Poker News

Win a seat at APT Macau with Titan Poker

Play poker in the new gambling capital of the World, Macau, China at the APT being held this August 12th to 23rd. The opportunity to play poker in the Far East for big money is being offered to you by Titan Poker. The prize packages up for grabs are worth a generous $8,000 and include:-

• $4,300 buy in to APT Macau Main Event August 19th to 23rd
• $1,000 for 7 nights stay in Rio Hotel and Casino August 17th to 24th
• $2,330 for flights and spending money
• $100 entrance into exclusive ipoker party on August 18th
• $270 Registration fees

Are you ready to be dealt in for the time of your life? Then, get playing for a place at the APT Macau – the final Super Satellite will be held on Sunday the 2nd August at 10pm UK (that’s 5pm New York) with a buy in direct of $268. Although, if the bankroll’s a bit thin, why not play your way in through to a Super Satellite by joining one of the ongoing Sit n Go’s or daily qualifying tournaments which start at just $4.40 – Macau is waiting for you!

If you’ve not played on Titan Poker then get signed up and get playing – it’s great! We’ve negotiated a top deal for 1st time depositors including VIP sign-up bonus of 150% up to $500 (with $50 free in your account within 72hrs) and exclusive freerolls. Further details of terrific Titan can be found on our unbiased Titan review but, remember you must use the Titan poker Bonus Code VIPTITAN to be able to take advantage of our excellent, exclusive Ist time depositor’s perks.

WSOP 2009 notable numbers: U.S. and A-ok

As they are wont to do, the WSOP has released some of its notable numbers to this point, outlining some statistical highlights as of the awarding of bracelet #10.

And the numbers so far seem to be establishing the 40th World Series of Poker as, indeed, one of the most impressive yet.

The highlights:

• 17,093 total entrants in the WSOP so far this year, with the vast majority (14,502) coming from the United States.
• Of all states, California leads with 3,306 entrants. Nevada (1,649); Texas (987); Florida (896); and New York (819) round out the Top 5.
• 861 Canadians have represented the Great White North, will all 10 provinces (and one territory) sending players.
• 57 other countries have sent players, with the U.K. leading the pack with 269 entrants, followed by Germany (170), France (113), Russia (111) and the Netherlands (83).
• Other countries represented include the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Korea, India, China, Belarus and Turkey.
• Americans have dominated the bracelet leaderboard, winning 9 of the first 10 events. Russia (Vitaly Lunkin) has the lone non-U.S. bracelet. (Note: now 12 of 14, with Ville Wahlbeck of Finland ading the other non-U.S. bracelet.)
• The $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em Event 2 set a record for largest live tournament outside of a Main Event with a prize pool of $7,718,400.
• The 918 entrants for Event 3 established a record for the largest Omaha live-tournament field ever.

The 40th annual WSOP started on May 26 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and continues until July 15.

This will be the second year that the final nine players will return to Las Vegas in November to compete for the WSOP Main Event gold bracelet.

Catch the live action and more in the 2009 WSOP section.

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Party Poker invite you to the APT Macau

Play for an Asian adventure in Macau this August with Party Poker and the Asian Poker Tour (APT). This is a fantastic opportunity for all Party Poker players to take on Asia’s finest players in the gambling capital of the world, *Macau. Not only is there the Main Event to look forward to but the organisers are promising thrilling side events too.

There is a projected prize pool of $1m+ and last year the champion was Yevgeniy Timoshenko who took home approx $500,000, not bad wages!

The prize package up for grabs is worth $7,000 and includes:-

• Main Event buy in of $4,300
• 7 nights at the Rio Hotel and Casino from August 17th
• $1,600 for your expenses

The satellites to this event are running now and start at just $3, the satellites all lead to the Asian Poker Tour Qualifier which is held on Sundays at 8.55pm UK (3.55pm New York), buy in direct at this stage for $750 where 1 in 10 players will win the APT Macau packages.

Now, if you are not familiar with Europe’s favourite and biggest Online Poker Site you are in for a very pleasant surprise, Party Poker is great! We have three extra special initial sign up bonuses to choose from and all is revealed in our unbiased Party Poker Review and Party Poker Bonus Code page.

