Posted on

Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth Talks Role in Rush Street Online Gaming Merger

Rush Street Interactive (RSI), one of the fastest-growing online casino and sports wagering companies in the US, announced a reverse merger with dMY Technology Group in late July. As a result, RSI will become a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange.

The combined company is expected to have an initial value of $1.78 billion. Another interesting twist is the involvement of poker legend and 15-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth. The Poker Hall of Famer is an investor and spoke with PlayUSA about the company, its future, and his unique role with Rush Street/dMY.

Getting in on the ground floor with dMY Tech

Rush Street Interactive is the iGaming offshoot of Rush Street Gaming. The gaming arm owns four Rivers-branded casinos in:

• Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania
• Schenectady, New York
• Des Plaines, Illinois

RSI has expanded beyond those states and runs online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Indiana and Illinois. The company also operates online casino gaming in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Hellmuth bought a piece of the dMY when it launched earlier this year, considered a “sponsorship money” investment. dMY is a $230 million special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) founded by Niccolo de Masi and Harry You. The company was founded for asset acquisition, stock purchases, and other business combination activities.

“I invested $300,000 and it was a gamble because I could have lost 100% of it had we not selected a company to take public within 18 months,” Hellmuth says. “On the other hand, my $300,000 investment became worth multiples of what I invested when the SPAC traded at $10 a share, now at $15 a share.

“I thought, ‘I trust [company co-founder] Niccolo DeMasi and if he chooses the right company, then I could make a seven-digit return from my $300,000 investment. Even if Niccolo brought in an average company I could triple my money.”

dMy meet Rush Street, Rush Street meet dMY

The announcement that Rush Street and dMY would combine forces came with an additional Hellmuth twist. A relationship with Rush Street CEO Greg Carlin played a part in the merger.

“Who knew that I would come up with the company that we took public?” Hellmuth says. “I knew I was considered ‘influencer money,’ but near the end of a phone call with my friend Greg Carlin, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, he mentioned that they were going to go public through a SPAC.

“I mentioned that I was involved with a SPAC and that my best friend [venture capitalist and businessman] Chamath Palihapitiya had launched two SPACs the week before. I connected Carlin with both, but asked Chamath to hold off and give my team a chance to negotiate for a week or two.”

Both sides asked Hellmuth to vouch for the other in what looked to be close to a $2 billion deal. Both companies took care of Hellmuth for his efforts, similar to “finishing fifth in the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event.”

That wasn’t a bad deal for the “Poker Brat” when RSI and dMY came to an agreement. (For the record, Kevin Maahs earned $2.2 million last year for finishing fifth at the WSOP in Las Vegas.)

What’s ahead for Rush Street with online casinos and online poker?

No timetable has been announced yet for completing the merger, but Hellmuth sees big things ahead for RSI.

The company has done well in the young Pennsylvania online gambling market and has managed to compete in a crowded NJ industry.

“RSI is crushing it,” Hellmuth says. “We are the number one online casino in the USA, and we are completely regulated and legal. Fifty percent of our revenues come from gambling and fifty percent from sports betting, which is a nice balance. Unlike other companies in our space, we are profitable.”

It’s a little difficult to say if Hellmuth is right on “No. 1 casino” based on reporting in PA and NJ, but it is undoubtedly one of the top operators.

Projections for 2021 have pegged revenue at $320 million and “RSI” is expected to become the stock in October. The success of its online casino gaming differs a bit from companies like DraftKings.

Hellmuth believes RSI will soon be launching online poker, which is legal and live in:

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Delaware
  • Nevada

Michigan and West Virginia have also legalized online poker, but nothing has gone live yet. US online poker has seen record revenue numbers during the coronavirus pandemic. Hellmuth believes Rush Street will be part of that as the market slowly grows.

“They are 100% planning on online poker,” he says.

With RSI already operating in two of the legalized online poker states, entering the market definitely seems possible. That’s especially true if online poker revenue continues near 2020 numbers. Rush Street already has been approved for online poker in PA.

GLOBAL POKER ACCEPTS US PLAYERS
1

Visit Global Poker

FREE $20 GOLD COIN PACKAGE
With a Verified Account. PLUS get a $40 Gold Coin Package for $20 on purchase
Global Poker Review
US Players Accepted
Daily FREE Sweeps Coins Just For Logging In
Texas Holdem Ring Games, Tourneys, and SNGs
Reedemable For Cash Prizes
PLAY NOW

RSI momentum from sports betting

Online casino and poker may be important revenue streams, but expanded sports betting also offers big growth opportunities for RSI. While states have been slow in legalizing online gaming in general, sports betting has spread across the country quickly in two years.

In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. That ended a ban on legal sports betting outside Nevada.

Since then, 18 states and Washington D.C. have legalized sports betting. Four states have approved legislation but haven’t gone live yet, and others are considering legalization. In many states, a whopping 80 percent of wagering is from mobile betting.

Hellmuth believes RSI could be well-positioned for the continually growing sports betting market.

“I think that everyone will bet sports online,” he says. “Why have a bookie and phone calls when the bookie may not even be able to pay you every week? Online sports betting offers new bets every few seconds: ‘What will the next play call be? What is the current line on a live game now where one team is up 7 points?”

Beyond RSI/dMY, Hellmuth works with some other companies as well. He enjoys his role on seven advisory boards including: End Game Talent Agency; Lasso Gear; Muzik Headphones; and PrizePicks.

Hellmuth also recently invested $500,000 to help launch a second SPAC (DMYD-UN). He’s also in talks with three companies about a possible online poker and sports betting sponsorship deal. While he may be a poker player, Hellmuth likes his life in the business world.

“I have been looking around for another great company to take public through our new SPAC,” he says. “It’s a business dream to take one of the companies that I’m advising public in one of my SPACs … maybe 2022.”

The post Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth Talks Role in Rush Street Online Gaming Merger appeared first on Play USA.

Posted on

WSOP.com One Step Closer to PA Online Poker Market with 888 License Approval

The long wait for additional online poker operators in Pennsylvania may soon come to an end.

WSOP.com has been in the process of gaining entry to the PA online poker market for months now, but they took one step closer Wednesday.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved Caesars‘ online poker partner 888 Holdings for an interactive gaming manufacturer license on Wednesday. A WSOP online poker launch would give PA players a second option, joining PokerStars PA. Meanwhile, live poker rooms in PA remain shuttered.

888 Holdings known for poker and strong Mid-Atlantic presence

The Gibraltar-based company began as Casino-on-Net in 1997, founded by two sets of brothers from Israel. It rebranded as 888 in 2010.

