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“Ali” Imisrovic Declared 2018 Borgata Spring Poker Open Winner

 

The Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship event came to a conclusion this week with student-turned-poker pro Almedin “Ali” Imsirovic walking away with the BSPO Main Event trophy and the largest cash of his young professional career – $246,066.

According to the Borgata Poker blog, it was less than two years ago that Imsirovic was studying criminal justice at the University of Washington. Thursday, after agreeing to a final two deal with runner-up Farid Jattin, the young pro scored his second six-figure cash of the year, pushing his lifetime totals to nearly $700,000 since making the career change.

Read the full article on pokerfuse →

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There Wynn Goes Again: Boston Harbor Property Rebrands As Encore

On Friday, April 27, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) held an adjudicatory hearing to consider “Steve Wynn’s status under Massachusetts law as a qualifier relative to Wynn Resorts and Wynn Massachusetts.”

The hearing comes on the heels of attorneys for Wynn Resorts asking that MGC remove former CEO Steve Wynn as a qualifier. A qualifier is an employee required to pass suitability reviews.

According to the MGC:

“The purpose of the hearing today is to determine whether Stephen A. Wynn remains a qualifier under Massachusetts law relative to Wynn Resorts Limited, Wynn Massachusetts LLC, and all affiliates.

“This hearing will proceed as follows. First we will ask our legal counsel to discuss the law that governs the matter before us. Next, counsel for Wynn Resorts will be offered an opportunity to present evidence as to why it believes Mr. Wynn is no longer a qualifier.

“At the conclusion of this hearing, the Commission will adjourn the proceedings and gather privately with legal counsel to deliberate over this matter and reach a conclusion. A written opinion reflecting the decision will be issued shortly thereafter.”

Overview of the hearing

The hearing went largely as expected.

Representatives of Wynn Resorts and of Steve Wynn explained to the commissioners the ongoing steps they are taking to completely sever ties with one another. They also elaborated on what, if any, connections Wynn still has with the company.

MGC scrutinized everything from Steve Wynn’s personal bank accounts to the ownership of the extensive art collection on display at Wynn properties.

The presentation by Wynn Resorts also noted the significant changes to the company’s board of directors, including the addition of three women:

  • Dee Dee Myers
  • Wendy Webb
  • Betsy Atkins

The new additions raise the number of board members from 10 to 11. The board needs to have 7-14 members. The new members helped balance gender representation.The board previously consisted of nine men and one woman prior to the scandal. Its current makeup is now seven men and four women.

The MGCs decision will be issued next week

At the conclusion of the public hearing, the commissioners met privately with legal counsel to discuss the evidence and reach a conclusion on Steve Wynn’s status.

The MGC announced it will issue a written opinion sometime next week.

Company to bid adieu to Wynn Brand in Massachusetts

Wynn Resorts is not only severing ties from the man, it’s also starting to sever ties with the Wynn brand, at least in Massachusetts.

During the hearing, Wynn Resorts new CEO Matt Maddox said the company is prepared to change the name of the $2.4 billion casino project from Wynn Boston Harbor to Encore Boston Harbor.

The name change isn’t unexpected. Since the sexual misconduct scandal broke, several prominent Massachusetts officials have called on the company to remove the Wynn named from the building’s façade.

Conclusions to draw

The positive hearing and the company’s decision to commit to change the name of the property throws some cold water on the rumors of a sale. That sale would have been extremely difficult to pull off.

A sale is still possible. Nonetheless, these developments indicate that Wynn Resorts will be moving forward with its Boston casino plans. During the latest Wynn earnings call, Maddox said every option was on the table. However, the next day he categorically denied the Boston property was for sale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post There Wynn Goes Again: Boston Harbor Property Rebrands As Encore appeared first on Play MA.

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Berman And Lipscomb Getting The Poker Boom Credit They Deserve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ask the average player in any US poker room what started poker’s boom in popularity in the early 2000’s and most will give you just a single name.