*Macau is in Eastern Asia bordering the South China Sea and China. Macau was a Portuguese colony from the 16th century until December 1999 hence Portuguese is the second language spoken after Chinese.

Celebrity Apprentice to Return Mid-Season, Retain 9:00pm ET Time Slot

NBC’s hit reality show, Celebrity Apprentice, will return mid-season in 2010, according to a recent article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune. The show’s second season, and eighth overall, saw poker pro Annie Duke reach the finals and square off against comedian Joan Rivers.

The finale of Celebrity Apprentice, which played out on Sunday, May 10th, averaged 8.73 million viewers, according to TV Guide. It ran against stiff competition, as the season finale of CBS’ Amazing Race aired from 8:00pm to 9:00pm ET and drew 10.43 million. Lawyers Tammy and Victor earned the “W” on that show’s 14th installment. Also airing during the first of three hours of the Celebrity Apprentice season finale was Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which generated 8.2 million viewers. During the 9:00pm ET hour, the Donald Trump-led reality series had to contend against both Cold Case and Desperate Housewives. The two shows saw 11.78 and 12.13 million viewers, respectively, tune in.

The final hour of Celebrity Apprentice, which included about a half-hour of live programming from New York City, attracted an audience of 10.24 million. It “trumped” the season finales of The Unit and Brothers and Sisters, outdrawing both shows by at least 500,000. Celebrity Apprentice ran during the season from 9:00pm to 11:00pm ET, being truncated to one hour on just one occasion, which was for the series premiere of Southland, a drama from the creators of E.R. According to the Tribune, Dateline NBC will occupy the 7:00pm to 8:00pm ET time slot in early 2010. It will be followed by The Marriage Ref, which airs from 8:00pm to 9:00pm ET. Celebrity Apprentice will then be beamed into homes around the country for two hours.

In its Fall 2009 schedule, NBC will air Sunday Night Football in the time slot previously occupied by Celebrity Apprentice. Its pre-game show, Football Night in America, will run from 7:00pm to 8:20pm ET, with kickoff of the feature game occurring shortly thereafter. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call every Sunday. Collinsworth replaces football legend John Madden, who recently retired. Celebrity Apprentice fans may also have to wait until after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will emanate from Vancouver and air between February 12th and 28th.

Duke raised over $730,000 for her charity, Refugees International, during NBC’s second season of Celebrity Apprentice. She raised $460,000 in the final episode alone, which challenged Duke and Rivers to hold a silent auction featuring celebrity experiences prior to a performance of the Cirque du Soleil show Wintuk. The task also entailed incorporating the event’s corporate sponsor, Kodak. In the end, the two finalists were judged on five criteria, with Rivers winning Kodak integration, celebrities in attendance, and overall guest experience. Duke won by a 3:1 margin in money raised and also won charity incorporation.

In a recently blog, 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson remarked, “The Celebrity Apprentice is over. What a joke! If Donald Trump was really hiring someone, who do you think he would pick? I think that when Joan Rivers threatened to not come back, Trump assured her she would be the winner.” Time will only tell if the third installment of Celebrity Apprentice will feature a poker player. Duke is one of several to appear on a major reality series. In 2007, Bodog Poker pro Jean-Robert Bellande appeared on CBS’ Survivor: China. Bellande was the eighth person voted out and became the second member of the jury. In Survivor, ousted contestants choose the winner of the $1 million first place prize. Flight attendant Todd Herzog took down Survivor: China, besting Courtney Yates and Amanda Kimmel in a three-way final tribal council.

Duke will re-enter the poker spotlight during the 2009 WSOP, which kicks off next week from the Rio in Las Vegas. A $5,000 buy-in charity poker tournament benefiting Ante Up for Africa will take place on July 2nd in the Amazon Room and be televised by ESPN. Celebrity Apprentice contestants Dennis Rodman and Herschel Walker are both confirmed to appear in the event, which raises money for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. Ante Up for Africa was founded in 2006 by Duke, actor Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein.

