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Las Vegas, Nevada District Judge Linda Bell has rejected a counterclaim made by Leon Tsoukernik in his dispute with fellow high-stakes poker player Matthew Kirk. The counterclaim included the Aria Hotel and Casino which Tsoukernik claimed had conspired with Kirk to effectively cheat him out of millions of dollars.

Leon Tsoukernik is a famous personality in the poker world. He owns the Kings Casino in the Czech Republic and has turned it into a major poker destination, hosting events organized by major names such as partypoker, WSOP, and the World Poker Tour (WPT).

This level of poker is a completely different world from the average home game. During a heads up match played at the Aria last May, Tsoukernik lost more than $3 million to Kirk while playing drunk.

Rob Yong eyewitness account

In a statement on his blog, UK Dusk Till Dawn Casino owner Rob Yong gave his account of what happened that evening.

“Matty told me the game got ‘out of hand’ when Leon became very drunk, loaning in total $3M in Aria chips from Matty which he then lost back to Matty heads-up. I asked Matty why he didn’t stop playing if Leon was that drunk or just refuse to loan him any more money. Matty said he didn’t want to hit and run Leon and was heavily pressured by Leon to continue. Matty told me the game finally broke with Leon owing $2M, but they talked at the Aria lift on the way to their room and went back to Ivey’s Room to continue playing with Leon borrowing a further $1M which he lost to Matty.”

Tsoukernik paid Kirk $1 million but refused to pay the additional $2 million that Kirk is claiming.

Tsoukernik was playing for millions of dollars while drunk

Attorney Lesley Miller, acting for Tsoukernik and quoted in the Las Vegas Review Journal, said;

“He [Kirk] fraudulently conspired with Aria representatives to place Mr. Tsoukernik in that vulnerable situation. It was how the game itself was executed, not the simple request of participating in the game.”

Tsoukernik argued that the Aria bore responsibility for allowing him to play while intoxicated, and funded Kirk’s match against him. Tsoukernik did not claim that he was deliberately intoxicated by Kirk or the Aria, accepting that he ordered his drinks himself.

Judge Bell rejected Tsoukernik’s arguments and ordered him to pay legal costs for Kirk’s lawyers. She also dismissed the claims against the Aria stating that they should be resolved by the Gambling Control Board.

Late last year, the court ruled against Kirk’s attempts to reclaim the $2 million after determining that the money was “an unenforceable gambling debt.”

Kirk has been left with the possibility of bringing further legal action to recover the cash and punitive damages on the grounds of “fraudulent inducement” and “unjust enrichment.”

The numbers in this case may be huge, but the lessons apply to everyone who wants to play poker; don’t play drunk and don’t bet money you can’t afford to lose!

The post Court Rejects Tsoukernik’s High-Stakes Poker Counterclaim Against Kirk appeared first on .

Forget about seeing the first robin of spring. The real sign is that Pennsylvania casinos are basing promotions on the luck of the Irish and the thrill of the NCAA basketball tournament.

Table-game and poker players get in on the act, too, with chances for bonus cash and chips.

Mohegan Sun Pocono offers a shot at $5,000 cash for players who get a suited blackjack. Elsewhere, Rivers in Pittsburgh combines a poker room high-hand bonus with a chance for $5,000 extra depending on the NCAA basketball tournament champion. Finally, SugarHouse offers a free lottery-like game with a possible $1 million cash prize.

Here’s a look at some of the best casino promotions and attractions for March:

East

Harrah’s Philadelphia

777 Harrah’s Blvd.
Chester, PA 19013
(800) 480-8020

Money Booth Madness

Players at Harrah’s can win free play or a chance to collect swirling bills in a money booth every Saturday in March. Total Rewards members receive one free entry each day they play during the promotional period, plus an additional entry for each 25 tier credits earned at slots or table games. There are also 5X entries on Tuesdays. Users of the TR app can get 10 bonus entries every Monday while at the casino. Drawings offer two types of prizes:

• Free play drawings: Each hour from 6 to 10 p.m. on March 3, 10, and 24, the casino will draw the name of one active player who will win a share of $5,000 in free slot play. Winners with the TR app will get extra.
• Money booth drawings: Each hour from 6 to 10 p.m. March 17 and 31, one person will be chosen to enter the money booth for 30 seconds and collect as much swirling money as possible. Winners then will have 20 seconds to choose between keeping their collected money or taking a golden ticket that could be worth more.

