Sports betting in Kentucky and North Carolina 

Kentucky and North Carolina are on the verge of legislative breakthroughs regarding their sports betting markets.

the new plan would expand sports wagering to online operators

In Kentucky’s case, the local sports betting market involves entirely illegal operators. Numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made to create a legal market in the past. North Carolina offers sports betting at three local tribal casinos, and the new plan would expand sports wagering to online operators.

Kentucky’s legislative session ends Thursday, meaning that the General Assembly needs to reach a vote or postpone any changes to existing legislation. North Carolina is in less of a rush and also already has its foot in the door with retail sports betting at the casinos.

Making a breakthrough 

Kentucky is debating House Bill 551 which, if legalized, would make it the 37th state with legal sports betting.

“There are some undecideds, and I’m hopeful that with a good night’s sleep and a fresh set of eyes that we can have the votes to pass it [Thursday],” Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) said Wednesday.

If a vote is not taken – or if the proposal does not garner the necessary support – lawmakers will need to wait until January 2024 at the earliest to consider legalization. Kentucky came close to a vote last year, but did not hold one before the session ended. 

Minority Caucus Chair Reginald Thomas (D-Lexington) said that the seven Democrats unanimously supported the sports betting bill. The “undecideds,” in that case, would be among the 30 Republicans.

this is a critically important issue that Kentuckians want”

“We’ve been united in terms of the important issues for the people this session… On this issue this is a critically important issue that Kentuckians want,” said Thomas. “I suspect that we (Democrats) will be together tomorrow.” 

The bill needs at least 23 votes (60% majority) to pass. Notably, it made it out of the House via a 63-34 vote. Governor Andy Beshear already said that he would sign a sports betting bill if it was sent to his desk.

Expanding operations

While Kentucky is fighting to establish its sports betting market, North Carolina is looking toward expansion. The limited retail betting market was a breakthrough at first, but is now becoming a hindrance as the gambling boom continues across the country.

HB 347 made it out of the House with a 64-45 vote. It now awaits a verdict in the Senate, which already approved the bill that brought sports betting into the three tribal casinos in 2021.

Similar to Kentucky, Governor Roy Cooper has already voiced his support for sports betting and will pass the bill when and if it comes across his desk. 

The new proposal would extend offers to 10-12 online sportsbook operators and charge them a 14% tax on revenues. Supporters say that this would lead to a major increase in funding for the state.

give $2m to creating and developing problem gambling resources and programs

The bill, which experts estimate could bring as much as $80m in annual tax revenue, would go to internal development, including $1m for the development of youth sports and $300k+ for ten in-state colleges and universities. It would also give $2m to creating and developing problem gambling resources and programs.

A similar bill was one vote short of the necessary support last year, though there is optimism that that extra vote will be secured this time.

“I think what’s really changed is the attitude of lawmakers,” said sports betting analyst Geoff Zochodne. “It seems like there is more of an appetite to pass that type of legislation that didn’t pass the first time around.”

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The Gambling Commission in Great Britain has ordered three businesses within the William Hill Group to pay the Commission’s largest fine ever issued, a combined £19.2 million. The penalties come as a result of social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.

The William Hill-owned online casino site, Mr Green, and the operator of more than 1,300 gambling venues across the UK, William Hill Organization Limited, were hit with various fines ranging from the land-based levy of £3 million to Mr Green with a penalty of £3.7 million, and most significantly williamhill.com operator WHG (International) Limited, with a £12.5 million smackdown.

License Nearly Suspended

Gambling Commission chief executive, Andrew Rhodes said: “When we launched this investigation the failings we uncovered were so widespread and alarming serious consideration was given to license suspension.”

A quick response of full cooperation to fix the failures appears to have saved the operator from even more stringent and robust enforcement.

“However, because the operator immediately recognized their failings and worked with us to swiftly implement improvements, we instead opted for the largest enforcement payment in our history,” Rhodes added.

