All IsleOne members can pick up one Big Game Game piece. If you match quarters 1, 2, or 3 scores, you win $250 in IslePlay. If your Game Piece matches the final scores, win $500 in IslePlay.

There also is a Big Game party at the Trackside Bar. Tickets are $25 per person and include a full buffet and non-alcoholic beverages. Drafts are $2 and well drinks are $3.

From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday in February will be the "Around the World" slot tournament. Countries featured are Greece, Mexico, Tahiti and Ireland.

Win a share of $5,000 weekly IslePlay plus bonus drawing on Feb. 26. All IsleOne members may participate. Guests must swipe their IsleOne card in a kiosk on the casino floor to participate. Tournament will be held every Thursday from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. The top 25 scores each week will share in $5,000 in IslePlay.

Each week guests collect passport stamps, stamped at the Players' Club and at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26 there will be a drawing.

Also: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Feb. 8 - WII Sweepstakes. The casino will give away 31 Nintendo Wiis, including game console, two remote controllers, two nunchucks and two games.

From 6-10 p.m. Feb. 13: Friday the 13th Sweepstakes: Win a share of up to $50,000 in cash and $5,000 in IslePlay. IsleOne members may pick up their entry tickets for hourly drawing at the IsleOne player's club the day of the drawing only. Five winners from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. will each win at least $1,000 in IslePlay. Match your coupon symbol to the Mystery Wheel and your prize will be doubled. At 10 p.m., one name will be drawn for the grand prize of $5,000 cash ($10,000 if the symbol on their entry matches the symbol on the prize wheel.)

8 a.m. to midnight Feb. 15: Play $25 /Get $25. Play $25 and get it back. With IsleOne card inserted, register a loss of $25 and you will receive $25 in cash instantly.

5-9 p.m. Feb. 20: $30,000 Sun Splash Sweepstakes: Ten winners at 5 p.m. will be chosen to receive $250 in IslePlay each. At 6 p.m., five winners will be chosen to receive $500 cash each. At 7 p.m., one winner will be chosen to receive the Sporty Kayak. At 8 p.m., one winner will be chosen to receive the 2008 SeaDoo Wave runner. At 9 p.m., one winner will be chosen to receive the 2008 SeaDoo Challenger 180.

Noon-6 p.m. Feb. 28: $50,000 Cash and IslePlay Customer Appreciation Day: IsleOne members will swipe their card in a kiosk on the casino floor one swipe per day all month of February to receive 1-5 coupons. Guests should return the day of the drawing and place all their entry tickets into the drum inside the Fling Bar. At noon and 1 p.m., ten winners will be chosen to receive $500 in IslePlay each. At 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., ten winners will be chosen to receive $500 cash each. At 4 p.m, five winners will be chosen to receive $1,000 in IslePlay each. At 5 p.m., five winners will be chosen to receive $1,000 in cash each. At 6 p.m., one grand prize winner will be chosen to receive $20,000 in cash.

Feb. 1-28: New Member Promotion: Win up to $1,000 in IslePlay. $20 in IslePlay is guaranteed for new members.

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Three Mini-Royal Flushes were hit in a span of two days at the Dania Jai-Alai Cardroom during Jan. 24 weekend.

It started with Michael Bare winning $374 (10% of the total jackpot) with a hearts Mini Royal on Saturday afternoon, according to the fronton, at 301 E. Dania Beach Blvd. in Dania.

Then, on Sunday two more hit. Joe Marchese collected $858 bonus with a diamond Mini, and Burt Sherman hit another heart Mini Royal Flush for $345.

A Mini Royal Flush only requires the Jack, Queen, King, Ace of a suit instead of all five cards of a normal Royal Flush. The payout is 10 percent of the accumulating Royal Flush Jackpot.

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An estimated $8 billion will be bet on the Super Bowl, the most heavily wagered single event of the year.

Among the bettors are people whogamble compulsively, for whom this will be a “last attempt to get even for the year," the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling notes.

"Pointing to these examples is not in condemnation, but rather an attempt to raise awareness of the extreme difficulty that those who are making every effort to recover from a gambling problem will face, when trying to steer clear of temptation," says Pat Fowler, executive director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling.

The FCCG sent out a release this week. The center reminds people that it offers a 24-hour problem gambling HelpLine with resources and assistance available, and encourages those already feeling gambling anxiety over the game, to call 888-ADMIT-IT.

