself in, to the surprise of everyone.
GB: Does Mitch Knight have a death wish?
-Knight steps in and does a double bicep pose. He then taunts Hyde to turn around so his back is facing Knight & Daye's corner. While Hyde looks at Knight, Daye steps in illegally, and clotheslines Hyde from behind.
-Hyde turns around to look at Daye, and Knight clips Hyde's leg from behind, sending Hyde to the mat in pain.
JC: A chop block by Knight!
GB: That's the only way to even the odds against a giant, take him off his feet!
-Knight elbow drop on Hyde's knee.
-Knight second elbow drop on Hyde's knee.
-Knight stomps Hyde's knee.
-Knight, more stomps to Hyde's knee.
-Knight, twists Hyde's knee and holds the leg.
-Knight takes in Daye.
-Daye ascends top turnbuckle.
-Daye with a diving splash onto Hyde's knee while Knight holds it open for him.
-Daye poses.
-Daye taunts Jekyll.
-Jekyll enters ring, referee stops him.
-Behind refs back, Knight & Daye double team Hyde's knee, stomping it.
-Daye claps loud in the air, making the referee think a tag was made, and Knight stays in the ring.
-Knight with a figure 4 leg lock on Hyde.
-Hyde makes it to the ropes.
-Knight releases the hold.
-Daye drops to the floor and grabs a chair.
-Goldman grabs the leg of Jekyll.
-Referee admonishes Goldman while Jekyll gives chase to him.
-Behind referee's back, Daye slides chair into ring.
-Knight slams chair down into Hyde's knee.
-Knight lifts chair over his head and Siren steps in, taking chair from Knight.
-Knight spins, and Siren nails Knight over the head with the chair, busting him open.
-Siren slides out of the ring and throws away the chair.
-Hyde and Knight are down.
-Jekyll still is chasing Goldman, now to the back.
-Knight tags in Daye.
-Hyde, hot tag to Clark.
-Clark and Daye now in the ring.
-Clark punch to Daye x 3.
-Clark lifts up Daye.
-Clark standing dropkick to Daye.
-Knight enters ring.
-Siren enters ring.
-Siren standing dropkick to Knight.
-Knight and Daye roll out to floor.
-Siren and CDDC hit the ropes and come back, double rolling front flip splash from inside ring out to floor onto Daye and Knight.
-Siren/Clark whip Knight/Daye into eachother on the outside.
-Hyde, from our of nowhere, spears both Knight & Daye.
-Hyde rolls Daye back into ring.
-Clark rolls back in and goes for the pin.
-1, 2...
-Daye kicks out.
-Clark picks up Daye and tags in Siren.
-Siren missle dropkick on Daye.
-Siren covers.
-1, 2...
-Hyde and Clark begin to brawl on the outside.
-Daye kicks out. Siren picks up Daye, Irish whip.
-Siren with a Frankensteiner on Daye, into a roll up pin.
-Knight enters while referee is distracted by Hyde and Clark brawling on outside.
-Knight levels Siren with a chair, and rolls Daye onto Siren for a pin.
-Daye covers.
-1, 2, 3!
The bell sounds and this one is over!
Winners: Knight & Daye
Knight and Daye roll out of the ring to Jimmy "The Genius" Goldman and celebrate on the floor, making their way to the back, as Goldman raises their hands.
Goldman: "You're looking at the future champs, RIGHT HERE!"
Air Raid looks dejected in the ring.
JC: well it's pretty clear, if you turn your back on Knight & Daye, for even a second, they are always gonna take advantage!
GB: Disgusting! But, on a lighter note, let's go back and see video two of the Buckswealth saga!
(TB arrives at a complete dump of a motel!)
TB: OH NO! What is th--I CAN'T STAY HERE!
A homeless man walks up to Buckswealth and asks him if he needs help with his bags.
Buckswealth hands him his rolling luggage and says "ok dummy, bring them in for me, and this shiny nickel will be all yours!" In less than a second, the homeless man grabs the nickel and his bags, and runs off.
TB: WAIT! WHAT THE! MY BELONGINGS! THIEF! OH MY LORD! Call the police! I was robbed! This is unbelievable! NO!
TB makes his way into the hotel lobby and walks up and starts ringing a bell.
TB: Come on come on! Yes! Hey! (Screaming through a very thick glass window to the hotel clerk) I WAS JUST ROBBED! I'm checking in! Last name Buckswealth! And I just got robbed!!!
Motel Clerk: oh right, I see you, ok you're in room 16. Do you have any bags?
TB: AREN'T YOU LISTENING? Dummy! I WAS JUST ROBBED! They stole my bags!
Motel Clerk: ok here is your key, and that's 36 bucks for the weekend.
TB: $36 bucks? Good lord! What a fleabag piece of crap. HERE! (Sliding cash under the window)
Motel Clerk: just walk down the outside, to your left, and you will see your room. You're on the ground floor.
TB: I'm sure it will be inspiring! Give me my key you idiot! (TB makes his way to his room. He turns the key and the door pops open. He turns the light on and the room is filthy, stains on the walls, the bed unmade, and the light blinks, shutting on and off) OH MY GOD! THIS IS A DISASTER! (TB opens his drawer and begins to unpack, he slides the remaining clothes he has into the drawer and then goes to make a call, and the phone doesn't work. TB, now fed up, walks outside and calls a cab over.) TAKE ME TO THE CONVENTION CENTER! (TB gets in a cab and heads to the arena).
(JC/GB laughing back in the arena)
JC: We're never gonna hear the end of this. Anyway, up next. The following match is to determine the new #1 Contender for the yet to be determined SBCW Internet Championship. The Internet Champ will be decided later, and this match will determine his first opponent for next week. And here comes the first competitor.
submitted by Mag35 to SBCW [link] [comments]