Just last week the GC fined 32Red and Platinum Gaming – two Kindred Group operators a combined total of £7.2 million. However, the William Hill penalties surpass even the previous record fines of £17 million – the amount Commissioners fined Entain (former GVC) in August 2022.

According to the public notice, the Commission has wrapped up more than two dozen enforcement cases resulting in more than £76 million in penalties for regulatory failures since the beginning of last year.

The first three months of 2023 have seen the following actions against UK-licensed operators:

• William Hill Group businesses to pay record £19.2m for failures
• Gambling Commission fines 32Red and Platinum Gaming £7.1m
• Blue Star Planet faces £620,000 regulatory action
• £6.1m fine for online operator In Touch Games
• Online gambling business TonyBet fined £442,750
• Vivaro Limited faces £337,631 regulatory action

Sanctions as Monetary Fines Levied Appear to be Working

Rhodes said: “In the last 15 months we have taken unprecedented action against gambling operators, but we are now starting to see signs of improvement. There are indications that the industry is doing more to make gambling safer and reducing the possibility of criminal funds entering their businesses.

“Operators are using algorithms to spot gambling harms or criminal risk more quickly, interacting with consumers sooner, and generally having more effective policies and procedures in place.”

Social responsibility failures at William Hill businesses include:

• Allowing the potential for substantial losses in a short period:
• A new customer spent £23,000 in 20 minutes without any checks.
• Another new account holder spent £18,000 in 24 hours with no checks.
• At Mr Green another customer opened an account and spent £32,500 over the course of two days with no checks.
• One customer lost £14,902 in an hour and 10 minutes at Mr Green.

Dozens of other social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) failures are listed in the overarching public announcement with more details available within Public Statements for each of the three Will Hill-owned entities.

WHG (International) Limited Public Statement

Mr Green Limited Public Statement

William Hill Organization Limited Public Statement

As part of a regulatory settlement, the total penalty of £19.2 million will be disbursed for socially responsible purposes.

A board member of the William Hill business will be made to oversee an improvement plan as an additional license condition. The firm will also undergo a third-party audit to make sure effective AML implementation, safer gambling policies, improved procedures, and control systems are in place and functioning as required.

Source: William Hill Group businesses to pay record £19.2m for failures, Gambling Commission, March 28, 2023

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The top-class hotel-casino resort, Horseshoe Las Vegas, celebrated its grand opening in the center of the Las Vegas Strip on March 24 following the last year’s rebranding of Bally’s casino into Horseshoe and the renovation and redesign of the two Horseshoe hotel towers. Casino mogul Jack Binion, whose family opened the original Horseshoe brand, together with the executives of the resort operator Caesars Entertainment, presented the brand background and achievements and announced the events coming to the property soon.

Significant Moment:

The Horseshoe started in 1951 to expand across the country to remain committed to the no-limit wagering policy over decades. Such a policy resulted in the current portfolio of 10 Horseshoe resorts run by Caesars Entertainment across the North American continent, with the latest property now settled in the center of the world entertainment capital.

Jason Gregorec, SVP and General Manager of the Horseshoe Las Vegas property said on the occasion: “The arrival of Horseshoe on The Strip marks a significant moment for Caesars Entertainment, the Horseshoe name, and the entire destination. Not only are we excited for guests to experience the redesigned resort and its latest offerings, but we are also proud to reintroduce the historic gaming brand to Las Vegas.”

The celebration included a special reception for invited guests at Jack Binion’s Steak, a Q&A session led by Jack Effel, Vice President of the World Series of Poker, as well as the panel with famous sports bettor Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and Poker Hall of Fame inductee Doyle Brunson. The overall grand opening featured showgirls adorned in original costumes to contribute to the festive mood at Horseshoe.

A Wide Variety of Features:

The redesigned property features new exterior signage and players cannot miss it at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road. The overall feel of the property is sophisticated and luxurious and designed to provide the utmost conditions for those looking for first-class leisure facilities. For this purpose, Horseshoe Las Vegas has developed a set of new features for its guests, such as the ARCADE, Jack Binion’s Steak, or M.Y.Asia.

