| is so many things to so many people that its motto | | | | "Dancing with the Stars." |
| well could be "Different strokes for different folks." | | | | Mills, a Season 6 contestant, is still alive after Leeza |
| Younger generations may be into the glamorous, | | | | Gibbons was dumped in the most recent elimination |
| entertainment-oriented "Bodog lifestyle" that founder | | | | round. |
| Calvin Ayre inspires. | | | | The prop has a $50 betting maximum and |
| Others always will look at the Antigua-based Web | | | | Wednesday night, "Yes" was plus $7.00 and "No," |
| site primarily --or solely -- as an online race and | | | | minus $14.00. |
| sportsbook. | | | | Another, now closed to wagering, asked whether an |
| Because he's a pay-per-view entepreneur who's | | | | "American Idol" contestant would barf on stage this |
| overtly interested in the entertainment end of things | | | | season. |
| and "fringe" athletics such as martial arts, Ayre may | | | | As the site's owner, Ayre obviously has imput into |
| sometimes leave the impression he's disassociated | | | | anything and everything that goes on at Bodog and |
| from the "traditional" sports world. | | | | his entertainment industry expertise certainly is a plus |
| Nothing could be further from the truth and the | | | | in this particular area. |
| native Saskatchewan billionaire quickly disspells any | | | | Ayre, though, gives credit where credit is due -- to |
| such notion. | | | | company bookmakers (oddsmakers). |
| His wide world simply is wider than that of a | | | | "We have a very talented and dedicated team of |
| conventional sports fan. | | | | bookmakers in Antigua whose job it is to come up |
| Business demands, financial and otherwise, often | | | | with some creative prop ideas and they are pretty |
| dictate his comings and goings, with travel limitimg | | | | innovative in this arena," Ayre said. |
| certain other options. | | | | "These entertainment experts listen to our |
| But Ayre does, after all, hail from Canada, where | | | | customers and scour the Internet for current stories, |
| boys are born to play hockey and baptized early, so | | | | read political commentary forums, music and movie |
| how could he not like mainline sports? | | | | reviews, celebrity gossip blogs, you name it; the list is |
| Also, some of sportsdom's biggest stars -- Joe | | | | endless when it comes to what we like to refer to |
| Montana and Mike Ditka, for example -- have been | | | | as 'prop culture.'" |
| VIP guests at gatherings, while others, such as | | | | Ayre, 45, remained in the background during the |
| Reggie Jackson, have had affiliations with the site. | | | | site's formative years, but stepped forward in the |
| The World Series of Poker -- if you consider poker a | | | | last few, igniting the 'Bodog lifestyle' revolution. |
| sport -- features Team Bodog, which is headlined by | | | | It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what that is, but it has |
| three of the planet's top players: Evelyn Ng, David | | | | something to do with actually living everyman's |
| Williams and Josh Ariyeh. | | | | dream existence. |
| Jaimie Gold, the 2006 main event champion, was a | | | | Beautiful women, flashy cars, red carpets, global |
| member of the squad, but we don't need to talk | | | | travel, business success, an island paradise, lots of |
| about THAT. | | | | money. |
| Then there was that project with the Dodgers, the | | | | A subtitle on Ayre's bio well could read "Planes, trains |
| column Ayre wrote for "Gambling Times" about | | | | and automobiles." |
| college football's leading performers and ... well, you | | | | Add ships in there too. |
| get the picture. | | | | Just listen to Ayre rave about some of his favorite |
| "I'm a huge sports fan," Ayre declared. | | | | joys and "toys:" |
| "In fact, I played a lot of sports during my college | | | | "I've always had an affinity for cruising and still have |
| years, including a stint on my college hockey team. | | | | the special anniversary edition Harley Davidson soft |
| "In terms of favorites, it's very hard for me to pick a | | | | tail, which I try to take out as often as possible. |
| team because my travel schedule doesn't permit me | | | | "Last year, I also bought a Maserati Coupe, which |
| to follow the teams as closely as I would like to " at | | | | was a nice addition. |
| least nowadays. | | | | "Considering the amount of globetrotting I do for |
| "I will say, though, that right now, mixed martial arts | | | | both business and pleasure, it's hard to find the time |
| is getting a lot of my attention as this is a big focus | | | | to really enjoy them. |
| for our organization, but that's not to say that I don't | | | | "With all aspects of Bodog expanding internationally |
| watch some of the NHL and NBA playoff games | | | | at such a rapid rate, its no easy feat keeping myself |
| whenever I get a chance." | | | | planted in any given area for an extended period of |
| As a big "fight" (as opposed to boxing) buff, Ayre | | | | time. |
| gets a special kick out of watching the two best at | | | | Considering the constant growth embedded into our |
| anything go head-to-head until one ultimately is | | | | brand, I guess you can say in a technical sense that |
| victorious. | | | | every new product offering Bodog comes up with is |
| Whether it's the Colts and Bears, Canadiens and | | | | a 'toy' for me |
| Maple Leafs or a pair of anonymous, finely-honed | | | | "Once these products are up and running, they really |
| bodies squaring off in a ring, it's the whites of their | | | | become a lot of fun. |
| eyes that Ayre wants to see. | | | | "The material rewards that follow a successful |
| "I love the mental and physical mastery -- this is the | | | | product launch are simply the icing on the cake." |
| beauty of sports," he said. | | | | Yet the "Bodog lifestyle" concept inherently contains |
| Bodog.com's bet shop offers a rainbow of traditional | | | | another attitude. |
| sports wagering staples -- it had a dozen on Barry | | | | The French might call it "noblesse noblige." |
| Bonds alone heading into the 2007 Major League | | | | Essentially, that means individuals who are blessed |
| Baseball campaign -- but may be known best | | | | with the ability to lead the "Bodog lifestyle" have a |
| internationally for the zany propositions it posts. | | | | moral obligation to help others less fortunate. |
| "Notorious" might be a more descriptive word. | | | | That's the thinking behind the Calvin Ayre Foundation |
| The site attracted global notice earlier this year with | | | | and his other charitable endeavors. |
| a prop that asked whether the prosthetic leg of | | | | You might say Ayre's a good sport as well as a |
| former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney's estranged spouse, | | | | sports fan. |
| Heather Mills, would fly off during reality TV's | | | | |