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Former NFL star Phil Simms of the New York Giants will headline "Rock the Game" festivities Sunday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Simms was the MVP in Super Bowl XXI. He's now a color commentator on CBS football games.

But to hang out with Simms, you need to pay $100 and entry the casino’s “Big Game Lottery.” Provided enough people buy tickets, the casino will draw a name at halftime and award him or her $50,000. Fewer entries will mean a lower jackpot.

The tickets are sold at the main casino cash cage. Player’s Club members can swipe their card at one of the designated kiosks located at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for a chance to win a Saturn Sky. The drawing will take place at 6 p.m.

In addition, the casino is offering $500 free slot play drawings from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

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There's a new twist to slot machines at the Isle Casino and Racing in Pompano Beach: instead of cash, players can win a new car.

The Burning Wheels Mystery Jackpot promotion began last week, and is expected to yield a $27,325 Pontiac Solstice convertible about once a month.

"We have had several drawings for cars and we always have a great turnout. Now we have a way for someone to win a car at any given time during the month," slots director Bill Crafts said. It is the only South Florida casino to offer a car as a slot prize.

It works like this:

Players sit at a bank of 26 $1 machines, wagering $1, $2 or $3 per spin.

The car is set up on a mystery progressive controller, which links all of the machines and tracks the amount of coins bet. The casino sets a starting value of 1,200 (like on a progressive slot machine) and a maximum value of 15,000. The mystery controller will select a random number between the starting value and the max value.

The coin that pushes the jackpot pool to the exact mystery amount will win the mystery jackpot. In this case, a car.

Crafts estimates that the car will hit somewhere between 1 day and 63 days, with an average hit every 32 days, presuming players sit at the $1 machine as much as planned.

A second jackpot, of $50 to $150, will hit every couple of hours.

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Palm Beach Kennel Club will hold its annual Super Bowl Pooch Predictor Race Friday afternoon.

One Greyhound will sport the blanket of the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers while the other dons the colors and logo of the NFC's Arizona Cardinals.

They will compete on the Royal Palm Course in an official schooling race. There will be no wagering on this event.

The teams the Greyhounds will represent were randomly selected. Representing the Pittsburgh Steelers and breaking from the one post will be ZE’s Jourdantown (ZE’s Akbar - ZE’s Beegrumbles) while racing for the Arizona Cardinals and breaking from the eight position will be his brother ZE’s Jaziel. Both Greyhounds race for Rader Racing Kennel.

The race will take place after Friday afternoon’s fifth official race at approximately 2:10 p.m.

The Palm Beach Kennel Club canines have correctly predicted nine of the last 12 Super Bowl champions, including two of the last three Bowl winners, the Indianapolis Colts and Steelers in 2007 and ‘06, respectively, according to the Kennel Club's news release.

On Sunday, the Poker Room will hold its first-ever Budweiser Tailgate Zone Super Party, which includes a special game-day buffet plus plenty of big-screen TVs.

In addition, Super Bowl high-hand cash prizes will be awarded every time the Cardinals score (one winner drawn for $500) and each time the Steelers put points on the board (two $500 winners). Eligible players will receive drawing coupons starting at noon by making a full house or better.

Tickets can be purchased in the Poker Room for $8 in advance or $10 on Super Sunday.

Palm Beach Kennel Club will end simulcasting Super Sunday and close the rest of the track at about 6 p.m.

Palm Beach Kennel Club is owned by the Rooney family, which also owns the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Mardi Gras opened its fine-dining restaurant Tuesday, giving gamblers one more food option at the casino and race track.

The restaurant, called The French Quarter, is on the third floor, near the portion of the casino opened last summer called The Balcony overlooking the dog track. (Keep reading and you'll catch onto the Mardi Gras theme.)

The casino didn't have a special opening night and hasn't announced plans for one, so when I walked in at 9 p.m. Tuesday traffic was pretty light. Overall, about 40 people came in for the first day. The restaurant has 72 tables, all covered with nice white tablecloths. Matre d' is Murat Ballica (center); staff includes Mark Byrd (left) and William Smith (right).

I'm not even close to being a food expert, but I had the veal Oscar ravioli ($12) appetizer -- two large toasted ravioli stuff with veal -- and left plenty happy.

