Sale of wizard of odds/vegas websites

Let the LCB Era begin......from the looks of the LCB team, they have a pretty talented group of individuals around the world. Change can be a good thing, I am going to hang around and see what happens! Besides, Mike is still here and I am certain he wants this to be a successful ownership transition. He has too much integrity to take the money and run.....it is a unique attribute in the world these days and why his sites have become so successful.

News travels fast. Some sites have already mentioned it. Gambler's Glen was one of the first.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Hello, Nik, and welcome to the site!

thanx for the warm welcome :)

Quote:

Have you seen the suspension list, Zuga? Is that really something that you want to continue?

I have seen it, but to be perfectly honest I am still learning about this forum, its community and getting acquainted with how things are done here, so it is fair to say I will not going to rock the boat and make any hasty decisions.

But i think all the Admins have things under control.

who is VegasAces ?

Nik,

Greetings!

First of all, let me congratulate you and your Associates on your acquisition of the WoV/WoO and other affiliated sites. In my opinion, LCB has long been held as a reputable informational source for all things concerning on-line casinos. It is unlikely that you remember me, but I did post on LCB for a very brief period during which I was dappling in, "Bonus Whoring," until I grew tired of doing that (the whoring, not the Forum, per se) and eventually stopped posting over there.

In any event, I'm happy to hear that you plan on retaining myself and the current Forum Administrative staff, and I look forward to working with you in the future.

Yours,
Mission146

Welcome Zuga, its a great community here. I'm sure you will have a good time here.
A suggestion on the mobile sites.
Please make it optional when say using a large tablet.
Even better make the mobile version an app
I love surfing the internet and cant stand mobile sites, I much prefer the regular site on my tablet.
Some sites detect me as a mobile user and load the mobile site automatically, I hate that.
Some sites let you choose regular or mobile, I choose regular and am a happy camper.
Some sites only offer mobile as an app, I like that because I dont have the app so regular site allways loads.

Hiya Mission146, thanx for the kind words :)

ahhh sry I cant say I remember you ( bow my head in shame )... Did you have the same user name ?..

You're welcome, and yes, it was the same Username. There's no reason to be ashamed, I posted fairly heavily there for a few weeks and then was gone. I think it was right about the same time I initially came to this Forum.

Wiz,

would this have happened if you never closed your consulting business and worked for Sands?

And why couldn't u get new clients after you stopped working for Sands Corp?

Quote: terapined

Welcome Zuga, its a great community here. I'm sure you will have a good time here.
A suggestion on the mobile sites.
Please make it optional when say using a large tablet.
Even better make the mobile version an app
I love surfing the internet and cant stand mobile sites, I much prefer the regular site on my tablet.
Some sites detect me as a mobile user and load the mobile site automatically, I hate that.
Some sites let you choose regular or mobile, I choose regular and am a happy camper.
Some sites only offer mobile as an app, I like that because I dont have the app so regular site allways loads.

Thank You for the welcome :)

And thank you for your suggestions... At this time and given the trending, the new thing would be scalable/responsive mobile friendly websites. So I believe we will go with that option.

But Ill have to consult with the rest of the Team and Techs in regards to allowing the users an option to choose tween regular and mobile. ( Ive seen that option too ).

But as far as Im aware there will not be an app.


cheers
Zuga

Why would he want to work for someone else, when he can be a multi-millionaire?

Hell of an advantage play, Mike.

*doffs cap*

Quote: MrV

Why would he want to work for someone else, when he can be a multi-millionaire?

Hell of an advantage play, Mike.

*doffs cap*

parlay it and buy 200k shares of BABA @ $90!

Quote: Zuga

But Ill have to consult with the rest of the Team and Techs in regards to allowing the users an option to choose tween regular and mobile. ( Ive seen that option too ).

But as far as Im aware there will not be an app.


cheers
Zuga

I'm sure it's programming headache to do -- but the more options you make available for the user to customize, the happier people will likely to be. You are probably aware of no-option changes that occur in software/sites that users have no choice but adapt to. And plenty of complaining happens when users get shut out of something they preferred.

And, that's just a general suggestion, i.e., if you can give us more options, please do. If not, well, I tried. Hah.

Congrats Mike. I thought you went to work for Caesars Entertainment Corporation as there is someone named Joshua Chan who is the director of Asia Development.

Quote: Mission146

I should also say CONGRATULATIONS to Mike! I think it's about time all the hard work he put into these sites over the years pays off!

I am not knowledgeable enough to know exactly what gets saved in some database, it seems nothing can ever be fully deleted.

