1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Pittsburgh Hosts Cincinnati as Winless Teams Duel on Monday Night Football
Two of the seven winless teams in the National Football League square off against each other Monday night, renewing a rivalry that’s taken a vicious turn in recent years. The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Pittsburgh to face their AFC North rival...
SportPesa Shuts Down Kenya Sportsbook, Citing Tax Issue
Operators of SportPesa, a popular online sportsbook, pulled the plug on its Kenyan app over the weekend, citing increased taxes in the African country as the reason. Reuters reported that the Kenyan parliament voted to double the duty tax placed on sports...
Calder, With Jai Alai, Can Stop Horse Racing and Keep Casino License, Florida Appeals Court Rules
A Florida appellate court has sided with Calder Casino, ruling last week that the Miami-area track can stop horse racing, offer jai alai instead, and continue to operate its casino. The unanimous decision affirms answers the Division of Pari-Mutuel Racing gave Calder...
LSU, Joe Burrow Making Moves on College Football Odds Boards After First Month of Games
The 2019 college football season hits the one month mark this weekend, and by the time Saturday ends, every team will have played a third of its regular season contests. There hasn’t been much change at the top of the polls, as...
MLB Regular Season Winds Down This Weekend, With Astros World Series Favorites
It’s the final weekend of the Major League Baseball )MLB) regular season, and unlike recent years, this season’s playoff picture is pretty much set. Yes, there’s still a question about who will win the National League Central, and that could still come...
Anthony Wrobel Pleads Guilty to Murdering Venetian Executive, May Avoid Life Without Parole
Former Venetian dealer Anthony Wrobel has admitted to shooting and killing an executive from the casino and seriously wounding another at a company picnic last year. Court documents reveal Wrobel and prosecutors submitted an agreement to plead guilty to one count each...
DC Judge Issues Temporary Injunction Against Sole-Source Sports Betting Lottery Contract with Intralot
A judge in the District of Columbia issued an injunction on Thursday that blocks the District, at least temporarily, from moving forward with its $215 million sports betting contract with Intralot. The move puts doubt in the DC Lottery’s plan to use...
New Jersey Horsemen Entitled to Damages in Historic Sports Betting Case, Appellate Court Rules
The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NJTHA) scored a victory against five sports leagues and governing bodies in a federal appellate courtroom on Tuesday. In a majority decision, the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the association was harmed when the...
Indiana Gives OK to Rush Street Interactive to Start Mobile Sports Betting App Next Week
Indiana is a week away from launching its first online sportsbook. The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) announced late Wednesday that it approved Rush Street Interactive’s application to run an online sportsbook. The company’s application is scheduled to be available on Oct. 3....
Illinois Racing Board OKs Dates for Arlington Park Despite Qualms Over Casino Plans
The Illinois Racing Board (IRB) voted unanimously Tuesday to approve racing dates for the 2020 calendar year. But that didn’t stop some members from questioning Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) officials about the company's commitment to Arlington Park and its opposition to building...