Feature dishes include steaks ($26-$32), paella ($24), veal, pork, pasta and big salads. Another appetizer is sweet potato fries ($7), which come covered in a marshmallow-brown sugar-cinnamon mix.

Casino officials installed the high-end restaurant to complement the rest of the food options. On the first floor is Bourbon Street Bistro general restaurant, with a buffet on weekends, and Cafe Orleans (sandwiches, wraps and salads). In the old part of the second floor, popular with simulcast and dog bettors, is a hamburger-and-hot-dog-and pretzel station.

The French Quarter is open 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays, 5-midnight on weekends. The restaurant bar, with three large TVs, stays open until 2 a.m.

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Phylllis Jefferson of Dania Beach won the High Heels Poker Tour tournament at Dania Jai-Alai on Jan. 17, which drew about 80 players.

The buy-in was $100. She collected $2,270.

The rest of the finishers:

2nd Place Tess Spanolios, New Port Richey, $1,376

3rd Place Barbara Miranda, Hollywood, $757

4th Place Tracy Hodson, Jupiter, $619

5th Place Danielle Tuvia, Miami, $482

6th Place Carol Snyder, Hallandale Beach, $413

7th Place Karen Odjick, Cortland, N.Y., $344

8th Place Betsi Harris, Margate, $275

9th Place Dawn Fletcher, Bradenton, $206

10th Place Sue Travis, Fort Lauderdale, $138

The High Heels Tour on Feb. 6-7 hits the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Feb. 13 at Mardi Gras, March 6-8 at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, then goes to New York and to New Orleans.

For more information go to www.highheelspokertour.com.

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Koreen Ford won on The Chip Dale Memorial Poker Tournament at the Isle Sunday.

Dale, who played bar poker with All-In Free Poker, and also played at the Isle, died at the casino while playing on Nov. 15.

Sunday's tournament drew 71 players. Half of the money in the tournament pool went to the prize pool, while the other half went to the Chip Dale Children’s Education Fund.

With other donations, dealer tips and other dealer donations, the total raised was $5,715.

"That displays just how much everyone thought of Chip and how much everyone wanted to honor his memory," said All-In's Bryan Oulton.

Ford (pictured with an Isle dealer), an All In Free Poker player who often played against Dale, took home $1,373. George Lukawski, an Isle player (in the other picture), took in $820 and Yvonne Oulton, came in third ($538).

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Big money from the recent "Main Event" poker tournaments at the Hard Rock:

Serge Clerveaux of Miami clinched the Middleweight division with a $350 buy-in and 85 entrants while winning $8,670.

Juan Mubarek Peralta of Miami won $15,470 in the Cruiserweight division with 91 entries and a $575 buy–in.

Thomas Collazo of Davie was the Heavyweight division champion, winning $35,510 with 106 entries and a $1,100 buy-in.

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It strikes me as a bit of a reach, but the Isle is conducting "Bail Out Everyone Day" from 2-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29.

As the Isle press release says: "Hey, we can all use a little help right now."

Their campaign (lightly edited by me):

Helping the hungry: The Isle will donate $1 for each person who plays the casino's new Burning Wheels Mystery Jackpot Slot machines. It will donate a minimum of $1,000.

Helping you: Everyone who plays the Burning Wheels Mystery Jackpot Slot machines gets a keychain. Every 15 minutes from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., a player on the "hot seat" of a Burning Wheels Mystery Jackpot Slot machine will win a prize – including $1,000 cash; free play ranging from $25-$100; dinner for two at the Isle Buffet, Myron's Delicatessen or Farraddays' Steakhouse; and Isle gift cards for $20-$100.

Helping the country: The casino will be giving away a car approximately every 45 days. Everyone who plays the Burning Wheels Mystery Jackpot Slot machines may randomly win the car for only a $1. The first car is the Pontiac Solstice, a GM car.

"And we know the auto industry has their bail out!" the release says.

Further information is available at www.theislepompanopark.com.

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Talk about getting real: The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s latest promotion isn’t about exotic trips or fancy cars.

They say it’s to help pay your bills.

The casino’s “$250,000 Cash Exchange” promotion calls up 10 patrons, who push a button that selects their prize. Among them: Your phone bill, utilities, groceries, a car payment and property taxes. Actually, you get $250 to $2,000 in cash, or free casino play.