It’s certainly true that the story of Chris Moneymaker captured the collective imagination of the country at the time. An accountant and amateur poker player from Tennessee beat the pros at their game. He qualified for the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event through an online satellite at PokerStars. Then he went on to win a world title.

It is a gripping story, without a doubt.

Igniting the poker boom

It’s even fair to say that ESPN‘s outstanding coverage of Moneymaker’s historic win ignited the boom.

Producers 441 Productions went further than most sports broadcasts ever do. They told the interesting story behind the story better than anyone had before. Plus, they used hole-card cams, taking poker coverage to new heights. It remains must-see TV.

Of course, if you were anywhere near a TV at that time, you couldn’t miss it. ESPN appeared to fill every available time slot the network had with WSOP coverage. It was everywhere, all the time.

The next thing anyone knew, every red-blooded American male 21 and over was suddenly chasing that dream. A dream that just months earlier, none of them even knew they had.

But there’s more to creating a boom than just igniting it. Yes, Chris Moneymaker, ESPN and 441 Productions lit the flame. But something was needed to keep that fire burning. Collectively, they grabbed America’s attention. But something was needed to hold on to it.

Keeping America’s attention

They call that something the World Poker Tour.

The idea of the WPT began in 2001 when attorney and TV producer Steven Lipscomb met successful Wilson Leather retailer turned casino mogul Lyle Berman.

A longtime poker player, Berman had been pushing for poker TV productions to use hole-card camera technology since the mid-1980s. TV audiences had shown very little interest in poker. Berman was convinced hole card cameras could change that. The only problem was he couldn’t convince anyone else.

Lipscomb had run a couple of small one-off poker TV productions and was convinced that an audience would be there for televised poker tournaments produced in a unique and entertaining way.

Both were sold on each other’s ideas, but getting a TV network to buy in presented a whole new set of problems. TV executives figured at best, poker was a flash in the pan that few people would be interested in watching over the long haul. Plus, gambling had never really worked on television before.

With financial backing from Berman, Lipscomb persisted. Eventually, he struck a deal with the same cable network he’d produced coverage of a cruise ship poker tournament for in the past.

The WPT started airing in the Spring of 2003 on The Travel Channel, just in time to grab the heat created by Moneymaker and run with it.

Broadening appeal and keeping the momentum going

The Moneymaker story soon began suffering from inevitable overexposure on ESPN, but the WPT was there with fresh episodes, fresh faces, and new characters all the time. It helped broaden the game’s appeal and keep poker’s newfound momentum going.

If Moneymaker started the boom, the WPT sustained it. The online poker industry was built out of all that buzz. The live poker and poker broadcast industry has grown into what it is now because of it.

The WPT Honors Award

On May 22, the WPT will award both Lipscomb and Berman with its WPT Honors Award.

The award is meant to represent outstanding contributions to the WPT and the greater poker community. Obviously, there are few if any who deserve it more than these two.

Lipscomb and Berman are legendary visionaries that helped make the game of poker, and the industry surrounding it, what it is today.

This latest honor probably won’t stop the average player in poker rooms across the US from continuing to think Chris Moneymaker started the poker boom all by himself. But it may mean one or two realize Lipscomb and Berman have been an integral part of poker’s growth as well. And that’s sometimes how our collective minds are changed. One or two at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Berman And Lipscomb Getting The Poker Boom Credit They Deserve appeared first on Play USA.

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Five Exciting New Poker Tournaments In Las Vegas This Summer

The summer schedules across Las Vegas, NV are innovative in new offerings for players. 2018 is no different with the World Series of Poker and The Venetian rolling out never before seen events. From $400 all the way up to $100,000, players have their pick at a variety of chef’s selections. Past introductions include Monster Stack and The Marathon and perhaps a few of these five events will have staying power past 2018.

1. $10,000 World Series of Poker Super Turbo Bounty

Date: May 30

The World Series of Poker schedule kicks off this summer with a fast and fun-filled event. The success of last summer’s $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty spills over into the high roller variety. A one-day event with every elimination worth $3,000 should produce a truckload of great hands, top pros, and a loaded final table.