Mohegan Sun Pocono

1280 Highway 315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(888) 946-4672

Suit Yourself sweepstakes

Suited Blackjacks could lead to $500 in free gaming chips or $5,000 cash in this two-month promotion at Mohegan Sun. Players earn one drawing entry for each suited natural in Blackjack or Spanish 21 during March and April. In drawings on May 20, the casino will award two prizes of $500 in gaming chips every 15 minutes. At 6 p.m., one person will win $5,000 in cash. Limit of one $500 prize per person.

Nothing but net

Basketball sharp-shooters could win bonus free play on March 30. Every 30 minutes from 4 to 10 p.m., five randomly selected active slot or table game players will receive prizes of $100 in slot free play. Since this is the month of March Madness, winners will be able to shoot up to four baskets to increase their prize:

• With the first basket made, the prize goes to $200 in free play
• Second, $400 in free play
• Third, $800 in free play
• Fourth, $1,600 in free play

Mt. Airy Casino Resort

312 Woodland Rd.
Mount Pocono, PA 18344
(877) 682-4791

March competitor match

Every Tuesday and Thursday in March, Players Club members who bring in slot free-play offers and their club card from any other casino in Pennsylvania or New Jersey will receive a match of up to $300. The offer is available once daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. to invited guests or those who earn 1,000 points at Mt. Airy.

Parx

2999 Street Road
Bensalem, PA 19020
(888) 588-7279

Feeling Lucky sweepstakes

Earn entries at Parx Casino from March 1 through 17 for a chance to share in a giveaway of $40,000 worth of slot free play and $10,000 cash. Additionally, play on March 5 and 12 earns multiple entries. From 4 to 10 p.m. on March 17, Parx will award 50 prizes of up to $200 in free play every hour. Moreover, the hourly winner with the most entries also qualifies for the 10:30 p.m. drawing with a top prize of $10,000 cash.

The Flaming Lips

The psychedelic alt-rock group known for “She Don’t Use Jelly” will perform at 7 p.m. March 11 at the XCite Center. The group, which worked with Miley Cyrus on her “Dead Petz” album and tour, is known for elaborate live shows, which include puppets, giant hands, and singer Wayne Coyne’s crowd-surfing inside a plastic bubble. Tickets are $35 to $200. Doors open at 6 p.m., and attendees must be at least 21.

Sands

77 Sands Blvd.
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(877) 726-3777

Spring pull tabs

From noon to 8 p.m. every Monday and Tuesday in March, players at Sands can receive up to three guaranteed-winner pull tabs. Each tab has a prize ranging from $10 in slot free play to $10,000 cash. Players qualify for a tab with every three players club points earned from noon to 8 p.m.

In addition, players earn one free tab each hour from noon to 8 p.m.

Chevy Silverado 1500 sweepstakes

A 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 15000 LT and four prizes of $1,000 slot free play are up for grabs at 7 p.m. March 25. The first entry is free. Additional entries are based on rated slot play from Feb. 26 through 6:45 p.m. March 25, with 10X entries on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through March 18 and 25X entries on March 23 and 24. There will also be a second-chance drawing at 9 p.m. March 25 featuring five prizes of $1,000 slot free play.

SugarHouse

1001 N. Delaware Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(877) 477-3715

$1 Million Mega Pick

SugarHouse’s lottery-like drawing every Wednesday in March offers five levels of prizes ranging from $10 in slot free play to $1 million cash. The first entry is free, with up to five additional entries allowed each day for every 10 points earned from slot and table-game play. Signature and preferred club members earn double entries for play on Mondays. Six numbers between 1 and 60 will be drawn at 8 p.m. each Wednesday. Here’s the prize schedule:

• Match all six: $1 million cash
• Five matches: $10,000 cash
• Four matches: $1,000 in slot free play
• Three matches: $100 in slot free play
• Two matches: $10 in slot free play

Free parking and shuttle for flower show

SugarHouse becomes a shuttle hub while the Philadelphia Flower Show is open from March 3 to 11. Each show day, shuttles will leave SugarHouse Casino on the hour, dropping off and picking up passengers at the Convention Center’s Broad Street entrance. The last pickup at the convention center will be a half-hour before the show ends.

