Betfair Official Blog

Chip stacks form WSOP market

As we all know, the World Series of Poker has now adjourned for what was a 117-day break with the Final Table beginning in November, and we can all still make money on the event even though none of us will be playing, writes Rob Eddy.

There are not too many household names in the 'November Nine' but that has not stopped Betfair opening up a market on the winner of the famous gold bracelet and the millions that will go with it allowing you to bet on the WSOP winner.

That is one of the good things about delaying the final table, as over the next three months or so, the nine poker players - relatively unknown in the poker world before booking their Final Table place - will now all be put under the microscope ahead of the 'almost live' last plays of this year's tournament.

Chip stacks appear to have played a large part in the current odds of each player as the two principal protagonists in the betting, also have the two largest amounts of chips at their disposal.

Dennis Phillips, who has only ever cashed in two live tournaments and won his place in Las Vegas through a satellite tournament, has the largest stack at 26,295,000.

Meanwhile self-proclaimed 'semi-professional' Ivan Demidov from Russia, has 24,400,000 chips and is on a par with Phillips in the betting.

Canadian Scott Montgomery - who actually enjoyed three cashes at the WSOP this year - with 19,690,000 is next best in both the betting and chip stack, ahead of semi-pro Peter Eastgate from Denmark, who has 18,375,000 chips.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the shortest stack, Kelly Kim, who has a mere 2,620,000 chips which is almost 8 million fewer than his nearest rival, is apparently unfancied by the layers to turn that into glory.

• Poker