Latest news with #Yuletide
Irish Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
ITV Racing presenter's life-changing choice that saw him scoop £83,500 in poker
ITV Racing host Oli Bell once found himself at a crossroads, torn between pursuing a career in broadcasting or dedicating his time to online poker tournaments. Bell is gearing up for a hectic week as ITV provides coverage from Royal Ascot. The 38 year old will be fronting the Opening Show on ITV 4 each day of the festival. Given his family's history in sports broadcasting and horse training, it seemed inevitable that Bell would end up as a racing presenter, and he's eagerly anticipating the excitement of Royal Ascot. However, during his stint as a tea boy at Racing TV, Bell discovered an innate talent for poker. He ultimately decided to concentrate on his TV career, only to return to poker several years later. Bell secured his largest win to date at this year's UK Poker Championship in Nottingham, where he was one of the final six players who agreed to divide the prize money, pocketing a cool £83,500, reports the Mirror. Speaking to The Telegraph, Bell said: "In Nottingham, I didn't want to be noticed," adding, "I wanted them to think I was a professional poker player who was really hard to read." He continued: "On the first table, a lass from Birmingham says, 'Oi, you look just like Oli Bell from the racing.' I apologised and said, 'Yep, that is me.' But when it got to the final table, everyone who was a racing fan was cheering me on." Bell's fondness for poker progressed from familial matchstick games during the Yuletide season to clinching victories in colleague tournaments at Racing TV. Racking up more cash than his career earnings in online pots, Bell hit a crossroads when the call from Down Under came knocking. "The first three years, I was playing online and ended up going through the grades," Bell reminisced. "Typically, tournaments would last from 6pm on Sunday 'til 8am on Monday to fit in with US time, and my brother would sit keeping me awake." Recalling his routine before clocking into work, he said, "I'd always have work on a Monday and I'd roll into the office having had zero sleep making the worst cups of tea for [TV presenter] Nick Luck but having won considerably more than I was earning!". When opportunity beckoned from an Australian racing channel, Bell faced a tough dilemma. "I had the conversation," he confided. "Did I give up the presenting dream and just do poker?". He chose stability over cards: "I did the sensible thing and went to Australia for three years. Because of the time zones, I parked poker. I'd had a great run, it was a moment in my life and that was that." Though Bell may reflect on his poker chapter as transient, his knack was unmistakable. After a persuasive nod to join tournaments by a colleague, his debut casino visit pocketed him a cool £7,000. A Vegas escapade saw him multiply a grand into fivefold, swelling the kitty for mates on a stag spree. After a hiatus, Bell's passion for poker was revived during the recent lockdowns. He quickly realised his ability at the table hadn't waned, and identifies a synergy between his card skills and his career in broadcasting. Bell reflected on his return to the felt, "I had some decent results so I knew I could still make a living from it,". He added with a sense of intrigue about his innate poker talent, "I've still got it. I have no idea what 'it' is – it is like why is Ryan Moore a better jockey? I seem to have an instinct for knowing what I've got in my hand, knowing if I'm in a good or bad spot. It's the same as a jockey." Despite a discouraging academic assessment, Bell confessed, "My school report for maths said I was the worst my teacher had taught in 50 years. I'm not a maths genius in any sense. But I'm a complete nerd and geek at poker and it complements the day job because it has taught me so many skills that I use in my career." However, he embraces his fascination with poker, "My school report for maths said I was the worst my teacher had taught in 50 years. I'm not a maths genius in any sense. But I'm a complete nerd and geek at poker and it complements the day job because it has taught me so many skills that I use in my career." The game of poker, he believes, has honed his interpersonal aptitude, "One of my strengths is chatting to anyone, the Queen at Ascot or someone having a pint with mates. Playing poker, you sit at a table and have to work out people from all walks of life, from different countries, religions, backgrounds, you have to read the room, know when to press someone for an answer or ease off." He acknowledges the stigma attached to poker but recognises its benefits, "For all that it's a degenerate hobby, it's a lucrative one and it has shaped me as a broadcaster. It helps me in day-to-day life and in my profession."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Chiefs will play the Broncos Christmas night at Arrowhead
