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As expected, the final of the 2024 Paris Olympics Men’s Tennis ended in a promising showdown that featured two of the best players in today’s game. Novak Djokovic emerged at the top of the world after he survived a massive clash against Carlos Alcaraz in a 7-6(3), 7-6(2) on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Djokovic has been quiet for most of the 2024 ATP Tour, not winning a single tournament since January until the Olympics, which was very timely considering how well he came out on top in the Paris Games. At long last, at the age of 37, Novak Djokovic is finally an Olympic Gold medalist, adding it to his long list of legendary feats in the tennis world.

Speaking of legendary feats, Djokovic’s victory was nothing short of impressive. He had to stave off a promising player in Alcaraz – who has made some impressive strides in the game and has even managed to come up with multiple wins on clay, including this year’s edition of the French Open. That says a lot about Djokovic’s return to dominance in the tennis stage, and it is even easy to say that this might even help him spark a late campaign in the ATP Tour.

Extending his Big Titles Lead

With his first Olympic Singles win, Novak Djokovic further extends his massive lead in the tennis records with his completion of the Career Golden Slam, winning every big title that the competition has to offer so far. The Serbian star now has a total of 72 big titles in his career, which is composed of impressive Grand Slam wins, trophies at the ATP Finals, Masters 1000 victories, and an Olympic gold medal.

In 16 of the last 18 seasons, Djokovic has at least claimed one big title, showing how well he can muster his dominance in the game at this point. His co-players in the Tennis Big 3 have impressive records as well, but Djokovic is now ahead by at least 10 more awards. Roger Federer, who is already retired, has a total of 54 big titles and no wins at the Olympics. Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, has 57 with one Olympic gold to his name.

It has been a long time since Djokovic has aspired to reach a gold medal finish in the game. He won the bronze medal back in Beijing, while he finished fourth in London and in Tokyo.

A Silver Lining in Defeat

Despite the loss, Carlos Alcaraz was pleased with his campaign in the 2024 Paris Olympics. As the champion of the recent French Open, it cannot be denied that he was a massive favorite to win in the Olympics as well, which held the tennis games in the same venue as the French Open.

"I always want to win, that’s for sure, but taking the silver medal, I have to be really proud,” said Alcaraz about his loss to Djokovic in the final of the Paris Olympics. “I’m building a really great career and I hope it’s going to keep going. Honestly, I’m pretty proud to be in this position, I’m pretty proud to bring a medal to Spain. I’m pretty sure that my moment will come, and I will bring the gold medal to Spain one day.”

That loss was a rare low in an otherwise promising 2024 run for Alcaraz. He is currently sitting at world no. 3 after lifting his third and fourth major titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this season, which says a lot about how the Spaniard is still expected to make waves in the game.

The Las Vegas Raiders do seem like they need some miracle to work for them in the 2024 season, and for Davante Adams, the process that unfolds in selecting for the team’s quarterback spot seems to be quite a timeline that the wide receiver believes to be a double-edged sword.

At this point, both Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew are currently competing for the starting QB role for Las Vegas, and the team continues to come up with some interesting complications for their games heading into the season, it does seem that whoever takes the starting spot will have some serious effect in their overall morale.

According to Adams, this is definitely set to take a toll on the team if they solve it later in the season. So far, it does seem that the Las Vegas Raiders will definitely come up with a promising decision at the end of the day, which should certainly give them more playoff hopes in the coming campaign.

Picking Between Two QBs

O’Connell has been an impressive force for the Raiders when they fired head coach Josh McDaniels in the middle of the season before later shifting to bench Jimmy Garoppolo. The rookie QB went on to deliver a promising performance on his end, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,218 yards, accrued a 12-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio with a passer rating of 83.9 in 11 games played for a 5-5 record.

On the other hand, the Raiders also expanded the QB room by adding a veteran in Minshew, who was signed to a two-year, $25 million deal. He was a promising player for the Indianapolis Colts last season when he took over QB duties behind Anthony Richardson, leading the team to a 7-6 record while completing 62.2 percent of his passes for 3,305 yards for 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while earning his first Pro Bowl appearance.

It does seem that this will be ultimately decided when the preseason begins, and fans can be full of speculations as to how each player will ultimately impact their winning chances. Considering the fact that the team is gearing up for a possible playoff run, it would be hard not to weigh both QBs and see how well they can engineer their chances of winning now more than ever.

Adams’ Confidence in the QB Timeline

For Davante Adams, it remains to be seen how well he will thrive with whoever wins the starting spot in the team. As the designated wide receiver, he is expected to work with the starting QB, so whoever turns up on the lineup, he has got to deal with it in the coming season.

