On Tuesday, November 29^th, 2022 Christian Pulisic guided and led his beloved United States men’s national team to a 1 – 0 win over Iran with his game – winning – goal that unfortunately resulted in an abdominal injury for him after colliding with Iran’s goal keeper, Alireza Beiranvand, but Pulisic continues to strongly confirm that he will be ready for this Saturday’s huge game versus The Netherlands in the knockout round of 16 at this year’s 2022 World Cup from Qatar.

The Chelsea superstar forward and native of Hershey, Pennsylvania in Pulisic posted to social media following the match on Tuesday night saying that he will, “be ready Saturday, don’t worry,” while his teammate Weston McKennie stated, “I sent him a text and checked on him, and he said, ‘Best believe I’ll be ready on Saturday.’“

The Injury after the Amazing Goal by Christian Pulisic

Pulisic spent a long moment laying on the pitch after the collision in the teeth of the goal in which he just scored in with merely just a few minutes remaining in the 1^st – half of the match prior to having to leave the game action as he received medical attention from the team’s training / medical staff. Pulisic eventually came back in to finish the final couple of minutes that remained the 1^st – half.

Replacing Christian Pulisic for the 2nd – Half

Brenden Aaronson came on in substitution for Pulisic after the half – time break as the United States narrowly led as well as controlled the pace of the game last Tuesday night. The United States national team announced that Christian was escorted to the hospital following the conclusion of the match vs. Iran, and he was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion. Pulisic’s status at the moment is said to be, “day to day,” for now.

“Obviously we’re very thankful that he threw his body there,” McKennie went on to say. “At the end it was a heart – drop sinking moment, but we got it done and we’re excited to still be here.”

The head coach of the United States of America, Gregg Berhalter, applauded Christian’s relentless hard work and mental as well as physical toughness following the hard – fought battle against Iran, and Gregg revealed that Pulisic and the rest of his U. S. A. teammates had a short video call with Christian from the United States’ dressing room.

“We got to speak to him and he’s in good spirits,” the head coach of the United States of America’s men’s national team, Gregg Berhalter, explained to the excited and clamoring major sports media outlets during his post – game news conference on Tuesday, November 29^th, 2022. “That’s what he does, that’s the special quality he has and as soon as a goal is wide, he goes in with intensity. He crashes the box and makes it really difficult for defenders with his change of pace. It’s a wonderful thing when one of your best players is also one of the most – hard working. He’s certainly that. I can’t say enough positive things about Christian.”

The young but impressively composed captain of the men’s U. S. national team, Tyler Adams, disclosed that he was praying hard for his fallen teammate, and Adams also said it is goals like these he’s come to expect from the superstar winger in Pulisic.

“How many goals has he scored like that in his career? Back post arriving, he’s brilliant,” the U. S. A.’s captain, Tyler Adams, emotionally proclaimed. “The way that his timing is into the box and to get in front of that ball — he’ll do anything to this team in order for us to win. Huge player for us, obviously. Praying for him, hoping everything is OK. He’ll hang in there. I know he’ll do anything to play in the next game.”

Another United States Player was Injured vs. Iran

Josh Sargent also needed to be substituted for by Haji Wright during the 75^th – minute of game play following Sargent landing very awkwardly on his right foot while he was attempting to evade a tackle from the opposition. Much like Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent received medical attention on the pitch, but eventually he was able to walk off of the field under his own power while the game was temporarily experiencing a long and concerning injury stoppage.

The United States grinded out an extremely tough final 9 – minutes of the 2^nd – half’s stoppage time in order to come out with the huge US victory which just so happened to be their first World Cup win since back in 2014.

Table at the Conclusion of the 2022 World Cup Group Stage (Group – B)

Team GP W D L GD PTS

1 – England* 3 2 1 0 + 7 7

2 – U. S. A.* 3 1 2 0 + 1 5

3 – Iran 3 1 0 2 – 3 3

4 – Wales 3 0 1 2 – 5 1

(* – Advance to Knockout Round of 16)

Both England as well as the United States of America have advanced on from the group stage to the knockout round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup tournament. Iran and Wales have both been eliminated following the 2 – decisive matches on Tuesday, November 29^th, 2022. The United States of America will now face off against The Netherlands on Saturday, December 3^rd, 2022 at 9:00 a. m. CT., and England will play Senegal on Sunday, December 4^th, 2022 at 1 p. m. CT.