Even if it did work I have 54 pages x of PMs and you have to confirm each deletion 1 at a time.
you're good at math, I assume that's over 1k PMs, Ill let Mike do it.

DAMN So close. My agent stop bidding at 2.06 Million $.. Oh well, onto the next deal !

thanx for the suggestions rxwine,

We do think that the responsive design is the way to go, but will take all suggestion into consideration. Trust me once mobile friendly WOO and WOV will be much easier to navigate and it will improve the user experience.

BTW , JB is to start working on this.

Now Mike knows how these folks really felt that night..... congrats . Time to buy the wife that Infinity she wanted

Whats going on? I thought we were sending Wizard to the gallows, and gonna torch the place :)

Am I the only one who thinks Ava Carson looks like JuiceyJenny? Has anyone ever see them in the same room at the same time ? ? ?

What's the status of DT?

Quote: 1BB

What's the status of DT?

DOA ?

DT was not part of the sale, and last I heard, no changes are anticipated.

My Dear Mister Zuga :
Will you be at G2E ? I thought that was a condition of the purchase ?

Guys im going to call it a night ( 3am here ).

Ill be more than happy to reply to more of your questions tomorrow.

cheers
Zuga

Uh Oh Perhaps Mister Zuga is not as committed to the sucess of this site as I had hoped he would be ! SIGH

Quote: beachbumbabs

DT was not part of the sale, and last I heard, no changes are anticipated.

Then my post was indeed correct, No change in status. Still DOA

mobile website:

m.wizardofodds.com

the site senses if you are viewing using a regular computer or a mobile device.

that's what cnn.com does.
if I goto the site using my phone, it automagically re-routes me to m.cnn.com

this was so last decade.

so I guess I'm missing something in the mobilization conversation??

Quote: Zuga

Guys im going to call it a night ( 3am here ).

Ill be more than happy to reply to more of your questions tomorrow.

cheers
Zuga

sleep is for the weak.
thought Joshua Chan hired better?

:)

kidding.. welcome!

Quote: AxiomOfChoice

EvenBob, it's so obvious that you are... And probably a 27 year old

Please post bannable things I have done, you
must have a list. I'm sorry for living in your
head, but it does give you something to do.

I have the body of a 27 year old, that part is
true. I credit no sugar for 40 years, and lots
of vodka.

Quote: Buzzard

Then my post was indeed correct, No change in status. Still DOA

One visitor now, 28 for the day.

The defense rests, your witness !

Quote: Buzzard

Am I the only one who thinks Ava Carson looks like JuiceyJenny? Has anyone ever see them in the same room at the same time ? ? ?

Good catch, there is indeed a resemblance.

Quote: AxelWolf

I am not knowledgeable enough to know exactly what gets saved in some database, it seems nothing can ever be fully deleted.

Even if it did work I have 54 pages x of PMs and you have to confirm each deletion 1 at a time.
you're good at math, I assume that's over 1k PMs, Ill let Mike do it.

Delete * from [tablename] does the trick. Permanent.

Congratulations Mike. For those of you who are questioning of your motives for selling, I just want to point out the most recent major work you did, the College Football Betting stuff. I know you had already sold the site, but continued to work hard to finish up that big project. If you think about it, you essentially were doing that work for free..... because it's what you do.... I am expecting only minimal changes to the site, and am so happy that you will now be able to concentrate on what you are good at, and can let someone else do what you suck at (the marketing of WoO and WoV). I'll be buying you a drink in October.... Congratulations again......

Quote: Wizard

Settle down everybody. There are a lot of topics that have been broached that I wish to address. Let me go point by point.

Timing of the Announcement

I wanted to give the buyer of my sites the courtesy of making the announcement first when he was ready. I wasn't sure exactly when it was going to be. This morning I went to a couple nearby casinos to put in my half-point parlay cards, which I have promised to report on all season. At the Suncoast I noticed it was a 7x points day so sat down to play video poker for an hour or so. The news broke about half an hour into this play because I started getting phone calls and texts about it. I then quit early and went home to be there on the big day the announcement was formally made.

So, I apologize that you didn't hear it from me first. I will say, in my defense, that I've dropped lots of hints in advance.


Thank You

I would like to thank those forum members were who big enough to say "congratulations," and wish me success going forward. Considering some other messages, I appreciate all the kind words I can get right now.



Donations

My tin cup came out on August 8. That was truly a very low point for me. I ended the exclusive ad deal with Bodog/Bovada on August 1 and the new ads were being virtually ignored. My strategy of supporting multiple brands was a complete disaster. Maybe the idea wasn't bad, but certainly the way I implemented it was.

