Costa Rica Highlights: Pura Vida, Pura Hangovera
Beautiful Bodog Compound
I have always loved visiting Costa Rica. In fact, I’ve been to the country about ten times since I entered the online gambling industry in early 2005 because I love it so much. However, this time around it was a different story…I had the pleasure of living at the infamous Bodog Compound for my entire stay and this was the ultimate highlight of my trip. Talk about the royal treatment! Honestly I was living Calvin Ayre’s life for one week…hot girls in the pool, late night hot tub and cave action, maids, cooks, body guards, drivers, Hummers, fully stalked bars, beer fridges, on-site gym…you name it, I had it…well, everything besides the sex with women part, of course.
While the Bodog Compound is no longer Calvin’s primary residence, it is still his Costa Rica home, and he does stay there when he comes to town. Calvin designed the place himself, so obviously it’s the perfect spot to entertain, wine and dine the ladies, and just kick back and enjoy life in every way. When Calvin moved to Antigua in ’06, Anita became the manager of the Bodog Compound and the CEO of the Calvin Ayre Foundation which is also located in Costa Rica.
Even though Calvin himself was not in town during my stay, Anita certainly was, and we did a pretty good job representing the Bodog “Work Hard, Play Hard” way of life which of course resulted in some pretty serious hangovers. Even though I feel like crap right now, I had the time of my life, and I invite you to take a look at my highlights below to see exactly why that is.
Pool Boy serving my drink
The Bodog Compound Pool Party
While I was down in Costa Rica, Anita and I decided to have some industry friends, business partners, Bodog affiliates, and igaming forum owners over to the compound for no reason at all. This little poolside gathering may have been quiet in comparison to some of the other events that have taken place at the Compound, but you could have fooled me. This late afternoon party included Bodog girls in the pool, models with huge boobs serving drinks, hot Tica dancers who put on several little seductive dance shows to entertain our guests, endless booze, killer guacamole, and one hell of a hot pool boy just for me. Later in the night, we left the compound and met up with even more industry friends at a local watering hole, followed by a trip to the “classy” strip bar, followed by late night at the Compound. Right, I pretty much wanted to kill myself the next day.
Phil Hellmuth and his ladies
Partying with Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth
I know, I know. How in the world did I get the opportunity to hang with Phil Hellmuth in Costa Rica?! My good friends from UB arranged a VIP table at Prive for Phil and invited me to join…that is, after they had been drinking and playing golf with Phil all day, so you can only imagine the shitshow I walked into. Luckily this is nothing new to me, so I fully enjoyed the spectacle at the club which included lots of champagne (Pete), topless men (Russ), double fisting (Phil), and dancing on couches (me). When Prive shut down at 3:30am, drunk Phil wanted to continue the party, but I wanted to continue my life, so I got the hell outta there and went home to bed.
Loshak the absolute babe magnet
BodogBecky’s Guest Appearance on The Loshak Show
Ah Peter Loshak…the sportsbook industry’s favorite TV personality, future president, and former mustache bearer. I had the pleasure of seeing Loshak twice while in Costa Rica, the first time with his SBR colleagues at the Bodog Compound, and the second time right inside the SBR.tv studios because I was invited as guest on “The Loshak Show”. Now what an experience this was! Imagine Loshak asking you about your facebook pictures and trying to get you to admit that you sleep with industry men! Hey, even though he totally grilled me, the entire Loshak Show experience was thoroughly enjoyable and I don’t care what you say, mustache or no mustache, he’s an absolute babe magnet….and the recipient of the Pool Party DAF Award.
The Bodog Compound Gorata
The “Gorata” Experience
I think it’s safe to say that those of you who have been to a Bodog Compound party know EXACTLY what “The Gorata” is. Oh yes you do, and now I do too. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of experiencing a Bodog Compound party, let me try and paint the picture. “Gorata” means “cave”. There is a cave in the pool and you cannot see what is going on inside the cave unless you are in the cave. There is also a place to sit inside the cave, which is conveniently long and horizontal and usually includes two or more hot girls who may or may not be otherwise occupied. I’ll let you try and guess what else happens in there, but just trust me on this- all cave visitors better be sure to take a very long, hot, and disinfecting shower after they leave.
The Visionary iGaming team
Dinner with Visionary iGaming
Have you ever been to Misala in Escazu? To use the words of Will Griffiths, this is the most “gringa-fied” place I have ever seen in Costa Rica…overpriced, full of beautiful English speaking people, exquisite menu, trendy electronic music, apple martinis, chandeliers with real candles, models, cameras, fancy cars…ya, amazing. Thanks to the good folks at Visionary iGaming, a live dealer software company full of personality and charm, I was treated to an amazing dinner at Misala that I will never forget. After consuming several glasses of wine, an app, an entrée, a plate of chocolate, and a cappuccino I absolutely had to go back to the Compound and hibernate, however.
Anita and I at the Biker Bar
The Biker Bar
Finally I got to booze at the Biker Bar! I have been bugging Anita to take me to this place for months! Ok, so picture Misala…and now picture the complete and total opposite- welcome to the biker bar, my friends! Even though we hit the bar on a quiet night, I did have the opportunity of meeting the somewhat intoxicated owner, some biker bar regulars, and I was able to drag along a few other industry friends who helped me close down the place. When we were finally kicked out, we left with road sodes and naturally finished them off in the Bodog Compound hot tub until I had to leave for my flight home. Modus operandi, my friends, modus operandi.
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