Poker Players Evaluate PokerStars Software Updates

PokerStars, the most popular poker room on the internet, has released software and server updates that have enhanced the experience for players.  As one of the most player-friendly poker rooms with arguably the best customer service in the business, PokerStars has earned the reputation of taking user suggestions to heart and fast-tracking them to implementation.  The recent PokerStars software upgrades include:

RSA Security Token
This state-of-the-art security solution is a special token that can be purchased for 6,000 Frequent Player Points (FPPs) in the VIP store.  The token continually has a changing password synched to a secure server that is linked with the PokerStars login.  Without this security token, it’s impossible to login even if you have a user’s account password.

Security PIN Number
Adding a layer of security to the login (does not require a token) is the PIN, which is entered via a “virtual keypad” instead of the keyboard.  The position of the numbers changes each time (randomly) when a user logs in.

Sit and Go Rematch Prompt
At the end of any sit and go, users will be prompted for a rematch.  If the players accept, a new tournament is created immediately without the need to visit the lobby.

Ring Game Table Color Highlighting
Tables in the ring game lobby on PokerStars will now be highlighted in red if you are currently sitting at it and in pink if you are on the waiting list.

New Time Zones
Time zones added for Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, Japan, and Brazil.

New Languages
All major European and Cyrillic languages have been added, bringing the total to 26.

Performance Upgrades to Decrease Lag
Improved performance of the software to properly handle bandwidth requirements when 200,000 or more players are logged in.

Player reaction to the software upgrades has been almost universally positive.  Here is feedback we received when polling various regular PokerStars players:

Irexes (Low-Stakes Ring Game Player and Weekly Participant in the Sunday Million)
The table color highlighting is tremendous.  It’s an example of how important usability is and how simple it is to improve things. Many times, I’ve gone to add myself to a waitlist on a table only to see I’m already on it.  The new time zones have been very handy and I’ve never had any real problems with lag performance, so haven’t noticed an improvement.

Tenbob (Low-Stakes Ring Game Player)
My security PIN was given to me when my MSN was hacked after some random person figured out my security question. I had to contact all five poker rooms I play at and PokerStars was the only one that took it seriously, instantly introducing the PIN code on my account. This way, a key logger virus cannot gain access to my account on PokerStars.  It gives peace of mind that even if my machine is stolen with the password “remembered,” no one cannot access my account.

ChuckTs (Mid-Stakes Ring Game Player)
I just think PokerStars’ constant upgrades solidify its number one spot in the industry. The new security PIN and RSA token, both of which I’ve been using, are huge for a poker player like myself who now feels a lot safer with their bankroll online. Their other poker-specific features are also fantastic and show how much they listen to the poker players on their site. I was going to move to a smaller site for rakeback reasons, but PokerStars is making a strong case for itself and, to be honest, I’m having a tough time leaving them.

WPT Enterprises Reports First Quarter Financial Results, Ends WPT China

Last week, World Poker Tour Enterprises announced their first quarter 2009 financial results, which included surprises across the board for the company.

During the conference call reporting the first quarter results, WPT Enterprises President and CEO Steve Lipscomb stated, “During the first quarter of 2009, we made significant progress in our turnaround efforts to position the Company for future profitability. We signed our first international sponsor for Season Seven of the World Poker Tour television series, we signed marketing partnerships for non-televised WPT tour stops, we shut down the WPT China business and we reduced our ongoing costs. We also completed the initial airing of the 13 episodes we produced for our ClubWPT.com online subscription poker business. FSN began airing 26 all-new episodes of Season Seven of the World Poker Tour television series across the U. S. in January as a part of FSN’s Sunday sports block. FSN also agreed to air Season Eight of the World Poker Tour television series.”

Excluding a non-cash asset impairment charge of $1 million related to its investment in Cecure Gaming (a mobile gaming company) in the first quarter of 2009, WPT Enterprises was able to show a profit for the first quarter of the fiscal year. Income from WPT Enterprises’ continuing operations in the first quarter of 2009 was $479,000, compared to a $2.3 million loss in the first quarter of 2008. The Cecure Gaming charge was due to problems that Cecure continues to have during the ongoing worldwide financial crisis in obtaining capital to finance their business development.

