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popular songs inspired by poker

Popular Songs Inspired by Poker

By Lifestyle 2 Comments

Games of chance have influenced music and pop culture big time. Many popular songs were inspired by poker, as it is the most famous gambling game out there. The list of these songs is endless, but we have selected some of them that we find the most interesting. Let’s stay with us as we flow through different genres to see what songs were inspired by poker. It will be a wild ride, we promise you!

Lady Gaga – Poker Face

We are starting off with a banger that had a great influence on pop music in the early 2010s. Lady Gaga has just arrived on the music scene and everybody was talking about her style and her songs. She has brought the spirit and controversies in a way that Madonna did a couple of decades earlier. The song Poker Face, inspired obviously by the poker game, really made a difference for her and her career. She even mentions Texas Hold’em which is probably the gamer’s favourite version of poker (we at the Casino Brango have it also). Maybe poker-themed songs are lucky songs, don’t you think? It is a game of chance after all!

Texas Hold Em Play Now

Motorhead – Aces of Spades

Now, it is time for something different. We suggested flirting with different genres is going to be present and we try to keep our promises. So, Motorhead is our next choice! In the 1980s this heavy metal band released the song Aces of Spades, and it was a real hit. The song is filled with verses like “pushing up the ante, I know you want to see me, read ’em and weep, the dead man’s hand again” and “you win some, lose some, it’s all the same to me”. The second verse is a little bit too casual for a passionate gambler, but sometimes relaxed is good.

Deuces Are Wild – Aerosmith

We are continuing our genre diversity which means this time classical rock is our theme. Band famous for one of the most beautiful rock ballads ever, Aerosmith recorded the song Deuces Are Wild and if you check our casino, you will see Deuces Wild! In the mid-90s this song inspired many to find their perfect pair because this version of poker is all about landing a two.

Deuces Wild play now

Losing Hand – Ray Charles

Let’s go back in time to meet the famous blues player, perhaps ever, Ray Charles. The 1950s were a great time for music change and blues was on the rise. All the social issues that blues players have advocated subtly through the time, just by being there and playing their music, really started to be recognized. The song Losing Hand was inspired by losing in gambling and it was a metaphor for losing in love. It takes a little bit of luck in love also!

Some of the most famous songs in the world in the past 100 years were a part of the system that was influenced greatly by games of chance, poker precisely. Poker has touched various music genres, as you had a chance to read in this post. So, if you feel inspired to start playing poker don’t hesitate to try all of the different versions we at the Casino Brango have prepared for you!

professional poker player

Phil Ivey – biography, net worth and career

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Phil Ivey Biography

Love him or hate him, Phil Ivey’s wealth earned through gambling is unimaginable. His influence on the gambling world is undeniable. This professional poker player in his mid 40ies is one of the most mysterious poker figures. He rarely appears in the media and leads a quiet life. However, his rise to stardom was quite dynamic and well-deserved.

How old is Phil Ivey?

Phillip Dennis Ivey Jr. is 45 years old. Born in 1976, in  Riverside, California, Phil Ivey made his first steps in poker at a very early age. Namely, his grandfather started teaching him poker when he was just eight years old.  At that time, they played for pennies, as Phil explained. Little did he know that he would earn millions of dollars years later.

Phil Ivey’s personal life

Phil Ivey got married in 2002 to Luciaetta (they were high school sweets) since they attended the same high school in Roselle, New Jersey, where Phil moved with his parents, a couple of months after his birth. They started a divorce in 2009.

Where does Phil Ivey live?

After the divorce, Phil Ivey resides in Las Vegas.

With lots of free time, he has a couple of hobbies. Basketball is the top one. As you may assume he is a tall guy (1.88 cm – 6 ft 2 in). Favourite teams are LA Lakers and Houston Rockets. He even participated in World Series of Golf and ended 4th in final group.

Gradually, his talent flourished, and he perfected his skills. However, he got used to playing only Five-card stud poker. During his teenage years, he was definitely a master among his peers. Therefore, it is unsurprising that he reportedly earned the nickname ‘No Home Jerome’. Namely, Phil Ivey used to fake his ID in order to play at the casinos. Later on, when he became a pro, he earned a few more nicknames – ‘The Phenom’ as well as ‘Tiger Woods of Poker.

However, the road to becoming a professional was a long one. After high school, Phil Ivey landed a job in a telemarketing company. He quickly started playing poker with his colleagues and advanced his skills. Quickly, he took his first steps in professional poker.

Becoming a Professional Poker Player

At the very beginning of his professional career, Phil was aware of the fact that he yet had a lot to learn. We have written about this phenomenon before. This is probably one of the most important things to remember. Achieving any result in any type of industry demands hard work. Becoming a professional poker player is no different. You never stop learning new stuff. Otherwise, you are done.

Either way, he lost to giants such as Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, and alike. People described him as a player fond of playing too many poker hands and playing to lose.