The annual flower show attracts a quarter-million people during its run. This year’s show, with a “Wonders of Water” theme, will include tropical jungles, temperate forests, native woodlands, and arid landscapes as well as the plants that thrive in each environment, such as orchids, flowering vines, and desert blooms. Flower Show tickets are sold separately.

Valley Forge Resort Casino

1160 First Ave.
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 354-8118

Luck of the Irish drawing

Valley Forge is giving away 10 prizes of $1,700 cash in hourly drawings from 1 to 10 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day (also known as March 17). Players may print their entries at any kiosk from 6 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. and enter them in the barrel at Center Bar. One winner will be randomly selected each hour. Prize will not be awarded if the winner is not present.

Money Madness sweepstakes

Earn entries throughout the month for a March 31 drawing with a prize of $25,000 cash. The first entry is free, additional entries based on slot or table game play. Players get 10X points on Wednesdays. The winner of $25,000 will be chosen at 9 p.m. March 31 at the Center Bar.

West/Central

Hollywood at Penn National

777 Hollywood Blvd.
Grantville, PA 17028
(717) 469-2211

Lucky Leprechaun

Every 15 minutes from noon to 8 p.m. March 10, Hollywood Casino will select two Marquee Rewards members to win $500 in slot free play or $500 cash. Players must have their card inserted into a machine or have an open table game rating to be eligible. Prize must be claimed within 30 minutes. Additionally, there is a limit of one prize per club account.

Super progressive jackpot

The March Super Progressive jackpot is up to $30,000 after not hitting in January or February.

Marquee Club members earn one entry for every 20 points accumulated through slot table-game play from March 1 through 22. From 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 22, five entrants will be picked every 30 minutes to receive $250 in slot free play or $100 in free play plus a spot in the final round at 9:30 p.m.

At 9 p.m., four entrants will be selected for the final round. At 9:30, each of the 10 finalists will pick an envelope containing $300 to $1,000 worth of slot free play or the cash jackpot. If the jackpot enveloped is not picked, April’s prize will be $40,000.

Meadows

210 Racetrack Road
Washington, PA 15301
724-503-1200

Heartland Poker Tour

The Heartland Poker Tour returns to Meadows with 10 tournaments from March 15 through 26. Single-table satellites offering seats in the $1,100 Main Event start March 14 and continue through March 24, space permitting.

Players eliminated from an event before the end of late registration may re-enter, space permitting. Events include:

• March 15-18: No-Limit Hold ’Em Belt Event, $350 buy-in, $100,000 prize pool guaranteed
• March 18: Seniors tournament, $200 buy-in
• March 18-20: No-Limit Hold ’Em Trophy Event, $250 buy-in, $25,000 prize pool guaranteed
• March 22-26: Main Event, $1,100 buy-in, $250,000 prize pool guaranteed

Baccarat, Blackjack tournaments

• Lucky Dog Mini Baccarat: Every Sunday in March, players can compete for an $1,800 first prize. Buy-ins are $50 each, with qualifying rounds starting at 6 p.m., semifinals at 8:15 p.m., and final table at 9 p.m. Other prizes range from $780 for second place to $180 for eighth through 14^th. Register in the table-game pit on the day of the tournament.
• Lucky 21 Blackjack: Every Tuesday in March, the $21 tournament offers a $2,000 prize pool, depending on the number of entrants. Qualifying rounds are at 11 and 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 and 1:15 p.m., with the final table at 2:45 p.m. Each semifinal participant gets a $5 food court coupon. Players may enter up to one week in advance at the cage.