There were several highlights for the company during the first three months of the 2009 fiscal year. WPT Enterprises was able to complete the production of Season Seven of the World Poker Tour, which will continue to be broadcast on Fox Sports Network through July of this year. Further good news for the company was the renewal of broadcast rights by FSN for the upcoming Season Eight – which WPT Enterprises has yet to announce a schedule for – and the signing of PokerStars to be the primary sponsor of the international broadcasts of the WPT in Canada, Europe, Mexico and South America for a reported $2.1 million.

WPT Enterprises pointed to the explosive growth of their subscription poker room ClubWPT.com as one of the drivers of their first quarter success. Overall revenues for the company in the first quarter of 2009 increased to $5.5 million – compared to $5.0 million in the first quarter of 2008 – partially due to the higher ClubWPT.com revenues. ClubWPT.com began operations in the first quarter of 2008 but showed significant revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2008 due to the airing of ten one-hour “ClubWPT” episodes on FSN. “ClubWPT” featured online qualifiers that played on television for a winner take all $10,000 prize each episode.

One of the other surprises of the WPT Enterprises financial report was the discontinuation of their WPT China operations, which had previously been viewed as a potential growth area for the company. After finding that the cash needed to support the continued operation of WPT China was too steep, WPT Enterprises discontinued the operations of WPT China in March 2009. WPT China lost $984,000 in the first quarter of 2009, including a $211,000 shutdown provision, compared to a $528,000 loss in the first quarter of 2008. While WPT Enterprises has discontinued WPT China, they continue to seek investors willing to purchase the assets of the operation.

WPT Enterprises expects to have minute losses regarding the second quarter of 2009. Overall revenues are expected to be in the range of $4.0 – $4.3 million but, over the course of the coming fiscal year, WPT Enterprises expects to rebound with lower production costs of their television shows, lower administrative costs, the continued success of ClubWPT.com and the finalization of the shutdown of WPT China.

WPT sets sights on Slovakia

Earlier in 2009, the tour added non-televised stops in Marrakech, Morocco Oct. 12-19; Barcelona, Spain June 24-30; and Venice, Italy, beginning today through May 10.

Now, just a few short weeks after the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic, a $10,000 buy-in tournament at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino set for Sept. 6-12, was added to the schedule, the WPT announced it is heading to Slovakia.

WPT Slovakia, a €4,000 event, has been booked for Aug. 31 through Sept. 5 in Bratislava, Slovakia Republic.

"Our goal is to bring value to our partners and WPTE shareholders as we expand our global footprint," said WPT Founder, President and CEO Steve Lipscomb.

The WPT's continued global expansion did take a hit earlier this year when the company announced WPT China operations were shutting down after two years in the red.

While these new European stops are not expected to be televised outside of the countries where they will be held, if it all, the WPT has also announced Fox Sports Net will televise the tour's eighth season next year.

More information on WPT Slovakia can be found here.

Related Article: WPT heading to Venice, Marrakech

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Minnesota attacks online gambling

The State's Department of Public Safety served notice on 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers this week telling them to prohibit access of all Minnesota-based computers to those gambling sites.

The DPS contends that online gambling is illegal in all U.S. states.

Under a federal statute enacted in 1961 that recognized the states' need to control illegal gambling, the state has the authority to use its law enforcement agencies to stop illegal online gambling activity.

The DPS said it believes this is the first attempt by a state to employ the federal statute to restrict access to online gambling sites.

"In Minnesota, and for Minnesotans, the primary issues are legality, state self-governance and accountability," said John Willems, director of the DPS Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division.

"In broader context, the long-running debate on online gambling continues to raise significant issues, including absence of policy and regulation, individual rights, societal impact, international fair-trade practices, and funding for criminal and terrorist organizations."

Not only will Internet Service Providers be asked to block computers in Minnesota from the list of online gambling sites, the written notice also provides the sites' telephone numbers so Minnesotans can't call those numbers either.

