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College students around the world will briefly put aside their studies for some time at the online poker tables this weekend. The World College Poker (WCP) main event gets underway on on July 24 at 9pm (EST).

However, the deadline for registration is July 22 for those looking to get in on the action. The tournament is free to college, university, and vocational students of all poker skill levels and hosted by PokerStars.net. 

The site is the company’s free-to-play platform and the tournament awards some big prizes for winners.

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What to expect from World College Poker

Some of the biggest names in poker began their careers playing in college – from legends like Doyle Brunson to online poker phenomenons like Jason Koon.

The WCP was created to give the star players of tomorrow a platform to compete. All students 18 and over with a current student ID are eligible to  play.

What’s on the line? Players can look for some big prizes for winners including:

• a $9,000 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) package
• a $5,000 Las Vegas package to study with high stakes cash star Matt Berkey at Solve For Why Academy, and a $100 hotel gift certificate courtesy of PLOQuickPro.com
• a private lesson with top players such as World Poker Tour Player of the Year Jonathan Little, master coach Alex Fitzgerald, and chess grandmaster and PokerStars ambassador Jennifer Shahade

The winner also faces off heads-up against poker icon Patrik Antonius, co-founder of First Land of Poker app.

📣@ArizonaEsports we invite ur players 2 come take on the poker world 4 title of 🏆Best College player on the planet. Main Event 👉Deadline 2 register <24 hours. $10K prizes to winner. $50K prizes pool. Free to Enter. Challenge accepted? We love #esports https://t.co/bFGaF5qFpi pic.twitter.com/rMkGDskMOV

— World College Poker (@WCPOKER) July 21, 2021

Getting registered

Players can still get in the WCP field. Registration for the event closes Thursday at midnight (PST). Round one begins July 24 with 300 players advancing.

Those then return to play down to 45 players on July 31 with chip stacks carried over to the next round. On Aug. 7, round three commences with all players receiving PokerStars swag bags and playing down to the final six.

A date for the final table hasn’t been finalized yet. But the remaining six players are expected to compete live or online to crown a champion. All finalists earn a custom gaming chair. 

Additional sponsors for the event include Breinfuel, Run Good Gear, PokerGO, RedChipPoker, PokerHeadRush, Poker Powher, D&B Publishing, Above The Felt Entertainment, Bill Perkins, Aquarian Bookshop, Gosha’s Organics, Poker Bankroll Tracker, MIndSet Mentoring, Next Gen Poker, and Faded Spade.

Note: Per local regulations, players from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey can’t participate in the event.

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The post World College Poker Kicks Off This Weekend, Registration Deadline Approaches (July 22) appeared first on .

The bad news for US online poker operators is that revenue dropped slightly overall for June. The good news is these numbers still remain historical highs and the market hasn’t experienced a massive decline from those highs.

The US market continues to focus on expansion, adding major tournament series, and further promotion. Operators including WSOP.com are opening up in new states and continue to push for more regulated markets.

Online poker is currently legal in:

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Nevada
• Delaware

New Jersey numbers take small hit

The Garden State took a small dip in June. Online poker operators brought in $2.2 million, a slight fall from $2.4 million in May. In New Jersey, there are currently three operators:

• WSOP.com/888poker
• partypoker US Network including the Borgata Poker and BetMGM skins
• PokerStars

WSOP.com continues to hold on to the top spot in New Jersey. According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE), the site reported revenue of $891,872. This number was down from the $919,526 in June however.

WSOP.com should have a big month ahead as major online events take place on the site throughout July. The operator is hosting a Summer Online Circuit, Online Championships Series, and the WSOP Online bracelet series.

WSOP.com remains the only operator offering shared liquidity with Nevada and 888poker in Delaware.

Partypoker US Network saw a small decline month over month, down about 5% from May. The operator brought in $732,987 in revenue.

The site continues to build upon its successful monthly Online Series and continues to hold a steady number of players. Partypoker is also offering big promotions to help players stay in the action, including a $50,000 freeroll in July. 

PokerStars saw the biggest drop in reporting during June. The site reported $584,515 in June, down from May’s report of $719,706. 

Three more New Jersey live poker rooms reopen 

Cash games are currently the only option for players at Atlantic City brick and mortar casinos. Players are anxiously awaiting the return of tournament play and the reopening of other poker rooms in the city. 