Christian Pulisic’s Soccer Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards

Borussia Dortmund

• DFB – Pokal: 2016 – 2017; Runner – Up: 2015 – 2016

Chelsea

• UEFA Champions League: 2020 – 2021
• UEFA Super Cup: 2021
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2021
• FA Cup Runner – Up: 2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021, 2021 – 2022
• EFL Cup Runner – Up: 2021 – 2022

United States U – 17

• CONCACAF Under – 17 Championship Third Place: 2015

United States of America

• CONCACAF Nations League: 2019 – 2020
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Runner – Up: 2019

Individual

• S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year: 2016
• UEFA Champions League Breakthrough XI: 2016
• S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year: 2017, 2019, 2021
• CONCACAF Best XI: 2017
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Best Young Player Award: 2019
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2019
• CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2021

Sources:

ESPN News Services. “USMNT’s Christian Pulisic will ‘be ready’ for Netherlands despite injury”. ESPN. Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

Football Reference News Services. “Christian Pulisic”. Football Reference. Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

The post Christian Pulisic of the United States of America Men’s National Team sacrifices his body to Score the Game Winning Goal for the USA in their Final Match of Group – B play vs. Iran appeared first on Casino News Daily.

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Friday October 7, 2022, saw the launch of the VIVO
Pro Kabaddi League’s (PKL) ninth season.

Dabang Deli began their title defense with a
resounding victory over U Mumba at the Sree Kanteerava
Stadium in Bengaluru.

As always with professional kabaddi, the match was
exciting, the player’s uniforms were colorful, and a TV audience that numbered
in the millions tuned in.

The version of
kabaddi played by Dabang Deli, U Mumba and the other 10 teams that compete in
the PKL is one that has become known by players and fans around the world.

But the blaring
speakers and bright lights often mean people forget about the sport’s rich, rural
history. A history which started over 4,000 years ago.

The Origins Of Kabaddi

The exact date
and place of kabaddi’s invention is a mystery.

However, most
people can agree that the sport was first played between 4,000-5,000 years ago
in Tamil Nadu, one of India’s southernmost states.

Some suggest
the game was created as a way of training people how to attack and defend in groups for both fighting and hunting purposes.

Others believe kabaddi was inspired by ancient, epic poems that told
stories about war and battlefield heroics. 

Either way, it’s a well-known fact that kabaddi was – and is – a hugely
popular pastime throughout South Asia, especially in India, Iran and
Bangladesh.

Most regions within these countries had their own, slightly different version of the game, many of which are still played today. 

Despite
there being regional differences, the basics of kabaddi have remained largely
unchanged through the centuries, with a focus on solitary attack and group
defense.

It
is this simplicity that makes kabaddi so fun to both play and watch, ensuring
the sport’s survival from 2,000 B.C to the current day. 

The version of kabaddi played in the PKL was first created in the 1920s when an official ruleset was formalized and published by an Indian committee.

The sport grew
in popularity over subsequent years with kabaddi even being demonstrated in Germany just prior to the Berlin
Olympics in 1936.

However, it was
only after South Asian countries like India and Bangladesh gained independence
post-World War Two that international matches began to be played, leading to
renewed interest in kabaddi during the 1970s. 

Eventually
these occasional internationals were replaced by the
first Asian Kabaddi Championship, which took place in 1980.

A
decade later kabaddi was introduced to the Asian Games. Then in the early 2000s
another standalone tournament, the Kabaddi World Cup, was launched.

How Do You Play Kabaddi?

As previously
mentioned, the version of kabaddi popular today is very similar to historical
kabaddi but with a codified, international ruleset.

Matches
run for 40 minutes, split into two halves of 20 minutes. At the start of each
match both teams have seven players on the court and between three and five
substitutes.  

For
senior men events the sport is played on mats that measure 33 ft × 43 ft. For
women, the mat is slightly smaller, 26 ft × 39 ft.