"We are putting site operators and Minnesota online gamblers on notice," Willems said

"Disruption of these sites' cash flow will negatively impact their business models. State residents with online escrow accounts should be aware that access to their accounts may be jeopardized and their funds in peril."

According to the DPS, a response from the notified ISPs is expected within two to three weeks, at which time issues of non-compliance will be referred to the Federal Communications Commission.

The list of specific online gambling sites isn't being made available until the DPS confirms it is legal to release it.

However, Willems told PokerListings the list is not defined by type of gambling.

"Staff prepared a sample list at my request, so it may or may not include poker," Willems said. "Please keep in mind this is about 200 sites, which is a small representation of the larger number that operate."

Willems anticipates the program will expand to address thousands of online gambling sites depending on the compliance of the telephone companies and ISPs. He said the required technology to restrict geographic access to particular sites is a relatively straightforward procedure for service providers.

"The state of Minnesota has not to this point explored regulating this business. Perhaps that will happen in the future," Willems said.

"However, as of now, this form of gambling is unlawful in our state."

Matt Werden, the Minnesota state director of the Poker Player Alliance, has already stepped up to defend online poker.

"This isn't simply a heavy-handed tactic by the government; this is a clear misrepresentation of federal law, as well as Minnesota law, used in an unprecedented way to try and censor the Internet," Werden said.

"I don't know what U.S. Code they're reading, but it is not illegal to play this great American pastime online, and we're calling their bluff."

Werden claims online poker isn't illegal, is not criminal, and can't be forcibly blocked by "a state authority looking to score some political points."

"We see headlines like this coming from communist China but never expect that it could happen here in Minnesota," Werden said. "The good news is groups like the Poker Players Alliance are here to protect the rights of poker players and set the record straight when government reaches too far."

Werden said the issue is more than just about protecting poker. It is about keeping the Internet free of censorship and ensuring that law-abiding citizens can enjoy a game of Texas Hold'em in the comfort of their own home, either online or with a group of friends.

"The PPA will take any action necessary to make sure our members and the general public are aware of these oppressive and illegal actions, and to make sure the game of poker - in all it's forms - is protected in the state of Minnesota," he said.

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Life on the High Seas by Linda Johnson

Recently, I returned from another spectacular adventure with Card Player Cruises aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Legend of the Seas. As I grow older, my interest in visiting new places and learning about other cultures grows. To begin the trip, I flew to Shanghai, China with my business partner, Jan Fisher, and Card Player Cruises’ operations manager, Rita Axel. There, we met up with my brother, mom, aunt, and Jan’s father.

The 14-day cruise was an eye-opening experience and made me so very proud to be an American. Visiting China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore was a culture shock of gargantuan proportions. Although I had already been to Thailand and Singapore, I found China to be much more modern and Vietnam and Cambodia to be much poorer than my preconceptions of them. I don’t think anyone who joined us on this cruise wasn’t affected by what they saw. Many of the people in Asia work long days at back-breaking work and make less than $1,000 a year, yet they were kind and loving and seemed to enjoy our visits. They were proud of their homes and proud to tell us about their customs and history.

Here were some of the highlights of the cruise:

The Poker Room: The games (Omaha/8, Hold’em, No Limit, and a Mixed game) were lively and the players had a good time.

Shanghai, China: We enjoyed a trip to a Buddhist temple, a city tour, a river cruise, a two hour massage, and shopping, shopping, shopping!

Xiamen, China: The tour featured a scenic drive, a tea ceremony, shopping at a pedestrian mall, and a two hour massage.

Hong Kong: We went on a city tour before going to the Aberdeen fishing village to experience a sampan ride. Disaster struck while having lunch at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant: My mother didn’t see one of the steps and took a bad fall, breaking a bone in her foot. Ever the trooper, she insisted that we finish the tour to Victoria Peak and the Stanley Market before letting me take her to an orthopedic specialist. He made a walking cast for her and told her to stay off her foot as much as possible for six weeks. For the duration of the trip, she had to be in a wheelchair, but her spirits never dampened and she never complained. She is my hero!