The ARCADE is a gaming lounge spread across 7,000 square feet and features more than 80 supersized games to offer a multi-sensory experience and exquisite gaming excitement. Jack Binion’s Stake is a memorable restaurant offering fresh stakes that resemble the original food from the Binion family ranch brought by modern cooking technology to offer a unique dining sensation. Horseshoe Las Vegas also welcomes public television star, Chef Martin Yan, and his first Las Vegas restaurant M.Y.Asia bringing Asian flavors to the property.

Hosting WSOP:

The resort also features the first event of the World Series of Poker^® Hall of Fame Poker Room. The 4,900-square-foot space offers 18 poker tables and the new poker room will host the tournament throughout the year. At the same time, the WSOP Hall of Fame is to be added to the space in a few months. It may be just in time for The World Series of Poker which will take place in Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas from May 30 – July 18.

The tournament is practically coming home as the first of the kind was played at the original Horseshoe Las Vegas in 1971. The longest-running and the most prestigious poker series saw almost 200,000 players from more than 100 countries in 2022 when the tournament hit a record $347.9 million total prize fund.

Packed with Amenities and Fun:

In addition to a wide range of amenities, the resort will have Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Sports Kitchen opened this summer to offer an unparalleled experience to those that love to watch sporting events while enjoying Fierie’s American-style cuisine in the funky and inviting interior set across 6,540 square feet and featuring a 297-seat bar, multiple LED screens and guarantees a lot of fun, just like any other square inch of the Horseshoe Las Vegas hotel-casino resort.

More information about Horseshoe Las Vegas can be found at caesars.com/horseshoe-las-vegas.

There is no secret that the Northwest Territories’ laws on gambling permit various gambling games. Furthermore, the NWT laws on gambling are clear about the licences the gaming venues must acquire before offering their services to the players. Use the table below to navigate to this article’s main sections, learn the essentials, and don’t miss out on reading the frequently asked questions.

Northwest Territories Laws Regulating Gambling

Besides the provinces, Canada has three vast territories – the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. The territories cover vast regions and have small populations. The Northwest Territories history is popular because of the books of great writers and explorers. Here are a few essential details you need to know before gambling in the NWT:

As part of Canada, each territory can choose its legislation if it complies with the main laws. The Northwest Territories gambling laws are also based on the Criminal Code of Canada. Just like the Nunavut gambling laws, gambling in the NWT is legal only when the government licenses the location.

The gambling laws in Canada’s Northwest Territories permit all forms of land-based and online gambling as long as it is offered by a legit provider like those in our guide of Canadian online casinos for 2023. Further down the article, we will share why it isn’t easy to find land-based venues and how you can play online. But first, we will tell you more about the authorities and gambling licences.

Northwest Territories Authorities & Gambling Licence

There are no specific Northwest Territories laws on gambling; instead, the gambling laws in Canada apply throughout the territory. Any operator who intends to open a gambling venue or offer wagering games must receive a licence from the government of Northwest Territories.

Gambling is legal only with authorisation from the Government of the Northwest Territories Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) in Yellowknife. MACA grants all lottery licences and regulates the games according to the Lotteries Act and the Criminal Code. Besides bingo, Nevada tickets, and raffles, the authority regulates casinos.

There are also no Northwest Territories online gambling laws because the Canadian online gambling legislation also applies. Offshore operators can also offer their services to players in NWT, but they must be licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Commission, the government of Gibraltar or another government authority.

Northwest Territory Land-Based & Online Gambling Venues

The NWT laws on gambling apply even in the country’s most remote corners. Even though the population is small and there are lots of fun activities to do in the wilderness, locals and guests occasionally gamble. In this blog post section, you will find details about brick-and-mortar gambling locations and online gaming options.