The Kansas City Chiefs have announced one of the games on their 2025 schedule: playing the Denver Broncos on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for the Christmas edition of 'Thursday Night Football' on Amazon Prime. After Kansas City played Christmas games in back-to-back seasons — dropping a stunning 20-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023 that marked the beginning of a dramatic turnaround and collecting a convincing 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers to claim the AFC's top postseason seed last season — the Chiefs reportedly approached the NFL with a proposal to host a Yuletide game every season. But in mid-April, another report quoted a league official saying that Kansas City was 'unlikely' to lock down a permanent Christmas matchup. Advertisement But that didn't necessarily mean the NFL was done with the Chiefs playing on Christmas — and by the time Week 17 rolls around, this AFC West matchup might have significant playoff implications. While the game will be streamed exclusively on Amazon Prime, it will also be carried on local broadcast stations in both Kansas City and Denver. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Arrowhead Time. More from
Edinburgh Live
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Kirstie Allsopp's life off-screen including famous family and personal tragedies
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Kirstie Allsopp, the beloved face of Channel 4's Location, Location, Location, is gearing up to celebrate a landmark anniversary as the show hits its 25th year. With an impressive tenure on our televisions, Kirstie and her co-presenter Phil Spencer have embarked on 469 property hunts and racked up 1,810 viewings, all in the name of guiding hopeful buyers towards their dream homes. Over the decades, they've facilitated countless sales, with the total value of properties bought through the show estimated to be a staggering £176 million. READ MORE - Kate's 'amazing' gesture to Victoria Beckham after 'ludicrous' allegations READ MORE - Prince William's controversial TV appearance that will 'enrage Meghan and Harry' The dynamic duo, who were instrumental in shaping the hit series, are set to commemorate this significant achievement with a special documentary-style episode that honours their dedication and success in the property realm. Phil Spencer quipped to the Mirror about their long-standing partnership: "Twenty-five years? You'd get less for murder.", reports the Mirror. (Image: Channel 4) (Image:)) (Image: FILE) Reflecting on Kirstie's journey to stardom, it's clear she was destined for greatness, coming from a family of notable stature and surrounded by influential figures throughout her upbringing. Yet, Kirstie's life has been a tapestry of personal triumphs and challenges. Sofie Allsopp, Kirstie's sister, is also a recognisable TV personality, having established herself as a presenter and featuring on This Morning as an expert in 2010 and returning as a guest five years later. Much like her elder sister, Sophie has carved out a niche for herself in the property sector, stepping into Kirstie's shoes on Channel 4's Location, Location, Location back in 2006 during her maternity leave. Joining forces with her sister, she also co-starred with Kirstie on the telly programme Homemade Christmas, where they divulged budget-friendly and straightforward methods to craft the ideal Yuletide atmosphere. Famous Family. What viewers may not realise about the television personality is that her late father Charles Allsopp held the title of the 6th Baron Hindlip. This means she could technically be referred to as The Honourable Kirstie Allsopp due to her father's noble rank. Regrettably, he passed away in 2024 at the age of 83. Other notable family members include her cousin, the esteemed designer Cath Kidston, whose retail firm specialises in furniture, handicrafts, and vintage-themed items and clothing that encapsulate a quintessentially British lifestyle. It's no secret that Cath also descends from a well-known lineage of significant figures. Her paternal grandfather was Glen Kidston, a celebrated racing driver for Bentley in the 1920s. Cath also has a connection to Parliament, with her cousin Samantha Cameron being the wife of former Prime Minister David Cameron. They are first cousins, sharing the same grandmother, Nancy Soames. Tragedy. Regrettably, Kirstie's mother, Lady Fiona Hindlip, succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 66. Lady Hindlip endured a remarkable 26-year battle with cancer, undergoing a series of treatments including a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Her initial diagnosis was made in 1987, after which she experienced a period of remission only to face a recurrence of the disease. Tragically, following a nine-year struggle, medical professionals confirmed the presence of secondary cancer. Reflecting on her mother's passing in 2014, Kirstie shared with the Daily Mail: "Mum was always very discreet, stoic and amazingly brave, but we were aware of the impact it had on her, and it was hard for us to see her suffer." Elevated cancer risk. Following their mother's and grandmother's battles with the disease, Kirstie and her sister Sophie learned they had a one-in-three genetic risk of developing breast cancer. To lower her risk by "90 percent" Sophie underwent a double mastectomy in 2010. Kirstie, however, chose not to pursue the same course of action. In a previous interview with the Daily Mail, Kirstie opened up about her decision not to undergo surgery, stating: "I'm not mucking around or burying my head in the sand. I'm not doing this without medical advice." She continued, "I have annual ultrasound scans, as well as a mammogram, which is something my doctors tell me is a perfectly safe and acceptable treatment plan." By taking proactive steps, Kirstie has opted for close monitoring and regular check-ups to mitigate her elevated genetic risk of developing breast cancer.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysts revise Amazon stock price target after earnings
