Betting markets have defeated experts, polls and the media in predicting the outcome of current events such as presidential elections.

During the past four U.S. presidential campaigns, economists at the University of Iowa have operated an Internet-based futures market system, where anybody could bet on one of the two major-party candidates.

In the 2004 election, for example, every source in the U.S. considered the race too closes to call before the election night. But the University of Iowa market gave George W. Bush a clear edge since the end of the Republican convention in September, two months ahead.

After an intensive search for a partner to develop casino´s projects, SX Networks finally find in MediaGambling Networks the perfect complement that they were looking for.

The skills required for the new partner were the following: the Company should have a strong presence at the Internet to support SX Networks’ sites promotion and it should be capable and disposed to work among them in the future projects.

MediaGambling was the only candidate that fitted perfectly in that profile. Among other things, MediaGambling will help to promote what is developed along with SXNetworks.

A WHITEHAVEN man who works as a bingo manager has hit the jackpot – at another bingo hall!

The mystery winner of an £81,000 jackpot at Workington’s Opera bingo hall has been revealed as Marc Goodwin.

The 32-year-old assistant manager of Gala Bingo in Carlisle is also a regular player of the popular game closer to home in West Cumbria.

He called “house” at the Opera in a national jackpot game after 45 numbers. He had the winning number 74 to thank for his total prize money of £81,282 – the biggest win at the Opera since it opened last October.

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - When Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope, he was hardly the only winner. Thousands worldwide placed bets on him through the Web - and an inspired few hundred even correctly guessed he'd take the name Benedict.

Among a handful of Internet-based bookmakers who offered odds on the next pope, the biggest player was Paddy Power PLC, the No. 1 bookie in Ireland, which has taken bets on John Paul's successor for the past five years.

Boogie Bingo is returning to Teen Center on Saturday, April 9, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Wellesley Middle School cafeteria. A teenage twist on classic bingo, Boogie Bingo features a DJ, who will play clips from popular music, and line dancing. Players will match the titles on their custom bingo cards until someone covers the required pattern of spaces to win. Prizes include a CD boom box, a DVD player and a portable CD player.

Admission to Boogie Bingo is $5.00; pizza, soft drinks and other snacks will be available for $1.00 each.

Episode III debuts on May 19th and fans are betting on the duel beetween Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader.

Will the new Star Wars movie break every box office record as the previous

episodes did? Will it be the most succesful film in history in its opening weekend? How many weeks will “Revenge Of The Sith” (a.k.a. ROTS) be number one?

LANS to build a bingo club on Rhyl's seafront were dropped yesterday.

The scheme was ditched after a stalemate between developers and the company who wanted to run the venture.

Denbighshire County Council gave outline planning consent for the prestigious new development alongside the Suncentre on East Parade last year.

Julian Thompson-Hill, the cabinet's lead member on asset management, said: "We understand that there were problems between the developers and the prospective operators.

SX Networks is researching for new European partners to create, set in motion and promote new Internet sites. The biggest aim is finding European companies, that are able to get involved on some Gambling projects that SX Networks has in mind.

This Company already has vast experience in the Gambling area. But with the cooperation of this new partner, they would be completely advocated in developing, setting in motion, and keeping updated the sites they would create.

Cities and counties that receive allocations from the conduct of charitable bingo heard some good news at the end of 2004. The 164 local jurisdictions received a fourth quarter total of $2,549,660, nearly 1 percent higher than the same period a year ago.

Nolan County received $815.52.

For 2004, the Charitable Bingo Operations Division allocated $10.3 million back to the local jurisdictions and $11.8 million to the state's general revenue fund, also up by $670,000. The local jurisdictions share of bingo allocation was up from 2003 by $696,000.

Charities across Texas can thank Charitable Bingo for bringing them distributions that total in excess of three-quarters of a billion dollars during the last 23 years.

“We’ve been tallying distributions to charities from bingo activities since 1982, when the first licenses to conduct bingo were issued,” said Texas Lottery Commission Charitable Bingo Director Billy Atkins. “With the almost-$30 million in distributions that were made in calendar year 2004, the total that charities have received since 1982 is now more than $773.6 million.”