Whether players take the money and apply it to their bills, or head back to the casino is “their choice,” Hard Rock Vice President VP Joel Rovics said.

But with the economy tanked, and everyone worried about the short-term, the promotion has attracted a crowd, he said.

A “bonus” icon creates more winners, he said. When a Cash Exchange player hits it, free play is silently downloaded to selected casino Players’ Club members who have swiped their cards that day, creating more winners, he said.

The promotion is at 2 and 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

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Looks like poker might be slightly morphing again at the Hard Rock.

Poker players have had to adjust when the casino added blackjack; many of the less-skilled players migrated to '21,' some players say. And the $100 buy-in cash game can become too much of an all-in fest.

So the casino's poker room began offering multi-table tournaments with guaranteed prize money in December and they will continue in January and February. You gotta make the top 10 percent to hit the money. Starting chip stack is 8,000 units.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5 and 19, is a $25,000 guarantee with a buy-in of $300. It's been drawing 120 to 160 entrants, Hard Rock officials say.

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13 and 27 is a $15,000 guarantee with a $150 buy-in. It's been attracting 140 to 200 players.

At 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 9 and 23 is a $30,000 guarantee for a $150 buy-in. Normal crowd has been 250 to 300.

For info, call the Hard Rock.

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A tournament to raise money for the family of Charles "Chip" Dale is set for 5 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Isle.

Dale was a popular member of the All-in-Free Poker community (which offers free poker in bars), and died Nov. 15 at the Isle, right in the middle of a cash game. The Isle is conducting the tournament without taking a share (a "rake" in poker parlance) of the entry fees. Dale had three children, ages 3-9.

The tournament cost $50, with $20 re-buys (and double re-buys) after the first hour. Chip stack is 1,500, with another 1,000 for a $10 dealer tip. Freeze-out after the first hour.

For more info, contact the Isle or www.allinfreepoker.com.

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At American Heritage School parking lot:

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Jose Torres, a 38-year-old business owner from Hollywood, outlasted Jacobo Fernandez of Hollywood to win a Pot-Limit Omaha tournament at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi.

It is Torres' third major tournament victory in three years. He received $95,895 in cash and a white gold and diamond bracelet.

According to a release from the Southern Poker Championships, Pot-Limit Omaha has been a staple of the Mississippi poker scene for many years. The World Poker Open – which was played every January in upstate Tunica between 2000 and 2007 until a schedule-changed moved the event to the fall – routinely attracted swarms of eager PLO enthusiasts.

The key hand of the tournament took place late when Fernandez flopped two pair to go along with a flush draw. Torres flopped a straight. His hand held up while Fernandez failed to improve, the release said.

Torres has previously won the Five-Star World Poker Classic, which is part of the World Poker Tour. This was his 25th time to cash. He now has over $300,000 in career tournament winnings.

Fernandez, a poker pro from the Dominican who has homes other than Hollywood, was the runner-up. He cashed seven times at the 2008 WSOP. Fernandez received $53,275 in this event as his official payout.

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What makes you sick? Really sick?

Well, it could be salmonella. Or it could be betting on salmonella. I guess there aren't any plagues to wager on?

From BetUS.com, lightly edited by me:

The CDC reported that a recent salmonella outbreak sickened 388 people 42 states, sending 18 percent of them to the hospital. An anxious public is looking for answers and speculation is at an all time high as to what veggies and foods are safe to eat, and which may land them in the sick bed. This being the case, BetUS.com posted odds on which foods are likely salmonella suspects.

Analysts at BetUS.com posted the following odds regarding possible salmonella suspects:

Tomatos 3/1

Eggs 3/2

Celery 8/1

Mushrooms 10/1

Lettuce 8/1

Peppers 3/1

Cheese 2/1

Of course, there's a big difference between merely spitting out odds and actually taking bets. I emailed the folks who sent the press release, after Dalke Geedz, who does a sports betting site, questioned whether they really are taking bets. I haven't heard back from the BetUS folks, so I'm taking down their links for now.

Sports and Newsworthy odds can be found at: www.BetUS.com

Their sports and pop culture blog is http://www.betus.com/sports-betting/pr/ for the latest headlines.