Poker rooms currently available in Atlantic City include:

• Borgata
• Harrahs 
• Tropicana

NJ online gaming in a nutshell

In June, New Jersey reported $107.1 million in Internet gaming revenue, up from $97.6 million a year ago. BetMGM brand remained in the top spot among online casino operators for the fourth month in a row.

BetMGM continues to show growth as it brought in $34.3 million compared to $27.6 million for Golden Nugget. 

Overall, NJ casinos posted $39.9 million in total gaming tax revenue for the state. Gaming taxes represent 8% of taxable casino gross revenue and 15% of Internet gaming gross revenue.

Revenue dips in Pennsylvania, WSOP.com goes live

Pennsylvania saw a small drop in poker numbers for the month of June. The Keystone state reported $2.4 million in revenue, slightly down from $2.6 million in May. 

Even though numbers are down, Pennsylvania has managed to stay number one in the US for regulated poker. The state has overtaken New Jersey as the leading regulated online poker state for multiple months now. 

The big news however is the launch of WSOP.com in PA. Revenue numbers may see a boost in July as the site is launching WSOP Online bracelet events in August.

Competition grows in the state and expect to see more promotions from the recently-launched BetMGM and Borgata Poker. Both are part of partypoker US Network. PokerStars brought in $2 million for June and remains king in the state.

Currently, there are three online poker options in the Keystone state:

• PokerStars 
• partypoker US Network – Borgata Poker and BetMGM skins
• WSOP.com

According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), online gaming overall generated gross revenue of $88.9 million in June. That’s a huge increase from $50 million in June 2020.

Internet poker alone has generated more than $4.6 million in tax revenue for the people of the commonwealth in 2021.

Live poker rooms in PA are now running poker tournaments again. Rivers and Live! Philadelphia recently began hosting daily events again. The following live poker rooms are now open:

• Parx Casino
• Mohegan Sun Pocono
• Mount Airy Casino Resort
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia 
• Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
• Meadows Racetrack and Casino
• Philadelphia Live Casino

Michigan revenue drops slightly

Operators in the Wolverine State reported $89.2 million in gaming revenue for June. Even though there was a small drop, June sports betting revenue saw an increase to $25 million. This is up from $19.4 million in May. 

“Michigan’s gross internet casino gaming and online sports betting wagering receipts in June roughly matched May,” Michigan Gaming Control Board executive director Henry Williams said in a news release.  “Summer is here, and Michigan is reopening after the pandemic restrictions so there are many entertainment opportunities.

“The slight tenth of a percent decline from May to June shows internet gaming and online sports betting continues to draw Michigan residents’ and visitors’ interest.”

Michigan regulators combine all online casino gaming revenue and don’t separate out statistics for online poker. There are currently two operators in the state:

• PokerStars
• BetMGM (part of the partypoker US Network)

BetMGM led the state in online gaming gross revenue with $33.7 million. FanDuel came in second with $14.8 million, down from May’s report of $16.3 million.  As in NJ and PA, BetMGM in Michigan is currently promoting the monthly Online Series.

Operators delivered about $14.6 million via tax revenue including:

• Internet gaming taxes and payments – $13.7 million
• Internet sports betting taxes and payments – $927,575

Currently six brick and mortar poker rooms have re-opened within state borders including:

• MGM Grand Detroit
• Motor City Casino Hotel 
• Greektown Casino-Hotel
• Odawa Casino Petoskey 
• Firekeepers Casino Hotel
• Island Resort & Casino

Major decline for online poker revenue for Delaware 

Delaware online poker saw about a 15% decrease in June’s report. The First State showed total revenue of $31,999 for June. This was the lowest reported month in 2021 so far.

According to the Delaware Lottery, iGaming in general reported $843,117 in June for overall online casino gaming.

888poker continues to be the only operator in the state. The poker platform offers three different skins in partnership with the state’s racetrack casinos including:

• Delaware Park
• Dover Downs
• Harrington Casino and Raceway

Month after month, Delaware Park continues to be the number one site with June revenue of $16,921. Dover Downs was the only site to see a small increase and holds second place with $8,485.

At the moment, Delaware Park is the only live poker room to reopen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The property opened on June 15 with operating hours from 11 am to 3 am daily.

The post Online Poker Operators Experience Small Drops in Revenue, Numbers Remain Steady Overall appeared first on .