Known for its mystical numerological name associated with good fortune, 888 was the first online gaming provider in America, licensed in Nevada in March of 2013.

That same year the company debuted in New Jersey, where it operates an integrated platform with a strong poker site, an online sportsbook, and live dealer games. There is a shared wallet for those verticals. The platform was retooled in August 2019 to better serve mobile users and the platform is called Orbit.

888 Poker was the No. 1 poker website in the country last year. They have a self-branded poker platform and their software powers World Series of Poker online and mobile sites.

The company also operates online casino and poker sites in Delaware in conjunction with the First State’s three brick-and-mortar casinos, giving it a robust regional presence with a solid footprint in three contiguous states.

Strong company results give 888 stock a boost

888 Holdings recently published bullish results for the six months ended June 30, 2020. Shares were up sharply Wednesday, and dividends rose.

The company cited progress with H1 revenue growth of 37%, adjusted EBITDA growth of 56%, and strong current trading.

The company reported momentum in the US with revenue increasing by 90% year-on-year based on NJ growth. Group revenue was up 37% to $379.1 million.

Sports revenue decreased 1% to $44.1 million, but customers responded to the return of sports, with June 59% ahead of the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 56% to $70.1 million while pre-tax profit grew 130% to $50.9 million. Adjusted profit before tax was $50.4 million. The company’s leadership anticipates that FY20 adjusted EBITDA will be significantly ahead of expectations.

What to expect from 888 and WSOP.com in PA

Caesars, now owned by Eldorado Resorts, finally got into the PA online gambling scene with the Caesars online sportsbook and casino in the spring. The 888-powered WSOP.com launch would complete their trio of iGaming offerings in PA. Caesars’ online products operate under the Harrah’s Philadelphia licenses.

888 operates on their proprietary Dragonfish software platform. The result is a slick platform, easy to use for mobile or desktop.

When it launches, expect WSOP PA to offer a $10 no-deposit bonus, a 100% deposit bonus up to $1,000, and a healthy offering of cash games and tournaments. Also expect a top tier rewards program (Caesars Rewards) and excellent customer service.

If and when Pennsylvania joins the interstate gaming compact, WSOP.com would be able to share player pools with WSOP NJ and NV as well as 888 poker in NJ and Delaware.

That would also eventually give PA poker players access to online series with highly-coveted WSOP bracelets up for grabs.

Rank
Casino
Bonus
Features
Play
1

Visit Caesars Casino

$500 BONUS
100% Match on First Deposit
Caesars Review
100% Up To $500 On Deposit
World Renowned Casino
Use Bonus Code: PLAY500
PLAY NOW
2

Visit DraftKings Casino

$35 FREE
On Sign Up. T&Cs Apply
DraftKings Casino Review
$35 Free with No Deposit
Up to $500 On Deposit
$100 in FREE Blackjack credits (opt-in)
No Promo Code Needed – Use Our Link
PLAY NOW
3

Visit Unibet Casino

Up to $500 

FRee
+ 10 Free On Sign Up
Unibet Review
Free $10 On Sign Up +
100% Up To $500 On Deposit
Bonus Code: UBCASINO10
PLAY NOW

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

The post WSOP.com One Step Closer to PA Online Poker Market with 888 License Approval appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.

Posted on

HUNT OR BE HUNTED: Global Poker Rolls Out New Bounty Series Oct. 4-11

With ever-growing player numbers, Global Poker is back at it with a new series in October. The Bounty Series runs from Oct. 4-11 with a SC500,000 guarantee. 

With a majority of live tournaments in the country still on hold, Global looks to continue the at-home action. The new series includes 33 Gold Coin and 33 Sweeps Coin events – all in a bounty format.

GLOBAL POKER ACCEPTS US PLAYERS
1

Visit Global Poker

FREE $20 GOLD COIN PACKAGE
With a Verified Account. PLUS get a $40 Gold Coin Package for $20 on purchase
Global Poker Review
US Players Accepted
Daily FREE Sweeps Coins Just For Logging In
Texas Holdem Ring Games, Tourneys, and SNGs
Reedemable For Cash Prizes
PLAY NOW

What is Global Poker?

Global Poker is a sweepstake poker site available to players in the United States and Canada (except Washington and Quebec). As America’s leading online social gaming site, players can use a free-to-play currency called Gold Coins (GC).

When players buy additional Gold Coins they receive bonus sweepstakes prizes called Sweeps Coins (SC) as a bonus. Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for real cash prizes and gift cards. 

Players can use either GC or SC to play in upcoming Bounty Series tournaments. 

Global Poker makes it fast and easy to purchase Gold Coins and redeem Sweeps Coins.

Plenty of action and giveaways

Bounty tournaments are similar to traditional Texas Hold’em tournaments, but each player has an added bonus on his or her head. When a player is eliminated, that person’s bounty goes to the player who sent him to the rail.

The series also includes progressive knockout (PKO) bounty events. In a PKO, when a player is knocked out only a portion of his bounty goes to his opponent. The other portion is placed on that player’s head.

The more a player eliminates players in a PKO, the more that own player’s bounty is worth.

All SC or GC tournament winners also earn a Global prize pack that includes:

  • Exclusive trophy
  • Global Bounty Series hat
  • Bounty Series enamel pin

A week of Global Poker buy-ins for every level

No matter a player’s bankroll size, the Bounty Series offers buy-in levels for everyone. That includes playing for free with Gold Coins.

The series offers nightly High, Medium, and Low events ranging from SC11 to SC218. That includes three main events on Oct 11. 

