There's nothing better than a Saturday July 4 holiday for casinos. That's because July 4 is usually a family night, everyone together watching fireworks. So some casinos can put events on July 3 -- and adults can justify sneaking away from the kids.

I wrote earlier about Seminole Coconut Creek Casino and Dania Jai-Alai, but here are some other promotions for the July 3-4 weekend. The gist: Two casinos are doing fireworks on the third, and one on the fourth.

Gulfstream Park offers a July 3 fireworks display, a $17.76 All-American buffet; live music and will give away three Jeeps.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Friday, as well as a laser show, strolling musicians and a DJ at Center Fountain. The casino will give away $1,776 every hour from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, then have $20,000 grand prize drawings at 7 p.m. each day. The poker room will have an Independence Day tournament at 11 a.m. Saturday. Entry is $575.

Mardi Gras will have fireworks at 9 p.m. Saturday and give away a 2010 Camaro at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. The casino also will have other giveaways and a barbecue.

Isle Casino and Racing will have an "Early Bird Sweepstakes" on Saturday, giving away $100 to 20 people starting at 11 a.m., then conduct a grand prize drawing of $500. The casino also will give away July 4 tote bags and offer up to five times its normal Players' Club points.

Seminole Classic casino in Hollywood will give away up to $500 in free play every 20 minutes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. If a patron is not present to collect the prize, it rolls into the next giveaway.

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If you a.) like hot dogs or b.) get rained out from fireworks on July 4, then Dania Jai-Alai has a feasible option.

The fronton is conducting a hot-dog eating contest, at about 8 p.m. on Saturday.

It works like this:

The fronton is taking 12 to 20 contests to eat hot dogs (and buns) for six minutes.

"Most of these contests go 20 minutes but we figure six minutes is enough," says Lou Berdellans, promotions and events coordinator at the fronton. The person who eats the most gets $250; second prize pays $100.

Berdellans has a couple of contestants lined up, but will put you up for the title if you bring at least 10 friends, he said.

"I want people who have cheering sections," he said. The event will be held when whatever jai-alai game going on at 8 p.m. ends. There will be two paramedics on duty, he notes.

Meanwhile, he also has some Dania-style giveaways to just anyone who walks in: TNT fireworks from the store down the road; two kitchen sink sundaes from Jaxson's; gift certificates to Grandpa's restaurant; four $25 gift cards and jai-alai memorabilia.

The fronton also will draw names to try to hit the jai-alai wall with a serve. Do it and you get $100. If you go to the sports card and memorabilia show from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, you get an extra drawing entry for every $20 you spend.

For info, call 954-927-2841 or email jaialou@betdania.com.

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Our casinos may not be Vegas-style, but our entertainment sure is inspired by Sin City.

The “Flying Elvi”, a 10-member skydiving team first featured in the 1992 movie, Honeymoon in Vegas will jump July 3 (unless the weatherman ignores our pleas to Don't Be Cruel) at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

They'll make a jump of 5,000 to 12,000 feet just before sunset to kick off the casino's Independence Day weekend.

The Las Vegas skydiver show includes smoke trails, pyrotechnic fireworks, and precision maneuvers. An over-the-top “Elvi” stage show will follow the sky dive, according to the casino.

Free-falling for up to 9,500 feet at speeds ranging from 120 to 160 mph, the Flying ELVI -- dressed in complete Elvis Presley outfits -- are serious daredevils with an average of more than 2,000 jumps each. All of them are U.S. Parachute Association Pro rated; they also have Elvis' approval, according to their site.

Their business took off after the movie, when they called themselves "the Flying Elvises," since tweaking their name. I just remember Sarah Jessica Parker fawning to Nicolas Cage: "You jumped out of a plane for me!" Aww.

The Elvi in some ways are a continuation of GM Steve Bonner's air fetish: he's given away space flights, painted a target on the roof for space debris to fall on and had "Dinners in the Sky" promotions. Can't say the guy's feet are planted firmly on the ground...

Meanwhile, the casino will hold a barbeque from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 4; cost is $7.77.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is east of State Road 7 (U.S. 441) and north of Sample Road at 5550 NW 40th Street. Call 954-977-6700.

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This is a story about re-entries, chops and a poker player who hopes her luck is changing.