Twitch streamer Justin Lapka took down a gold bracelet over the weekend as big names continue to enter the World Series of Poker Online fields. Allen Chang also scored his second bracelet Thursday night. 

A few other top-notch players made final tables including Tony Dunst, Andrew Lichtenberger, Chance Kornuth, Ryan Depaulo, and Joseph Cheong. Here’s a look at the action at WSOP.com over the last few days. 

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WSOP Online 2021

Event 16: $600 PLO Hi/Lo Six-Handed (July 16)

This event was the first mixed game of the series so far and drew 498 total entries. At the end of the day, New York’s Allen “Acnyc718” Chang took his second bracelet and $61,394. Edwin “YungFlipWell” Roman came in second for $37,837. 

“It was an incredible journey to the final table, taking some vicious beats for heaps and dishing one out to chop a massive pot three-handed,” says Roman, a poker player from Bayonne, New Jersey. “It felt good to be heads-up for the jewelry, but I’m confident I’ll find another chance.”

Others cashing included: Andrew “watchguy42” Lichtenberger, Ryan “Joeyisamush” Depaulo, and Nathan “surfbum” Gamble. 

Event 17: $400 NLHE 8-Max (July 17) 

Poker streamer Justin “LappyPoker” Lapka got his first bracelet and $75,371 on Saturday. Lapka topped Uke “ooopsmybad” Dauti heads-up for the title.

Dauti won $46,575 for runner-up. A few others finding a cash included recent bracelet winners Donnell “spreezy52” Dais and Ryan “Adopt_aDogg0” Leng. 

Event 18: $1,000 North American Open (July 18)

On Sunday night, James “Danfriel” Gilbert took down $137,570 and his first bracelet in the North American Open. He outlasted a 756-person field and battled a tough final table to score the gold. 

Gilbert topped high stakes regulars like Landon “ActionDealer” Tice (runner-up for $85,047) and WPT commentator Tony “Panoramic” Dunst (fifth for $30,448).

New Jersey online grinder Daniel “st0neydanza” Dagostino took ninth for $9,550. He’s had multiple cashes so far in this bracelet series and spoke with USPoker about the final table appearance.

“After coming close many times, it was nice to make it to my first WSOP bracelet final table,” he said. “I won a circuit ring earlier this year, but I’m trying to lock down a bracelet this summer as well.”

Event 19: $888 PLO Crazy Eights Eight-Handed (July 19) 

Martin “bathroomline”  Zamani didn’t have to wait in any lines for the Rio restrooms this summer. He scored a bracelet from his computer on Monday night.

After two final tables this summer, Zamani locked up his first bracelet along with $92,598. He had to overcome players like Ryan “Joesyisamush” Depaulo (fourth for $27,094) and Joseph “biueberry” Cheong (eighth for $7,666) to secure the victory. 

Overall, the event brought in 507 to create a prize pool of $405,600.

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Upcoming WSOP bracelet events

WSOP.com will offer a full range of games over the next few days. That includes a high roller, Pot Limit Omaha, and a popular knockout event. Here’s a look at the week’s action:

• $3,200 NLHE High Roller (Event 20, July 20)
• $600 PLO Six-Handed (Event 21, July 21) 
• $600 NLHE Knockout (Event 22, July 22)
• $500 NLHE Turbo (Event 23, July 23)
• $400 NLHE MonsterStack (Event 24, July 24)
• $7,777 NLHE High Roller  (Event 25, July 25)

WSOP.com Pennsylvania extends bracelet action in US

The WSOP Online shifts to the international GGPoker platform on Aug. 1. However, WSOP.com announced last Wednesday that the bracelet hunting will continue in Pennsylvania Aug. 1-8.

The site launched last week in the Keystone State and brings the hunt for gold hardware to PA. USPoker will continue offering WSOP Online updates throughout the that series as well.

For a complete preview of the WSOP Pennsylvania series, click here. Players looking to find updates on the GGPoker half should check out PokerScout beginning in August.

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The post WSOP Update: Twitch Poker Streamer Justin Lapka Wins Gold, Allen Chang Adds Second Bracelet; High Rollers Ahead appeared first on .

Those who played poker with Layne Flack certainly remember the experience. The smile, the laughs, the jokes, the gregarious personality. An afternoon with Flack could be much more than just a few hours of poker.