Brick-and-Mortar Gambling Locations in Northwest Territories

As we already made clear, the Northwest Territories laws on gambling allow all forms of wagering and betting games. Despite the legality, there is limited number of land-based gambling venues because the territory is vast with few inhabitants. Anyone who intends to make a couple of wagers while waiting for the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) can choose from the options:

The Northwest Territories gambling laws also allow casinos on tribal land and reservation. There are no First Nations casinos in NWT because there is no point in creating brick-and-mortar venues if there are no people to visit them. The fans of indigenous gaming locations can try First Nation casinos in Canada located in other provinces and territories.

Online Gambling in the Northwest Territory, Canada

The Canadian online gambling laws apply equally strongly in this region and remove the necessity of the local government to create Northwest Territories online gambling laws. Despite the freedom, there are no NWT gambling sites. However, the gambling laws in Canada’s Northwest Territories allow all forms of online gambling provided by licensed offshore operators. Here are some of the games locals play online:

One of the preferred sports betting and gambling options is Sport Select, also established according to the NWT laws on gambling. Alternatives are the licensed and regulated Canadian online casinos and the offshore casinos. Many reliable operators have excellent online gambling sites and offer play options on the go offered by the top online casinos in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling in NWT, Canada

Besides regulating the operators and the games, the Northwest Territories’ gambling laws also relate to players. For example, gamblers must be of legal age to place a wager. One of the most difficult things to predict and control is gambling addiction and underage gambling. Despite the difficulties, the authorities have many ways to deal with this issue.

The first way is to create responsible gambling policies for all operators and wagering venues. This includes responsible gaming tools, underage gambling control, cool-down options, self-assessment tests, and more tools. All of them are available at the newest Canadian online casinos and can be found at land-based gambling venues.

Besides preventing addiction, the government and organisations take measures in helping gambling addicts and their families. The Responsible Gambling Council is the main force against problem gambling. Once the addiction is established, players can use the open helplines or contact different private and government organisations.

Northwest Territories Gambling Laws FAQ

The Northwest Territories’ gambling laws are extremely easy to remember because they are based on Canadian laws on gambling. Anyone who intends to gamble in the NWT should read them, and the operators must learn them well and follow them constantly. To complete this blog post, we collected and answered several popular questions: on the matter:

Arguments over video game gambling, loot boxes

Australia is adding a new twist to the raging debate over loot boxes and gambling in video games with a proposed change to how they are classified.

would require all video games…that offer gambling to have an R18+ rating

The federal government is suggesting a new rule that would require all video games, regardless of their story content and user experience, that offer gambling to have an R18+ rating. Games with loot boxes but that do not directly allow players to gamble would be earmarked as “M” for mature, or players 15+.

Games R18+ can only be purchased by players that are at least 18 years old. “M” games are not recommended for anyone under 15.

The argument for restrictions

Last year, an initiative to restrict games with loot boxes to the 18+ crowd made waves, but did not amount to legal change. 

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, a large proponent of increased gambling restrictions and ally to gambling reform, is on board with limiting gambling-simulating games to audiences 18 or older. 

“A parent… would expect that if their children had purchased and was playing a game, and that game contained some simulated gambling, that they have a right to know about that,” said Rowland. “For children under 18 living at home, the parents should be making all the decisions on what their children buy.”

But while classifying what constitutes gambling is relatively straightforward, the topic of loot boxes is not.

Loot boxes are bundles of rewards that contain random prizes. They can usually be purchased with an in-game currency that can be earned or bought with real-life cash.

not that dissimilar from spinning a random wheel

Loot boxes are found in all sorts of video games, including ones that are not directly tied to gambling. Developer Electronic Arts has been accused of cultivating the growth of loot boxes with FIFA, Madden, and other sports games in which players can purchase packs of unknown players for a certain amount of coins. The contents are not that dissimilar from spinning a random wheel, although EA classifies what types of players will be in the packs.

Other games such as the popular first-person shooter Overwatch have also incorporated loot boxes (note: Overwatch 2, released October 4, 2022, saw loot boxes removed from the game).