So, I make no apologies for taking out the tin cup when I did. At that time the sites were making almost nothing. What little I paid JB and VegasAces was much more than what I was pulling in. Considering my sites are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands, I thinking asking for a little something back at a time my income was negative was not unwarranted.

Nevertheless, if anybody who made a donation wishes to have it back, the request will be honored.

Email Address

All we have in our database of members is your Email address and logon. We only ask for the Email address to ensure the request to sign up is legitimate and to use as verification when somebody forgets their password.

When the site was sold it did include this database of Email addresses. It is standard when you buy a web site that it comes with all the code and member databases. However, I asked the new owner to comment about this issue. He said that the policy to not sell or give the Email list to third parties would remain in effect. In the future, there may be a newsletter, but it would have a simple one-click opt-out policy for anybody that doesn't want it.


Private Messages

Let me say that I'm very insulted at the accusations that I or the other admins have been snooping on private messages. I'm also quite sure the new owner has better things to do than eavesdrop on private communication. If one could do so well in business to pay seven figures for some web sites, you would think he would have better things to do than sift through thousands of private messages for advantage plays or phone numbers. For those worried about that, what you should be worried about is what the really big fish, like Facebook, know about you.

To address general questions about private messages, as BBB said, admins don't have the technical ability to read them. The forum was created to not allow that abuse. However, for the paranoid members, I will say that once a Private Message is deleted it is gone forever. If it will make you feel better, then delete your old ones.


Meet Zuga

The new owner of this forum is Joshua Chan, the long-time owner of Latest Casino Bonuses.com, which already has a forum with almost 68,000 members. So, he knows a thing or two already about running forums. His representative Zuga will be helping to keep things going here. I expect him to be posting soon to say a few words about the future of this site.

The Future

However, I can already say that the site is now on solid financial footing. In fact, Josh is already investing in making this site mobile friendly, which is not something I would have ever considered. About 40% of users of this forum already use it on a smart phone or tablet.

Plus, both JB and I will continue to be active. JB is now on Josh's payroll to make sure all the Wizard sites are running smoothly on the back end. I'll also continue to post and help moderate around here.

Again, thanks to those who did leave kind messages. I'm sure I'm forgetting something to say, but I'm not going anywhere.

Congrats Mike. I wanted to hear it from you first before commenting. You put a lot of time and effort into your sites. Many years. Great success story. Well done.

ZCore13

Quote: AxelWolf

I am not knowledgeable enough to know exactly what gets saved in some database, it seems nothing can ever be fully deleted.

Even if it did work I have 54 pages x of PMs and you have to confirm each deletion 1 at a time.
you're good at math, I assume that's over 1k PMs, Ill let Mike do it.

There is an option to delete all on one page, so that cuts it down to only 54 times. Just click the check box in the header row and it will check all the ones on the page.

I think the Wiz needed to sell, so he did. Why
this caused hysteria among some members
here (Axiom et al), with assumptions and accusations
flying, is a little comical. It's sold, so what,
life goes on. At least for most of us, anyway.

@Zuga

What is the timeframe for having the mobile WOV up and running…?

Now, here is what would make me really happy - how about a WOV App?

Quote: EvenBob

Please post bannable things I have done, you
must have a list. I'm sorry for living in your
head, but it does give you something to do.

I have the body of a 27 year old, that part is
true. I credit no sugar for 40 years, and lots
of vodka.

Don't use the lame phrases. I'm going to start thinking you're you know who just with a different format to fool people.

Just want to say i'm impressed with the offer to refund the donations. I won't take you up on it, as i accept that it was genuinely needed at the time, but i think it's important and admirable that you've made the offer.

Wow, the axiomofchoice is on a warpath throwin bombs and even the johnothe clown tried to slither back amidst the carnage! I hope I have enough Guinness and cashew for this, hey hey.

Rumor has it that Ava Carson AKA JuiceyJenny will be joining us at Love's Burger during G2E

I think this whole thing is a conspiracy started by varmenti and larry s.....check your toothpaste for explosives in the morning.

Quote: Face

I didn't know, nor did i expect to be privy to business decisions. I volunteered out of appreciation, and that's where that ends. I expect a heads up as much as i expect a paycheck.

I assume I'll be nixed by our new overlord. Que sera sera. I had fun =)

A heartfelt congrats, Mike. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.

Actually the new owners are just a front for MLSE. I am sure you wish that their continued sucess flows over to this site !

