Gambling Blog

In May, UK Poker News and Mansion Poker announced they would be giving away 56 seats at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) within a week.

Two months on, it seems as though the plan was a success, with one of the qualifiers having finished in 20th place in the WSOP - an unbelievable achievement.

Dane Mikkel Madsen played a massive hand at this year’s event and went home with $300,000 in his pocket.

“It’s been a great ride and a wonderful feeling to win the prize money, but I can’t wait for next year and a chance to progress even further,” Madsen told Poker News.

“A WSOP bracelet is definitely the goal.”

In fact seven of the 56 seats given to the qualifiers online reached the top 500 poker players at this year’s WSOP, meaning they all beat almost 6,000 others to pick up their cash prize.

“Let’s not make light of this monumental achievement to reach 20th spot out of over 6,000 runners; it’s awesome and gives hope to all those who qualify online. Well done Mikkel,” said Mansion Poker’s Marc Goodwin.

The online transaction firm responsible for EcoCard has withdrawn its services from the online gambling market, following the guilty plea entered by two of Neteller’s founders concerning “conspiracy”.

Speaking in order to clarify the issue, David Brickman, of the online site the Jackpot Factory, told gambling911:”I’d like to clarify the EcoCard issue.

“EcoCard has informed us - and I’m sure other casinos as well - that they will be pulling out of the US gaming market and replacing their EcoCard payment option with a new option.

“They will transfer their existing US customers over. Only players who have accumulated $500 or more in [gaming] transactions will be invited to move to the new payment method.”

The move comes as online transaction firm Neteller is being tried in court as a result of its decision to continue offering services between US gaming sites and US citizens after online gambling restrictions made it illegal to do so.

Congressman Barney Frank’s battle for a legalised, regulated online gambling service has gained support in the shape of the Conference of the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Caricom represents 15 member countries, and works with members of Congress in the US.

The organisation has pledged its support for Congressman Frank’s fight to legalise online gambling, as the group sees the decision to ban online gaming as illegitimate.

Speaking about the news the spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, Jeffrey Sandman, said: “Caricom’s endorsement of Congressman Frank’s internet gambling bill is another significant indication that the US must readdress the way it now treats Internet gambling.”

The organisation is also pledging support for Antigua and Barbuda following the US’ breaking of world trade laws.

The World Trade Organisation found the US to be wrong to deny other countries offering online gaming services to US citizens due, in part, to the fact that gambling was still legal in parts of the States.

Everest Poker’s live June Japan Cup play-offs have thrown up some unexpected results - two women winners in a row.

“We were aware that the popularity of poker among Japanese women was growing, but having two of the winners so far be female is a testament to their skill,” admitted Jonathan May, Everest Poker’s property manager.

The Japan Cup is comprised of weekly live games played face to face which amass to a final on Tinian Island.

A statement made to the press showed off just how hot things can get: “At the end of August, things get very interesting. The 30 qualifying players each receive a $1400 prize package that includes travel and an entry fee to the final live event held on Tinian Island.

“The winner from this event walks away with a prize package worth $20,000 and bragging rights!”

Ladies (and gentlemen?) keep your eyes peeled!

As if we needed yet more proof of poker’s online popularity, even a sporting website has now announced the addition of a poker room.

Sportsbet site betED.com has revealed the addition of its new no-download-required poker room, which allows users to buy in to a game from just five dollars.

Players will be able to take part in one-to-one, sit and go, and a range of multiplayer games, meaning there should be something for everybody.

The game is powered by Flash, and because of the lack of need to download anything, it should work on any browser.

This should come as good news for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) organisers, who suffered a dip in attendance this year, most likely because of uncertainty caused by the new online gambling legislation.

With more websites starting up though, it looks like next year should be a bumper year, with confidence back on track.

Despite smaller attendance figures for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) this year, the tournament is reported to be booming in its media draw.

A report on Bodogbeat.com showed off how, after a slow start, there was eventually such a crowd at the press room that Harrah’s had to open another press room; then lay tables out in the corridors for journalists to be able to work.

Such a massive influx of media is surely a good sign for the event, which has this year got its first WSOP Europe to look forward to.