Most events feature No Limit Hold’em but there are also a few Omaha tournaments mixed in. Some of the SC highlights include:

  • 1-L (Oct. 4) – SC22 NLHE Deepstack (SC10,000 guarantee)
  • 1-M (Oct. 4) – SC110 NLHE Deepstack (SC25,000)
  • 1-H (Oct. 4) – SC218 NLHE Deepstack (SC70,000)
  • 9-L (Oct. 10) – SC11 NLHE Turbo (SC4,000)
  • 9-M (Oct. 10) – SC33 NLHE Turbo  (SC10,000)
  • 9-H (Oct. 10) – SC110 NLHE Turbo (SC15,000)
  • 10-L (Oct. 11) – SC22 Main Event (SC15,000)
  • 10-M (Oct. 11) – SC110 Main Event (SC30,000)
  • 10-H (Oct. 11)  – SC218 Main Event (SC100,000)

Gold Coin players also have quite a bit to play for. A few highlights include:

  • 3-H (Oct. 5) – GC110,000 PLO (GC4,000,000 guarantee)
  • 7-H (Oct. 9) – GC110,00 NLHE Progressive Bounty (GC6,000,000 guarantee)
  • 10-H (Oct. 11) – GC220000 Main Event (GC40,000,000)

Here’s a look at the complete schedules:

2020 Global Poker Bounty Series (Sweeps Coin)

Date Time (ET) Event SC Buy-in SC Guarantee
Oct. 4 15:00 Bounty Series 1-M Guaranteed [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110 SC 25,000
Oct. 4 16:15 Bounty Series 1-L SC [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 22 SC 10,000
Oct. 4 17:30 Bounty Series 1-H [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 218 SC 70,000
Oct. 4 19:00 Bounty Series 2-L SC [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 4 20:00 Bounty Series 2-M SC [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 4 21:00 Bounty Series 2-H SC [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 5 19:00 Bounty Series 3-L PLO [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 11 SC 3,000
Oct. 5 20:00 Bounty Series 3-M PLO [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 33 SC 6,000
Oct. 5 21:00 Bounty Series 3-H PLO [Progresive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 110 SC 10,000
Oct. 6 19:00 Bounty Series 4-L [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 6 20:00 Bounty Series 4-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 6 21:00 Bounty Series 4-H [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 7 19:00 Bounty Series 5-L [Bounty, Deep] 11 SC 3,000
Oct. 7 20:00 Bounty Series 5-M [Bounty, Deep] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 7 21:00 Bounty Series 5-H [Bounty, Deep] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 8 19:00 Bounty Series 6-L [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 8 20:00 Bounty Series 6-M [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 8 21:00 Bounty Series 6-H [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 9 19:00 Bounty Series 7-L [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 9 20:00 Bounty Series 7-M [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 9 21:00 Bounty Series 7-H [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 10 15:00 Bounty Series 8-L [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 10 16:15 Bounty Series 8-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 22 SC 10,000
Oct. 10 17:30 Bounty Series 8-H [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 10 19:00 Bounty Series 9-L [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 10 20:00 Bounty Series 9-M [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 10 21:00 Bounty Series 9-H [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 110 SC 15,000
Oct. 11 15:00 Bounty Series 10-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110 SC 30,000
Oct. 11 16:15 Bounty Series 10-L SC Guaranteed [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 22 SC 15,000
Oct. 11 17:30 Bounty Series 10-H Main Event [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 218 SC 100,000
Oct. 11 19:00 Bounty Series 11-L [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 11 SC 4,000
Oct. 11 20:00 Bounty Series 11-M [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 33 SC 10,000
Oct. 11 21:00 Bounty Series 11-H [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 110 SC 15,000

2020 Global Poker Bounty Series (Gold Coin)

         
Date Time Event GC Buyin GC Guarantee
Oct. 4 15:00 Bounty Series 1-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110,000 10,000,000
Oct. 4 16:15 Bounty Series 1-L [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 22,000 4,000,000
Oct. 4 17:30 Bounty Series 1-H [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 220,000 28,000,000
Oct. 4 19:00 Bounty Series 2-L [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 4 20:00 Bounty Series 2-M [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 4 21:00 Bounty Series 2-H [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 5 19:00 Bounty Series 3-L PLO [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 11,000 1,200,000
Oct. 5 20:00 Bounty Series 3-M PLO [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 33,000 2,400,000
Oct. 5 21:00 Bounty Series 3-H PLO [Progresive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 110,000 4,000,000
Oct. 6 19:00 Bounty Series 4-L [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 6 20:00 Bounty Series 4-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 6 21:00 Bounty Series 4-H [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 7 19:00 Bounty Series 5-L [Bounty, Deep] 11,000 1,200,000
Oct. 7 20:00 Bounty Series 5-M [Bounty, Deep] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 7 21:00 Bounty Series 5-H [Bounty, Deep] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 8 19:00 Bounty Series 6-L [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 8 20:00 Bounty Series 6-M [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 8 21:00 Bounty Series 6-H [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 9 19:00 Bounty Series 7-L [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 9 20:00 Bounty Series 7-M [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 9 21:00 Bounty Series 7-H [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Deep] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 10 15:00 Bounty Series 8-L [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 10 16:15 Bounty Series 8-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 22,000 4,000,000
Oct. 10 17:30 Bounty Series 8-H [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 10 19:00 Bounty Series 9-L [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 10 20:00 Bounty Series 9-M [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 10 21:00 Bounty Series 9-H [Progressive Bounty, 6-Max, Turbo] 110,000 6,000,000
Oct. 11 15:00 Bounty Series 10-M [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 110,000 12,000,000
Oct. 11 16:15 Bounty Series 10-L [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 22,000 6,000,000
Oct. 11 17:30 Bounty Series 10-H Main Event [Progressive Bounty, Deep] 220,000 40,000,000
Oct. 11 19:00 Bounty Series 11-L [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 11,000 1,600,000
Oct. 11 20:00 Bounty Series 11-M [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 33,000 4,000,000
Oct. 11 21:00 Bounty Series 11-H [Progressive Bounty, Turbo] 110,000 6,000,000

Extra incentives

Along with big Sweeps Coin and Gold Coin prizes on the line, players will find some nice extra incentives.

All main event winners, final table players and those in the money will receive limited edition merchandise including:

  • hoodies
  • hats
  • T-shirts
  • pins

join the Global Poker action live on Twitter

The PlayUSA Stream Team will be streaming Bounty Series action daily throughout the series. Players can win nightly prizes, ask questions, and learn about the site from streamers like Eatahoagie, PokerJermz, and Vinny Goombatz.

Looking to get in the Global Poker Bounty Series for free? Use USPoker’s complete review of the site to earn a free $20 package to get started.

The post HUNT OR BE HUNTED: Global Poker Rolls Out New Bounty Series Oct. 4-11 appeared first on .

Posted on

SCORE BY THE SHORE: WPT Online Borgata Produces Big Numbers in New Jersey

The second World Poker Tour event in New Jersey proved a nice success on the partypoker US Network. The WPT Online Borgata Series featured an overall guarantee of $275,000, but ultimately paid out $912,000.

All events except one topped the guarantees in the 11-tournament series. The festival produced nice results and more tour-sponsored events are likely in the works.

“This was definitely the most fun and the biggest series we’ve had online here in New Jersey on the partypoker US Network,” Borgata Poker ambassador Katie Stone said.  “Partnering with the WPT has just been phenomenal.”