Sanya, China: We finally got out of the modern cities and into the countryside. The roads through the local villages were rough; pigs and cattle roamed openly. We took a boat ride to Monkey Island, aptly named for the monkeys that roamed freely. Next was a short stop at the Nurian Hot Springs. One of my trip highlights was lying in a nibble fish pool and having tiny fish nibble away at my dry skin; it really tickled!

Danang, Vietnam: Mom and I rented a vehicle and a driver and took a scenic tour with a stop at China Beach and a marble factory.

Nha Trang, Vietnam: I had planned an excursion for the Card Player Cruises group that would really showcase how the people in Vietnam live. It began with a trip to a local kindergarten (the children were beautiful and so friendly), a visit to a mat-making village and a clay pot manufacturer, a traditional Vietnamese lunch by the river, and a stop at a temple.

Vung Tau, Vietnam: I stayed on the ship with my mother and we checked our e-mail and relaxed by the pool. Many of our cruisers made the long trek to Saigon.

Bangkok, Thailand: I planned an overnight trip for 20 of our passengers that began with a visit to the Sriachi Zoo before checking into the Royal Orchid Sheraton in Bangkok. It was a beautiful hotel on the river with spectacular views from the rooms. After some free time during which I had a traditional Thai massage (lots of stretching involved), we went to a great dinner and a production show that would rival the best in Las Vegas. Our night ended with a stop at the night market and an adult show. The next morning, we broke into two groups: one took a city tour and the other took a canal tour before we reunited for the two hour ride back to the ship.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia: Cambodia was very hot and humid. The poverty was more prevalent than we had seen in the other countries. We went to a temple, did a city tour, and stopped at a market. I actually was so warm that I passed up a two hour, $10 massage and went back to the ship for a swim.

Singapore: My good friend Vince Lau picked us up at the port and took us to the Meritus Mandarin Hotel where we checked into our rooms. Following a city tour and a great lunch, my mom, aunt, and brother headed to the airport. In the evening, we went to a local Hawker food court and then drove through the red light district and walked around Clarke Quay. The next day, Vince had arranged for a poker seminar and tournament. Twenty of our cruise passengers joined about 50 locals to hear Mark Tenner, Barry Tanenbaum, Jan Fisher, and me talk poker. After the chat, we played in a freeroll tournament. Sushi was on the dinner menu then it was early to bed so we could get up at 3:00am to head to the airport to go home.

ZeeJustin Unbanned on PokerStars

Just in time for its very first Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), the world's most popular online poker room, PokerStars, reinstated the account of Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo, a sponsored pro of Bodog. The 23 year-old first ran into trouble in 2006 on PartyPoker, which was, at the time, open to U.S. players. Bonomo logged into multiple accounts at one time, sparking a flood of other sites to follow suit and ban the young player from their virtual felts.

Bonomo's multi-accounting came into light soon after the revelation that Josh "JJProdigy" Field had used several screen names, including “ABlackCar.” The mischief by Field also occurred on PartyPoker, leading the site to tighten up its security. Field was also informed by the Cake Poker Network that he could not compete in the Bluff Online Poker Challenge last month due to a ban for allowing a staked player to use his account.

Bonomo used a total of six accounts to log into PartyPoker; at times, these accounts appeared in the same online poker tournament. Winnings from a $640 buy-in PartyPoker Sunday tournament were revoked and Bonomo shied away from the media frenzy. On February 26th, 2006, Lee Jones, then the PokerStars Poker Room Manager, announced on TwoPlusTwo that Bonomo had been "playing multiple accounts in several tournaments at PokerStars." Money was taken from his account and used to pay back "players who were harmed by his actions in those same tournaments."

In 2008, Bonomo signed on as a member of Team Bodog, joining "Survivor: China" castaway Jean-Robert Bellande, Evelyn Ng, and David Williams. Bonomo burst onto the live poker scene in 2007, taking second in a $3,000 buy-in HORSE tournament held as part of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit festivities at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for $40,000. During the 2007 WSOP, Bonomo made the final table and finished fourth in a $2,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em tournament, winning $156,000. The next year, he finished as the runner up in a $5,000 Mixed Hold'em event for $230,000. That tournament marked the first bracelet win for Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren.

