1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Powerball Hits $400M as Multi-State Lottery Game Celebrates 30th Anniversary
For the first time since the first week of the year, the Powerball jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing is worth $400 million. No one has won the multi-state lottery jackpot since Valentine's Day. That's when an anonymous ticketholder in Connecticut claimed the...
Donald Trump Scheduled to Attend Political Fundraiser at Kentucky Derby
Former President Donald Trump is expected to attend a high-dollar fundraiser his super PAC is hosting at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day. Maggie Haberman of The New York Times reported the news on Thursday afternoon on Twitter, posting part of an...
Beto for Betting — Texas Candidate for Governor Open to Expanded Gaming
Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke told reporters in a Dallas neighborhood Wednesday that he would consider backing efforts to expand gaming in the Lone Star State. That would include legalizing casinos and sports betting. O’Rourke made his comments during a press...
California Sports Betting Debate Not Waning as Petition Deadline Nears
The battle for control of sports betting in California is heating up. In the past few days, a number of organizations have issued statements of support or opposition to the various initiatives being proposed in the Golden State. The crossfire of commentary...
MaximBet Signs Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon, First in MLB to Endorse a Sportsbook
Charlie Blackmon, a Colorado Rockies outfielder, has officially become the first Major League Baseball player to partner with a licensed sportsbook. MaximBet announced on Wednesday its deal with the four-time All-Star. The deal comes a little more than a month after the...
Kentucky Derby Update: Epicenter, Taiba Top Picks Two Weeks Out
With Tawny Port racing to victory Saturday in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep series is now complete. Now, the Run for the Roses is less than three weeks away. While we don’t know the actual...
John Keeler, Ex-Indiana Casino Executive, Avoids Federal Trial with Plea
John Keeler, a former executive with two Indiana gaming companies, entered a guilty plea in an Indianapolis federal court Monday. His action came on a charge of causing a false corporate tax return to be filed. With the agreement, Keeler avoided going...
Trump Inauguration Photos Could Be Displayed at Indiana Casino Exec’s Trial
The trial of a former Indiana casino executive is expected to start in an Indianapolis federal court on Monday. On Friday, as the judge in the case ruled on whether certain evidence could be presented, prosecutors sought to quash efforts to get...
NASCAR Pact with Sportradar to Include Betting Handle Reports
NASCAR this week announced it signed an integrity agreement with Sportradar Integrity Services. Under terms of the pact, the stock car racing association will receive regular reporting on betting trends in the sport, which it will look to leverage in order to...
Kentucky Sports Betting Bill Fails to Pass on Legislative Session’s Final Day
Kentucky lawmakers ended the 2022 session of the General Assembly on Thursday evening. They were unable to pass legislation that would legalize sports betting in the Bluegrass State. House Bill 606, which would have legalized sports betting and online poker and regulated...
