Making Deals -- IQ-Ludorum plc today announced the signing of a new two-year agreement between itself and BetonSports.com. IQ will be supplying BetonSports.com with its IQ-Sportstech call center and online sports book software, which will be used by all of the sports book's operations. BetonSports.com is also picking up IQ's racing software, which allows bettors to wager on thoroughbred, harness and greyhound events. David Carruthers, CEO of BetonSports.com, said his group has worked with IQ for many years and the new contract re-affirms its belief in the software. "The continuous improvement of IQ-L products in terms of performance and features, as well as the degree of telephone and on-site support provided by IQ-L, has allowed us to plan our growth over the next 24 months around this agreement," he said. ... IG Group plc has accepted a £143 million buy-out offer from its management. Stuart Wheeler, the founder of the U.K. spread betting firm, has said he wants to use his share of the buy-out money to redo his 17th century country mansion. His portion of the company amounts to about £34 million.
Quoteworthy -- "Unbelievably stupid." -- U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., describing the Pentagon's ill-fated plan to set up a betting market around the idea of future terrorist activity.
Holy Roller -- William Bennett, the conservative Christian author, says he may sue the Las Vegas casinos that let it slip about his massive gambling habits, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported today. Bennett apparently told television news reporter Tim Russert on CNBC this weekend that the casinos "deliberately damaged" his privacy rights. The newspaper reports that representatives for Park Place Entertainment Corp. (which was recently renamed "Caesars") and MGM Mirage would not comment.