“We so love being able to give our players what they really want, and based on the feedback everyone was quite happy. I definitely look forward and hope for more series like this online in the future.”

Claim Your $25 For Joining Partypoker Now
1

Visit partypoker

$25 FREE
On Sign Up
Partypoker Review
$25 Free On Sign Up
100% Up To $1,000 Deposit Bonus
Borgata NJ Partner
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJCASH
PLAY NOW

WPT Borgata Online Main Event winner fulfills mother’s dream

The $1,060 Main Event highlighted the series and produced a field of 440 entries. The prize pool swelled to $432,700.

Tony Sinishtaj (pictured above), of Englewood, New Jersey, came out on top for $77,350. The poker pro and family man is already a member for the WPT Champions Club. He won the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown in 2017 for $661,283, his biggest live tournament score.

The partypoker/WPT win now gives Sinishtaj a unique distinction. He’s the only WPT Main Tour winner who’s also won aa American WPT online main event.

The road to victory fulfilled a recent dream of his mother. In her vision, Sinishtaj’s father, who passed away in 2016, told her Sinishtaj would win $100,000.

“She told me the dream a few days ago and then mentioned it again this morning when I told her I won,” Sinishtaj told WPT.com after the win. “I had forgotten about it because I don’t put any stock in what dreams mean.”

That view may have changed now. Sinishtaj has more than $1.6 million in live tournament winnings and picked up $77,350 for the New Jersey WPT title.

That prize amount isn’t the full $100,000 as in the dream, but Sinishtaj is hoping to add more winnings soon.

Other New Jersey grinders pick up titles at partypoker

Beyond the Main Event, only one tournament brought an overlay. That came in the first event, which was just $1,000 short.

The $535 Heads-Up event was another interesting bullet point on the series. The field was capped at 32 players and all those sports were filled.

Jerrad “bbissick” Pawar, of Stanhope, New Jersey, took down the title for $7,200. Another big name on the NJ online poker scene took runner-up – David “TheKing411” Coleman for $3,200.

Coleman came out on top of the first WPT/partypoker NJ main event, June’s Online Poker Open, for $56,586. 

Another interesting name found the winner’s circle. New Jersey grinder Daniel “leinad” Buzgon is no stranger to taking down big online tournaments in the Garden State. This time, Buzgon struck gold in the $215 Turbo Progressive Knockout for $13,550. 

Play At Borgata Poker Now With Free $20 On Sign Up
1

Visit Borgata Poker

$20 Free
On Sign Up
Borgata Poker Review
$20 Free with No Deposit
100% Deposit Match up to $600
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJ
PLAY NOW

Trending up for WPT/partypoker in Garden State

Overall, partypoker and WPT organizers were pleased with the Online Borgata Series. Players should expect more combined efforts from the two companies in the future.

Partypoker regularly scores in third in revenue among the state’s three legal online poker sites. However, the site has also seen a surge in players since the Coronavirus pandemic began.

The site has found a nice mix of buy-ins and fun events like phased tournaments to grow its pool of players. The WPT’s involvement has only helped those efforts.

Partypoker is expected to expand into Pennsylvania as well, but no timeframe has been announced. Many players in the Keystone State are awaiting another legal online poker option.

“We continue to work with the gaming regulators in Pennsylvania and throughout the US as we prepare to expand our poker offerings on partypoker US network,” director of poker Ray Stefanelli said. “We look forward to providing details when appropriate.”

Photo courtesy WPT/Joe Giron

The post SCORE BY THE SHORE: WPT Online Borgata Produces Big Numbers in New Jersey appeared first on .

Posted on

PACOOP Zooming Towards $200K GTD Main Event, $1 Million Awarded So Far

The Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker is well underway at PokerStars PA. Through the first eight days of PACOOP just over $1 million has been won by PA poker players.

Meanwhile series-climaxing, $300 buy-in Main Event stands out on the remaining schedule with a $200,000 guarantee.

Claim Your $30 At PokerStars PA Now
1

Visit PokerStars PA

 

$30 FREE Play
On Deposit
PokerStars PA Review
$30 on $20 Deposit
100% up to $600 Match Bonus Offer
To Claim: Click Play Now
PLAY NOW

A few overlays as guarantees mostly met

The 50-event schedule has just crossed the halfway mark. With 28 events completed, 23 of them exceeded their guarantees while most of the other five just missed hitting them.

The largest overlay of just over $3,100 came on the busy first day of PASCOOP in Event #3, a $100 buy-in deep-stacked turbo. Another small one came in the lone five-card draw event of the series, Event #18 ($100 PL 5-Card Draw).

There have been two events with $100,000 guarantees thus far, both $100 buy-in Sunday Special events. One barely eclipsed that mark, while the other came up just short.

The first Sunday Special (Event #6) drew 1,117 entries to create a prize pool of a little over $102K. The second one completed yesterday (Event #26) had 1,077 total entries, just 13 shy of what was needed to add up to more than $100K.

Amount awarded tops $1 million through first week

Events completed on Sunday pushed the overall total amount awarded thus far into seven figures — $1,005,045.85, to be exact. The guarantees through the first 28 events added up to $839,000, meaning the total prize pools are about 20% above that total.

Highlights on the remaining schedule include:

  • Event #30 – $500 PLO 6-Max High Roller, $25K Gtd. (Sep. 28)
  • Event #31 – $250 NLHE Hyper-Turbo Super Tuesday, $40K Gtd. (Sep. 29)
  • Event #36 – $250 NLHE Progressive KO Thursday Thrill, $40K Gtd. (Oct. 1)
  • Event #40 – $300 NLHE 6-Max, $40K Gtd. (Oct. 3)
  • Event #43 – $300 NLHE Main Event, $200K Gtd. (Oct. 4)
  • Event #44 – $50 NLHE Mini Main Event, $40K Gtd. (Oct. 4)
  • Event #49 – $50 NLHE 8-Max Phase 2, $50K Gtd. (Oct. 5)

Back in April, the “High” version of the Pennsylvania Spring Online Championship of Online Poker Main Event, also a $300 buy-in tournament, attracted 1,315 total entries to build a $368,200 prize pool.

PokerStars PA continues to enjoy monopoly… For now

PokerStars PA remains the only game in town for Pennsylvania poker players, in a couple of ways.

While Pennsylvania casinos are now open, live poker rooms remain closed in the state due to COVID restrictions, with one shutting down altogether. Thus has online poker filled a void as the only ready and legal option for the state’s players.