This
mat is split into two halves with a dividing midline and exterior boundary
lines. There are also two further lines, a baulk line, and a bonus line.

To play, two teams occupy opposite halves of the court and take turns sending a
“raider” into the opposing half.

Raiders win points by tagging members of the opposing team. The raider
then tries to return to their half without being caught. 

Raiders have to execute the whole raid in a single breath. They chant
the word “kabaddi” to prove they are not breathing in. Pro Kabaddi
also has a 30-second time limit on each raid.

A raider can
score points in two ways. They can touch a defender – each touch is worth one
point – or they can score a bonus point.

To do this a
raider needs to plant one foot across the bonus line while having the trailing
foot in the air.

If touch points are scored, the defender who has been tagged has to exit the mat, although they can come back on when their own raider scores touch points.

Raiders can
also be kicked out of the game if they’re tackled or pushed out of bounds by
the opposition’s defenders during a raid. Both actions earn the defending team
one point.

If a raider
stops chanting during a raid, he’s also out and the defending team gains a
point. 

If a team can
eliminate all seven players of the opposition team, they earn two extra points.
After this, all members of the opposition team are revived and play resumes.

Teams
keep on taking turns raiding each other and, when the time is out, the side
with the most points win.

The History Of
Professional Kabaddi

Professional
kabaddi is relatively new, starting – like many Indian sports leagues – after
2008, the year when the Indian Premier League took the sporting world by
storm. 

The organizers
of the VIVO Pro-Kabaddi League have openly credited the IPL for inspiration on
how to design and execute a successful sports league and have clearly borrowed
some of the IPL’s most attractive features.

This includes bright uniforms, fast-paced action and top entertainment, like music and dancing, between matches and at halftime. 

The VIVO
Pro-Kabaddi League was launched in India during 2014 as a joint venture between
Mashal Sports Pvt. Ltd and Disney Star.

In this first
season eight teams competed over a five-week period to be crowned PKL
champions.

The league was
immediately popular, bringing in 435 million television viewers, instantly
making it India’s second most popular sport behind cricket.

Since then,
kabaddi has consistently ranked as India’s fastest growing sport.

During 2016,
only two years after the league launched, PKL began to host two kabaddi seasons
per calendar year as opposed to one.

This, along
with improved media distribution meant that 164 live matches were streamed in
100 different countries in 2016 alone.

Fast forward to
2022 and the number of franchises has been expanded to 12 teams, making the PKL
the Indian sports league with the most franchises.

Many of these
teams are fighting it out to be crowned PKL champions in front of sold-out
stadiums across India.

As the game’s
profile has grown so has that of the players.

Now, kabaddi stars like Pardeep Narwal, Pawan Sehrawat and Rahul Chaudhuri are legitimate celebrities with hundreds of thousands of fans and enviable lifestyles.

👉👉 Top 10 Kabaddi Players Of All Time

Of
course, ever larger sums of money are also becoming part of kabaddi.

For example, star raider Pawan Sehrawat was recently traded from Bengaluru Bulls to Tamil Thalaivas for a record fee of Rs 2.26 crore which is equal to around $280,000. 

The huge excitement surrounding kabaddi, thanks to the success of the
PKL, has also helped boost the profile of other kabaddi competitions. 

After being
dormant for nine years the Kabaddi World Cup was held again in 2016. India
emerged as world champions, beating Iran 38-29 in the final.

Unfortunately,
subsequent World Cups have been canceled for various reasons including the
Coronavirus pandemic.

2016 also saw
the rise of professional female kabaddi.

The Women’s Kabaddi Challenge gave three women’s teams a chance to compete, with the Storm Queens being crowned champions after defeating the Fire Birds 24-23 in the final.

As with the PKL, the Women’s Kabaddi Challenge proved popular and was seen as a fantastic way of providing young girls with strong role models.

A fact highlighted by statistics that revealed females made up 40% of
the challenge’s entire viewership. 

However, for various reasons the Women’s Kabaddi Challenge did not
become a permanent fixture like the male’s PKL. 

What’s In Store
For The Future Of Pro Kabaddi?

