The World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship saw 973 players enter Day 1c on Thursday, bringing the total number of entries to 2,312. Day 1d is set to take place on Friday and is expected to attract enough players for the tournament to hit the $40 million guarantee.

PokerNews reported that the first three Day 1 events ended up attracting fewer players than expected but the Friday session is expected to make up for that. In order for that to happen, it would need approximately 1,800 more players to register.

Registration will close late Friday evening, meaning that there is a whole day of anticipation remaining. The prize pool will be announced following the conclusion of the registration period.

Several Players Collected over a Million Chips

The global tournament has been attracting tons of players and is poised to be one of the most exciting poker tournaments ever. The first few Day 1 events already saw a few professionals finish with huge stacks of chips.

Kyle Ho, Chance Kornuth and Hossein Ensan, for example, all surpassed a million chips, bagging 1.21 million, 1.13 million and 1.1 million chips respectively. In the meantime, Jeff Hakim almost reached a million, bagging 998,000 on Day 1a of the event.

In the meantime, a number of notable professionals failed to qualify for Day 2. This included Phil Hellmuth, also known as the Poker Brat. However, Hellmuth and other unlucky players will have one final shot at advancing on Day 1d this Friday.

The participation of such players is expected to further bolster the Friday numbers, allowing the tournament to hit its goals and $40 million guarantee.

Costello Won the WPT Ladies Championship

Speaking of WTP events, Lisa Costello just won the World Poker Tour’s Ladies Championship, taking home $85,297, a trophy and the title of “champ.” This is not her first win at a big event but she still described her emotion about the victory as an “incredible feeling.”

The final table saw Costello face other women’s poker powerhouses, such as Kathy Stahl, Chris Read, Aylar Lie and Ada Lang.

Costello’s victory surprised poker fans considering her long recent hiatus.

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Governor J.B. Pritzker is now the one holding the fate of people who have served prison sentences and are looking to reintegrate into society with Senate Bill 1462 awaiting the gubernatorial signature before it may be passed into law.

Second Chance for Illinois ex-Convicts at Casinos

Senate Bill 1462 will not necessarily grant exclusive hiring rights to former cons, but it will certainly make the hiring pool a little broader, and it will allow for convicts who have not committed specific acts to be vetted and possibly hired into the hospitality industry, and casinos in particular.

The Illinois Gaming Board would still have a final say in the matter when convicts are being hired, as the regulator could not permit anyone who is deemed a threat to public safety, the state’s interests, or gaming integrity to work directly in the industry.

The implication of the gubernatorial signature could be quite significant, though. At least 1.5 million people in Illinois have some felony charges, which means that they are automatically struggling to find and secure employment, which pushes many into even more crime.

This is precisely the argument Sen. Robert Peters has delivered, arguing that making sure people have a choice and access to employment is something that would allow them to stay out of bad habits and backsliding into their own ways. Peters himself is an opponent of mass incarceration and has spoken avidly about the harm it causes to people’s lives in the long term:

Mass incarceration and profoundly deep income inequality are tied together. There is an inherent contradiction in saying that you want to be tough on crime while you are leaving people out of economic opportunity.

Sen. Robert Peters

Huge Opportunity and Demand for Willing Workers

At the same time, the bill could not have come at a better time, with a new casino resort on its way. The Freedom Center in River West is going to open a new casino in 2026, with some 6,000 jobs created in the process. Half of those are temporary and linked to the construction of the project, with $1.7 billion going down in the investment.

At the same time, 700 jobs are already available at a temporary site at Madinah Temple which launched earlier in the year. Gov. Pritzker should do right by Illinois citizens and help them get a second chance. Violent offenders and those guilty of particularly serious financial crimes would not be able to work in the industry under the current bill, however.

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An official press release revealed DraftKings’ plans for the 10 March Massachusetts online sports betting launch. The operator will utilize the next few days to the maximum, focusing on raising awareness of its imminent arrival in the Bay State via commercials and promotional events. Entering a new jurisdiction marks a significant milestone in DraftKings’ expansion efforts and should net the company substantial long-term benefits.

Fans Can Support Their Favorite Teams

10 March is fast approaching, and hopeful operators are doing their best to reach as many customers as possible during launch day. As one of the USA’s top sportsbooks, DraftKings has invested significant efforts to bolster its presence in the Bay State. The company hopes to draw in hopeful bettors with its varied selection of bet types, exclusive promotions, and ability to wager on numerous sports and leagues.

DraftKings has forged relationships with hometown teams like the Boston Bruins, New England Revolution, Boston Celtics, and the New England Patriots. Fans will soon be able to support their favorites and wager on exciting events like the NCAA Division I Basketball tournaments. Customers can participate via the DraftKings Sportsbook app on Android and iOS devices.

In the few days before the launch, DraftKings has prepared an extensive marketing campaign, hoping to inform sports fans of the many new online sports betting opportunities. The company plans to execute several marketing campaigns before and immediately after the launch like Boston sports watch parties and an official celebration with special guests.

The operator has also prepared its “Bet Local” commercial, which will commence on 10 March. The promo will feature famous Massachusetts athletes and celebrities who will help spread the word and inform fans of their new ability to bet online. Such campaigns aim to elevate DraftKings and help it secure its share of the new market.

DraftKings Should Secure a Sizeable Market Share

Launching in a previously untapped jurisdiction is a golden opportunity for all operators. However, several sportsbooks allegedly pulled out of the state before launch due to stiff competition from big players like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars. Analysts agree that an operator would need between 7% and 8% of the overall market share to be profitable. 

Such a milestone should be relatively easy to reach for DraftKings as the company commands substantial mindshare and has invested heavily in the launch. DraftKings co-founder, CEO, and chairman Jason Robins was excited to reach millions of new fans, delivering a safe and exciting sports betting product to the state’s diehard fans.

This launch will mark a major milestone for our company, and we’re proud to become the hometown sportsbook for customers in the Commonwealth.

Jason Robins, DraftKings co-founder, CEO, and chairman

The Massachusetts launch should allow DraftKings to maintain its considerable momentum coming out of 2022. The operator’s yearly revenue hit $2.2 billion, representing a significant 73% year-over-year increase. With a positive outlook for 2023 and an entirely new market at its fingertips, DraftKings may continue to surpass expectations.

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