Meanwhile PokerStars PA remains the lone online poker room up and running in the state as well, having enjoyed its monopoly for nearly a year after first launching in early November 2019.

That said, other Pennsylvania sites may be taking seats at the virtual tables soon as both partypoker and WSOP.com are nearing possible launches.

PokerStars players in New Jersey wondering when it will be their turn should know that PokerStars NJ has already announced the return of NJCOOP next month. The series will run Oct. 10-26 with $1M in total guarantees including a $125K gtd. Main Event.

Here’s a look at the turnouts and totals through the first 28 events of the 2020 PACOOP.

PACOOP by the numbers (through Event #28)

Event Buy-in Guarantee Entries Re-Entries Prize Pool
1: NLHE (Nightly Stars – PACOOP Warm-Up) $100 $50,000 401 231 $58,017.60
2: NLHE (8-Max, PACOOP – Warm-Up) $50 $30,000 537 271 $36,764.00
3: NLHE (8-Max, Turbo, Deepstack) $100 $35,000 226 121 $35,000.00*
4: NLHE (6-Max) $50 $20,000 271 163 $20,000.00*
5: NLHE (8-Max, Progressive KO) $150 $30,000 180 94 $37,729.80
6: NLHE (Sunday Special SE) $100 $100,000 673 444 $102,540.60
7: PLO (6-Max) $100 $15,000 135 56 $17,533.80
8: NLHE (8-Max, Sunday SuperSonic SE) $50 $10,000 210 55 $12,057.50
9: NLHE (6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Battle Royale SE) $50 $30,000 524 281 $36,627.50
10: PLO8 (8-Max) $75 $12,000 145 70 $14,673.75
11: NLHE (Super Tuesday SE) $200 $40,000 205 120 $60,450.00
12: NLHE (Mini Super Tuesday SE) $20 $15,000 667 375 $18,964.40
13: NLHE (8-Max) $150 $15,000 121 50 $23,546.70
14: NLHE (6-Max, High Roller) $500 $50,000 116 53 $79,430.00
15: NLHE $150 $15,000 135 55 $26,163.00
16: NLHE (Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill SE) $200 $40,000 196 90 $53,196.00
17: NLHE (Progressive KO, Mini Thrill) $20 $20,000 738 511 $22,731.80
18: PL 5-Card Draw (8-Max, Turbo) $100 $10,000 62 25 $10,000.00*
19: 8-Game $200 $15,000 70 23 $17,298.00
20: NLHE (6-Max, Turbo) $150 $20,000 157 69 $31,120.20
21: NLHE (8-Max, Deepstack) $100 $35,000 321 157 $43,880.40
22: NLHE (Saturday Speedway SE) $50 $15,000 322 156 $21,749.00
23: NLHE (8-Max, Turbo, Marathon) $100 $35,000 231 134 $35,000.00*
24: PLO (8-Max, Turbo) $100 $10,000 78 34 $10,281.60
25: NLHE (6-Max) $150 $25,000 128 68 $26,989.20
26: NLHE (Sunday Special SE) $100 $100,000 653 424 $100,000.00*
27: NLHE (Progressive KO) $200 $35,000 146 64 $39,060.00
28: NLHE (Sunday SuperSonic SE) $75 $12,000 162 40 $14,241.00

*Events with overlays: Event No. 3 – $3,145.40; Event No. 4 – $253.00; Event No. 18 – $2,013.40; Event No. 23 – $1,493.00; Event No. 26 – $1.131.40.

The post PACOOP Zooming Towards $200K GTD Main Event, $1 Million Awarded So Far appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.

Posted on

SETTLED: PokerStars Founder Isai Scheinberg Sentenced to Time Served, $30K Fine

Efforts to prosecute PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg came to a close on Wednesday. After a 2011 indictment following Black Friday, Scheinberg was sentenced to time served and a $30,000 fine.

The sentence comes after federal prosecutors with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York pursued federal gambling charges for almost a decade.

After years avoiding US prosecutors, Scheinberg surrendered to federal authorities in February following an international extradition request in Switzerland. Along with the fine, Scheinberg is also now a convicted felon.

Pursuing the case against Scheinberg

Scheinberg, who is Israeli but lived for years in Canada as well, pleaded guilty to a single federal gambling charge. He was the last of 11 people indicted following the Black Friday crackdown on online poker.

Isai Scheinberg (right) with his son Mark.
Isai Scheinberg (right) with his son Mark.

Arrested after traveling to Switzerland in June 2019, Scheinberg fought extradition for months. That changed in January 2019 and Swiss authorities transferred him to New York.

Scheinberg originally faced up to five years in prison for directing an illegal gambling business in the US, according to the US Attorney’s Office. His attorneys argued that he deserved a lesser sentence.

A key argument for that included that his lawyers maintained online poker didn’t violate US law. They also noted that attitudes toward online gaming have since changed.

His attorneys also pointed out that PokerStars assumed $304 million of Full Tilt Poker liabilities after that company’s collapse. After Black Friday, Full Tilt financial irregularities came to light and prosecutors even referred to it as a “Ponzi scheme.”

Repaying players recognized by court

PokerStars was able to refund players who lost money at Full Tilt. That appears to be part of the reason for the reduced sentence.

“On balance … the Government believes that the mitigating factors in this case – particularly the defendant’s low likelihood of recidivism, the fact that PokerStars properly segregated player funds, the need to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities, and the defendant’s good deeds – warrant a sentence below the Stipulated Guidelines Range,” Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss noted.

Prosecutors and Judge Lewis A. Kaplan agreed to a reduced sentence however and the case now comes to a close.

“I am pleased that Judge Kaplan has determined today not to impose a prison sentence in my case,” Scheinberg told Online Poker Report. “PokerStars played an important role in creating today’s global regulated online poker industry by running an honest and transparent business that always treated its players fairly.

“I am particularly proud that in 2011, when PokerStars exited the United States, all of its American players were made whole immediately. Indeed, PokerStars reimbursed millions of players who were owed funds from other online companies that could not or did not repay those players.”

Growing the world’s biggest online poker site, catering to American players

Founded in 2001, PokerStars would go on to become the largest online poker site in the world. Scheinberg made use of a background in mathematics and programming to create the company’s software.

Players loved the experience the software proved superior to competitors at the time. Buoyed by the poker boom, the company flourished throughout the 2000s.

The site continued accepting American players even after the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2005.

The law restricted online gaming companies from “knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the Internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law.”

While some companies fled the American market, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker continued accepting action from the US. That ultimately led to a crackdown on both companies on April 15, 2011, known in poker as “Black Friday.”