It should also serve as a remedy to any worries the organisers have over the smaller attendance figures seen this year, chiefly caused by the time it has taken for websites to adjust to new online gambling rules.

So, with a WSOP which was busy despite not being full, the whole world’s media reporting about it and the first ever WSOP Europe in September, things are looking good for the world’s biggest poker tournament.

The World Series of Poker gave it up for Africa yesterday, as its Ante Up for Africa game got under way.

Ante Up for Africa was a game studded with A-list celebrities fresh from LA, as well as poker pros, and was aimed at raising money for war-torn Darfur.

The buy-in was $5,000 and entrants were heavily advised to give at least 50 per cent of their winnings to the cause.

Darfur has been the battleground for a civil war recently, which has left 500,000 dead and two million people homeless and seeking refuge.

As published in CasinoCityTimes Mike Matusow said: “The cause is why I’m here…I’m all about giving to charity. That’s why I have no money. I’m the only guy in America who is broke and will give $5,000 to charity.”

Matt Damon was also quick to highlight his altruistic nature: “I’m here to try and raise money and awareness for the tragedies taking place.

“I really hope it becomes an annual event. I hope it does and I hope it doesn’t. I hope we can solve this issue and refocus the efforts on something else in Africa.”

If you’ve ever wanted to star in your own reality TV show but have been either too boring for Big Brother, not geeky enough for Beauty and the Geek, or simply not married to a shaky old British rock star, then there is good news for you…

TV show Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker II is set to return to the nation’s screens soon and you - yes YOU! - could be one of the stars.

Auditions are being held, starting from today, in the Sapphire 2 room of the Vegas Planet Hollywood.

As well as being filmed living it up in a mansion and getting to play a whole lotta poker, if you win you will be the proud winner of $1 million cash, and a contract with Bodog worth another $1 million, including free travel, and free buy-ins to even more poker games.

So, if you’re over 21 and have a photo ID to prove it then you need nothing else - what are you waiting for?!

Those of you hoping to attend the Gaming Life Expo this July then you may want to pay attention.

No doubt you’ll already be aware of the changes in focus of this year’s expo from a gaming to a men’s lifestyle exhibition, but a recent announcement may surprise you.

For the first time, the expo will be host to a stall owned by the World Poker Tournament (WPT), which will include a replica of the final table set “where over 70 WPT Poker-Made Millionaires have been crowned, nearly $300 million in prize money has been awarded, and over five years of poker history has been made”.

Players will be encouraged to take photos on the hands-on exhibition, which will also include an introduction to the WPT’s Season VI hosts and autograph sessions throughout the four-day event.

The expo took on a men’s lifestyle angle after the US brought in restrictions for online gambling, causing many gaming sites to either act illegally or shut down.

Good news arrived for the World Series and Poker (WSOP) today, as well as the poker community worldwide as a matter of fact - ESPN are to begin coverage of the WSOP during play.

ESPN, one of the world’s leading sports coverage channels, typically covers the WSOP after the event has finished but will this year begin on Tuesday July 10th, with coverage of Event 1, a $5,000 Mixed Holdem Limit / No Limit event.

This also means that for viewers with Pay Per View capabilities, the WSOP’s Main Event will be available to view on the box on July 17th, as opposed to the typical August airing.

The decision from ESPN is another sign that poker is reaching a truly worldwide audience, along with the announcement that Bluff, one of the leading poker magazines, has been launched in Europe and that the WSOP itself will hold a tournament in London in the near future.

Officials of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) have announced that the opening of this year’s Main Event will be stretched to four days.

Beginning on July 6, the Main Even is expected to attract one of the largest number of players for a professional tournament, with last year’s field of 8,773 likely to be topped.

The $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em World Championship will see both poker professionals and skilled amateurs compete for a top prize of around $12 million in addition to a new-look WSOP gold bracelet.

“We want to ensure that we’re able to provide a comfortable experience for all players who want to enter the Main Event,” said Jack Effel, WSOP tournament director. “Adding a fourth start day will allow us to do that.”

Following the four opening days, there will be two Day 2s as the field gets narrowed, with all matches to take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

In the most recent events of this year’s WSOP, the Lebanon-born Freddy Deeb took the coveted top prize in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament, one of the most tightly-contested events due to the level of competition.