Figuring out the effects

While Australia is ironing out the wrinkles with video games and loot boxes, it still has to deal with the controversial topic of online social casinos. For context, several US states have classified them as forms of gambling, while others have not.

Social casinos can be found on social media pages and websites or downloaded as an app. Customers play for free, but can buy back in once they run out of credits, which is the cause of the disagreement.

structurally and psychologically akin to gambling.”

Lots of research has been put into studying and understanding the impact of social casinos and loot boxes and character traits and whether or not they lead to addictive personalities. As proof, a 2021 study co-conducted by the University of Plymouth and the University of Wolverhampton found that loot boxes “are structurally and psychologically akin to gambling.”

Critics believe that the two concepts are totally dissimilar and bear no impact on one another.

Special attention has also been paid in recent times to creating safe gambling environments all over the world. That includes cracking down on illegal offshore gambling syndicates, a long-awaited white paper on gambling reform in the UK, and most recently, the American Gaming Association setting new standards for the advertisement of sportsbooks.

Lawmakers have not decided whether or not they will reclassify video games with simulated gambling and loot boxes as proposed.

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Board games have been a beloved pastime in Canada for generations, with many households having amassed a collection of games over the years. But which board games are the most popular in each province, and which provinces still enjoy the trusty board game the most? We conducted a survey to find out the answer to both of these questions.

Monopoly still a fan-favourite

Our research showed that Monopoly is still the most-loved board game despite being almost 100 years old. It was the clear winner in several provinces, including Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario. Monopoly was created in in 1935, and it continues to be a favourite among players of all ages. Its popularity is likely due to its simple rules, competitive nature, and being suitable for all ages.

Australia has no online casinos licensed in the country even though federal law allows states and territories to license and regulate internet slots and table games. However, home and mobile sports betting is licensed for punters there.

According to the country’s primary banking trade organization, there’s a big gap between financial protections online and on land so the Australian Banking Association (ABA) is asking the government to ban the use of credit cards at online sports betting sites.

The request comes decades after credit cards were banned for gambling at the land-based sportsbooks and casinos there. The licensed online gambling industry did not even exist at the time land-based credit card gambling was prohibited but is now worth an estimated A$50 billion a year.

Credit Cards Already Banned for Land-based Gambling

The ABA’s CEO, Anna Bligh asks: “Why should it be possible to do something in the virtual world that is prohibited in the real world? Every pub with poker machines, every TAB and every trackside bookie already implemented this 23 years ago.”

Bligh wonders if gambling, as a product “is this something we should be providing credit for given what’s happening to our customers?”

According to a report in the Guardian, banks are not on a moral crusade with the initiative but instead are looking out for their own business interests. That said, the association is quite aware of the damage undisciplined gamblers can do to themselves very quickly with potential long-term negative consequences.

“This is just a product that is not suitable for credit,” said Bligh. “You can accrue a very, very large amount of debt in an incredibly short period of time and have nothing to show for it.

“Banks have seen the harm that is being done and they are very conscious of their responsibility as lenders to ask [hard questions].

The initiative would tend to lend itself more to ideation than implementation due to the way merchant category codes work. The international merchant category code (MCC) that has been used for online gambling transactions since soon after the US changed its payment processor rules for online gambling with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) can also be assigned to transactions involving charities that fundraise by selling lottery tickets.

MCCs are 4-digit numbers listed under the international standard ISO 18245 which currently doesn’t have a code for lottery tickets sold primarily for charity fundraising. In order to create one, advocates would need to apply through ISO/TC 68, Technical Committee 68 on Banking, Securities, and other Financial Services in Geneva, Switzerland. However, changes to ISOs such as adding a new MCC, are usually not entertained for industries generating less than $10m in revenues.

The ABA doesn’t seem interested in paying for changes through the Geneva process, indicating that gambling operators should have to deal with and pay for compliance on their own after a grace period to give them time to adjust.