Good news, kids, you might find 30 dolls in your Christmas stocking after all. President Donald Trump recently put a crimp in Kris Kringle in response to concern that his tariffs could lead to empty store shelves come the holidays. 💵💰Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter 💰 "Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls," he humbugged, adding that Americans didn't "need" many of the products that are imported from China, the U.S.'s third largest trading partner. Yes, but then again we may all be singing "Hello, Dolly" come Yuletide, after China reportedly said it was evaluating possibly starting trade negotiations with the of a possible China deal was undoubtedly well-received at Santa's workshop as well as at Amazon () , which sells all kinds of stuff, including dolls, many of which are in the image and likeness of one Donald Trump. On May 1 Amazon beat Wall Street's first-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, but its guidance for operating income fell short, and Amazon Web Services, the cloud-services business, grew at a slower-than-expected pace for the third straight quarter. "Obviously, none of us knows exactly where tariffs will settle or when," Chief Executive Andy Jassy said during the earnings call. "We haven't seen any attenuation of demand yet. To some extent, we've seen some heightened buying in certain categories that may indicate stocking up in advance of any potential tariff impact." More Tech Stocks: Amazon makes move that the White House hates, then walks it back Analyst reboots Apple stock price target ahead of earnings Controversial EV tax credits will be bad news for Tesla "We also have not seen the average selling price of retail items appreciably go up yet," he said, adding that "Amazon is not uniquely susceptible to tariffs." The company's shares fell after the results were released. In 2025 through the close May 2, the stock was off 13%. Trump butted heads with Amazon following reports the company was considering displaying U.S. tariff costs on its product listings. Amazon quickly scrapped the plan. Chris Versace, lead portfolio manager for TheStreet Pro Portfolio, said the potential deal with China was keeping Amazon's stock out of the basement. "We view those reports as constructive, and while we may be hopeful about what comes next, we continue to think these talks will be measured in weeks, not days, and that the ultimate details will be what matters most," he said in his TheStreet Pro said that any rollback or elimination of the Trump tariffs would lead Wall Street to revisit second-half 2025 expectations for Amazon. "Near term, however, we will soon be hearing from retailers that lack those higher-margin businesses housed inside Amazon that will help minimize the overall impact of tariffs on Amazon's bottom line," he said. Versace, who said Amazon tends to skew overly conservative with its operating-income forecasts, said that if the shares get dragged lower as other retailers report in the next few weeks, he'll look for compelling opportunities to scoop up some additional shares. Analysts at Bank of America Global Research boosted their Amazon price target to $230 from $225 and reiterated a buy rating on the shares. Amazon has "material" third-party-seller revenue exposure to China and other imports, and AWS lost some ground to Microsoft's () Azure in Q1, the investment firm said. "However, the platform has shown nice stability in 2025 so far, and ... the stock is well positioned to benefit from any trade agreements over the next three months," B of A growth can be lumpy and while AWS is not seeing the benefit of ChatGPT usage like Azure, "corporate [spending] remains steady and AWS growth could potentially accelerate in [the second half] as capacity ramps up," B of A said. Microsoft () has a significant stake in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. AWS, which accounted for about 19% of the parent's total revenue, is the world's top provider of cloud infrastructure, according to CNBC. Wedbush raised its price target on Amazon to $235 from $225 and maintained an outperform rating on the shares. The investment firm said Amazon reported healthy results: revenue in line with consensus and operating income 5% ahead of expectations, according to The Fly. Profit at the Seattle e-retail and tech company strongly beat Wall Street's estimates, but guidance for Q2 growth and operating income were mixed. Wedbush said. AMZN management is contemplating a broader range of outcomes given macroeconomic uncertainty and the implications of tariffs for the business. Still, Wedbush expects some conservatism in management's outlook, as the company has beaten the high end of its operating-income guidance in each of the past nine quarters. Oppenheimer lowered its price target on Amazon to $215 from $220 and reiterated an outperform rating despite concern that AWS might not accelerate in Q2 and a weaker overall margin outlook. The investment firm said management cited capacity constraints, but it is getting better as the year proceeds with more server capacity. Management does not see reduced consumer demand, Oppenheimer said, with its core strategy of broad selection, price and speed seen as a key advantage to offset headwinds from tariffs. Sign in to access your portfolio
Miami Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Analysts revise Amazon stock price target after earnings