Ebony Kenney, 27, prevailed in the main event of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Summer Open Poker Series June 22. Here's the story.

Kenney, who lives in Estero, near Fort Myers, had played poker full-time for two or three years, including some World Series circuit events, but took a break for about eight months after a long losing streak.

"I enjoy poker so much, but just hit a bad slump," she said. "I couldn't win a race."

A single mother of two, she recently earned her real estate agent's license, and came to the Hard Rock with three friends to play in the tournament, which has two opening days. She used to player there some, especially in $500 single-table tournaments before more players switched to cash games.

She got knocked out on the first day of the main event. But the tournament allows those knocked out on the first day to re-enter on the second day, something most tournaments don't allow. (It's written in state gambling rules, but the Seminoles don't have to comply with the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.)

"I had not heard of tournaments doing that before, but I said 'What the heck,'" she said.

So she surived her second "Day One," and was in 49th place out of 50.

"But then I just hung on, and caught a couple of hands," she said.

She was among the two top chip leaders when the field narrowed to about seven. They agreed to divide the pot -- a "chop" in poker parlance -- with Kenney and one other player getting a little bit more. (She took home $54,230 in the tournament, which had 182 entries/counting some people twice. Entry fee was $1,100.)

To determine the trophy-winner, the choppers each drew a card, and Kenney and the other leader were allowed to draw two, to more fairly weight the chop.

She got the ace of hearts, and a king of hearts kicker.

And the trophy.

Now she's in Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker. She busted out of a $1,500 event on Monday but hopes to play in the main event this weekend. She's cobbling together a backer or two to cover part of the $10,000 entry -- common practice in the poker world.

The "other" poker that goes on during WSOP can be just as lucrative, players note, and that's part of Kenney's plan. She's playing the $300 tournaments that aren't associated with the WSOP, and perhaps that will also help bankroll her.

"I'm in Vegas, and playing poker," she says. "You never know what can happen."

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The Isle Casino Pompano Park promotions include a golf bag mystery sweepstakes and Mercedes C300 giveaway and slot tournaments:

Every Sunday in July is the "everyone wins" Sizzling Summer Free Slot Tournament from noon- 6 p.m. Over $20,000 in IslePlay will be awarded each week.

Every Thursday in July, earn five times points from 9 a.m.– midnight. The points can be redeemed for food and at the retail shop.

On Saturday, July 4, 11, 18 and 25, enter the $2,500 IslePlay Sweepstakes at 11 a.m. Swipe your IsleOne card at the kiosk and receive an entry for the 11 a.m. drawings when 20 winners will receive $100 in IslePlay. The grand prize of $500 will be awarded to the 21st name drawn.

From noon - 5 p.m. on July 18, it’s the $25,000 Golf Bag Mystery Sweeps. Two winners will be selected to choose four numbered golf balls at the top of the hour. The order in which the balls are chosen will represent the total amount of the cash prize. At 5 p.m., one lucky winner will draw to win the $10,000 cash prize. Plus, all participants putt for an additional $2,500 in cash.

On Friday, July 31, from 6-10 p.m., enter to win a Mercedes C 300 and a share of $10,000 in IslePlay. Earn two times entries every Monday in July; earn three times entries on Tuesdays and four times entries on Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, the Isle buffet will offer a 2-for-1 Italian dinner night every Thursday in July for $17.95. It includes antipasto, pizza, pasta, carved beef and desserts.

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Gulfstream Park’s Independence Weekend fireworks show returns July 3, and this year it features a $17.76 All-American buffet; live music and a three-Jeep giveaway.

The buffet will be served in Gulfstream Park’s 1,000-seat Ten Palms on the second floor, which overlooks the fireworks display.

The menu includes traditional Independence Day fare, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, corn on the cob, baked beans and apple pie.

Meanwhile, the tiki huts in the Jameson Jockey Club will host two 45-minute sets from the popular local artist Davie Rey and will also be the setting for the giveaway of three Jeep Libertys.

Ten Palms will be open at 4 p.m.; the music starts at 6:30 and the fireworks begin at 9:15.

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Palm Beach Kennel Club’s 2008-09 season of greyhound racing ends Tuesday afternoon and for gamblers that means the Twin-Trifecta and Tri-Super carryover jackpots gotta go.