Licensed Operator Body Supports Ban

Responsible Wagering Australia is an independent body for wagering service providers based in Australia. RWA members include well-known names such as bet365, Betfair, Entain, PointsBet, Sportsbet, and Unibet.

A spokesperson for the group said: “The RWA and its members have been at the forefront of the work to implement a credit card ban – having led the discussions with the banking industry to determine the technical solutions, and delivered them to the government. We cannot speak for other non-member gambling companies.”

While offshore casinos can run credit card gambling transactions through a form of potential money laundering by assigning “the wrong code” to deposit transactions, a few Australian banks have already banned their branded credit cards from being used for gambling transactions, which presumably disallows the purchase of lottery tickets sold for charity fundraising with a credit card. Bank Australia, Bank of Queensland, Citibank, and Suncorp will no longer process MCC 7995.

MPs Sharkie and Wilkie are each preparing legislation to address the issue as well as to introduce suspicious transaction reports to authorities with Rebekha Sharkie’s private member bill focused on banning online credit card gambling and Andrew Wilkie’s bill focused on proceeds of crimes and suspicious transaction report obligations.

Sharkie also wants operators to be required to inform bettors of ongoing losses prior to accepting further bets.

Source: Australian banks urge Albanese government to ban use of credit cards for online gambling, The Guardian, March 26, 2023

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Goalkeepers taunting penalty takers soon to be illegal

Soccer’s governing body is close to changing the rules to prevent goalkeepers from using disruptive techniques and taunting opponents before penalty kicks. 

a single save or missed kick can be the difference between a team winning or losing

Roughly 85% of penalties are scored and only 11% are saved. A single save or missed kick can be the difference between a team winning or losing an event as big as the World Cup.

With the pre-kick antics likely on their way to illegality, VegasSlotsOnline News has compiled a list of the most savage and unforgettable goalkeeper performances on the line. Someone tell these guys they have a second career waiting in Hollywood.

Top 5: Goalkeepers taunting penalty takers

Emiliano Martinez dominates the World Cup Final

Martinez was at the top of his game during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He helped guide Argentina to the World Cup Final, where they had a date with the defending champions France.

After 120 minutes, the score was knotted at three and the game headed to penalties. Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe scored their team’s first penalties, but Martinez came up with a huge save on Kingsley Coman. Paulo Dybala slotted his kick right up the middle of the goal, heaping tons of pressure onto France’s third taker, then-22-year-old Aurélien Tchouaméni.

spend more time under the weight of the near-90,000 game-attending fans

Martinez, sensing the gravity of the moment, dashed over to the penalty spot and picked up the ball as the young Frenchmen strolled over for his kick. Rather than say anything to him or ignore his plea, Martinez tossed the ball to the side of the box and made his youthful opponent spend more time under the weight of the near-90,000 fans in attendance.

The tactic worked, as Tchouaméni nervously dragged the ball wide of the goal, giving Argentina a 3-1 lead in the shootout. They went on to win 4-2 and secured their first World Cup trophy since 1986.

Kepa can’t hack it 

Kepa Arrizabalaga made a blockbuster move from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea in 2018 for €80m ($86.7m). He has had an up-and-down career since, chock-full of unforgettable moments, including when he refused to be substituted off with cramping during the League Cup Final. 

One of his darkest moments, however, was when he managed to defeat himself with mind games.

The 2022 Carabao Cup Final was a snore. Neither Chelsea nor Liverpool managed to score a single goal in 120 minutes, and the players were not playing to the best of their abilities. That meant that the game was going to be decided by penalties.

Kepa, Chelsea’s second-choice keeper at the time, was subbed on for regular starter Édouard Mendy at the end of the game due to a supposed tactical advantage—a decision that would come to be rued by Chelsea fans all over.

blasted the ball directly at the Spanish keeper, scored, and stared him down

Kepa reeled off multiple failures during the shootout. First, he stood off the center of his line during Virgil Van Dijk’s turn at the spot, daring him to shoot to the far corner. Instead, the 6-foot-5 Dutchman blasted the ball directly at the Spanish keeper, scored, and stared him down.