is the borgata in atlantic city open video

The Borgata Atlantic City Vic DiBitetto Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa - YouTube Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, NJ - YouTube Atlantic City BORGATA Hotel and Casino Reopening Vlog (The ... Atlantic City video tour The Borgata & Room Tour - YouTube Poker Vlog # 009 Poker at the Borgata Atlantic City

Liz Warren cleans a clear barrier on the casino floor at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City on Sunday, the first day the casino hotel was open to the public since closing in March due to coronavirus restrictions. Each seat at the table is cleaned between guests. MONICA HERNDON / Staff Photographer. Borgata customers looking forward to visiting their favorite casino on July 2 are going to have to wait a little bit longer.. But the good news is, not much longer. The MGM-owned property announced it will be reopening to the general public at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 6. So yes, it will be after the Fourth of July weekend.. Borgata shared the details of its reopening plans Tuesday morning via a ... Answer 21 of 29: I was on Facebook and there was a message that the MGM resorts in Las Vegas were closed until June 1st and would take reservations from June 1st on. I checked my Borgata account and checked the reservation calendar and you can’t book before June 1st. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City remains closed, as do the other eight casinos in this popular resort town. Gov. Phil Murphy has said allowing patrons back on the gaming floors is one ... -- The Borgata casino will reopen on July 26, the last of Atlantic City's nine gambling resorts to resume operating amid the coronavirus outbreak. The casino will host an invitation-only “soft opening” starting July 23, Borgata officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday, and will open its doors to everyone three days later. Borgata Atlantic City has laid off 2,295 employees, part of the 18,000 previously furloughed MGM Resorts International staff members ; Some 3,100 employees will retain their job in Borgata and continue to operate; MGM resorts Bill Hornbuckle is hoping that should the situation improves, the company would be able to bring back laid off staff ; The famed New Jersey Borgata Hotel Casino in ... Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey will open its doors at 10 a.m. local time, albeit with some changes. The room, which previously housed 77 tables, will open with just 30... Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is the last Atlantic City to reopen following the coronavirus shutdown. Borgata invited guests only Thursday July 23, the public returns Sunday July 26 2020. 0 In Atlantic City, where casinos were closed altogether for nearly four months, fortunes have varied. Borgata reopened nearly a month after other casinos in July, when Gov. Phil Murphy initially prohibited indoor dining. Last month, it announced it was laying off 73 workers and reducing the hours of 349 others, in light of Murphy’s 10 p.m.-to-5 a.m. prohibitions. Its third-quarter gross operating profits dropped 97% from last year. Atlantic City is open. Venue hours have changed in accordance with New Jersey Governor's executive orders, view our guide for the latest info Be prepared and view our Health and Safety Protocols, including our mask policy. What's Open In Atlantic City! Due to social distancing protocols, availability to our restaurants is offered at 35% capacity, therefore reservations are strongly ...

is the borgata in atlantic city open top

[index] [6265] [2078] [9104] [9301] [9099] [7218] [7101] [6575] [4338] [2685]

The Borgata Atlantic City Vic DiBitetto

Vic DiBitetto is headlining The Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City NJ and gives a tour of his suite Funny videos & try not to laugh, smile or grin while watching comedian Vic DiBitetto. Finally, another poker vlog! For this vlog I head up to Atlantic City, to play in the Borgata Summer Poker Open. Also grinding in the 2/5 cash games. Enjoy a... http://www.rateclubs.com/clubs/borgata-hotel-casino-and-spa_113418.htmlBorgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City offers an unparalleled travel experience o... Leaving for a Tournament at the Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City - Poker Vlog #41 - Duration: 25:15. Matt Vaughan 9,195 views. 25:15. In this video I tour the newly reopened Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey! ⬇ For business inquiries please reach out to me directly: cont... Hey everyone! Today we are checking out the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City! The Borgata is MGM's only hotel and casino in Atlantic City and the pr... Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, A Las Vegas Style Travel Destination on the East Coast Home of Borgata Poker Open, Borgata Winter Poker Open and Spring Poker O...

is the borgata in atlantic city open

Copyright © 2024 hot.realmoneygame.xyz