The Twin-Trifecta is played on races 5 and 7 each racing performance while the Tri-Super encompasses races 11 and 13.

The Kennel Club kicks off its 2009-10 racing season Wednesday afternoon. All racing statistics will start anew.

July 1 will also be the kickoff of the Palm Beach Poker Room’s 2009 Yukon Denali giveaway.

From the first of the month thru July 25, hourly high-hand winners (4 of a kind or higher) will receive a chance to win the 2009 Yukon Denali. Ten finalists will be selected on July 25 and each will receive a key, only one of which will start the $55,000 decked-out automobile.

Post time for the first race Tuesday afternoon is 1 p.m.

Call 561-683-2222.

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Just a quick visual today, on the progress at Gulfstream Park's The Villages project. Photo/courtesy of Gulfstream

Gulfstream said earlier this year that completion date for The Villages was Feb. 11, but with Calder making a big push to finish before the Feb. 7 Super Bowl, so might this project.

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The Isle is getting into the annuity business, and it involves newspapers.

The casino will conduct a drawing at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 28, and give away 10 annuities: The top prize is $2,500 a month for a year, second is $500 a month for a year, on through $100 a month for fifth through 10th.

The SunSentinel and Palm Beach Post will publish coupons on Friday and the New Times will have them this week's edition. Bring in the coupon on Sunday and get an entry for the drawing. Players' Club members also can get a bonus entry by swiping their cards on the 28th.

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Results from the Isle's main event, which wrapped up Monday:

Amount Name Home Town
$67,860.00 Harrison Gimbel Jupiter
$39,780.00 Taylor Jon Stelfox Edgewater, MD
$25,740.00 Claudionel Barbosa Deerfield Beach
$16,380.00 Glenn Fullone St. Petersburg
$11,700.00 Robert Blanchette Ft Lauderdale
$10,062.00 Marc Bronstein Delray Beach
$7,722.00 Daniel Vranich Lake Park
$5,616.00 Jerry Leong Boca Raton
$5,382.00 Peter Han Boca Raton
$5,148.00 Greg Rosen Plantation
$4,914.00 Adel Jo Miami
$4,680.00 Stuart Paterson Boca Raton
$4,446.00 David Gerber Deerfield Beach
$4,212.00 Michael Lipman Miami
$3,978.00 Fernando Halac Aventura
$3,744.00 Nissin Vaknin Davie
$3,510.00 Robert Chusid Cooper City
$3,276.00 Howard Darnold Fort Pierce
$3,042.00 Mike Delgigante Boca Raton
$2,808.00 Frank Andrews Boca Raton
$1,840.00 John Lacognata Coral Springs
$1,840.00 Anthony Ruberto Everett, Ma
$1,840.00 Marc Levy Boynton Beach
$1,840.00 Donald Keneipp Ft Lauderdale
$1,840.00 Jacob Roden Estero, FL
$1,760.00 Romel Nicolas Miami Gardens
$1,760.00 Dave Albertson Margate
$1,760.00 Charles Alexandra Coconut Creek
$1,760.00 Devin Shalmi Boca Raton
$1,760.00 John Davis WPB
$1,600.00 Alan Gould Plantation
$1,600.00 Leonard St Germain SW Ranches

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The Florida Lottery announced today that Florida Lotto winner Jeffrey Thomas Youel, 47, of Sunrise, claimed the $6 million jackpot drawn on June 20.

Youel chose the one-time, lump-sum payment of $3,348,662. The winning Quick Pick ticket was purchased at Publix, located at 13700 State Road 84 in Davie. The retailer received a bonus incentive of $15,000 for selling the ticket.

The winning numbers were:
04 - 23 - 29 - 38 - 45 - 52

Youel is the 83rd Florida Lotto jackpot winner to purchase a winning ticket in Broward County, according to the Lottery. To date, there have been more than 950 jackpot winners statewide.

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I'm not able to put live news up this week, but I had some items in the can that will pop up daily, using my "scheduled" feature. See below.

I gotta have eye surgery late Tuesday afternoon; detached retina.

If I have this right, they're going to inject a gas balloon into the top of my eye area and try to move the unattached part of my retina into where it needs to go. Right now if you picture a full moon, I can see only about a quarter sliver, so it really needs fixing. I gotta hold my head still the rest of the week, so as not to disturb the balloon.

