Poker records tumble

Dave Cain beat the previous record of 72 hours and two minutes held by Larry Olmsted of the United States.

He went into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004 after playing for more than three days at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut.

While Olmsted took 15 minute breaks every eight hours, Cain - in the more humble surroundings of the Library Bar in Lincoln - played heads-up non-stop.

Cain's accomplishment has been certified by Guinness and he now possesses the world record for "longest time an individual has continuously played poker" although the exact length of the record is yet to be verified.

Cain needed one steward plus a practicing nurse, two official witnesses as well as dealers and of course a steady flow of opponents.

The money raised from the event was going to go to two charities: St. Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice and Louth & District Hospice.

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And another record has been broken with the world's highest ever game.

As a prelude to the World Series of Poker Europe event in London's Leicester Square, the world's first ever aerial tournament was held in a crane 45 metres above the ground.

23-year-old John Tabatabai, runner-up at last year's WSOP Europe, was the celebrity dealer as players were strapped into their chairs with their legs dangling in the air.

The special table, made in Belgium, was previously used for mid-air banquets before being converted for poker.

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A Scottish man has sold shares in himself in order to raise the £5,000 buy-in for the World Series Of Poker Europe tournament in London.

Alistair Fowler from Moray told the Northern Scot: "It started off as a joke really, but people wanted to buy shares and it's just crazy. This is a dream of mine and people have the opportunity of sharing that dream."

38-year-old Fowler has sold 65% of his shares with a 1% share costing £35. If he wins the £250,000 Omaha jackpot, a £75 stake will see a return of around £2,500 - odds of 33/1.

An Aberdeen casino is funding his travel to the tournament and is also negotiating accommodation for the wheelchair bound former Army officer there.

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A survey of 1639 American poker players has revealed overwhelming support for Democratic presidential candidate Barak Obama.

The Illinois senator received 64% of the votes against Republican candidate John McCain who are both reported to play poker.