Good news, kids, you might find 30 dolls in your Christmas stocking after all. President Donald Trump recently put a crimp in Kris Kringle in response to concern that his tariffs could lead to empty store shelves come the holidays. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter "Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls," he humbugged, adding that Americans didn't "need" many of the products that are imported from China, the U.S.'s third largest trading partner. Yes, but then again we may all be singing "Hello, Dolly" come Yuletide, after China reportedly said it was evaluating possibly starting trade negotiations with the U.S. Related: Veteran trader gives advice on how to navigate through volatile markets News of a possible China deal was undoubtedly well-received at Santa's workshop as well as at Amazon (AMZN) , which sells all kinds of stuff, including dolls, many of which are in the image and likeness of one Donald Trump. Bloomberg/Getty Images On May 1 Amazon beat Wall Street's first-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, but its guidance for operating income fell short, and Amazon Web Services, the cloud-services business, grew at a slower-than-expected pace for the third straight quarter. "Obviously, none of us knows exactly where tariffs will settle or when," Chief Executive Andy Jassy said during the earnings call. "We haven't seen any attenuation of demand yet. To some extent, we've seen some heightened buying in certain categories that may indicate stocking up in advance of any potential tariff impact." More Tech Stocks: Amazon makes move that the White House hates, then walks it backAnalyst reboots Apple stock price target ahead of earningsControversial EV tax credits will be bad news for Tesla "We also have not seen the average selling price of retail items appreciably go up yet," he said, adding that "Amazon is not uniquely susceptible to tariffs." The company's shares fell after the results were released. In 2025 through the close May 2, the stock was off 13%. Trump butted heads with Amazon following reports the company was considering displaying U.S. tariff costs on its product listings. Amazon quickly scrapped the plan. Chris Versace, lead portfolio manager for TheStreet Pro Portfolio, said the potential deal with China was keeping Amazon's stock out of the basement. "We view those reports as constructive, and while we may be hopeful about what comes next, we continue to think these talks will be measured in weeks, not days, and that the ultimate details will be what matters most," he said in his TheStreet Pro column. Related: Analyst reboots Apple stock price target ahead of earnings Versace said that any rollback or elimination of the Trump tariffs would lead Wall Street to revisit second-half 2025 expectations for Amazon. "Near term, however, we will soon be hearing from retailers that lack those higher-margin businesses housed inside Amazon that will help minimize the overall impact of tariffs on Amazon's bottom line," he said. Versace, who said Amazon tends to skew overly conservative with its operating-income forecasts, said that if the shares get dragged lower as other retailers report in the next few weeks, he'll look for compelling opportunities to scoop up some additional shares. Analysts at Bank of America Global Research boosted their Amazon price target to $230 from $225 and reiterated a buy rating on the shares. Amazon has "material" third-party-seller revenue exposure to China and other imports, and AWS lost some ground to Microsoft's (MSFT) Azure in Q1, the investment firm said. "However, the platform has shown nice stability in 2025 so far, and ... the stock is well positioned to benefit from any trade agreements over the next three months," B of A said. Related: Amazon walks back drastic decision on tariff prices Cloud growth can be lumpy and while AWS is not seeing the benefit of ChatGPT usage like Azure, "corporate [spending] remains steady and AWS growth could potentially accelerate in [the second half] as capacity ramps up," B of A said. Microsoft (MSFT) has a significant stake in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. AWS, which accounted for about 19% of the parent's total revenue, is the world's top provider of cloud infrastructure, according to CNBC. Wedbush raised its price target on Amazon to $235 from $225 and maintained an outperform rating on the shares. The investment firm said Amazon reported healthy results: revenue in line with consensus and operating income 5% ahead of expectations, according to The Fly. Profit at the Seattle e-retail and tech company strongly beat Wall Street's estimates, but guidance for Q2 growth and operating income were mixed. Wedbush said. AMZN management is contemplating a broader range of outcomes given macroeconomic uncertainty and the implications of tariffs for the business. Still, Wedbush expects some conservatism in management's outlook, as the company has beaten the high end of its operating-income guidance in each of the past nine quarters. Oppenheimer lowered its price target on Amazon to $215 from $220 and reiterated an outperform rating despite concern that AWS might not accelerate in Q2 and a weaker overall margin outlook. The investment firm said management cited capacity constraints, but it is getting better as the year proceeds with more server capacity. Management does not see reduced consumer demand, Oppenheimer said, with its core strategy of broad selection, price and speed seen as a key advantage to offset headwinds from tariffs. Related: Veteran fund manager who forecast S&P 500 crash unveils surprising update The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
