Jeff Barker

His gut-level disdain for the New England Patriots would be reason enough for Bill West to get stoked about Super Bowl XLIX. But like millions of Americans, the Ravens fan plans to raise the stakes by putting a little money on the outcome.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission approved requests Thursday by the state's largest casinos — Maryland Live and Horseshoe Baltimore — to eliminate 300 slot machines each and add more profitable table games.

Under Armour has hired a longtime Nike executive to guide the Baltimore company's fast-growing footwear division.

The state's two largest casinos — Maryland Live and Horseshoe Baltimore — each proposed eliminating 300 slot machines and adding additional table games, from which the casinos keep more of the revenue, according to state documents.

At 4-foot-6 and 70 pounds, he is hardly an imposing Under Armour model, but 10-year-old Thomas Geyer of Havre de Grace loves sports and possesses just the right look.

The division of Caesars Entertainment Corp. that operates the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore filed for bankruptcy protection Thursday, but customers of the Russell Street gambling destination should barely notice the restructuring.

The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network says in new court filings it has uncovered further evidence that Major League Baseball tainted the arbitration process to resolve a lingering television-rights fee dispute between the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals.

Maryland casinos asked the state last March to permit their blackjack dealers to draw a card on a "soft 17" hand — a hand adding up to 17 including an ace, which can be counted as a 1 or an 11 — instead of having to stand pat.