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Our Josh Hafenbrack writes that some Democratic legislators wanted to explore the compact with the Seminole Tribe as a way to pay for state ills, only their efforts got shot down.

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John Mayers of Fort Lauderdale won the Isle Poker Classic at the Isle on Sunday.

Mayers was the chip leader when the tournament's remaining 11 players, whose names were not released, all agreed to a chop. They each walked away with $19,109.

The tournament drew 333 players, creating a $266,400 prize pool.

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The “Rounder Girls” of Rounder Magazine will be appearing at the Poker Room at Seminole Paradise from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday to pose for pictures and mingle with fans.

The stop is part of Rounder Magazine’s Florida promotional tour. The magazine is one of several the poker players can snag at most casino poker rooms.

(Nick's note: Originally, I had no quote marks around "Rounder Girls," so it showed up Rounder girls.... which sounds kind of wrong. Note to non-poker folks: A 'rounder' is a term made popular in the Matt Damon movie called, er, Rounders.)

The casino will, meanwhile, have a High Hand of the hour worth $150 plus an entry into drawing to win a cruise for two.

A multi-table tournament is at 11 a.m. Buy-in is $200. A Hold'em/Omaha High mixed tournament is at 6:30 p.m. that's $150.

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I normally don't do much of the government/politics side of gambling, but I sat in when the South Florida Gaming Coalition came to present its views to the paper's Editorial Board.

They're a group of pari-mutuels in South Florida formed last month that wants to "educate the public and key decision-makers on issues that imipact the pari-mutuel industry in South Florida," according to their material. The coalition includes Miami-Dade parimutuels, Mardi Gras and the Isle in Broward, but not Gulfstream nor Dania Jai-Alai.

As you know, the legislature has a critical time in regards to gambling, made more complicated by a $100 million compact between Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe, which was later voided. And Miami-Dade approved slots, and those sites are hoping to open later this year.

The compact particularly irks Mardi Gras' Dan Adkins, who points as much to the state's actions as he does to the tribe's.

"The state really holds all the cards," he says. "They didn't have to make this deal."

He also points out language in the compact that he says is either a.) flawed, b.) unfair and/or c.) poor business decisions by the state.

What do they want? Well, instead of the 50 percent state tax on slot profits they currently pay, they'd like to have 15 percent of that come back in tax credits, so they could increase how much they would spend on marketing and building expansion.

And they want whatever the Tribe has in South Florida: Either both sides have table games such as blackjack, or neither side. (With the legislature needing to OK table games, their logical -- unsaid -- conclusion is it's likely to be neither.)

The Tribe's advantage to such an arrangement? The coalition says the Seminoles would have slot exclusivity in the rest of Florida (unless some other county miraculously would approve slots, then ... )

They say that when all possible South Florida facilities are open, it could generate $500 million more for the state. The general argument is there would be more jobs and more people coming to the casinos, but they are basing that on about $200 per machine per day on slots. That's 30 percent more than what most places are doing.

They're also counting on Dania to open, which they likely would do if the tax rate dropped.

Last year, Gulfstream, Mardi Gras and the Isle generated $123 million, but overall operation was at only at 26 percent of South Florida's capacity, they say, only 3,769 of the 14,000 machines the paris are currently authorized to have.

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The Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is giving away a $134,000 car and hosting two weekly slot tournaments in January.

The car promotion, called "Yes, U Can Drive a Dream" has drawings from 6-10 p.m. Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29. Contestants who pick matching "car" cards would win a YES Roadster valued at $134,000. If no one hits the car by Jan. 29, the casino will make the drawing easier, until someone wins on that day.

The two slot tournaments are the "55+ Silver Star" tournament, at 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 12, 19 and 26. Prizes are all free play; entry is free to those 55 and over.

The "Friday Morning Slot n’ Nosh Tournament' is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30. Ten winners share $5,000 cash $20 includes entry fee + lunch.

Other promotions are:

$100K ROADSTER RACE: Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27. 6 p.m- 9 p.m. Six winners per hour race to win cash and bonus entries for Thursday’s drawing.

RACE TO THE FINISH/PLAY & EARN BOUNCEBACK: Jan. 7, 14, 21 and 28. Deferred $50
Free Play from Monday + earn 2,000 points today & receive $100 Free Play for Friday.