"There's pros and cons to no timeline, but at the end of the day, we get enough reps with both guys and we are all communicating," Adams said of the QB battle between O’Connell and Minshew. "We have really open conversations, and we all get reps with all the quarterbacks ... and I'm definitely watching at all times, seeing everything and learning how the ball comes out with Gardner versus Aidan. I got my antennas up for everything."

Adams just notched his fourth season in a row with 1,000-plus yards while playing with two different quarterbacks in 2023. Adams believed that he can really make an impact if he connects well with the new starting QB heading into the season.

In the latest roundup of arrests in Las Vegas, a man allegedly presented bad checks and got markers of almost $900,000 - but instead of giving up, he tried to get another marker but was then apprehended. In other news, a Texas gambling den is raided, and a North Carolina official was arrested and charged with a DUI and misdemeanor gambling.

A man from North Carolina has been charged with multiple felonies after using a fraudulent check to acquire $865,000 in casino chips, all of which he lost while gambling at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, authorities said.

41-year old Dharma Nadendla was staying at the Strip property when he visited the cashier's cage on Tuesday. There, he introduced a credit union check which was made out for $380,000 and was issued $865,000 worth of casino chips. According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nadendla then proceeded to lose all the markers which had an overall value of $500,000 and $365,000, respectively, while playing casino at the Aria.

A gambling binge gone wrong

Nadendla's gambling spree didn't stop there. After losing the markers, he returned to his hotel room and contacted the cashier's cage in order to secure another marker. At this point, a suspicious staff member examined the check more closely and discovered discrepancies: the number at the top of the check did not match the bottom number.

The Aria staff promptly contacted the credit union in North Carolina and confirmed that the check was indeed fraudulent, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In a strategic move, the casino staff told him to go to the casino floor to collect the additional marker he had requested. However, when Nadendla arrived at the hotel elevator, he was met by Las Vegas police officers who had been alerted to the fraud by the diligent staff.

Nadendla was then charged with burglary of a business, theft of $100,000 (or greater), and forgery. He asked for a bail bond and is scheduled to appear in the Justice Court of Las Vegas on the 28th of August.

Texas operation busted

In a separate incident, Harris County, Texas, agents seized over $14,584 along with several gambling devices in a recent raid on an illegal gambling operation. The raid followed reports from residents about suspicious activities at a game room in Houston. Undercover deputies confirmed the illegal gambling, leading to the arrests of two employees, Thanh Van Nguyen and Son Van Nguyen, who were charged with possession of paraphernalia used for gambling. Authorities emphasized that illegal gambling often leads to other criminal activities, according to KRIV, a television station in Houston.

North Carolina public official arrested

In North Carolina, a public official was arrested in early July on charges of driving while impaired and misdemeanor gambling. 30-year old Jacob Ray, the Madison County Board of Elections Director, faces court dates on the 27th of August and 7th of October for the respective charges.

The arrest was publicly disclosed by the Madison County Board of Commissioners Chairman, Matt Wechtel, on July 18. Wechtel expressed disappointment in discovering the charges from external sources rather than from within the Board of Elections office. "As soon as the Board of Commissioners was able to confirm the accuracy of the charges, we strongly urged the Board of Elections to take swift and stringent disciplinary actions to ensure the credibility of the Madison County electoral process going forward," said Wechtel in a statement to the Asheville Citizen-Times.

These incidents emphasize the prevalent issues of fraudulent activities and illegal gambling operations, highlighting the importance of vigilance and swift action by authorities and organizations across the country.

After signing with LAFC back in May, French star Olivier Giroud is now slated to enter a new phase in his career in Major League Soccer with the hopes of bringing his blazing game to the table for the Western Conference giants. It seems that the long wait has finally ended, and fans are hoping to see bigger strides from the club at this point.

LAFC is ready to come up with some impressive strides in their games, and it goes without saying that the second half of the season will be a crucial set of fixtures that will definitely affect their standing in the upcoming playoffs as well. Adding in Giroud brings a new dynamic for the team to increase their chances of winning in playing their final set of games.

As of the time of writing, LAFC sits second behind LA Galaxy in the top spot for the Western Conference, just two points behind the top seed. LAFC stands with a 14-5-5 record for 47 points, and with 10 matches left to play in the season, it is easy to expect that the team will get more chances at winning the first seed in the West.

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Giroud’s arrival was expected by many fans as the team seeks to see the French star teamed up with hard hitters such as Denis Bouanga and Mateusz Bogusz in the final third. Of course, the goal is to bring LAFC back to a third straight MLS Cup appearance, and that does not seem impossible at this point in time, especially with Giroud boosting LAFC’s offensive unit.

