Gambling

Two decades ago, real estate mogul Randy Black turned this blip on the Arizona border into a boomtown when he opened the first of four casinos. Nearly 1 million visitors a year followed, and hotels, restaurants and stucco homes seemed to sprout from sand. "It seemed to be one of those things that 'Geez, it's just going great. It's never going to end,' " said Victor Kotalion, who left Las Vegas in 1990 for this arid patch off Interstate 15.

Let's say you're playing poker and you need one more diamond for a flush. The dealer turns a card, reveals a diamond and you win the hand. Was it skill or luck? The answer is affecting the fates of people across the country accused of breaking anti-gambling laws -- people like Kevin Raley of Colorado. As an engineer, Raley finds that the mathematics of poker come easily, and he's pretty good at keeping a blank face. Reading other people, though, is something he's always working on. "It's something I'm better at today than I was five years ago," said Raley.

Horse racing, in a comeback bid, is headed for a casino near you. Beginning this weekend, horse racing fans can place bets and watch televised races at the Commerce Casino, the first new off-track betting site approved under a statewide initiative to whip up the struggling horse racing industry. At the new site, gamblers will be able to bet at electronic kiosks and follow races from across the country on a bank of 26 television screens.

In television ads that began running statewide Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urges voters to endorse gambling expansion deals he struck with four Southern California Indian tribes. The deals were approved by the Legislature last summer and were to take effect this week. But competing gambling interests and other opponents gathered enough signatures to ask voters to repeal them by rejecting Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 on the Feb. 5 ballot.

The Ducks, 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight and if the defending Stanley Cup champions continue their recent run at the Honda Center, bettors can expect a low-scoring game. The over/under for combined goals for tonight's game is 5.5 with the under attracting heavy support based on the trends of both teams. In 23 Ducks home games this season, the under is 14-6-3, including 4-1 in their last five. And since Dec.

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Several players on the women's tennis tour have been approached to fix matches or provide inside information sought by gamblers, the head of the tour said Monday, echoing disclosures of similar overtures made to male players. "Less than 10" women have been approached, said Larry Scott, WTA Tour chairman and chief executive. However, he acknowledged that the full extent of the problem might not be known. "I'm not sure I know all the ways players have been approached.

While teams such as Phoenix and the Lakers are trying to get used to playing without key injured players Grant Hill and Andrew Bynum, the Miami Heat is expected to welcome back veteran big man Shaquille O'Neal for tonight's game against Chicago. For Miami betting supporters, this could be good news because the Heat has lost 10 games in a row and has covered the line only twice since Dec. 10. O'Neal, sidelined since Dec.

Barack Obama has warned about the dangers of gambling -- that it carries a "moral and social cost" that could "devastate" poor communities. As a state senator in Illinois, he at times opposed plans to expand gambling, worrying that it could be especially harmful to low-income people. Today, those views are posing a problem for Obama in the gambling mecca of Nevada, which holds its presidential nominating caucuses Saturday. While his top rival, Sen.

For the 13th time in 18 games this season -- including nine in a row -- the New England Patriots will play as double-digit favorites when they face the San Diego Chargers in the AFC championship game today at Gillette Stadium. It's a remarkable stretch of respect from oddsmakers, who have enjoyed big betting action every time the Patriots have played this season. But that doesn't mean oddsmakers were excited to have San Diego upset Indianapolis last week.

No one will be surprised to see this year's Super Bowl break all kinds of betting records because of the story lines connected with the New England Patriots and New York Giants. For bettors who like heavy favorites, you have the undefeated Patriots, who have attracted big money for their games throughout the season. Then there are the Giants, who have grown into the role as longshot underdogs through their impressive late-season run and the playoffs. Patriots versus Giants.