During the 2006 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic, a stop on the World Poker Tour (WPT), Bonomo bubbled the six-handed televised final table and finished in seventh for $152,000. He took 11th in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event and 35th in the WPT Championship, both in 2007, for a combined $154,000. Together with Parvis and Eric Morris, Bonomo took down the inaugural Dream Team Poker tournament held at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas as part of “Team Bluff.” Now, he will battle it out in the PokerStars SCOOP, which begins on Friday.

On the naming of Bonomo to Bodog's elite stable of poker pros in May of 2008, Mohawk Gaming Group CEO Alwyn Morris commented in a press release, "Justin is one of the most feared and skilled players in poker today and we're thrilled to officially have him join our team of world-class poker pros. Justin lives and breathes the Bodog lifestyle and is a perfect fit for us. We expect him to make a lot of noise this year for Team Bodog, beginning with the WSOP this summer."

Matt Graham (mattg1983) Joins Ultimate Bet Star Players Team

On Thursday, online poker room Ultimate Bet announced that it had signed World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder and top online poker player Matt “mattg1983” Graham to its roster of Star Players. He joins Tiffany Michelle, Tracy Scala, James “P0KERPR033” Campbell, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, “Hollywood” Dave Stann, and Michael Binger.

Graham's WSOP bracelet came after a grueling heads-up match against Bodog pro and “Survivor: China” contestant Jean-Robert Bellande in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Shootout event last year. Graham's win was worth $278,000, solidifying his name as a major force in both the live and online poker worlds. Graham also took down a $5,000 buy-in event held during the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in December for $320,000, besting David Matthew heads-up. Finishing in the top ten of that tournament were a talented group of pros including David “The Dragon” Pham, Hafiz Khan, Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, and Marco “CrazyMarco” Johnson.

In a statement released by the Tokwiro-owned online poker site, Annie Duke welcomed her new colleague to Ultimate Bet: "I am so thrilled to have Matt Graham on the team. Matt epitomizes the all-around poker player. He has great results in all of the games, live or online. Matt is an amazing addition to the UltimateBet.com team." Duke and Phil Hellmuth serve as the primary faces of Ultimate Bet, which makes its home on the USA-friendly CEREUS Network. Late last year, the site combined its member base with that of Absolute Poker, creating the popular Network.

Michelle was the last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, ultimately finishing 17th and taking home $334,000. Scala won the first season of “Best Damn Poker Show,” a reality series on Fox Sports Net pitting Duke and Hellmuth against each other to see who can groom poker's next superstar. The second installment of “Best Damn Poker Show” just wrapped up and was won by Patrick Karst.

Campbell is one of the top online players and can be found battling it out under the alias “P0KERPR033.” Levy finished fifth in the World Poker Tour's Festa al Lago event last year, banking $266,000. Stann was a contestant on “Best Damn Poker Show” Season One and is well-known for his skills at the blackjack table. Binger has nearly $5 million in career WSOP earnings, although he has not yet won a bracelet.

On his new employer, Graham noted, "I look forward to the opportunity to represent UltimateBet.com both online and in the live arena. I never would have thought I would be a site pro when I began my online poker career at UltimateBet.com four years ago, but now here I am. I am very excited to be a part of the future of this site." Online, the poker prodigy took down the Sunday Second Chance on PokerStars in August for $53,000. In the same month, he also won the PokerStars $100 rebuy, one of the most challenging tournaments in all of poker, for $38,000.

According to PokerScout.com, which ranks online poker traffic, CEREUS sits at number seven worldwide with a seven day running average of 2,400 real money ring game players. Its 24 hour peak, which occurs during prime time hours in the United States, is 3,321. The CEREUS Network is the third largest that accepts players from the United States, trailing only PokerStars (24,400 cash game players on average) and Full Tilt Poker (11,000). Both Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet are owned by Tokwiro Enterprises. The Network's Bad Beat Jackpot was hit last week for over $800,000 when a Royal Flush defeated a jack-high Straight Flush.

