Sports betting and gambling news archive
News archive 
News
items that were displayed on the Smartgambler front
page during 2005, with the latest material appearing
at the top.
Proceed
to 2006 news archive
Local
wins Poker's Holy Grail!
July
2005
Melbourne poker expert
Joe Hachem from Preston
has caused the biggest sensation in Australian poker
history by winning the World Series of Poker main
event in Las Vegas.
Hachem's
US $7.5 million first prize in the no limit Texas
Holdem 'World Championship' appears to be the single
largest cash prize ever won by an Australian sportsman.
Hachem, who draped himself in Australian flag after
the shock victory, saw off 5,518 other contenders
including many of the world's best known players
over the gruelling week
long event.
Bracks government set to support local racing industry.
June
2005
Victorian Gaming Minister John Pandazopoulous
is set to introduce controversial legislation to prevent
non authorised bookmakers taking bets on Victorian
races. The legislation is aimed at preventing the
various Northern Territory and ACT registered bookmakers
from taking profits from a sport they contribute nothing
to. Interestingly, Victorian betting agencies are
not barred from taking bets on sports like ATP tennis
that they contribute nothing to. No doubt the bill
will be opposed by many on the grounds of restraint
of trade, hypocrisy and constitutional issues relating
to interstate commerce, but it appears likely to be
passed into law nevertheless.
AFL
punters hurting.
June
2005
An article in Melbourne's Herald Sun
newspaper dated June 8th says that gun-shy AFL punters
are starting to stay away in droves as the extraordinary
string of upsets continues in the 2005 football season.
With a success rate of just 55 to 60% depending on
the bookie used, favorites are winning up to 20% less
matches than last season and the bookmakers are cleaning
up. Gerard Daffy of Centrebet is quoted as saying
that this is the biggest and best AFL year for bookies
ever. Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said
his company had won on each of the 11 rounds played
so far.
Betfair
close to gaining foothold in Australia
April
2005
Newspaper reports claim that giant UK betting
exchange Betfair, who have teamed up with Kerry Packer's
PBL, are on the verge of securing a gaming license
from the Tasmanian Government that would allow them
to operate in Australia. This could potentially trigger
an all out war between the TABs and the newcomer,
involving Sky Channel and other big players in the
racing industry.
Mark
Read weighs into betting exchange debate
January
2005
Bookmaking heavyweight Mark
Read has spectacularly broken ranks with the majority
of the Australian racing industry by condemning attempts
to repel the invasion of betting exchanges. Read's
point of view appears to be that the consumer, in
this case the punter, will dictate the future battle
for market share and that racing interests and governments
who do not embrace change by providing products consumers
want will miss the boat. He also appears to believe
that betting exchanges can greatly expand the gambling
market to the benefit of all. Read what he says in
our articles
section.
Archived
February 2005
Spiderman
to play poker at Crown?
January
2005
Rumours have been floating
around that actor Toby Maguire of the Spiderman movies
may be a celebrity starter in the Australian Poker
Championships at Crown starting soon. Maguire is a
none too shabby player and recently won US $125,000
at an invitational tournament in the States. Yevegeny
Kafelnikov and Ben Affleck are two other high profile
invitees who are reputed to play a decent game.
Archived
January 2005
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