Phil Ivey’s net worth 2022

Nowadays, Phil Ivey is the synonym of an aggressive player who eventually wins no matter what. If there is anything worth playing for, he will win it eventually. He plays both online and live poker. His net worth is estimated at more than $100 million. He is the one of richest poker players in the world.

Phil Ivey bracelets

So far he has managed to win 10 WSOP bracelets. He was very close to win his 11th bracelet, but Aleksejs Ponakovs Latvian poker player had more luck that night.

If he had won this game he would join Phil Hellmuth the only poker player with more than 11 bracelets.

Is Phil Ivey broke?

No, Phil Ivey is not broke. Some tabloid magazines were writing about his financial problems but in the end, we saw those were just rumors.

Giving Back to the Community

As a true professional and a man of outstanding skills and willpower, Phil Ivey decided to share his wealth with the community. Therefore, he established “The Budding Ivey Foundation” with his mother, in honor of his late grandfather. The latter taught him the basis of poker and opened the doors to unimaginable potential.

Working under the belief that “One person can make a difference”, the foundation helps the ones in need. The people and children who are at risk turn to them for help.  The foundation makes no selection based on financial, educational, or other circumstances. The main focus is put on children and their families and the various ways they can achieve a decent life.

Do you find the story of Phil Ivey inspirational?

the biggest winning streak

The Longest and The Biggest Winning Streak Ever

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“The Run” was the longest and the biggest winning streak ever. It was made in poker. The player Anargyros Karabourniotis a.k.a Archie Karas made history. He reportedly won more than $40 million in two and a half years. This case fascinates the poker world even after so many years.

“I’ve gambled more money than anyone in the history of the planet. What most gamblers make in their whole life, I gamble in one roll of the dice. Unless the casinos decide to raise their limits after I’m gone, I don’t think anyone will ever gamble more than I have. I’m the biggest ever.”

The Background of Archie Karas

Archie Karas was born in 1951 on the island of Cefalonia, Greece in the Ionion Sea. His family was reportedly very poor. For a while he tried to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a carpenter. However, his relationship with his father proved to be a tough one. The misunderstandings eventually led to Archie fleeing from the island. He headed to the USA. Therefore, he onboarded a ship to Portland, Oregon.

Once there, Archie Karas found a job as a waiter. The interesting thing is that the restaurant he worked in was connected to the bowling alley and a pool hall. He frequently got in touch with various people and learned English and Spanish by himself.  He quickly switched his interest from playing pool to playing poker and he rapidly advanced in earnings.

Coming to Las Vegas

The next logical step in the life of Archie Karas was The Mirage Hotel and Casino. The luck was obviously on his side from the very beginning. He reportedly stumbled upon one of his old friends who became quite wealthy in the meantime. That man offered to loan him $10,000 in gambling purposes. Archie took it and quickly made $30,000. He then returned $20,000 to his friend and kept $10,000 to himself.

His next endeavor was playing pool in high stakes. This is when the biggest winning streak started. His opponent was a gentleman whose identity Archie always tried to keep a secret.  Archie started playing with the stake of $10,000 and quickly raised it to $40,000 a game. In a revanche game, asked by the mysterious man, Archie reportedly won $3 million. This caused a lot of interest among gamblers and many of them wanted to meet Archie and play against him.

The First Grand Poker Win

Archie Karas drew attention of Stu Ungar, who was a three-time Poker Champion of a World Series. Stu Ungar challenged Archie for a game of Heads-up Razz and eventually lost $500,000. After this event, Ungar challenged Karas once again. This time for a 7-card stud game. Again, it ended successfully for Archie Karas who walked away with additional $700,000.

During the following six months, Archie played against some of the most prominent players in the gambling world. He managed to earn $17 million playing poker and shooting pools.

The First Enormous Craps Win

Being a high roller at poker is a demanding thing, both financially and psychologically. In time, less people were ready to confront him, so Archie finally switched to the game of Craps. The first noticeable win came after betting the maximum of $200,000 on the 4 and 10 for 1 to 4.6 odds at the Binion Casino. After two rolls, Archie Karas earned $920,000. The rest of that day went into history, as he managed to accumulate the amount of $40 million.

Gambler’s Luck

Knowing when to quit is an art. We can bet you have heard this advice many times before. Some of you maybe even know how to control the impulses and let it go. However, it is in both the human and the gamblers nature to be curious and ask: “what if”. Furthermore, many gamblers accept the fact that the same way money came to them, it may as well slip through their fingers.

The same questions and doubts troubled Archie Karas. Eventually, he decided to continue gambling and lost all of his money in less than a month. There were some attempts to win at Baccarat, but unfortunately, he lost almost $17 million playing it.

Archie Karas, the owner of the longest and the biggest winning streak ever, was arrested in Las Vegas in 2013 under suspicion of cheating in Blackjack at Barona Casino. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years of probation and $6,800 fine. He continues to live in Las Vegas, and he visits his family in Greece every year.

