Deputies say last November, Dennis and another woman wore camouflage and carried guns when they busted into the poker game. They got away with $18,000 in cash. Dennis pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this month.

During Friday’s hearing, Dennis cried when she apologized for the crime. She also told the judge she accepts responsibility for what happened. I wonder which one of the players they were working with?  And maybe next time she will rob a sports betting joint and pick up a better return.

Zhelyazkov, 27, from a respectable family in Bulgaria, threatened staff at the shop in Glenrothes, Fife, and fled with £6000, including specially marked notes. At the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, judge Lord Turnbull told him his case was “tragic” and very serious”.

He added: “This crime had a terrible impact on the members of staff.” First offender Zhelyazkov admitted the robbery, which took place on about 6pm on April 20.

Police found almost £3000 in his home in Glenrothes. Advocate Stephen O’Rourke, defending, said his client was a “desperate and foolish young man”.

His parents sent him the £20,000 to start a business which was supposed to be in the ‘money lending’ industry.

Launched soon after the popular online poker room’s inception in 2005, the Jackpot tournaments have grown in popularity and attract more and more players every day. Titan Poker manager, Robin Steele, is very pleased by the huge amount awarded to winning players, saying ‘this shows that Titan Poker’s jackpot tournaments are very popular, and are continuing to grow at a fast rate.’ Any player who wins six consecutive six-player Fort Knox Jackpot Sit ‘N’ Go Tournaments will take home a jackpot prize starting at $50,000. This prize grows progressively each week and can reach as high as $200,000 until it is eventually claimed.

Players who finish in first or second place in six consecutive Fort Knox tournaments are awarded a $750 jackpot prize. Also popular at Titan Poker are the Rio and Maui Progressive Jackpot Sit ‘N’ Go Tournaments, which offer starting jackpots of $25,000 and $15,000 respectively. The Rio and Maui jackpots grow progressively each week if no player manages to win enough consecutive tournaments to take the jackpot prize.  I think I need to head over and open an account and give Titan a try and I getting a bit sick of Jokerstars!

I haven’t even been able to make the money for the past two weeks.  I don’t think I am doing anything drastically wrong but I am thinking the cold decks and bad beats are making me a little gun-shy.  I might be considering a two week hiatus to see if that can snap me back into a winning mind-set.  What do you all think?

Mr Packer is executive chairman of Crown, the gambling company that emerged from Publishing and Broadcasting (PBL) as part of the company split-up late last year.  He has rapidly created a global casino empire since he freed up cash in the demerger.  Ameristar shares have been trading at record lows but have risen in recent days on strong speculation of an imminent bid.  With low share prices plaguing the entire industry I think it is a safe bet that we will be seeing a lot of these types of mergers in 2008-2009.

The lack of disposable income for many across the area creates a problem for some casinos, which have to lay off employees when less money is being taken in. And for casinos in more remote areas, the price of gas compounds the issue.  “People gotta fill up their tank and drive here. I think they’re going to go where it’s more convenient to gamble,” said Dan Adkins of Mardi Gras Gaming.

But, one casino seems to be bucking the trend, the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. Blackjack tables opened up for the first time over the weekend, and even with the $100 million due to the state of Florida in the first year of card games allowed, the Casino believes it can still push the profits in the weakened economy. I guess it depends on how desperate the economic situation gets, if it really tanks then most casinos can probably expect a sharp upturn as folks look for a way to feel better in tough-times.