Ben Affleck Banned from Vegas Casino

Not for cheating, mind you - just for basically being too good at blackjack.

Hey - he is known for being tough.

Texas Hold'em Is Not Gambling

According to a Federal Judge. The judge said that it is a game "predominated by skill" and is therefore not gambling. Luck doesn't hurt, though. But obviously, luck is good in all things. Farming is mostly skill and a little bit of luck.

I'm not sure I would have used as many pages as the Judge used in his opinion, though. I probably would have just tossed a Rounders reference at you.

Powerball Lotto Simulator

I like a friendly wager as much as the next guy. I enjoy Saturday night card games with the guys, the friendly wager of a few beers on the outcome of a football game, that kind of stuff. However, one thing that holds no interest for me is the lotto.

I don't get any enjoyment out of picking some numbers and seeing if they match other numbers. There's no skill, no strategy, nothing. You just pick some numbers at random. It seems silly to me, and I refer to the lotto as a tax on people who are bad at math, because that's what it is.

If you would like to simulate playing the Powerball, here's a nice little app to keep track of how much you would win and spend. Just click on the "Start" button, and watch the numbers start to roll. I simulated buying two tickets each week for a year, and I lost $276.00.

Anybody hit the big one?