One of the main goals held by the International Kabaddi Federation, players and enthusiasts alike is to see kabaddi become a fully-fledged Olympic sport. 

For a sport to
qualify as recognizable and worthy of Olympic qualification, it must be played
in 75 countries across four continents by men, and in 40 countries across three
continents by women.

Unfortunately,
kabaddi is not close to achieving either of these requirements at the moment.

This isn’t to
say the sport has stopped growing, quite the opposite.

A fully fledged
professional women’s kabaddi league is set to launch in Dubai for 2023 which
should make the sport even more popular among women and girls.

In terms of the
men’s game, kabaddi looks set to continue its incredible trajectory thanks to
the ever popular VIVO Professional League and growing interest around
international competitions. 

As Iran’s
recent victory in both the men’s and women’s kabaddi events at the Asia Games
highlights, these competitions are becoming more exciting and competitive with
every passing year.

A fact that should
only boost the international appeal of kabaddi. 

Lead image:
Wikimedia Commons

Short schedule, as always

As the 2022 winds to a close, it is not just time to look back on the year that was, but also to look ahead at what is to come. To that end, PokerStars has announced the schedule for the upcoming 2023 European Poker Tour (EPT) season.

features some of the most popular events on the poker calendar

Of the major poker tours, the EPT has by far the shortest schedule, but it also features some of the most popular events on the poker calendar. The 2023 schedule has just five stops, spread from February to December. The biggest gap is between the second and third tour stops, about three and a half months, right in the middle of the year. It makes sense, though, as late May to mid-July is effectively reserved for the World Series of Poker, so there is no reason to try to compete with the granddaddy of all poker festivals.

And if the WSOP Europe is late October to mid-November like it was this year, the fourth EPT event serves as a nice lead-in.

“The schedule includes our players’ firm favorites, the first time in the glamorous French capital and another exciting new addition to the tour,” said PokerStars head of global live event operations Cedric Billot. “Cyprus is the perfect location to add to our schedule and we look forward to bringing all that an EPT has to offer to this new location. We will continue to improve player experience both for online qualifications and at our live events.”

Paris, Cyprus welcomed to the party

The 2023 EPT season starts off with one of two new stops, as Billot mentioned above: Paris. Running February 15-26 at the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile in partnership with Le Club Barrière Paris, EPT Paris will have 39 total events, including France Poker Series tournaments. The €5,300 ($5,580) EPT Paris Main Event will have two starting days and run February 20-26.

The spring tour stop, the one before the break for the WSOP, is EPT Monte-Carlo, April 26 – May 6. The full schedule has not been released, but the €5,300 Main Event has been confirmed for April 30 – May 6. In late summer, it is time for one of the most popular stops on any tour, EPT Barcelona, slated for August 21 – September 3. The EPT Barcelona Main Event begins August 27.

EPT Cyprus is the other new location on the European Poker Tour in 2023. Hosted by the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Casino & Spa, EPT Cyprus is scheduled for October 11-22, with the Main Event beginning October 16.

The final stop on the 2023 European Poker Tour is the tried and true EPT Prague, December 4-15. Like the other non-Paris stops, the full schedule is still under construction, but PokerStars has said the Main Event is December 9-15.

EPT Prague still to come next week

Though we are looking ahead to 2023, there is still business left to take care of on the European Poker Tour in 2022. Just like next year’s schedule ends with EPT Prague, this year’s EPT season also concludes in the Czech Republic capital. Hosted by King’s Casino Prague, EPT Prague begins December 7 and runs through December 18.

There are 53 events on the EPT Prague schedule, some of which are part of the Eureka Poker Tour, or simply “Eureka,” as PokerStars now calls it. Eureka is a tour that focuses on Central and Eastern Europe.

The EPT Prague Main Event, which has a €5,300 buy-in like all the others, will be December 12-18. It allows for a single re-entry, two entries maximum across both starting flights.

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We will discuss the legal and illegal gambling activities in the province, as well as the legal Alberta gambling age. Finally, we will give you a few suggestions about the top brick-and-mortar casinos you can try in the Canadian province. Let’s start with a brief overview of the history of gambling laws in Alberta.