Adding France’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals and 137 matches played is a promising note for the team, considering that he reunites with his longtime teammate Hugo Lloris. Giroud signed a designated player deal with the team through 2025 and 2026 – which comes as an option.

Giroud last played for AC Milan and signed a new deal with LAFC after moving on from his former club.

“I am delighted and excited to join LAFC,” Giroud told the LAFC official website regarding his move to the team in the season. “I can’t wait to get to Los Angeles and to play in front of the 3252 supporters' group and all of the incredible fans.”

A Dedicated Boost for LAFC

LAFC brings in an elite scorer in Giroud, and it cannot be denied that his 14 goals in 33 games for Milan last season is a promising note that he can definitely play a support role on the attack. Considering that LA already runs with Bouanga and Bogusz on the attack, Giroud brings renewed energy to the attacking unit and can even play a third-scorer role on the squad.

The Frenchman is known to be able to play multiple offensive positions, which makes him a versatile addition to the team. His impressive goal-scoring rate is a testament to his impressive game, which makes him a deadly attacker if left unchecked.

For his whole career, Giroud has scored a total of 284 club goals, which makes him a strong yet underrated striker in the game. At this point, Giroud’s value will be more of a testing ground if he will fit well with their attacking line, and that seems to be seen as the French star is yet to make his debut with the club.

Many fans were left wondering how Jayson Tatum was benched in Team USA’s promising victory in the first game of their group stages campaign against Serbia, which proved to be quite a shocking move considering that he came off fresh after winning the NBA Finals. But the Celtics star is seeing the silver lining in the experience.

Being benched on the big stage is something that can be quite impactful on a player’s confidence, especially when that big stage is the Olympics. However, it cannot be denied that Team USA has a lot of talented stars in their roster, which requires tactical decisions for them to bring out the best out of their squad.

Of course, this did not sit well with a lot of fans as there were plenty of criticism and memes that circulated on social media regarding Tatum being benched. It can be argued that it looked pretty much the same as how many critics claimed that Tatum got carried to a victory in the NBA Finals, with the Boston Celtics being a stacked team as it is.

A Silver Lining on the Big Stage

Tatum on the bench definitely raised a lot of brows during the game, but the Celtics forward was quick to shrug off the talks after he got his minutes in their game against South Sudan, which ended in a 103-86 victory for the United States. It was him who insisted that it is not much of a big deal than most people think.

"It's a unique situation, and it's not about one individual player, competitor in you wants to play obviously, but I'm not here to make a story about myself," Jayson Tatum said of being benched in their game against Serbia as they won to go up 1-0 in the group stages. "You win a championship, new contract, NBA 2K25 cover, Sports Illustrated... so after all of this, it's definitely a humbling experience."

According to head coach Steve Kerr, the decision to bench Tatum was quite the tactic based on the matchup. The Celtics star would later go on to receive playing time in their showdown versus South Sudan, but he did not really show up on that end after finishing with 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 2-of-4 shooting from the field.

Getting Carried to Another Title?

There are a lot of talks as to how Jayson Tatum got carried by the stacked Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, winning him his first title even though he struggled mightily from the field for most of the postseason. The mere fact that Jaylen Brown was named as the ECF and Finals MVP says a lot about the lack of presence from Tatum, but it is worth noting that this is not the same case for his benching case in the Olympics.

For those who haven’t checked the stat sheet, Tatum was not the only player who was benched in their game against Serbia. Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton was also off the rotation in that game, which definitely alludes to how Team USA adjusted its player rotation to accommodate their advantage against Serbia.

So far, it is easy to say that Tatum is indeed getting carried to another title should Team USA end up with a win by the end of the Olympics, but it is safe to say that each of these players are willing to make adjustments to contribute to the win, even if it means they will not play in the game.

The Vegas Golden Knights are coming up with some of the quiet offseasons, but it is quite known that the leadership role is expected to be in discussion for the team in the years to come. That is what Jakub Demek is hoping to see in his future with the 2022-23 Stanley Cup Final champions after the team has seen some of their key personnel depart from the roster.

At the age of 21, Demek is definitely keen to prove his worth in the game this season with more of a leadership role, starting with their training camp. It is a mandatory routine for the Golden Knights to send sophomore players to one more development camp as soon as they complete their first full season in the NHL.

For Demek, this is all about ensuring that he will have a bright future in the team, and it seems that it would be the prime focus of his campaigns in the squad with the way he is bringing his impressive game to the table. For now, it is him taking baby steps toward longevity with the Golden Knights.