Quote: EvenBob

I think the Wiz needed to sell, so he did. Why
this caused hysteria among some members
here (Axiom et al), with assumptions and accusations
flying, is a little comical. It's sold, so what,
life goes on. At least for most of us, anyway.

Exactly. I congratulate Mike on building a great business and being able to cash out. Life moves on, let it.

Personally I am enjoying watching all of this. Having been thru several buyouts and sales of businesses it is so far all playing out as normal. Earlier in the day there is an announcement. Management is a little detached, busy with other things. Late in the day the new management shows up, explaining they bought the place because of the franchise and people it brings. Things will be almost normal for the time being. Within a week or so I expect small changes and members unable to handle them. More changes will come.

I managed a takeover once where several employees quit upon the announcement. In 100 days nobody remembered what life was like before. When I pointed that out to the office staff they thought about it and while they hardly believed it they realized I was correct.

In 100 days, which we shall just round to shall we say Festivus Day, it will all seem normal.

I have not been very active on this site but have posted here and there and have enjoyed reading this and the odds site. I did give some money as a donation which was not more than the value I have got out of the sites over the years. I wish Mike nothing but the best and it is obvious that he is a man of integrity. I am sure that those who are making wild speculations are off base.

I am late. Congrats to the Wiz for the sale!
I am not jealous of the $2.3M the Wiz is getting. In my opinion, the new owner got a sweet deal. Congratulations to the new owner!

I don't think APs should worry too much. As far as I understand, the new owner's main business is online gambling, it is not another Griffin.

Let me also publicly congratulate the Wizard!

The path getting to this point is interesting. The Wiz started his site in 1997, as a hobby, not realizing it would ever have any profit potential. A couple years later a web marketing company approached him and said they'd give the site a professional design and sell ads, and split the profits with him, and he agreed. But he saw almost no money. (My guess is that they were either cheating him or incompetent, or both.)

In 2003, tired of getting no money, the Wiz initiated a "divorce", with the Wiz keeping all the content, and the company keeping the domain name (THEwizardOfOdds.com). Needing a new domain name to put his content to restart the site, he bought WizardOfOdds.com (no "the") from its owner for $5000. (I told him at the time he was crazy, that there were endless unregistered names that I could get for $10, but he wanted WoO.com.) I'd already been working for him doing non-web stuff, and he expanded my job to doing all the tech for the site. The Wiz started selling ads himself, and immediately started making more than he'd been making with his old partners. That alone put him a bit above the U.S. median household income, but the best was yet to come.

In 2004 he put me in charge of advertising, and sales exploded. I mention this to point out that the Wizard profited handsomely from the site well before he just now sold it. So all of you happy for the Wiz "finally" reaping some rewards from his site...he started living large from the site over a solid decade ago. I remarked to the Wiz back then that it was like karma that both he and I both got huge financial windfalls from the hard work we put into our respective sites when we hadn’t even realized there was a profit potential when we started them. Without divulging any numbers, let me just say we were both rolling in it. By maybe 2005 I admitted to him that his decision to pay $5000 for the WoO.com domain name was prescient, as it really worked well for branding, and with the profit the site was turning, it was an easily justified business expense.

Around 2010 I left the site so I could focus more on my own projects. Ad sales were steady for a while after that but at some point they took a dive. The Wiz tried to get outside help but it's hard to find the right outfit: I figure about half of web marketing firms don't really know what they're doing, and maybe 75% will cheat you, or at least charge so much that there's not much profit left. (Whenever friends ask me who they should hire for web development, I always tell them there are two kinds of developers: Those who know what they're doing, and those you can actually afford.) Recently I tried to offer some suggestions for getting revenue back on track, but my impression is that he was already leaning towards just selling the site simply because that solution was both easy and profitable.

A common rule of thumb for the value of a website is two years' profits (or two years of what the new owners expect *they* can make from it). And I'll tell ya, $2.35M is way, way more than two years' of revenue even when sales were at their peak. (I probably could have grown revenues a little further, but probably not to $1.17M/year., so $2.35M + a salary seems like a good deal for the Wizard.)

Really, this deal was the best of both worlds: He got the money and he's still lording over the content. In other words, he got his cake and is eating it, too. Talk about winning. Dude.

Quote: MichaelBluejay

In 2004 he put me in charge of advertising, and sales exploded. I mention this not to toot my own horn, but to point out that the Wizard profited handsomely from the site well before he just now sold it. So all of you happy for the Wiz "finally" reaping some rewards from his site...he started living large from the site over a solid decade ago.

Yet I hear a 'toot toot' loud and clear. This whole
post is just dripping with something I don't quite
recognize.. But it's dripping for sure...