The Movable Buffet

Dispatches from Las Vegas
by Richard Abowitz

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Ramblin' Gamblin' Man: Rene Angelil

February 8, 2007 | 12:28 pm
I am beginning to feel sorry for Celine Dion's husband, Rene Angelil. For the past week his gambling habits have been the subject of constant press speculation, all beginning after I wrote on the Buffet about Harrah's executive Jan Jones, looking for an example of a responsible gambler, claiming in an interview published in England, that Angelil gambles $1 million a week here. Jones is likely in a position to know (despite her subsequent denial) since Dion performs at Caesars, a Harrah's property and all resorts are thought to closely track the exact play of their high rollers. But resorts usually do not share those numbers with the public in interviews. Blaming press speculation, Caesars then released an unprecedented statement claiming that Angelil's loses were small. (if you can call hundreds of thousands of dollars, small) and referring to his offsetting poker winnings at tournaments mostly at the Bellagio. This caused me to wonder on the Buffet how much Angelil gambled at the Bellagio, an MGM property outside of Harrah's orbit. Now, Norm Clarke of the Review-Journal (who today launched NormClarke.com) answers that question. According to Norm, Angelil's has lost more than $2 million at Bellagio where he maintains a $1 million credit line. But perhaps the biggest blow comes from Sun columnist John Katsilometes who appears to use Dion's husband as a synonym for over the top gambling. Katsilometes writes: "Charles Barkley put up some Rene Angelil numbers over Super Bowl weekend." In the story, Barkely estimates that as a gambler during his life he has lost about $10 million. Katsilometes quotes an ESPN radio interview with the basketball player in which he offers this wonderful quip: "I don't gamble too much, but I probably gamble for too much money."

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One of our listeners on TheStripPodcast.Com astutely pointed out that the notion that Angelil bets $1 million a week and that he lost $230K in a year are not necessarily contradictory. If he bet $50m a year and lost $230,000, that would be a 0.5 percent loss, which is actually within reason for certain casino games. In that way, that weird statement actually doesn't clarify anything about his habits.

WRT your report on the gambling habits of Rene Angelil: Am I the only person to wonder if Caesar's signed Celine to that exclusive deal to perform there as a way for Rene Angelil to pay off his gambling debts to the casino?
Think about it: husband owes house $1 million. wife of husband is international star, casion says to husband, "We can help you pay off your debt, if you'll get your wife to help us."
Another GODFATHER moment? ("There's a part in a movie I'd be perfect for, but the studio won't hire me.")

hey rene

i hope celine you and rene charles are doing fine



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