Bodog Unveils 2009 WSOP Prop Bets

If you've ever wanted to rail your favorite poker stars without having to be at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, head to Bodog. The online poker site and sports book recently opened up betting on the WSOP. The festivities at the Rio begin on May 27th.

Among the wagers available on Bodog is what poker pro will win the most money during the 2009 WSOP. The leader in the clubhouse is 11-time bracelet holder Phil Hellmuth, who is currently going off at 5:2. Other players that are available to bet on include Doyle Brunson (7:2), David Sklansky (12:1), Barry Greenstein (5:1), Mike Caro (12:1), Phil Gordon (10:1), T.J. Cloutier (6:1), and Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu, who is fetching 3:1 odds.

The question of “Will Phil Hellmuth win his 12th bracelet at the 2009 WSOP occurring in Las Vegas beginning May 27th?” is paying +300 for Yes and -500 for No. Hellmuth made three final tables last year, taking third in the $1,500 buy-in HORSE event for $93,000. You can also bet on whether Brunson or Johnny Chan will score their 11th bracelets. The +300 figure means that a player must bet $100 to get back a total of $400. The -500 figure means that a player must bet $500 to get back a total of $600.

A special last longer wager is also available on the prestigious $50,000 buy-in HORSE Championship, which was infamously won last year by Scotty Nguyen. He has 5:1 odds in the bet, the favorite among the pros available. Others include Brunson (6:1), Hellmuth (7:1), Chan (7:1), Freddy Deeb (11:2), Phil Ivey (6:1), David Williams (11:2), Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo (11:2), and Negreanu (6:1). Deeb won the event in 2007 and the late Chip Reese took down the inaugural HORSE Championship in 2006. The trophy given to the winner of the event is named in his honor.

Another unique bet asks wagerers to select what pair will rack up the most winnings in the 2009 WSOP. Patrik Antonius and Kathy Liebert are the current favorites, going off at 4:1. Other pairings available include Doyle and Todd Brunson (6:1), the husband and wife team of Marco Traniello and Jennifer Harman (6:1), father and son Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok (9:2), brother and sister Annie Duke and Howard Lederer (15:2), Bodog pros Evelyn Ng and Justin Bonomo (15:2), Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly (6:1), mother and son David and Shirley Williams (6:1), engaged couple Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso (10:1), and Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Tiffany Michelle (9:2).

Players can even bet on what game will be played when the final hand is dealt during the HORSE Championship. Hold'em, Razz, and Seven Card Stud are all paying 5:2, while Omaha High-Low and Seven Card Stud High-Low are both going off at 15:4.

Bettors will also be keeping their eyes on the female contingent in the Main Event, as a special women's-only last longer bet is available on Bodog. Jennifer Harman and Kathy Liebert are the current favorites; both are 5:1 to remain in contention in the Main Event the longest. Others include Duke (7:1), Tilly (10:1), Cyndy Violette (7:1), Isabelle Mercier (7:1), Clonie Gowen (7:1), Ng (7:1), Liz Lieu (7:1), Mimi Tran (7:1), Katja Thater (7:1), Rousso (7:1), and the last woman standing in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Maria Ho (10:1).

One prop bet on Bodog centers wholly on Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande's finish in the Main Event. Bellande was a contestant on CBS' “Survivor: China,” one of the 18 seasons of the show that have aired. “No Money” is paying 1:20; finishing in the money, but no better than 10th place is paying 8:1; making the final table is paying 150:1; and winning the 2009 WSOP Main Event is fetching 1,000:1 odds. Bellande took 442nd in the Main Event last year.

The first wager listed in Bodog's poker section is, “Will Scotty Nguyen reach his stated promise that he will earn $4,000,000 or more in combined winnings at this year’s WSOP?” Yes is paying out +2,400. The bet stems from an interview Nguyen had with PokerListings that he would retire from poker if he does not amass $4 million in winnings at the 2009 WSOP. Whether he will follow through on his promise is anyone's guess.