Embracing a New Role

Demek noted that the last piece of development that players need is leadership. That’s what he had in mind when he took his time to mentor the younger players in the team last month, and now he is expected to take on a role as one of the experienced players in the team, hinting at a possible leadership role in the long run.

“When I was a young guy, I needed some guys to show me how things worked here,” Demek said of his dedication to helping young Vegas players hone their craft in the team’s developmental camp. “I’m trying to be helpful, like the older guys who helped me.”

Demek also said that he is aiming to become a bigger, faster, and stronger player for the team. The Golden Knights’ fourth-rounder proved to be quite the player who will continue to understand the team’s system, figuring out how to be in the right place at the right time.

“When you come from junior, it’s all about skill and speed,” said Demek. “Everyone at the pro level is so skilled, really fast and strong. It’s harder to score and get some points. With experience, it’s getting easier and easier.”

A New Leadership Needed in Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights have lost some of its key players in free agency. The most notable of those departures came from Jonathan Marchessault, who joined the Nashville Predators in a new deal after the Golden Knights got eliminated in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Demek being keen to take on a leadership role hints at how he is hoping to build his legacy around the club. So far, he is still young, and his production seems to be quite the hopeful spark that would make him a pivotal piece in the rotation. In the 2023-24 season alone, Demek scored 16 points, coming off with seven goals and nine assists in 55 games.

“We’re trying to focus on a different part of the game,” Demek said of his constant hunger to develop his game and help Vegas win games in the best way possible. I’m also analyzing my game. I’m working on all parts of the game to improve my skills.”

Apollo Global Management has just acquired Everi Holdings and IGT Gaming, marking a pivotal change and strategic move that will cement Apollo's hold on the gaming industry. The sale, which was in cash, was an amazing $6.3 billion, and it will make both enterprises privately owned under the Apollo brand.

In a landmark transaction, International Game Technology PLC and Everi Holdings Inc. have just announced that Apollo Global Management Inc. will acquire their gaming & digital businesses in a deal valued at $6.3 billion - which is all in cash. This agreement will result in Everi and IGT Gaming becoming privately-owned entities under a combined organization managed by Apollo.

The move's unanimous board approval

The boards of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction, highlighting the strategic benefits of the consolidation. Vince Sadusky, Chief Executive Officer of IGT PLC, expressed optimism about the new partnership, stating, "Our new agreement represents a positive evolution of our previously announced transaction with Everi and a successful culmination of the strategic review process that IGT launched last year." He added that with the Apollo Funds, they have found a partner that recognizes the strength and value of IGT Gaming and knows its talent and position in the industry.

Sadusky further emphasized that the transaction would enable IGT Gaming to invest in as well as enhance its core segments, offering customers a more comprehensive portfolio of offerings. He further added, "After the closing of this transaction, IGT's shareholders will continue to own one hundred percent of IGT's Global Lottery business, which will be positioned for long-term success as a pure-play global lottery player with a more focused, compelling business model and optimized capital structure to drive long-term shareholder value."

The transition to private ownership

The acquisition will see IGT's majority shareholder, De Agostini S.p.A, acquiring a minority equity investment in the brand-new enterprise. This move signals confidence in the future prospects of the unified companies under Apollo's management.

Everi Holdings, a major supplier of tech solutions for the casino floor, developing gaming machines and content and systems for land-based, bingo, and igaming operators, is poised to benefit significantly from this merger. Randy Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Everi, remarked, "We believe this transaction maintains the integrity and strong strategic rationale of our original agreement with IGT, but now also provides significant and certain value to our stockholders as we move forward with (the) Apollo Funds as our partner."

Taylor highlighted the potential for growth and innovation, stating that as it joins forces with IGT Gaming, it fully expects to continue to lead and innovate as well as provide unparalleled value to its customers as a stronger player in the FinTech, global gaming, and digital industry. Under this private ownership, it believes that it will be better positioned to accelerate the integration of its two organizations for the benefit of its customers and employees.

Strategic synergy and future outlook

The combined strengths of IGT and Everi under Apollo's ownership are expected to create a formidable presence in the gaming and digital industry. IGT, with over 11,000 workers worldwide, is a global leader in the gaming sector. The merger with Everi, known for its robust technology solutions, is anticipated to enhance the collective ability to innovate and provide comprehensive solutions across various gaming platforms.

Apollo Global Management's acquisition reflects a strategic move to consolidate industry leaders and leverage their combined expertise and resources. The private ownership model is expected to provide greater flexibility and focus on long-term growth and integration strategies, benefiting customers and stakeholders alike.