Since then, online gaming has been a state-by-state proposition. PokerStars even returned to the US in the legal jurisdiction of New Jersey in 2016. The company also began operating in Pennsylvania in 2019.

Scheinberg avoided federal prosecutors for years. He and his son Mark Scheinberg sold their share in the company to Amaya Gaming in 2014 for almost $5 billion.

In October 2019, iGaming giant Flutter Entertainment purchased the company for $6 billion. PokerStars remains the largest online poker operator in the world.

Players react to sentencing

During the poker boom, PokerStars became one of the biggest brands in poker. The company gained significant traction after Chris Moneymaker’s unlikely win at the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2003.

Moneymaker qualified via an $86 satellite qualifier before winning poker’s most prestigious event. Coverage on ESPN only added to the publicity poker received in the 2000s.

Televised coverage combined with online poker’s popularity sent poker’s popularity skyrocketing. Many admired the company for its excellent software and attention to players. The company boasted brand ambassadors like Moneymaker and Daniel Negreanu.

News of the Scheinberg sentence drew mixed reactions among players and those in the industry. WSOP broadcaster Norman Chad approached the subject with typical sarcasm.

 

Others offered support for Scheinberg and recognized his contributions to the game.

 

Whatever the view of the case, this brings an end to long and tangled ordeal for poker. PokerStars continues to see massive-field tournaments during the Coronavirus pandemic era. In September alone, the site was guaranteeing $200 million in combined prize pools across all its global platforms.

The post SETTLED: PokerStars Founder Isai Scheinberg Sentenced to Time Served, $30K Fine appeared first on .

Posted on

‘Pent-Up’ Gamblers Flock To Outdoor California Cardrooms, Revenues Spike

More California cardrooms are reopening as coronavirus conditions continue to improve in counties throughout the Golden State.

Towers Casino in Nevada County, the northeast part of the state, opened Tuesday for indoor gaming at 25% capacity.

Towers joins Casino Club in Redding as the only cardrooms permitted to operate indoors under the state’s tiered reopening blueprint.

Other cardrooms in the state are making do by opening outdoors, following guidelines issued by the state earlier this month. Two prominent Bay Area cardrooms, Bay 101 and Casino M8trix in San Jose, recently commenced outdoor gaming.

Representatives from two early adopters of outdoor gaming spoke with PlayCA about making the transition.

California cardrooms prospering with outdoor gaming

When Stars Casino in Tracy became the first California cardroom to offer outdoor gaming on Aug. 8, CEO Emmanuel Macalino expected it to make 60% to 70% of previous revenues.

To his pleasant surprise, the cardroom posted 120% of its revenue from the previous year during its first month of outdoor operations.

“Being the first to open really gave us a boost,” Macalino said. “That put us on the map. We’re one of the smaller card rooms and being able to pull the trigger on opening first really helped us with revenue.”

Most importantly, Macalino said the cardroom was able to put its full workforce back to work without any reports of a customer or employee coming down with COVID-19 since the reopening.

Brad Samuel, head of marketing for mid-sized cardrooms Stones Gambling Hall in Sacramento and Seven Mile Casino in San Diego, agreed that interest in outdoor gaming has been high since they reopened a month ago.

“It’s been busy and it keeps getting busier. There seems to have been a strong, pent-up demand with people to get out, have a bit of fun and do it safely. We feel very fortunate now to be open and be busy and have the community really embrace what we’re doing.”

Challenges of operating gaming outdoors

Moving gaming tables and setting up outdoors is the easy part. Cardrooms operating outdoors have found some difficulty dealing with the weather conditions.

Over the first month of operations, the cardrooms faced bad air from fires, intense heat with triple-digit temperatures, and wind. Stars shut down for a couple of days when the smoke level got high.

It also strategically placed windbreakers to block the winds that can reach 20 to 30 miles per hour.

Seven Mile Casino contracted with one of the companies that does tents for the Oscars to provide shade. Even though they are outdoors, the cardroom also added large air conditioning units to pump in cool, fresh air to address the heat and smoke.

“The challenges of being outdoors are just purely environmental,” Samuel said. “If it’s a little extra smokey or windy, what do you do? Every day you learn something new and take it into the next day.”

Stars found some of the state guidelines on outdoor operations to be unnecessarily burdensome. Particularly the requirement to have three-foot high barriers to keep wayward vehicles out of the gaming area while allowing for airflow.

The barriers at Stars are higher than three feet, but airflow isn’t an issue with the area winds.

Macalino asked cardroom attorney Keith Sharp to seek clarification on the barriers, hand sanitizing stations versus handwashing stations, and the washing of paper chips.

Counties moving on up colored tiers

California has 58 counties. When the governor introduced his blueprint for the industry reopening at the end of August, 38 counties were in the most restrictive purple tier. That total is now down to 25.

Cardrooms must wait until they fall into a specific tier in order to reopen indoors at reduced capacities. The tiers are based on coronavirus positivity rates in the county. There are four different color-coded tiers.

If the cardroom is in a county that reaches the orange tier (2-4.9% positivity rate), it can reopen at 25% capacity. If the county reaches the yellow tier (less than 2% positivity rate), cardrooms can reopen at 50% capacity.

Eleven counties are in the orange tier, up from eight. Over the three weeks, no additional counties have joined the three in the yellow tier that permits 50% capacity.

Stars’ San Joaquin County, Stones’ Sacramento County, and Seven Mile’s San Diego County all are far-off from the orange tier. But when they do reach that level, expect the cardrooms to move indoors while continuing to operate outdoors for a larger capacity.

According to Macalino,

“We are considering a hybrid operation. A lot of our players and guests really love the outdoor setup. But I think just for practicality purposes we need to go back indoors when allowed. In California, people love the outdoors and I think having that option is great.”

