Leading online poker site UltimateBet.net announced today the winner of the WWE WrestleMania XXIV Free Online Poker tournament. The online poker player from Pickering, Ontario, with the moniker youngg17, won the March 2 winner-take-all match and secured the ultimate WWE WrestleMania XXIV prize package.

The prize package includes return airfare for two to Orlando, Florida; hotel accommodations; $500 spending money; premium floor seats to WrestleMania XXIV at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando; meet and greet with a WWE Superstar at Fan Axxess; exclusive tickets to WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony; brunch with WWE Superstars at Bacon, Bagels & Biceps Brunch; two Championship replica belts; two exclusive WrestleMania XXIV fold up chairs; and a framed WrestleMania XXIV poster.

The controversial Massachusetts bill that would allow three resort-style casinos while criminalizing online poker was defeated by a House vote of 106-48 on Thursday. But it turns out that the provision to criminalize internet poker gambling may have played a pivotal role in the bill’s defeat.

Defeating the proposed bill by Governor Deval Patrick, had become the cause celebre for influential House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, who opposed to it both on moral grounds and what he believed were unrealistic estimates of the casinos benefits to the state.

Wednesday, the Massachusetts House Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies voted 10-8 to reject Governor Deval Patrick’s proposed bill to build three casinos and criminalize online poker in the state.

UltimateBet signed American thrash metal band Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian Rosenfield as there newest recruit for the site’s online poker team. Scott Ian got his start after winning VH1’s Rock Stars of Poker charity tournament and securing a spot in UltimateBet’s signature island poker tournament in Aruba.

“We’re thrilled to add Scott Ian to our roster of online poker professionals,” stated UltimateBet.com spokesperson George MacLean. “Scott represents a new breed of poker player that both Texas Hold’em and music fans can relate to.”

A hearing on Tuesday, March 18th will discuss a bill introduced by Governor Deval Patrick. The H. 4307 establishes the framework for construction of three casinos in Massachusetts, but at the same time makes playing online poker punishable by up to two years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

H. 4307 is designed to bring revenue and jobs to Massachusetts. With casinos such as Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun nearby, the state finds itself losing potential sources of revenue. The text of the bill reads, “Revenue generated from resort casinos can be used to find critical needs in the commonwealth, including investments and upgrades to roads and bridges, and other important infrastructure.” Atlantic City is just a 350 mile hop from Boston, making for a range of gambling options for Massachusetts residents right now.

The European Union opened an investigation into possible U.S. infringement on free trade. European companies complain that, since the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, they have been prevented from operating in a manner permisable to American competitors.

At the time of the passing of the UIGEA, the World Trade Organization ruled against the law as a matter of obstructing the free flow of trade as specified in various agreements. The United States responded by working out deals with the affected countries, including the European Union, Japan, and Canada, returning concessions to these countries in exchange for allowing the gambling block to stand.

The online poker industry as a whole has made a stand. Following the first incident of cheating, online poker rooms and the Kahnawake Gambling Commission, who in the opinion of many poorly mishandled the first case of cheating in poker rooms, are in this newest case of cheating poker players showing a united front.

On January 12th Ultimate Bet learned of a poker player who’s numbers just did not add up. NioNio a player on the popular poker website was showing irregular winnings, some suggested that a player could not have numbers that high unless he was playing with an unfair advantage, perhaps something similar to the case at Absolute Poker where certain players had access to their opponents hole cards.

PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, today announced the launch of Latin America’s first major poker tour, the LAPT. With stops in Brazil, Costa Rica and Uruguay, the tour is set to bring world-class poker action to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world.

The Latin American Poker Tour kicks off in the beautiful beach city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from May 3-5, 2008. This three-day, $2,500 tournament will be the largest poker tournament ever held in Brazil, with players competing for a total prize pool of over $600,000. Among the players will be Team PokerStars Pros and international poker stars Andre Akkari from Brazil and Humberto Brenes from Costa Rica.

The tour continues with the LAPT San Jose in Costa Rica from May 22-24, and then moves on to Uruguay for the LAPT Punta del Este from August 7-9.

LAPT President Glenn Cademartori said, “Poker is exploding in Latin America and the game is more than ready for its own major poker tour. It’s one of the fastest-growing poker regions and there are thousands upon thousands of players in countries like Brazil and Argentina who will love the chance to take part in events of this kind. In every regard, the LAPT is going to put Latin America on the map as the newest hotspot to play high-stakes international poker.”

The 2008 World Series of Poker is fast approaching. The best poker players from around the world will gather in Las Vegas at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino from May 30, 2008 through July 17, 2008 in hopes of winning an exclusive bracelet and of course, a piece of the very large prize pool.

Win a Seat at the WSOP Find out why the WSOP is best attended as a member of Team Bodog. It’s not just about getting the $12,000 prize package, it’s about being treated like a pro.

The 39^th Annual WSOP, which is presented by Milwaukuee’s Best Light, will include 55 bracelet tournaments. For the Main Event, the No Limit Hold’Em World Championship, the buy-in is $10,000. In addition, there will be a total of eight $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’Em tournaments, which usually attracts the biggest fields outside of the No Limit Main Event. Buy-ins for other open events will vary from $1,000 to $50,000.

March 9, 2008 marks the Main Event of the Inaugural Bodog Poker Open (BPO). This $500 buy-in online poker tournament hosted by Bodog will crown its first champion. Not only will the winner take home the cash prize and an engraved Omega Speedmaster Pro watch valued at $4400 but of course make their mark in online poker history as the BPO’s first ever champion.

Qualify Now for the Biggest Tournament in Bodog History, the Bodog Poker Open! Get ready for the ultimate in online poker tournaments this March as Bodog rolls out the first ever Bodog Poker Open! BPO events are guaranteeing fantastic value with $75,000 being added to the prize pools! Buy directly in or play in one of the low–cost Satellites running now.

The main event on March 9^th is the finale tournament of the BPO. Having started on March 3, this week long tournament consists of 5 preliminary events of which the winners of each earns a free entry into the Main Event on top of their cash winnings. Games being played out on the Bodog virtual tables include variations of Texas Holdem, including No Limit, Pot Limit, Limit, No Limit with Re-buys and Six-Handed No Limit.