There’s never a dull moment in the world of gambling. And fresh from reading about the hilarious stories that occurred in early July, we’ve got a few more instances of amusement from the scene as of late. These will likely get you to break into a smile if you’re feeling a little blue.
So, if you’re game for a laugh and you like wryly observing the misfortunes of others, we’re right here for you with Freaky Fortnight news items from the latter half of July.
A Player’s Illegal Gambling Decision Brings the Laughs to Twitter
If you haven’t been keeping up with the news on college sports, then you may not be aware of the seven Iowa and Iowa State athletes who were recently charged with one count each of tampering with records relating to an investigation. Online Poker has long been accessible to players based in The Hawkeye State, and licensed online sports betting went live in Iowa on January 1, 2021.
Yet anyone under the age of 21 cannot participate in it. Furthermore, it is illegal to knowingly permit anyone under 21 to place bets on sports. The rules of the NCAA also don’t permit any athlete or athletic department employee to place bets.
Seven different complaints allege that athletes utilized their cell phones to place bets on either FanDuel or DraftKings. Several of them used the names of family members to try and hide their activity too. Investigations into the matter continue to take place, and revelations keep coming to light.
A reporter at the Des Moines Register noted that Aaron Blom, a junior kicker,
That’s no laughing matter for Blom if it is true, but Twitter users erupted with laughter at the sports wager. Why? Because there is a certain hilarity to the fact that he wagered on the “under” market on an Iowa football game. The Hawkeyes have had a terrible season where offense is concerned, ranking 132nd out of 133 FBS teams in yards per game for the 2022 period. The team was also 125th in scoring, amassing on 17.7 points per game on average.
Criticism has been flung at offense coordinator Brian Ferentz for the failures in the Hawkeyes camp. The news that Blom gambled in such a way has added to the woes.
One Twitter user said, “I think it’s more alarming that someone needed inside information to bet the under on an Iowa game,” in response to the news. Another labelled the bet “risk-free investing” rather than gambling. A third Tweet suggested that “Brian Ferentz being terrible at his job is not insider knowledge.”
Blom has the chance to plead his case on aggravated misdemeanor charges. If he is found to have placed such bets on Iowa football games, he could end up being ruled as ineligible by the NCAA on a permanent basis.
Woman Thrown to the Ground in a Round of Cowboy Poker
There is that saying that you should never work with animals or children. Both are unpredictable, and most of the time, neither have been able to consent to participating. Yet animal sports tend to be some of the most adored in the world. Horse racing and the like have entertained the masses for many decades.
Bull riding is one such animal sport that is popular, especially at the Keath Killebrew Memorial Rodeo in Jackson, Mississippi. Rodeo is a sport that is filled with its own levels of unpredictability, thanks to the presence of charging, thrashing bulls. Safety is something that doesn’t seem to factor into the holding of these events across the United States.
It was at the Rodeo in Jackson on July 29 that events unfolded during a spirited game of “Cowboy Poker.” This saw several cowboys seated around a table engaging in their gambling game. A girl was also present at the table with them, which was placed in the middle of the rodeo arena. What could have been a friendly, enjoyable game soon turned into a moment of madness as a three-second countdown unleashed the aggressive bull into the arena with them.
Clearly poked and prodded into providing entertainment for the masses as if in some Roman Colosseum, the bull charges out of its stable and at one of the stable door cowboys. The man hightails it over the fence, leading to the bull turning its attention to the table of poker players. The bull charges right at them, looking to overturn the table it seems and sending one of the gaming cowboys scurrying away.
The animal then makes a U-turn, scraping past some of the other players, and then charges at the girl, who has decided she’s going to run away. Instead, the bull manages to fling her to the ground to the almost gladiatorial outcries of the crowd in attendance. Two stableboys try to herd the bull back into its quarters to allow the woman time to get away, only for it to once again spot her and send her flying even higher.
She is finally chaperoned off the arena floor, as the bull then returns to the poker table briefly before it is herded away by the cowboys. Clearly, it was a case of karma in action for the people who not only participate in bull riding and the like, but also the organizers of such events. A moment of hilarity at the stupidity of people and triumph for the bull.
”The One with All the Poker” Named a Top “Friends” Episode
Anyone who has ever watched the television sitcom “Friends” will know plenty about it. The six main characters often have their own amusing story arcs that weave their way through each episode. It all culminates in the final episode where they leave the two primary apartments of the series, heading off in different directions. It ran for 10 years between 1994 and 2004 and became one of the most popular television shots of all time.
Now, a top 10 list (to rival all other top 10 lists surrounding the sitcom), has come to light on the best episodes from the entire series. Rolling in at position number four is the season 1 episode entitled, “
Within that episode, character Phoebe (portrayed by Lisa Kudrow) suggests that the boys’ poker night is a macho conspiracy that goes against her feminist ways. This leads to the girls insisting that they partake in the game.
Teaching the girls how to play is not something that proves easy for the three guys, which leads to Phoebe and the others losing. Monica (Courtney Cox) demands a rematch as she taps into her competitive nature. The girls then visit Monica’s experienced auntie Iris for some advanced poker lessons.
The final game sees everyone out except for consistent on-again-off-again offenders Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). Ross concedes to Rachel out of love after she finds out that her job interview to become a professional assistant buyer has fallen through.
Poker takes quite a spotlight position within the episode, but it also contains many laughs at the same time. Rachel willingly handing a card over to Phoebe to make up a better hand during the boys’ teachings is one such instance. Another comes when Ross walks into the apartment with swagger, commenting to Rachel, “Your money’s mine, Green!”, to which she responds, “Your fly is open, Gellar!” Rachel’s newfound ability to “shuffle” cards in a unique way after the visit to auntie Iris stands out as another key moment.
If it’s amusement you want surrounding poker gameplay, then this episode of Friends is likely to provide plenty of laughs. The number four position on a top 10 list? We can get behind that!
Tyler Reddick Loses to Bubba Wallace and Pulls the Most Hilarious Poker Face
We may be going slightly off kilter with this story, but hey, if you can pull an adequate poker face, then half the job is done regarding playing the game. Yet is it really needed in the world of NASCAR? Well, it certainly was for Tyler Reddick midway through July.
The results for the New Hampshire race displayed quite the promising start for 23XI Racing as well as its sponsors. Reddick competed in the event and secured a very respectable 6th position on the starting grid. At the same time, Bubba Wallace (also representing 23XI Racing) gained a very commendable top-10 qualification when he secured 8th position.
DraftKings (which is also the official DFS partner of the NFL), made its own impactful entrance into the NASCAR scene by supporting two cards in the Crayon 301 Cup Series race. Yet Reddick had to put on a brave poker face when quizzed by the DraftKings sponsor. That quiz was entitled “Who Knows New Hampshire Better?”, and Reddick found himself in quite the amusing situation – as the giggles from Wallace testified to.
Wallace managed to answer two of his three questions correctly, but Tyler didn’t quite get to that level. When he was asked about the New Hampshire State bug for his final question, Reddick came out with the hilarious answer of “Water Bug.” Quiz over, Bubba was given the victory, and Reddick appeared to be stunned by it all. The red-faced competitor could only look on in slight confusion as his teammate burst out into a fit of laughter.
With “ladybug” being provided as the correct answer, Reddick went on to exclaim, “I was halfway there!”.