With 20-minute levels all the way through, expect to see entrants gamble it up in the hopes of getting a piece of their buy-in back before the prize pool is even announced.

The popularity of bounty events online fit in well with players who are used to jumping back and forth between the live and virtual felt.

Buckle-up for the WSOP rocketship as it takes off for the moon in the first of 74 events.

2. $50,000/$100,000 World Series of Poker High Rollers

Dates: June 1-4 ($100,000), July 13-14 ($50,000)

The return of the $1 million Big One for One Drop created a void in the relatively reduced price of the $111,111 One Drop High Roller. The WSOP ensures the void is eliminated in 2018 with a $50,000 and $100,000 High Roller bracelet event.

Both events use familiar elements used on the PokerStars Live and partypoker LIVE tours. Big blind ante and shot clocks are in use for the duration of each event. The WSOP is trotting out the shot clock in a limited format and the two high rollers along with the Big One For One Drop are the only events where players have a set time to act.

Details of the WSOP shot clock are not yet known but businessmen and professionals alike should be pleased to see a faster-paced game. The only question about the respective final tables is how many tens of millions in combined earnings are going to be lined up to fight for the bracelet.

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3. $1,100 Venetian Summer Savers

Dates: July 5-8 & July 9-12

Unlucky summer filled with poor variance topped off by an early exit from the WSOP Main Event? Have no fear, The Venetian is here. The DeepStack Championship Series has back-t0-back $1,100 $1 million guaranteed events starting on Day 2A of the Main Event.

The 2017 Venetian DSE III ran a $1,100 $1.5 million guaranteed Main Event post-lim that drew 2,096 runners and put $313,664 up top. Similar numbers are in the cards for both events in 2018.

The same structure applies to each event. Two starting flights, 20,000 chips, and 40-minute levels all the way through.

The Summer Savers are up against the Little One for One Drop and The Closer at the Rio. Players have the pleasure of quality options for their post-Main Event life.

4. $1,500 WWSOP Pit Limit Omaha Bounty
Date: July 6-8

Pot Limit Omaha tournaments and bounty formats are not slowing down in popularity. The World Series of Poker combines them for a Main Event post-lim. $500 of every buy-in goes toward a bounty and with starting stacks of only 7,500, chips are flying from the start.

It will be interesting to see how many players show up for this event. The $3,000 PLO Six-Max starts on July 8 and should keep four-card fiends in town for a few extra days.

5. $400 Venetian NightStack
Date May 31-July 1

The Venetian’s answer to the World Series of Poker’s Giant comes in the form of the $1 million guaranteed NightStack. Eight starting flights spread across the DeepStack Championship calendar from May 31 through June 29. Five percent of each field advances to July 1’s Day 2.

Close to 3,000 entrants need to register to cover the guarantee and a six-figure first-place prize is going to be up for grabs. Day 1 flights play into the money and players have the chance to play in multiple opening sessions should they choose. The action moves fast with 15,000 starting banks and 30-minute levels.

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Poker Industry PRO: John Duthie: How partypoker’s Live Tour Will Become Number 1

EPT founder and partypoker LIVE president discusses the company’s five-year plan for the live tour.

Partypoker LIVE president John Duthie has revealed details of the company’s five-year plan to make the MILLIONS tour the best live poker tour in the world.

Comments to PRO follow on from an explosive interview on the Poker Life Podcast with Joey Ingram earlier this week where he pulled no punches in discussing problems of the past and plans for the future.

Read the full article on pokerfuse →

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Poker Industry PRO: UCOP From MPN Joins the Spring Tournament Series Fray

UCOP: Full Throttle will be running in May for the first time, with €500,000 guaranteed.

The Universal Championship of Poker (UCOP) from MPN will hit the schedule for the first time in May with €500,000 guaranteed over 67 events.

Highlights of UCOP: Full Throttle, to give its full title, include the main event with €40,000 guaranteed and a €320 high roller with €30,000 guaranteed. Four PLO tournaments are on the schedule with the rest of the lineup made up of No Limit Hold’em bounty, re-buy and freezeout events.

Read the full article on pokerfuse →