The six-time World Series of Poker champion made an impression on those around him. He obviously had some big skills as well.

On Monday, Flack passed away at age 52. Those poker skills led to numerous final table appearances. His fun-loving personality added to his popularity with televised poker viewers during the game’s boom of the 2000s.

“He would make you laugh about anything, even serious matters,” Phil Hellmuth said. “He was lightning quick, and so fun to be around.”

Those sentiments were echoed by many around the poker world.

Life at the poker table

Flack was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, and grew up in Miles City, Montana. He learned to play poker at an early age with his grandmother.

While later working at a casino, he became engrossed with poker and began playing daily after his shift ended. He eventually left to pursue the game full time in the mid-1990s.

That decision led to his first WSOP bracelet in 1999. He earned the name “Back-to-Back Flack” shortly after for winning two consecutive tournaments.

Much of his rise in the game came during the poker boom of the 2000s. He scored another two WSOP bracelets in 2002 and an additional two in 2003.

Flack’s final bracelet came in 2008 in a $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha event. That produced a win of $577,725, the largest score of his career.

Appearances on the World Poker Tour also brought some nice results, as well as some fans. In the tour’s first season in 2002, Flack finished runner-up in the World Poker Finals at Foxwoods for $186,900.  The same year he won the WPT Invitational for $125,300.

As the game’s popularity reached its peak in 2004, another runner-up finish at the WPT Aruba Classic earned Flack another $500,000. His overall WPT winnings totaled more than $1 million.

Players remember ‘Back-to-Back’

Beyond the poker chops and big wins, players remember Flack for his affable nature and quick wit. Always ready with a joke or smile, the poker pro was never afraid of socializing at the table. He seemed made for the televised poker era.

Flack’s sudden death came as a shock to many who knew him. John “Tex” Barch was a longtime friend. The two met in the late 1990s during a tournament at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas.

“We had mutual Montana connections and became fast friends and running buddies – from west coast to east coast and every casino in between,” Barch told USPoker. “Layne had a huge personality and a gift for playing poker. He lived life at full speed. Everyone who met Layne has a Layne story. I was lucky to have hundreds. I will miss my friend always.”

That idea of having a “Layne story” resonated with many players who took a seat at the table with him.

When @back2backflack sat at your table.
It was guaranteed to be a good time…
Horrible news to hear of his passing. We lost one of the good guy.
RIP buddy.
All my condolences to Layne’s family and close friends. pic.twitter.com/OEIQTs5v48

— Annie LePage (@AnnieLePage) July 20, 2021

Most players who knew remember positive experiences with Flack at the tables. At a time when many high buy-in events feature minimal table chatter, he took the opposite approach.

“Can’t believe Layne is gone,” 2009 WSOP Main Event winner Joe Cada posted on Twitter. “Such a good guy on and off the felt. He’s going to be missed by so many.”

Others echoed those feelings about Flack, who leaves behind one adult daughter.

“You couldn’t be around ‘Back-to-Back-Flack’ without laughing and having fun,” Amanda Negreanu also noted. “He was always the life of the party.”

Respected among his peers

Flacks’s death resonated with players across a wide spectrum – from newer online players to those who got in the game before the poker boom. Jennifer Harman remembered his charm and humor.

Poker has lost a legend!
RIP Layne Flack. We go way back and I know that he would want us to share the laughs and not the tears. There has never been one time that you haven't put a smile on my face. I will miss you.

— Jennifer Harman (@REALJenHarman) July 20, 2021

PokerStars ambassador Lex Veldhuis reflected on Flack’s kindness at helping him learn a new game. The Limit Omaha Hi/Lo tutorial came while playing at the same table during the WSOP.

“At the time I was trying a lot of different poker variants,” Veldhuis said. “I told him I was a noob and he proceeded to answer all my questions to get me excited about the game. He was one of the only people that took that approach.”

Flack’s exact cause of death isn’t known yet, but poker has lost a huge figure in the game. At a time when “bring the fun back to poker” is a regular theme among some players, Flack brought the fun every tournament.

“I feel gutted right now over the news of the death of Layne Flack,” poker pro Dutch Boyd reflected on Twitter. “Easily the funniest guy I’ve known. He was my poker hero when I started out and eventually a good friend. But I never stopped looking up to him. I loved that guy and I’m really going to miss him.”