Presque Isle Downs

8199 Perry Highway
Erie, PA 16509
(866) 374-3386

Table games cash awards

Table-game players could cash in on two promotions this month:

• Hot Seat: From 5 to 8 p.m. March 17, one table-game seat will be selected randomly to receive $1,000 cash, and each other One Club member at the table will get $50. If the winning seat is unoccupied, the $1,000 will roll over into the next drawing. In the final drawing of the night, drawings will continue until a winning seat is found. The player must be a One Club member to receive a prize.
• Cash giveaway: From 6 to 10 p.m. March 31, 10 winners will be chosen at random times for cash prizes of $250 to $1,000. One Club members earn entries throughout the month for each hour of carded play at any table game except poker.

Rivers

777 Casino Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(877) 558-0777

2018 Jaguar SUV drawing

On March 4, during drawings at 1, 4, and 7 p.m. Rivers will award 10 prizes of $250 in slot free play, with each recipient qualifying for the finale drawing. That drawing will award nine prizes of $1,000 in free play and a grand prize of a 2018 Jaguar F Pace SUV.

March Madness poker bracket

Poker players who win a high-hand bonus between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. from March 5 through 11 also get a spot in a March Madness bracket. Each team in the NCAAA men’s basketball tournament will be randomly assigned to the 64 high-hand qualifiers. The players will win cash based on when their teams are eliminated:

• First round: $100
• Second round: $200
• Third round: $300
• Fourth round: $500
• Fifth round: $1,000
• Sixth round: $2,500
• Tournament champion: $5,000

The post Bring The Luck Of The Irish To March’s Casino Promo Madness appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.

Nevada casinos won just over $1 billion from gamblers in January, according to figures released this week by state gaming regulators. Any time the casinos win more than $1 billion …

The 2018 World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event drew a total of 493 entries, but after five full days of action at the Commerce …

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Presque Isle Downs & Casino named Kevin O’Sullivan general manager Jan. 3.

O’Sullivan, known by employees as “K.O.,” replaces Jeff Favre, the brother of Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre, reported Go Erie.

Recently, Jeff Favre took on the role of vice president and general manager of another Eldorado Resorts property, Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Lake Charles, in Louisiana.

O’Sullivan brings know-how

With 25 years of experience in the global gaming industry, O’Sullivan first came to Eldorado Resorts in 2012. He started as senior director of operations for Scioto Downs in Ohio and then moved to the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in West Virginia.

Finally, he made it to Presque Isle Downs & Casino, serving as an assistant general manager.

According to WENY News, O’Sullivan has a track record with the following brands:

• Horseshoe Gaming
• Hard Rock Casino & Hotel
• Foxwoods Casino Resort
• Sun City South Africa
• London’s Victoria Casino

The Presque Isle Downs difference

O’Sullivan started as a slot technician, moved through Europe and then ended up on a cruise ship that brought him to the US. While his first interest is growing revenue, he wants to do that securely and utilize what makes Presque Isle Downs different to help the business. He told Go Erie:

“Part of it is the racing. The other part of it is the employees. We have a lot of competition. Our employees understand that for Erie and everybody to get a piece of the action we have to do well and we’re all on that same page. Let’s push Presque Isle to the next level because it’s going to help the community, too.”

In the meantime, O’Sullivan will focus on growing table games, putting out new equipment, and adjusting the hotel menu. O’Sullivan is also making sure he keeps options open, whether they will utilize them or not (PA casino gaming expansion, anyone?). He’ll also be keeping an eye on his competitors within and without the state.

What Presque Isle Downs has to look forward to

Presque Isle Downs comes in as one of four crowdpleasers in PA in the way of table games revenue. Up 4.88 percent from last year, sitting at $1,212,307, Presque Isle Downs continues to make waves. Overall the casino is up 3.42 percent from the prior year.

The change from one year to the next: $8,807,940 (January 2017) to $9,109,070 (January 2018).

As an available auctioneer for the satellite casinos in PA, Presque Isle Downs could win a property and start to settle the score over nearby competition.

Presque Isle Downs relies on Ohio players for revenue. While Sands Bethlehem is a distance from the boundary line in Erie, all three are about equidistant from Cleveland. Brand recognition and global reach could separate Sands from Presque Isle Downs. Already, the casino may have to worry about Mount Airy’s new mini casino.

At this point, Presque Isle Downs has stayed quiet on whether they’ll bid at auction. Even so, O’Sullivan was quick not to dismiss it in his interview with Go Erie.

