Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke hosted their second annual Ante Up for Africa charity tournament last Wednesday, hoping to repeat the success of last year’s event. They had 88 players turn out, each of them buying in for $5000. All money raised will be used to increase awareness of the humanitarian issues currently occurring in war-torn Darfur.

Final results of the 2008 tournament are:

John Hennigan $136,860
Michael Degusta $85,536
Dan Shak $54,529
Phil Hellmuth $38,491
Matt Calhoun $31,006
Jerry Cantrell $25,660
Jordanna Schutz $21,384
Ray Romano $18,176
Casey Affleck $16,038

The top finishing players are asked to donate half of their winnings to the cause, and this year they all donated 100%. Proceeds specifically go to the Not On Our Watch (NOOW) project, the group founded by Cheadle, George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt to focus attention on stopping atrocities that are committed worldwide.

The expansion of gaming in South Florida is in full swing. This part of America has beautiful weather and people with lots of money. The wintering baby-boomers from Canada and the northern States can support a huge gaming industry by all be themselves. The three Seminole Casino resorts attract more than just gamers, and they all have nightclubs and restaurants that can stand up to anything that Vegas has to offer.

The “Gulfstream Park Racing Casino” and the “Mardi Gras Track and Gaming Center” have both opened “racinos”, and continue to offer horse and greyhound action. The “Isle Casino and Racing” opened their $150m casino last April, and even “Dania Jai Alai” is adding on a $200m multiplex in 2008. All these places offer poker action and lots of slots.

This expansion comes after the gaming laws were recently loosened and the hours of operation and number of machines were allowed to increase.

A recent survey showed that most gamers still prefer roulette over other forms of gambling. This makes sense because the majority of gamers are relatively new to gaming. New players play easier games when they start out, and roulette is as simple as it gets. It’s essentially a mini-lottery where all one has to do is pick their numbers by putting their individual colored chips on the number on the table.

Beyond the simplicity of the game, the anticipation as the ball spins prolongs the player’s anticipation more than other games. The excitement of hitting your bet and making as much as 35-1 keeps players coming back again and again.

It’s also easier to leave a roulette game when you’re up a few bets because a couple of wins in a row can earn the player a large gain in short time, making it easier to recognize that you’re ahead.