In this week’s Calling The Clock we bring you news of a cock-up by Wolfsburg forward Max Kruse; another killing by Mustapha Kanit and much more.
It’s time to “Shuffle Up and Deal”.
Four words that act as the catalyst for so many life changing moments and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) are giving you the chance to utter them at the most prestigious final table in all of poker.
Last week, the WSOP and the One Drop Foundation joined forces to offer a unique auction where the winner would hold the mic, and let those words roll off their tongue, before the 2016 WSOP Main Event final table. Experts believe the package is valued at $10,000. Only ten bids have been made thus far. The highest being $3,750. There are four days left before the gavel hits the table.
The WSOP is going to have some company after PokerStars launched their product in the state of New Jersey. It’s a soft launch designed to iron out the kinks. The first reports streaming in from poker news outlets are extremely positive. March 21 is earmarked as the official launch date.
So how is online poker doing in New Jersey?
The state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) released their numbers for February, and it’s a matter of status quo. The Borgata and partypoker generated over $1m, and the WSOP/888 partnership $932,359. Both totals were not that far off last years mark, with slight dips on both accounts.
It was a different story in Delaware where online poker revenues rose 7.38% in February. However, it’s a decline by 18% year-on-year. And Amaya Gaming released their 2015 results with poker revenues down by 4%. However, Amaya CEO David Baazov had a bullish attitude when saying he planned to double online poker’s revenue in the next five years.
PokerStars also inked a deal to showcase their Jackpot Poker app in the Playphone gaming store with a particular marketing focus on Taiwan. And their philanthropic endeavours were also at the forefront last week after they put their full weight of support behind the Bobby Moore Fund Golf Day on the Isle of Man in support of bowel cancer.
Sticking with the football theme and former WSOP final tablist, and Wolfsburg forward, Max Kruse was in the news this week. Apparently, he won a bit of money playing cash games at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) festival in Berlin; promptly left €75,000 in the cab; couldn’t get the driver to return it; called the cops; the whole thing became a media story, and his club fined him €25,000 for playing without permission.
Money, Money, Money
Superstar footballers weren’t the only high earners in the news this week. 49 players have managed to find $300,000 in spare change so they can compete in the second iteration of the Super High Roller Bowl. The brainchild of Poker Central and the Aria has sold out three months in advance of kick off.
Dan Bilzerian is another man with more money than a small country. The goat lover was in the news this week after Lance Armstrong landed in LA to act in the capacity of ‘trainer’ as he bids to win his $600,000 cycling bet with Bill Perkins. On a much smaller commercial scale, but an impressive feat nonetheless, Samantha Abernathy managed to cycle from Vegas to LA in 72 hrs without dying. Bilzerian owes her $10,000 for the dare.
Daniel Negreanu is another man with a few quid to spare. The Canadian is now an American citizen after joining over one hundred people in a ceremony in Red Rock. Negreanu immediately aired his delight at being able to vote. He won’t be voting for Donald Trump.
Individual Pats on the Back
Mustapha Kanit continues to run like Usain Bolt on jet powered roller skates after winning the PokerStars Sunday Million one week after winning the PokerStars Supersonic. Another $177,229.79 heads into the Italian’s bank account after beating a 5,717 entrant field.
Kanit is a former Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) Main Event title winner. So is Christian “CMoosepower” Elgstrom after becoming the 2016 champion winning $63,472 in the process. It’s the last-ever FTOPS Main Event before the software goes beneath the crusher.
On the live front, Steve O’Dwyer got back to winning ways after securing his first World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) gold ring in the High Roller in Georgia. In Spain, Pablo Gordillo won the Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event at the Gran Madrid Casino for €69,846.
Stefan Schillhabel became the second German player to capture World Poker Tour (WPT) Main Event titles in a matter of weeks. Schillhabel won the $1.3m first prize at the Bay 101 Shooting Stars Event. Maria Ho finished sixth in that one.
Former Poker Million winner James Akenhead used the WPT to show he’s back in business. The Londoner picked up the win at the WPT Vienna Warm Up for €65,000. Finally, William Luciano won the $254,892 top prize after beating a field of 736 entrants in the 2016 Chicago Poker Classic.
Time ladies & gentlemen, please.
Someone has just called the clock.
