REAL ONLINE GAMBLING ROMANCE

Online gamblers play it for keeps

Using an Internet online gambling message board, trans-continental phone calls, email and IP messaging, two people living thousands of miles apart but with a common pastime and interests played for keeps this week when their marriage was announced.

Both were active members on the Casinomeister.com Internet gambling information portal and forum when they first came into contact with one another in June last year, and romance blossomed as they shared knowledge, opinions but above all a great sense of humour on both their pastime of choice and life in general.

Message board exchanges grew into private messages, emails and phone calls between Sweden and the United States on a daily basis, with Christmas and New Year 2008 jointly celebrated via the Internet.

"Swede" revealed this week that he and his new bride "Cynthial," who runs a construction products company in the States, finally met face-to-face on neutral ground in London, spending a week together visiting shows and restaurants and generally getting to know one another. "By far the best week of my life up until then," 'Swede' commented.

When the couple parted at London's Heathrow airport to return to their respective countries, "Swede" had already made up his mind to join "Cynthial" on a more permanent basis, and in short order closed his antiques auctioneering business and started planning for the big move to the United States. He landed in the States in April, the couple married and have not looked back since.

Now the couple have a joint venture in mind, planning to open a restaurant on the historic Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico later this year.

"Swede's" new life partner said this week: "You never know what this world has in store for you. I was instantly attracted to the humour which was apparent in his (Swede's) posts and letters and we have not stopped laughing yet. We are just suited to one another. Truly marvelous."