Gambling News Roundup - 888poker's Birthday Boxer and Adele in Vegas

The online casino world never stops spinning and the news has been bold and beautiful as always. An Adele tribute act at the Tropicana casino in Las Vegas eased the woes of fans who missed out on seeing their idol and 888poker targeted a boxing ambassador to build on their audience. There was also a new arrival for Valentine's Day.

Boxer Chris Eubank Jr. Becomes 888poker Cultural Ambassador

Middleweight boxer, Chris Eubank Jr., has joined forces with 888poker as a cultural ambassador while the online casino brand celebrates 20 years in the business. Eubank Jr., the son of the charismatic former fighter Chris Eubank, is the world’s number one-ranked middleweight boxer after having won two IBO super middleweight world champion titles.

He will bring 888poker to the attention of his large following, including nearly 400,000 followers on Twitter and more than 630,000 followers on Instagram. Eubank Jr. is a relevant, exciting name for 888poker to be associated with.

VP Head of Poker at 888poker said: “I am happy to welcome Chris to the 888poker family as our Cultural Ambassador. This is a fantastic partnership and an exciting kick-off for our 20th anniversary year.”

Eubank Jr. said: "Boxing has prepared me well for the poker lifestyle. In the ring when you get hurt, you have to have that poker face. You can't show emotion, you can't show your opponent that you're hurt or you're about to do something. Everything has to be masked.

“In the ring, I'm not a nice guy to be with, but at the poker table I'm a fun guy. I get involved, I talk, I laugh.”

Eubank Jr. said he has played poker against former heavyweight boxer David Haye and in a charity tournament against former super middleweight Carl Froch. He said he is a ‘far superior player’ to the pair.

Eubank Jr. added that he would like to win a poker tournament. “Whether it’s a big one or a small one, just to say that I’ve won a tournament would be awesome!”

The 20th anniversary celebrations do not stop there though. 888poker players will be able to enjoy the C$2.5 million Superstorm Tournament series, with 30 events and a C$1.30 million Main Event, between February 27 and March 7. Players can pay C$1300 to enter the main event or you can watch the climax of the series via 888poker’s Twitch channel.

Why not check out our 888casino review?

Tropicana Casino Shows Are Free For Adele Fans After Diva’s Covid Delay

The Tropicana casino and hotel near the Vegas Strip is putting on an Adele show of its own, but this time, it will be a tribute act belting out the hits. Adele had a residency waiting at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, but had to postpone her shows just one day in advance after covid affected preparations.

So, to cheer up Adele’s fans, the Tropicana offered free tickets to see Adele tribute act Janae Longo for a week. Janae belted out tunes, such as Someone Like You and Chasing Pavements, to an enraptured crowd of around 350, a few thousand less than Adele can expect at the 4,100-seater Colosseum. Some gig-goers even begged ‘More!’ as Longo’s performance came to a close.

Not everyone was impressed with the free diva’s performance though, one describing her as ‘Not an impersonator but an imposter’.

The Tropicana hotel and casino, at the opposite end of the Las Vegas strip from The Colosseum, where Adele is still set to perform, is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and run by Penn National Gaming. Penn National Gaming is a retail and online casino gaming company, which also has products in the live racing and sports betting areas. They offer online casino games, including some of the best online slots like Divine Fortune by NetEnt and Wheel of Fortune Megaways from IGT.

Yggdrasil and Reflex Gaming Share The Love With Valentine’s Day Slot Release

This Valentine’s Day saw the relationship between two online casino companies move to the next level as Yggdrasil and Reflex Gaming announced the release of their new online casino slot game Time Machine. Time Machine is a sci-fi casino slot, set in Victorian England, which features the new Pay-Rise Reels mechanic. It has five rows and three reels, with 243 paylines and a 95.5% return to player rate.

The new Pay-Rise feature means even during base gameplay, players have up to 16,807 ways to win. You also get a respin after every win and if you win on a respin, the reel grows, allowing the reels to reach a maximum size of seven by five. If this happens, things start to get really interesting. You get seven free spins and you could claim even more if you land a 1+ symbol on reel one or five.

Chief Product Officer at Reflex Gaming, Mat Ingram, said: “Time Machine is an immersive new hit that combines anticipation and big win potential.” He said the makers wanted to create a moody environment to appeal to sci-fi fans and those who like high volatility.

Head of Product and Programs at Yggdrasil, Stuart McCarthy, said: “Every spin can lead to huge wins, with respins driving engagement to new heights.”