When a Hong Kong teenager walked into a casino in the Chinese territory of Macau, chaperoned by her mother and grandmother, she can have had little idea of the riches that awaited her - nor of the legal storm that her winnings would generate.

Yes, this 16-year-old unknown girl won a $94,900 jackpot at a Macau casino, and her mother was allowed to keep the cash.

Macau’s gaming watchdog forced The Las Vegas Sands to pay the $94,900-winning teenager because of a loophole. Macau’s gaming laws ban anyone under 18 from entering a casino, but the laws do not specify a minimum age for gambling once inside.

The young girl, whose name has not been released, was given $12 by her grandmother as a Lunar New Year present to play on some slot machines. The teenager went to the Sands Casino with her mother and grandmother and put the entire amount in a machine. When she hit the jackpot, Sands staff refused to pay her out once they learned she was underage.

However, the territory’s gaming authority has ruled that the Las Vegas Sands must pay the teenager from Hong Kong her winnings. “We have decided that the money must be paid, not to the child, but to her mother,” Gambling Authority Director Manuel Joaquim das Neves told the South China Morning Post.

Although she will be paid, the girl’s mother has been banned from all Macau’s casinos as punishment for bringing a minor into a casino.

That’s okay, Mom can always come to Bodog’s Online Casino, as long as she leaves the kids at home!

FC Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is aiming to knock out Liverpool FC, the club he enjoyed watching as a boy, when the two heavyweights meet at Camp Nou.

Rijkaard is relishing the prospect of tackling the current Liverpool team as the last two winners of the competition go head to head in the opening leg of their last-16 encounter. But it was the team that lifted the European Champion Clubs‘ Cup three times in eight seasons, between 1977 and 1984, that really caught his imagination.

Despite his admiration for the Premiership outfit, Rijkaard is keen to ensure they do not add to their five wins in the tournament. So the holders cannot afford another defeat in this two-legged encounter, having slipped up against Chelsea FC in the group stage.

Samuel Eto’o will sit out the game, having missed Sunday’s 2-1 league defeat at Valencia CF in order to continue his recuperation following a knee problem. Lionel Messi is approaching full fitness having recovered from a broken toe and Rijkaard is pleased to have the Argentinian back.

Lilian Thuram is also available following a thigh complaint, but Edmílson, Santiago Ezquerro and Sylvinho have been omitted from the squad.

The last two champions come together at Camp Nou for what home president Joan Laporta predicted could be an ‘extraordinary tie’. Barcelona’s 13-match unbeaten run at home in the competition makes them clear favourites but spearheaded by Rafael Benítez, the Reds’ sizeable Spanish contingent will be keen to spring a surprise.

This heavyweight contest carries added appeal because of Liverpool’s Spanish contingent, spearheaded by a manager in Benítez who will aim to maintain his team’s unbeaten record at Barcelona.

The English Premier League seems to be welcoming an American invasion that is strengthening its own foundation but weakening its fan base.

Premiership giants Liverpool have agreed to an offer from American tycoons George Gillette and Tom Hicks to buy the club.

A statement was made to the Stock Exchange stating they have agreed the terms “of a recommended cash offer” to be made by Kop Football Limited, the American pair’s bid vehicle. The statement read: “The offer is £5,000 in cash for each Liverpool Share, valuing the issued share capital of Liverpool at approximately £174.1million.”

The takeover means Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa will all be in American hands. Malcolm Glazer, owner of American football’s (NFL) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, owns United and Randy Lerner, owner of NFL’s Cleveland Browns, bought Aston Villa last year.

A seemingly unnoticed contingent of American club owners is slowly but surely forming a solid foundation in the EPL. Real standouts, blockbuster buyouts, and plenty of European media recognition. They now exist; and are growing stronger.

In Liverpool, there are probably a lot of people asking this question: “If we’re going to be bought by a Yank, why can’t it be the owner of the Yankees?”

Gillette and Hicks could scarcely have set their sights much higher, but delivering their promise of world domination may take some doing for…

Super Bowl XLI: The Chicago Bears won the coin toss. Hmmm, sounds like a good sign as rookie sensation Devin Hester awaits Adam Vinatieri’s kickoff.