This table shows which California cardrooms are open and the tiers of their counties:

Cardroom County Tier Indoors Outdoors
Livermore Casino ALAMEDA Red N N
Oaks Card Club ALAMEDA Red N N
Palace Card Room ALAMEDA Red N N
Parkwest Casino 580 ALAMEDA Red N N
Casino 99 BUTTE Purple N N
California Grand Casino CONTRA COSTA Purple N N
Kelly’s CONTRA COSTA Purple N N
Nineteenth Hole CONTRA COSTA Purple N N
Clovis 500 Club FRESNO Purple N N
Club One Casino FRESNO Purple N N
North Coast Casino HUMBOLDT Orange N N
Tommy’s Casino & Saloon IMPERIAL Purple N N
Aviator KERN Purple N N
Diamond Jim’s KERN Purple N N
Golden West Casino KERN Purple N 8/12
Bicycle Casino LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Club Caribe LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Commerce Casino LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Crystal Casino LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Hawaiian Gardens Casino LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Hollywood Park LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Hustler Casino LOS ANGELES Purple N N
Larry Flynt’s Lucky Lady Casino LOS ANGELES Purple N N
La Primavera Pool Hall & Café MADERA Purple N N
Club San Rafael MARIN Red N N
Golden Valley Casino MERCED Purple N N
Banker’s Casino MONTEREY Purple N N
Marina Club MONTEREY Purple N N
Mortimer’s Card Room MONTEREY Purple N N
Pinnacle Casino MONTEREY Purple N N
Napa Valley Casino NAPA Red N N
Towers Casino NEVADA Orange 9/22 N
Bruce’s Casino RIVERSIDE Red N N
Lake Elsinore Hotel and Casino RIVERSIDE Red N N
Capitol Casino SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Hotel Del Rio & Casino SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Folsom Lake Bowl SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Limelight Card Room SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Magnolia House Casino SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Parkwest Casino Cordova SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Parkwest Casino Lotus SACRAMENTO Purple N 8/27
Rogelio’s Inc. SACRAMENTO Purple N N
Stones Gambling Hall SACRAMENTO Purple N 8/24
Lucky Lady SAN DIEGO Red N N
Ocean’s Eleven Casino SAN DIEGO Red N N
Seven Mile Casino SAN DIEGO Red N 8/25
Casino Real SAN JOAQUIN Purple N N
Kings Card Club/ Westlane Cardroom SAN JOAQUIN Purple N 8/26
Parkwest Casino Lodi SAN JOAQUIN Purple N 8/24
Star’s Casino SAN JOAQUIN Purple N 8/8
Central Coast Casino – Grover Beach SAN LUIS OBISPO Red N N
Paso Robles Casino SAN LUIS OBISPO Red N N
Oceana (Brooks) Card room SAN LUIS OBISPO Red N N
Old Cayucos Tavern SAN LUIS OBISPO Red N N
Outlaws Card Parlour SAN LUIS OBISPO Red N N
Artichoke’s Joe’s Casino SAN MATEO Red N 9/4
Lucky Chances SAN MATEO Red N N
Jalisco Pool Room SANTA BARBARA Purple N N
Bay 101 SANTA CLARA Red N 9/11
Casino M8trix SANTA CLARA Red N 9/12
Garlic City Club SANTA CLARA Red N N
Tres Lounge and Casino SANTA CRUZ Red N N
Ocean View Card room SANTA CRUZ Red N N
Casino Club SHASTA Orange 9/15 N
St. Charles Place SIERRA Red N N
Parkwest Casino Sonoma (The 101) SONOMA Purple N N
The River Card room SONOMA Purple N N
Empire Sportsmen’s Assoc. STANISLAUS Purple N N
Mike’s Card Casino STANISLAUS Purple N N
Turlock Poker Room STANISLAUS Purple N N
Deuce Lounge & Casino TULARE Purple N N
The Mint TULARE Purple N N
Sundowner Card Room (Visalia) TULARE Purple N N
Player’s Poker Club VENTURA Purple N N
Casino Marysville YUBA Purple N N
Golden State Casino YUBA Purple N N

Los Angeles cardrooms hope to join the fun

As shown in the table above, less than 20% of California cardrooms are currently open in any capacity.

The seven Los Angeles cardrooms hope to get permission to reopen outdoors next week. The County Board of Supervisors promised to take up the issue at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The cardrooms asked the board for permission to reopen two weeks earlier. However, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer asked the board to wait until the end of the month to see if Labor Day caused a spike of cases.

Each Los Angeles cardroom filed health and sanitation plans with the Bureau of Gambling Control this week.

According to Sharp,

“Reopening is not without risks but we think with all the protocols we’ve put in place and the health standards we’ve committed to, it helps mitigate that risk. We’ll have at least two sets of inspectors coming to inspect us, from the Department of Health and the Bureau of Gambling Control, and there’s only seven of us. We want to stay in line and I’m sure the regulators will make sure we stay in line.”

The post ‘Pent-Up’ Gamblers Flock To Outdoor California Cardrooms, Revenues Spike appeared first on Play CA.

Posted on

CHIP CHATTER – Negreanu-Polk, Hellmuth-Esfandiari, Final WSOP Online Bracelet Winner, Cheating Scandal Settlement, & More

The Coronavirus pandemic has put online poker in the spotlight as more players head to the virtual tables. From attention-grabbing heads-up matchups to growing US revenue numbers to added online series, poker has seen a boom not experienced since before Black Friday.

As live tournaments slowly begin coming back, there have been plenty of poker headlines. Here’s a look at some of those poker news and notes.

GLOBAL POKER ACCEPTS US PLAYERS

Visit Global Poker

FREE $20 GOLD COIN PACKAGE
With a Verified Account. PLUS get a $40 Gold Coin Package for $20 on purchase
Global Poker Review
US Players Accepted
Daily FREE Sweeps Coins Just For Logging In
Texas Holdem Ring Games, Tourneys, and SNGs
Reedemable For Cash Prizes
PLAY NOW

Negreanu-Polk matchup taking shape

With the World Series of Poker Online concluded, the showdown between Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk continues to take shape. After years of bad blood, the two are heading to the online tables for their own high-stakes duel.

Negreanu once again Tweeted out some caveats for the matchup recently with Polk responding. It seems the fine print is getting finalized and here’s a look at what has been agreed to so far:

  • Stakes – $200/$400 No Limit Hold’em. Players begin with 100-big blind starting stacks with automatic top-up available. If both players agree, the stakes can be raised during the second half of the matchup.
  • Rake – None.
  • Humber of hands – 25,000 and the losing player can quit after 12,500 hands.
    Doug Polk
    Daniel Negreanu
  • Location – Played in the legal jurisdiction of Las Vegas, Nevada.

The only hiccup has been the poker site to play on. As a GGPoker ambassador, Negreanu requested GGPoker play money tables. Polk took exception with that however.

“I would prefer to play on real money tables on a neutral legal site,” Polk noted on Twitter. “I think WSOP.com makes the most sense for this.”

It seems this is a detail that can be worked out. Negreanu played all summer at WSOP.com as part of the online bracelet series.

Polk also requested one added stipulation: a neutral party on site with each player. The idea is to monitor the integrity of the game with no outside parties assisting.