Later on, Kepa directed young Harvey Elliott to his right-hand side as if he was telling him exactly where to shoot. Elliott calmly obliged and put the ball exactly where Kepa had pointed, except he dove the opposite way.

Chelsea’s stopper pulled off a trifecta of failures later in the shootout when Ibrahima Konaté stepped to the spot. He shouted “right” as his opponent charged at and kicked the ball to the right, just where he was directed. Kepa dove the way that he said he would this time, but did not have enough to stop the powerful shot.

The fateful blow came when Kepa was forced to take a penalty. All 21 takers before him, 11 for Liverpool and 10 for Chelsea, had managed to score, meaning that he needed to do the same to reset the order and keep sudden death going. Instead of doing that, he smashed the ball well over the crossbar, and Liverpool was crowned champion. This is a great example of how goalkeepers taunting penalty takers can backfire.

“Chip me, bro!”

Alex Telles had an anomaly of a season in 2019-20 with Porto. Despite being a left-back, he scored 11 goals and was so proficient at finding the back of the net that he became his team’s designated penalty kicker.

He played so well that year that he ended up getting a big-money move to Manchester United, but before he could complete that deal, he found himself on the wrong side of a duel with Maritimo goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh. 

Porto went on to win the 2019-20 league title, but found itself trailing 2-1 when Telles stepped to the spot in the 88th minute. The score could not be corroborated by the final game stats, which favored Porto 78%-22% in possession and 32-11 in shots.

Ignoring the reality that Porto was the more dominant side, the Iranian goalkeeper repeatedly shouted at Telles while he was preparing for the kick and even during his run-up: “Chip me!” and “Chip me, bro!” Telles ignored him and fired the ball to his right-hand side about halfway up the frame, but Abedzadeh read the placement perfectly and was there waiting when the ball arrived. 

Maritimo’s Nanú and Porto’s Otávio scored in extra time, and the underdogs walked away with a 3-2 victory.

The Martinez-Mina beef

Martinez might have made waves with his antics during the World Cup, but he has been known as a mental warfare specialist for a while. Just ask Yerry Mina.

Argentina and Colombia squared off in the 2021 Copa America semifinal. Just like in the World Cup, the teams could not be separated after extra time and the match headed to penalties.

Mina was known for dancing after scoring and had done so after converting his kick in a quarterfinal shootout with Uruguay. Martinez was not a fan of his celebrations and brought the fight to the Colombian’s doorstep.

Playing in an empty Estadio Nacional in Brazil as the world recovered from the first major COVID strike, Martinez could be heard shouting a variety of digs at the big defender. 

“You’re nervous, huh?” Martinez said. “You’re laughing but you’re nervous.”

I’m eating you up, brother. I’m eating you up, brother.”

“See how I know where you’ll shoot,” said the Argentine. “And then I’ll save it. I’m eating you up, brother. I’m eating you up, brother.”

To little surprise, the fearless Martinez came up with a low, sprawling save to keep the shootout tied at one apiece. He went on to make three saves in the shootout and helped lift Argentina into the final against Brazil, which it won 1-0.

A teammate knows best

Liverpool had one of the most feared attacks in the world in 2021, led by Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah, but in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) they were as fierce of rivals as there is.

Playing for a continental championship, Senegal was awarded an early penalty when Mohamed Abdelmonem wiped out Saliou Ciss in the danger area. Salah, knowing his club-level attacking partner better than anybody, walked over to goalkeeper Mohamed Abougabal and seemed to tell him where Mane was going to go.

The Senegalese was wise to what was happening and went over to interrupt the conversation, but Salah made sure to get his final words across. A minute or so later, Mane rifled a shot into the palms of the waiting Abougabal. 

Maybe Salah was right and knew where Mane was going, or maybe the conversation prompted the latter to put the ball where he normally wouldn’t have. Either way, Salah was inside Mane’s head that day.

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