If the casino continues to offer perks like it offered Super Bowl tickets, it could be in good shape.

The post Presque Isle Downs Finds A Fitting Replacement For Favre appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.

A District Court Judge has tossed out Czech casino owner Leon Tsoukernik‘s $10 million countersuit against ARIA Resort & Casino and Australian poker pro Matthew Kirk claiming they conspired to get him drunk and rip him off in high-stakes poker session.

All sides admitted Kirk and Tsoukernik played the late-night poker session inside ARIA’s Ivey’s Room in May 2017. Tsoukernik had been drinking. Then he got stuck, borrowing in increments of $500,000 twice and $1 million twice in order to stay in the game.

By the time the session wrapped up, Tsoukernik had borrowed a total of $3 million and lost it all back to Kirk. All this has been confirmed by texts between the pair.

In the days following, attempts were made to broker a deal and settle the debt. Kirk recovered $1 million but ultimately sued Tsoukernik to try to get his hands on the rest.

In October, a Clark County District Court Judge threw out all but two of ten claims Kirk filed against Tsoukernik. The judge called it an unenforceable gambling debt. However, Kirk was allowed to continue to pursue the money on claims of fraudulent inducement and unjust enrichment.

This meant if Kirk could prove Tsoukernik had no intention of paying, Tsoukernik could be found at moral fault and held responsible for the debt and damages.

The $10 million counterclaim

Kirk’s lawyers continued to pursue the matter on those grounds. In November, Tsoukernik fired back with his $10 million counterclaim.

Tsoukernik’s counterclaim alleged he was taken advantage of by both Kirk and the casino. It claimed he was over-served until visibly intoxicated, induced to play for high stakes. It also claimed Kirk was at least partly responsible for getting him to that point.

Tsoukernik claimed they got him so drunk, he needed help counting his chips and misread his cards. The counterclaim sought $10 million in damages for defamation of character and emotional distress.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, part of Tsoukernik’s argument that Kirk and ARIA conspired together centered around the idea Kirk was hiding where he got the cash to play for such stakes.

High-stakes poker backing has no bearing

However, in throwing out the claim, District Judge Linda Bell said Kirk’s refusal to divulge the source of his backing is hardly fraudulent. Plus, where he got the money to play really has no bearing in the case.

Tsoukernik’s lawyer Lesley Miller argued that Kirk’s failure to reveal the source of his money was deceitful. Miller also suggested Kirk “fraudulently conspired with ARIA representatives” to put Mr. Tsoukernik in a vulnerable situation.

However, Judge Bell appeared to agree with Kirk’s attorney Richard Schonfeld. Schonfeld claimed Kirk never ordered Tsoukernik a drink, and therefore held no responsibility for his level of intoxication.

As far as ARIA’s role in allegedly over-serving Tsoukernik is concerned, Judge Bell suggested that is an issue for the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Judge Bell ordered Tsoukernik to pay Kirk’s legal fees for work on the counterclaim. However, she left the door open for Tsoukernik to refile the claim on different legal grounds.

Tsoukernik has close developed close ties with the World Series of Poker over the past year. His King’s Casino in Rozvadoz, Czech Republic became the new home for World Series of Poker Europe in 2017. Tsoukernik was reportedly the first player to reserve a seat in the $1 million buy-in Big One For One Drop poker tournament to be held at the 2018 WSOP.

Plus, two WSOP Circuit events were held at King’s in 2017, and a third will go off in March 2018.

The WSOP is owned and operated by Caesars Interactive Entertainment. ARIA is an MGM Resorts property.

The post Judge Tosses Tsoukernik Suit Against Kirk And Aria appeared first on Play Nevada.

More Evidence That Connecticut Is Considering Online Gambling Legislation Emerges

Connecticut lawmakers held a 20-minute press conference to brief the media on the possibility of bringing legal sports betting to the Constitution State. But that wasn’t all that was said. As Online Poker Report speculated a couple of weeks ago, there also appears to be some appetite for online gambling in Connecticut. The topic was […]

The post More Evidence That Connecticut Is Considering Online Gambling Legislation Emerges appeared first on Online Poker Report.