No date has been announced yet, but it appears the duel is definitely going to happen. It should be some added publicity for poker and the online game.

Hellmuth, Esfandiari back for Round 2 of High Stakes Duel on PokerGO

PokerGO is back again on Wednesday with some live poker via the new show High Stakes Duel. The first episode debuted on July 30 with Phil Hellmuth and Antonio Esfandiari ponying up $50,000 each.

Hellmuth came out on top in that round, and now Esfandiari has used his option for a rematch. The stakes double with each round with the potential to win $12.8 million by Round 8. 

The first episode made for entertaining viewing and was filmed in the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. However, the show experienced technical issues and the service had to post the show to YouTube channel a day later.

Those issues are expected to be resolved and the show will stream on PokerGO as well as YouTube and Facebook. Here’s a look at the “weigh-in” with action beginning about the 2:20 mark.

 

One last WSOP bracelet awarded

With the WSOP Online wrapped up at WSOP.com and GGPoker, one last bracelet remained to be awarded. The WSOP announced in May that the Global Casino Championship would be held at WSOP.com because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The event caps the WSOP Circuit and has been held at Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina the last few years. The change meant players who qualified during the season could play online in New Jersey or Nevada. The tournament came with a $1 million guarantee and players qualified the season by:

  • winning a WSOPC main event
  • finishing as a Casino Champion
  • winning a championship ring
  • placing in the top 100 of the WSOP Player of the Year race and buying in directly for $10,000

Seven players opted to buy in, bringing the player pool to 130 players for a $1.1 million prize pool. The tournament was held on Sept. 13 and AJ Kelsall cashed in for his first bracelet and $275,632.

A golf pro from Lutz, Florida, Kelsall has three WSOPC championship rings and $1.7 million in live tournament winnings. He described the win to WSOP.com as “a dream come true.”

2020 WSOP in Las Vegas remains unknown

As to whether the live WSOP gets played this fall, that remains to be seen. The series has been officially postponed to the fall but no updates have been announced.

The new WSOPC season would have already been underway as well. The lack of live poker has been a boon to online poker. Some live poker tournaments have slowly begun returning, but the WSOP presents some unique issues.

The WSOP faces an uncertain future this summer.
2019 World Series of Poker

The series attracts thousands and thousands of players, not conducive for today’s pandemic environment. So far, it’s simply wait and see for the series.

In the meantime, WSOP.com has seen huge fields throughout the pandemic. The site is currently running the 50 Anniversary Series. For more on that series, click here.

Global Poker continues to surge

While US online poker revenues dipped a bit in August, overall numbers remain historically high. That includes sweepstakes poker sites like Global Poker.

The social gaming site offers players a chance to play for free and also a chance to win real money. Players can use Gold Coins to play for free. They receive Sweeps Coins when they purchase more Gold Coins. Sweeps Coins can be used for separate games and exchanged for real cash.

The site is fresh off a successful Micro Thunder Series, and the Sunday majors also continue to attract big numbers. On Sept. 20, Indiana’s “Hollarguy” took down the SC110 Sunday Teaser for SC5,095. The event comes with a SC25,000 guarantee and attracted 264 entries for a SC26,400 prize pool.

In the SC218 Sunday Scrimmage, Pennsylvania player “DKoot” came out on top for SC11,078. The event attracted 287 entries for a SC57,400 prize pool, easily topping the SC50,000 guarantee.

GLOBAL POKER ACCEPTS US PLAYERS

Visit Global Poker

FREE $20 GOLD COIN PACKAGE
With a Verified Account. PLUS get a $40 Gold Coin Package for $20 on purchase
Global Poker Review
US Players Accepted
Daily FREE Sweeps Coins Just For Logging In
Texas Holdem Ring Games, Tourneys, and SNGs
Reedemable For Cash Prizes
PLAY NOW

WPT adds freeroll events promoting women in poker

The World Poker Tour’s ClubWPT sweepstakes poker site has also received a boost during the Coronavirus pandemic. On Sept. 15, the tour announced a partnership with the Poker League of Nations (PLON) for a series of freerolls.

PLON is the largest women’s poker group in the world with 6,800 members from 25 countries. The group’s goals include camaraderie, education, philanthropy, and promoting women in poker.

ClubWPT will offer members exclusive freeroll tournaments in October. The events feature cash and prizes awarded and there is no purchase necessary to play. Here’s what to expect:

  • Oct. 3 – $1,000 cash and prizes from Baccarat Crystal. The final table will be streamed with commentary from PLON founder Lena Evans and WPT host Lynn Gilmartin.
  • Oct. 17 – The winner receives entry into one of LearnWPT’s Digital Lab Experience events. The top five finishers also receive a free month of ClubWPT Diamond membership.
  • Oct. 24 – $1,000 cash as well as Baccarat Crystal prizes.

“The World Poker Tour is delighted to partner with Poker League of Nations on this exclusive freeroll series on ClubWPT,” said Jeremy Clemons, WPT vice president of Online services. “WPT and PLON share a common goal of growing the game of poker and PLON’s work over the years to increase participation from women around the globe has been tremendous.”

Players mourn loss of WSOP Main Event runner-up Darvin Moon

The poker world lost the fun-loving Darvin Moon on Sept. 19. Most poker fans will remember Moon for his huge run in the 2009 WSOP Main Event. 

A self-employed logger from Oakland, Maryland, Moon finished runner-up for $5.2 million. That Main Event was his first-ever trip to Las Vegas and first time on a plane. He certainly made it count.

Friend and Poker Night in America founder Todd Anderson expressed his thoughts on Twitter.

Settlement reached in Mike Postle cheating scandal

The Mike Postle cheating scandal seems to have reached a bit of a conclusion. About two-thirds of players affected have settled with the owner of Stones Gambling Hall.

A California judge already dismissed a suit against Postle. Under state law gambling losses can’t be recovered in court. However, the June ruling said plaintiffs could sue the property owner, Kings Casino.

That suit was settled in August. Terms of the agreement weren’t released and some not part of the agreement may continue with legal options. However that turns out, Postle appears unlikely to face any legal ramifications.

“Unfortunately, no matter how clear-cut the case seems to the poker community, there turned out to be little legal recourse, Online Poker Report notes.

This might bring a close to one of poker’s latest cheating scandals, although it may not have concluded the way many players hoped.

The post CHIP CHATTER – Negreanu-Polk, Hellmuth-Esfandiari, Final WSOP Online Bracelet Winner, Cheating Scandal Settlement, & More appeared first on .