History of Gambling Laws in Alberta

Alberta has a long relationship with gambling. Initially, it started on a more negative note, with most forms of gambling being illegal. Things began to change at the beginning of the 20th century when Canada’s Criminal Code legalized pari-mutuel betting on horse and dog racing, as well as charitable gambling.

The revised 1970 Criminal Code allowed Canadian provinces to choose whether or not to allow other gambling activities and capitalize on them. Since then, Alberta has adopted a charitable gaming model of regulation. All legal gambling activities in the province are governed by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) and the Alberta government.

As per the information on the AGLC’s website, the revenue from gaming, liquor, and cannabis in Alberta has been used to fund over 8000 Alberta charities. We are talking about more than $40 billion in the last 20 years. Among the charity organisations receiving support from the AGLC are Voices of Albertans with Disabilities, Special Olympics Alberta, and Hope Haven.

Legal and Illegal Gambling Activities in Alberta, Canada

So, we have already established that most gambling activities are legal under Alberta gambling laws. Residents and visitors of the province can enjoy slots, sports betting, horse racing, online gambling, lottery games, and more. Here is a brief summary of Alberta gambling activities and their corresponding legal status:

Alberta is home to over 20 land-based casinos, including First Nations and non-reservation ones. Single-game sports betting became legal in 2021. Albertans can now wager at the only locally regulated gambling site – PlayAlberta.ca. We expect to see many other sportsbooks appear for players from the province very soon.

The same way that there is a variety of choices when it comes to the best online casinos in Alberta. You can also bet in person at any retailer taking Sport Select bets. If you like horse racing, then there are a few high-quality Alberta racetracks you should check out.

Alberta Laws on Gambling at Land-Based Casinos

If you prefer the thrill of real casinos, then Alberta has got you covered. According to the gambling laws in Alberta, casinos are entirely legal. The Canadian province hosts five First Nation casinos, as well as over 15 non-reservation gambling venues. Here are the recommended Alberta casinos you should visit:

As you can see, these operators provide access to various casino games. You can enjoy popular slot machines, as well as video lottery games. Free Bet Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’Em Progressive Jackpot, and Chase the Flush are just a few of the table games available for Albertan players and completely legal under the Alberta gambling laws.

Online Gambling Laws in Alberta

The online gambling laws in Alberta allow for internet casino gaming. As of writing this article, there is only one locally regulated online casino for Albertan players. This is the Play Alberta website. You will not be disappointed, though. The site provides access to various casino games and gambling products.

You can choose between more than 130 of the most popular slots like Big City 5’s and Cleopatra by IGT, and 7s Wild by Amatic. There is an excellent selection of 20 table games, including roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker. Play Alberta provides access to a live casino powered by Evolution.

In addition, you can enjoy lottery and instant win games. The sports betting section on the site allows you to place your wagers on your favourite sports, including basketball, hockey, football, tennis, etc. There are also popular sports events like the NFL and the NBA. The quality is very similar to that of the best sports betting sites in Canada.

If you are looking for diversity and want to try another operator, then you are free to do that. Alberta players have access to some of the top Canadian online casinos. Your number one priority before choosing any site is, and we cannot stress this enough, safety. Make sure that the casino holds a valid gambling license from an official regulator like the Malta Gaming Authority, for example. Ultimately, this means that it adheres to the latest industry standards.

Legal Gambling Age in Alberta

Now, this is also very important. After all, you would not want to get in any trouble, right? Most Canadian provinces have a legal gambling age of 19 for casino gaming. However, the legal gambling age in Alberta is 18. The same applies for two other provinces – Manitoba and Quebec. The legal age for playing lottery games in Alberta is 18. In British Columbia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, this is 19.

Alberta Gambling Laws Conclusion

Alberta gambling laws are extremely liberal. Albertans can play pretty much everything they can think of. Whether this is slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, or sports betting – these are all legal in the Canadian province. You have access to many online and land-based gambling venues. All of them promise an excellent gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

You have reached the end of our article about the latest gambling laws in Alberta. Now, you should know which gambling activities are legal in the state in case you live there or are simply visiting. If you have any outstanding questions, have a look at our short FAQ section below.