$100K SUNDAY RUSH HOUR: Jan. 11, 18, 25. Noon-4 p.m. Total of 26 winners for their share of cash & Free Play. Ten $500 Free Play winners at noon; Five $1,000 cash
winners 1 p.m., 2 p.m. & 3 p.m.; One $5,000 cash winner at 4 p.m.

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We reported about the Powerball ticket sales on Sunday, and now here's the deal on finding out whether you've won, according to the Florida Lottery:

Beginning Tuesday, Florida Lotto and Mega Money drawings will be moving to a new time, 11:15 p.m. Tickets for Florida Lotto and Mega Money may continue to be purchased until 10:40 p.m. on the night of the drawing.

The overall schedule:

POWERBALL Wed. and Sat., 10:59 p.m. ET
FLORIDA LOTTO Wed. and Sat., 11:15 p.m. ET
MEGA MONEY Tues. and Fri., 11:15 p.m. ET
FANTASY 5 Daily, 11:15 p.m. ET
PLAY 4 Daily, 1:30 p.m. ET and 7:57 p.m. ET
CASH 3 Daily, 1:30 p.m. ET and 7:57 p.m. ET

Also beginning January 6, Florida Lottery TV carrier stations will air the live drawings, show the drawings within minutes of the live drawings, or display on-screen the winning numbers from the drawings. Viewing times and the type of coverage vary by station.

All Florida Lottery winning numbers will continue to be available at all Florida Lottery retailers, on the Lottery’s Winning Numbers hotline at (850) 921-PLAY, and on the Lottery’s Web site at www.flalottery.com. Additionally, players will continue to have 24-hour access to the drawings via Webcasts posted on the Lottery Web site. And, players can now register on the site to receive winning numbers and other Florida Lottery information via e-mail or text messaging.

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BRING A FRIEND to MARDI GRAS: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27: $20 Bonus Play* for You, $10 Bonus Play for Your Friend!
*If you’re a Mardi Gras Player’s Club Member receive $20 bonus play if you bring a friend and sign him/her up at the Mardi Gras Player’s Club. Your friend must be a new member and will receive $10 bonus play. Maximum of two new friends per month of January.

MOON OVER MARDI GRAS at 831!: 7 p.m. Jan. 10: $100 Bonus Play - 7, 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15, 9:30, 9:45 p.m.
$2,831 Cash - 8:31p.m.
$1,000 Cash - 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, the casino continues its Tic Tac Toe chicken promotion. You get $50 in bonus play for beating a chicken at Tic Tac Toe
The times:

January 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24 & 30 • 2-10 p.m.

Jan. 4, 11, 18 & 25 • Noon-8 p.m.

Jan. 6, 13, 20 & 27 • Noon-10 p.m.
The 45th player who beats the Chicken at Tic Tac Toe will win an extra $1,000 in cash.

Jan. 8, 15, 22 & 29 • 2-10 p.m.
If the Chicken lays an egg, you’ll will win $100.

Jan. 31 • 1-9 p.m.
Win $200 in bonus play to the first 50 players who beat the Chicken at the game of Tic Tac Toe. After the 50 participants beat the Chicken at Tic Tac Toe the remaining participants will receive $50.

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For 2008, my first year on the gambling beat, I kept a journal of my wins and losses.

I'm not a big-time player, but I did learn some interesting trends -- and I'm ready in case the IRS calls.

How did you do in 2008? (The comments portions in my blog is on the fritz, so email me at nsortal@SunSentinel.com.)

A more regular player, reader Jon Marks, shipped over thoughts from his log:

I have logged the information for 118 sessions for 2008 but for obvious reasons I don’t think that I’ll forward you the actual spread sheet. I have been rewarded for staying away from the $100 buy-in 5-10 cash games.

In tournament play, even at the $60 level your losses are finite and your upside is a considerable multiple of your investment. I would much rather play 5, $100 tournaments than re-buy 5 times for $100 in a cash game where almost everyone is playing short stack poker. Until the state changes the buy in amounts, the cash game is nothing more than kamikaze yatze.

Your advice to players of all levels to keep a journal or spread sheet is right on. If they want to get better at the game they should also keep a notebook to make a record of things that worked and didn’t work. You don’t want to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Players should also read as much as they can. The Harrington volumes are invaluable for anyone with a penchant for numbers and Negranu’s new book has some truly excellent chapters.

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