Then suddenly. the Bears fans jumped out of their seats, opened their arms toward the big screens and yelled in unison as Hester caught a kickoff and sprinted 92 yards into the end zone.

And that was only the first 14 seconds of Super Bowl XLI. But a coronation was unavoidable, and the great Ringless One is ringless no more. Yes, Peyton Manning is a Super Bowl winner at last.

Without Rex Grossman, this could have been a pretty good Super Bowl. Don’t crown their you-know-whats. In the end, the Bears were what Dennis Green - and so many other critics - thought they were: REX is really GROSS, man!

For Chicago, it’s a case of déjà vu. Remember Tedd Ginn, Jr. and the so-called “Super Bowl coin toss curse”?

Hester’s runback matched Ginn’s feat in the Bowl Championship Series title game a month earlier. Ginn took the opening kick back 93 yards for a touchdown against Florida, but the Buckeyes wound up losing 41-14 to the Gators in college football’s national championship game.

Another bad sign for the Bears may have come before kickoff. Chicago won the coin toss; over the last 11 years, the coin-toss winner has lost the Super Bowl nine times.

Leaving the Miami stadium afterward, many Bears fans said the best team — with the best quarterback — had won.

It was a nice Super Bowl dream while it lasted.

In retrospect, maybe we should have seen it coming. Or maybe we did and didn’t want to admit it.

This is how I’ll remember the day.

Chicago Bears cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. was asked straight-faced how he felt about playing against his brother, Peyton.

Ricky answered as if he were asked the question all the time, and didn’t mind the banter. Of course, if you don’t know, Ricky Manning is black, and Peyton is white.

At least this year some Manning will get a ring this year.

Super Bowl XLI is the war of 3 Mannings? Sounds like something similar in history. Might as well throw in Archie Manning too. It will be interesting because Archie is close friends with Grossman’s parents and they talk every week.

But the Bears’ Mannings want to let the Colts’ Manning know who they are. Ricky’s already been in a Super Bowl with the Carolina Panthers and has a knack for playing well when the game is a big deal.

Danieal Manning, a rookie, has never met Peyton. He’s eager to meet to meet him - really up close and personal and all over Peyton’s body.

We’re pretty sure that there are tons of Super Bowl prop bets involving these three Mannings. Example, Will Peyton Manning throw an interception to either Ricky Manning or Danieal Manning of the Bears? — 4/1.

Defense wins championships. Offense sells tickets. So they say. Great argument there. But where Super Bowl XLI is concerned, it might be the only argument (and the tickets sold out long ago).

Brian Urlacher quarterbacks the defense along with the Mannings. Peyton quarterbacks…

Who let the dogs out?

David Frei, Director of Communications for the Westminster Kennel Club in New York considers the 131st anniversary of the Westminster Dog Show as an event like Miss America than a sporting event because you can’t really handicap it in terms of past successes.

Frei added that the annual dog show we’re not even on the betting books in Las Vegas. Not anymore David.

Now fans from around the world can wager on Westminster Dog Show prop bets such as who they think will be crowned champion, bet on which group the ‘Best in Show’ winner will be from or will the winner be male or a female dog?

VIP.com has put up Westminster Dog Show betting odds on the the second longest running sporting event in…

Here’s one odd way of finding your lifetime sweetheart.

According to the Web site ananova.com, out of cash and desperate to stay in a poker game, Andrei Karpov offered his wife as the stake instead.

With Valentines Day approaching, here is a story that is sure to warm your heart. While most people find their true loves and future spouses at a bar, at work, or even online, a Russian man named Sergey Brodov found his when he won a hand of poker.

After running out of cash during a poker game with friends, Karpov offered up his wife, Tatiana, instead of money. He lost. When the “winner” of the game, Sergey, turned up at Andrei’s house the next day to claim his winnings, Tatiana found out what had happened and was so angry that she decided to divorce Andrei and start a relationship with Sergey.

Tatiana and Sergey are now married, and Tatiana says that she has no regrets. “It was humiliating and I was utterly ashamed. But as soon as my ex-husband did that I knew I had to leave him,” said Tatiana. “Sergey was a very handsome, charming man and I am very happy with him, even if he did ‘win’ me in a poker game.”

Wow. Maybe he can win her back one day from the guy.