Would you dare to challenge this man for a game of poker?

Everyday wisdom on gambling

Everyday Wisdom on Gambling

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Gambling has always been provoking human minds. No one is immune to the mention of gambling. People either love it or hate it. However, the fact is that some of the cleverest minds in history of mankind have pondered on the subject. Furthermore, the entire nations have sayings dedicated to gambling. These everyday wisdom on gambling serve to remind us all about the advantages and downsides of gambling. Above all, the sayings refer to the widely spread notion of life itself being a gamble.

“Go and wake up your luck” – Persian proverb

It is no news that gambling depends on luck a great deal. Significant part of a player’s success is in his skill. There is no skill without practice. Nevertheless, there is rarely winning without luck.

When we are at the subject of luck, we should remind you that there are people who consider luck to be God-given aspect. Others believe that we create the lucky circumstances and control the force that rules the game, be it our knowledge, skill, circumstances manipulation, etc. Either way, everyone agrees that having luck on your side is truly beneficial.

“When we play, we must realize, before anything else, that we are out to make money.” D. Sklansky

Gambling is fun. Gamblers participate for entertainment. However, gambling is one of the rare entertainment forms that enables players to actually win money. That is why gambling has double benefits and can make a player twice as happy.

 “Better an ounce of luck than a pound of gold” – Polish proverb

No matter whether this proverb reflects gambling or not, it is extremely interesting. It shows the full potential of luck. With just a little bit of luck, the players can change the odds to their favor. And what is the best way to activate your luck? Practicing and becoming skilled, of course. Therefore, it is a never-ending cycle. The thing is to find a proper measure that fits your personality and go with the flow.

“Poker reveals to the frank observer something else of import—it will teach him about his own nature. Many bad players do not improve because they cannot bear self-knowledge.“ David Mamet

Hm.. It is true, isn’t it? I bet many players do not think about poker in this way. Nevertheless, as each experience teaches us something, so does playing poker. Having in mind the fact that it is a game of estimates, reading people, and calculating your own every move, poker tells a lot about each player.

If you observe carefully, a person’s style of playing can tell you whether he or she is a cautious or audacious individual. Furthermore, it can also tell you how active or passive a player is, or how tight or loose he or she is. Predictive nature is also one of the key features. Once a player takes an introspective look and manages to control the impulses, reading the opponent would not be so much of a challenge. Once again, gambling resembles life in its complexity and controlling a person’s own ego as the starting point in winning.

Lastly, allow us to remind you about the very essence of poker, although this everyday wisdom on gambling may be applied to games in general:

“Poker is good for you. It enriches the soul, sharpens the intellect, heals the spirit, and – when played well, nourishes the wallet.”  Lou Krieger

 

We are looking forward to hearing your favorite saying about gambling.

poker table game Caribbean Hold'Em Poker

All You Have to Know About “Caribbean Hold’Em Poker”

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Caribbean Hold’Em Poker” is one of the table games that have captivated the attention of gamers around the world during the last years. Question is – What is the secret of its popularity?  The rules of this game are straightforward enough to follow, and the gameplay rewards luck and skill in equal measure. In that sense, it’s the perfect card game!

This game is a saltwater variation of “Texas Hold’Em Poker” which is known as one of the easiest forms of poker to learn. In this variation, you are dealt two cards and the dealer is dealt two cards. Next comes the flop; three community cards dealt face-up. Fold and bow out or continue and see the next two community cards.

“Caribbean Hold’Em Poker” Gameplay

When you begin a game you have to place a mandatory ante bet, and this can be any amount you choose depending on your bankroll limitations.

After you’ve made the ante wager by clicking the chip amounts you’d like to bet, a dealer will distribute two cards face up to form your hand, and two cards face down to form their own hand.

Finally, the dealer will place three cards face up in the middle of the table and these cards are known as the flop.

poker table game Caribbean Hold'Em Poker

You predict whether or not your five-card poker hand will beat the dealer’s hand. Hands are ranked according to standard poker rules. The goal of Caribbean Hold’em is to get a better five-card poker hand than the dealer.

If you believe your five-card poker hand will be as good or better than the dealers, you Call to make an additional bet that is twice the ante. If you believe the dealer will have a better five-card hand, you Fold to forfeit the ante and end the game.

Two more community cards are dealt face up. There are now five community cards that both you and the dealer can use to make the best five-card poker hand possible. You can use some or all of the five community cards to make the best five-card poker hand.

The dealer’s hand must qualify with a pair of 4’s or better. If the dealer does not qualify and you call, you win the ante and your Call bet is returned.

If the dealer qualifies, you call, and your five-card poker hand is better than the dealer’s hand, you win on the ante according to the payouts below and you win even money on your Call bet.

If the dealer qualifies, you call, and your poker hand is equal to the dealer’s poker hand, you push.