WPT executive tournament director Matt Savage got to know Flack in 2002 as WSOP tournament director. Savage considered Flack the best No Limit Hold’em player in the world at the time. One fun moment stood out in his mind.

“Back in those days we used to put first-place money in cash on the table with an armed guard just two feet away, and created quite the visual,” he said. “Generally, the player would be escorted to the cage to pick up the check. But not Layne. He picked up the big bricks of cash and tossed him to his backer Ted Forrest across the room.

“Over the years I’ve had so many great laughs with Layne, too many to count. I will truly miss his smile and his needles about how he let me have my wife Maryann, as she would have surely chosen him if he didn’t. I was lucky enough to see Layne for the last time a few weeks ago on the golf course and able to play a hole with him. He was smiling, laughing, and telling stories – and that’s the way I will remember him.”

* Lead image courtesy WPT

The post Six-time WSOP Champion Layne Flack Passes Away, Players Offer Reflections About His Impact On The Game appeared first on .

Could the World Series of Poker be moving to the Las Vegas Strip? Some revelations over the last week have brought about plenty of speculation about the possible move in 2022.

So far, WSOP officials have remained tight-lipped about any plans to shift locations away from the Rio. But series owner Caesars Entertainment sold the property in 2019 for $516 million. That sale allowed for the series to continue at the property for two years.

It now seems the company is making plans for next year. The Strip now may be an option with reports of Bally’s and Paris co-hosting the annual festival.

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Details on rumored move to Bally’s/Paris

News of a possible shift in WSOP location were first revealed last week on social media via the Valley National 8-ball League Association (VNEA). The group posted on the VNEA Facebook page that its World Championships would be moving from Bally’s to Westgate Las Vegas next year.

“VNEA’s long-term contract with Bally’s Hotel & Casino was suddenly canceled by Bally’s as a result of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) moving from Rio to the Bally’s/Paris properties in 2022 and beyond,” the group noted.

Considering those events are in the summer, that also seems to confirm that the WSOP will return to its traditional season for 2022. This year’s festivities were moved to the fall.

According to Caesars, the Rio has 160,000 square feet of convention space. The company has enough convention space at Bally’s (175,000 square feet) and Paris (140,000 square feet) to accommodate the poker festival.

The two properties are also connected and the additional size could accommodate future growth. Many players speculated the new Caesars Forum convention space might be the new home to the WSOP. Online Poker Report was the first to report the story and dispelled those rumors.

“Players speculating about the WSOP’s future have often gravitated towards the Caesars Forum as a possibility,” OPR noted. “Aside from being owned by the same parent company, it’s a nice new property and one of the few locations that would have the requisite space. However, it’s not set up to be used for gambling, and converting it temporarily for that purpose would be an additional expense.”

Opinions vary on WSOP location shift

A shift for the series obviously brought plenty of opinions among players. A move to the Strip may bring some extra cachet and visibility. Some players favored the move to the busy stretch of Las Vegas and think it’s good for the game.

“I have been saying for years that Bally’s is the perfect spot for this, although they would need to expand/rework the expo area to make it fit,” one player noted on Twitter. “Also have been saying that the WSOP brand is more valuable than the Bally’s name, and they should rebrand Bally’s as the WSOP Hotel.”

The WSOP moved from Binion’s Horseshoe to the Rio in 2005. Phil Hellmuth won nine bracelets at the Horseshoe before scoring another five at the Rio (another one also came in Europe). Hellmuth is one of those in favor of the move, but also had some personal reasons as well.

“I love the Rio,” he told USPoker. “But change is inevitable, and for me personally, it might be nice to have it across the street from Aria. I can walk in everyday.”

Some players reacted positively, viewing the central location on the Strip as easy access in the heart of Las Vegas. However, others see traffic issues for players heading to play on the Strip. Some players were concerned with an influx of tens of thousands of players to one concentrated area.

“Having all the foot traffic from right off the Strip is going to be a pain on dinner breaks and the like as well,” a player noted on Twitter.

With no official announcement from Caesars however, poker pro and writer Matt Matros provided some advice.

“They’ve been saying this for like 15 years,” he Tweeted. “Maybe it’s true this time … but I’ll believe it when I actually see it.”

* Photos courtesy Caesars Entertainment

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