I guess it was a good thing that her husband bet her cause now she realized what a jerk her husband was, and her new one is smarter and more handsome anyway… and has more money.

In a way, her first husband did her a favor. He played matchmaker in the strangest way possible. As for Tatiana, she exhibited a lot of self esteem in…

We all know that British soccer superstar David Beckham and his fashionista wife, the never-seen-eating Victoria Beckham are on their way to Los Angeles.

Yes, the uber-trendy couple is reportedly shopping for a new home in the vicinity of the Cruises, Pitts and other Hollywood celebs.

Before announcing his plans to leave Spanish Primera Liga side Real Madrid and sign a $250 million contract with Major League Soccer in LA, Beckham called Tom Cruise ask his advice. Beckham considers Cruise a “wise man and very good friend” who was able to explain to the soon-to-be Californians what life in LA is really like.

Since Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham are already good shopping buddies, Posh should make an easy transition onto Rodeo Drive. Katie has reportedly even lined up meetings with movers and shakers in Hollywood to get Posh some acting gigs.

There were rumors TomKat had cast Posh as an alien bride in a Scientology-based film, The Thetan, but Cruise’s people put that “rubbish” report in the bin.

Do you think the Beckhams will convert to Scientology this year? Bet on it!

Aside from getting settled in Tinsel Town, Beckham’s goal is to spark some more interest in soccer in the US. The sport’s popularity lags far behind baseball, football and basketball. Beckham hopes that bending it for the MLS’s Galaxy will generate some more soccer fans and players.

Gilbert Arenas has just made the 2007 NBA All-Star first five.

Pretty soon, the hot-shooting Wizards guard will join Phil Hellmuth, David Williams and Chris Moneymaker as online poker stars.

Seriously, Arenas sits at his locker and plays online poker during halftime of Washington Wizards games. Coach Eddie Jordan even coined a term - “Gilbertology” - to describe Arena’s whole halftime ritual.

Kinda weird for his new teammates but “you simply let guys do what they do to be successful.” After all, it’s hard to argue with Arenas’ success. All-Star first five, one of the NBA’s scoring leaders and countless game-winning shots this season.

He wears the jersey No. 0 because that was the number of minutes he was supposed to play at Arizona. He still smarts from having to wait until the second round to get drafted by Golden State in 2001. For him, there’s always something to prove.

Arenas has led the Wizards back to their second straight post season and has made the franchise respectable again. He is a great player and person who gives back to the community. I could care less if he play online poker. Hell, he could spank his meat at half time, as long as it helps win games.

This is a free world. Why does everyone have to judge someone else for what they do especially if they arenot hurting anyone. We all live in glass houses and should not throw stones.

Gilbert is a great person and a role model. Give him the credit he deserves. What would you prefer hearing about his poking playing at halftime or his being hemmed up with some slut?

He enjoys the same thing that everybody would do to relax or have fun. He could buy his own…

Super Bowl XLI: Vegas oddsmakers have certainly no love for Lovie Smith and his Super Bowl bound care-Bears.

Miami is the location, Super Bowl XLI is the event and the opponents could not be any different. It’s the high octane offense of the Indianapolis Colts versus the dynamic defense of the Chicago Bears.

We should see strength against strength; the first scenario that jumps to mind is Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher racing down the middle of the field with Colts tight end Dallas Clark as he tries to free himself for one of Peyton Manning’s patented seam throws.

An early touchdown (Colts -7 vs Bears) spread in Indy’s favor seems too big.

The Bears may lack big names and carry the underdog tag, but merits are seen in unselfish play and motivation to beat Manning and Colts. The Bears have not played Indianapolis since Nov. 21, 2004, when the Colts crushed Chicago, 41-10, at Soldier Field in Lovie Smith’s 10th game as coach.

Go ahead and dismiss the Bears if you will, but first give them credit for finally crashing through in their own inimitable style. Like any good underdog, the Bears are copping an “us against the world” attitude.

The Bears know that the Colts have a special offense that can light up the scoreboard. But Smith’s team may just have the all-around game to hang in there and outlast the Colts in the fourth quarter.

That’s just what they will have to do if they want to take the Vince Lombardi trophy for the second time in their history.