Then once they reattach the retina, they gotta hope that the eye nerves regenerate to the point that I can approach full vision. It often does, but not always. So, this is freaky stuff.

Update:This is Nick's son typing (he is not supposed to be on the computer)
They attached the retina, and their is some cloudy vision. We expect it to recover, but we do not know how much time it is going to take. Here is a poker comparison: It's like getting two good cards,but there is still a flop, a turn, and a river.

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Ebony Kenney of Fort Myers won the main event of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's Summer Open Poker series.

She took home $54,230; the $1,100 buy-in event drew 182 entrants.

I'm trying to find out more about Kenney, who I've never met. She shows up on CardPlayer magazine rankings and such, but there's only spotty info.

Anyone else help me out?

Meanwhile, the Hard Rock's complete list:

EVENT# 1 $150 BUY IN (6/12) (25K) 305 $36,600 Luis Cristobal $9,744
EVENT# 2 $150 BUY IN (6/13) (20K) 224/169RB $39,555 Ronnie Johns $11,262
EVENT# 3 $75 BUY IN (6/14) (10K) 310 $18,600 Gary Lopes $4,960
EVENT# 4 $75 BUY IN (6/15) (6K) 173 $10,380 David Albertson $3,114
EVENT# 5 $300 BUY IN (6/15) (25K) 139 $34,750 Steven McKean $11,120
EVENT# 6 $150 BUY IN (6/16) (15K) 190 $22,800 Edgar Villamil $6,800
EVENT# 7 $75 BUY IN (6/17) (10K) 267 $16,020 Anonymous $4,385
EVENT# 8 $1100BUY IN (6/19) (150K) 182 $182,000 Ebony Kenney $54,230
EVENT# 9 $75 BUY IN (6/17) (10K) 276 $16,560 Steven McKean $4,507

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Here's what I have after my interview with Joe Giaimo. I had to do a phoner, so I missed getting to walk around the tables and get eyeball details:

Ten-dollar blackjack players have their wish: The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino promises to have low-limit tables all the time.

Blackjack arrived at the Hard Rock on June 22, 2008, with a minimum bet of $25 and 41 tables carrying $100 minimums. Had minimums been lower during the public’s opening-weeks rush, wait times for a table would have been even longer, Hard Rock officials noted at the time.

Within a couple of months, the minimums dropped to $15 and, sometimes, to $10 — depending on crowd size. In October, the casino announced it would operate $10 tables from 7 a.m. to noon weekdays.

That changed last week, when casino officials announced there would be $10 tables round-the-clock.

The reason for the switch? Customer demand. Also, the action is a little slower this time of year, said Joe Giaimo, the Seminoles’ regional vice president of table games. Las Vegas and Atlantic City, for example, have busy summers and slow winters; South Florida has the opposite, he said.

“Business has declined slightly, but not that much,” he said. The Seminoles don’t release revenue figures.

There will be at least four $10 tables in the mornings, and about 12 when all of the casino’s 64 blackjack tables are running, Giaimo said.

Having $10 tables has been the No. 1 request pertaining to blackjack, he said.

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Dania Jai-Alai, which doesn't have the advantage of a spillover slots crowd, is holding its most lucrative poker tournament ever on July 11. The fronton's promotions for entries into that tournament begin now.

The guaranteed prize pool is $40,000, with about $13,000 going to the winner. Entry fee is $250, and entries are capped at 250.

Single-table $30 satellite tournaments for those who want to earn an entry into the big game are being held through July 10.

There also are $55 single-table satellites where the top two get in and even a multi table satellite game where all of the players that make the final table score a ticket.

Meanwhile, the fronton promotes its $100 Friday night game, where players start with 9,000 units and blinds are 30 minutes apart. Dania is giving one "golden ticket" each Friday night to the big tournament.

And note that the monthly Dan Le Batard Celebrity tournament is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 24.

Visit www.betdania.com or call 954-920-1511.

Just a note here, though, to keep it in perspective: a $40,000 tournament isn't that unusual; it's just unusual for Dania. For example, the main event at the Isle over the weekend carried a $150,000 guarantee, and even their No. 2 event had a $75,000 guarantee.

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