World Series of Poker Archives

Ivey set to LOSE $1,000,000 if he WINS Main Event!

Dave Allan / 18 August 2009 / Leave a comment

Much has been made about the proposition bets between Phil Ivey and a number of his fellow professional players over the past few weeks, with rumours of Ivey being set to win over $10,000,000 from them should he win the...Read more »

Prop bets could net Ivey more than Main Event 1st Prize!

Matthew Pitt / 04 August 2009 / Leave a comment

Everyone knows poker players love to make proposition bets or prop bets are they are more commonly known. Players will bet on anything from who will last longer in a specific tournament to who can eat the most beef jerky...Read more »

Four month break for the November Nine

Matthew Pitt / 16 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Day 8 of the World Championship $10,000 No-limit Hold'em Event started at noon Las Vegas time and just 11 hours later the 27 players who started were whittled down until only the November Nine had chips remaining. With so much...Read more »

Phil Ivey in the hunt as Day 7 of $10k Main Event draws to a close

Matthew Pitt / 15 July 2009 / Leave a comment

There is just one more day of play until the 6,494 players who paid $10,000 to enter the 2009 World Championship No-limit Hold'em Event will have been whittled down to form the November Nine. Sixty-four players returned to unbag their...Read more »

Eighth bracelet within reach for Phil Ivey

Matthew Pitt / 14 July 2009 / Leave a comment

After five two-hour long levels, just 64 of the last 185 players still had chips remaining and with them the now real possibility of winning over $8,500,000. Amongst those returning for Day 7 of the World Championship No-limit Hold'em Main...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin -Trip Round-Up

Dave Allan / 14 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Betfair Poker blogger Simon Zammit reflects on his Vegas trip and signs off for one last time. Back home, re-packing my suitcase as I prepare for my holiday in Spain/ Ibiza starting tomorrow, I still cannot stop thinking about Sin...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP: Day 5 of the $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 13 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Of the 407 players who returned to The Rio for Day 5 of the $10,000 World Championship No-Limit Hold'em Event, just two were wearing the colours of Betfair Poker, Sorel Mizzi and tcmoriera. Mizzi started the day with a healthy...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 10 - The End is Near

Dave Allan / 12 July 2009 / Leave a comment

There is a certain sadness in Simon Zammit's last blog post about his time at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas with Team Betfair but for me it has been a fascinating insight into a world I knew...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP: Day 4 of the $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 12 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Five members of Team Betfair returned to do battle at the Rio but by the end of play just two of them managed to survive and keep alive dreams of a life changing sum of money and the title of...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 9 - Hypnotic Vegas

Dave Allan / 12 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Time is nearly up for our intrepid blogger Simon Zammit in Las Vegas but he still has a few last tales to tell about Vegas nightlife and, of course, the World Series of Poker. Team Betfair at WSOP 2009 started...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP: Day 3 of the $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 11 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Day 3 of the $10,000 World Championship No-limit Hold'em Main Event saw 2,044 players return to the Rio, nine of them part of Team Betfair, all with one goal, to win the tournament, the $8,500,000 and a coveted World Series...Read more »

Dealing With Dealers at the WSOP

Dave Allan / 10 July 2009 / Leave a comment

With a few horror stories coming out of the WSOP, including a dealer having his hand broken by a disgruntled punter, it seems a good time to look at etiquette around dealers. The vast majority of poker players treat dealers...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP: Day 2b of $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 10 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Day 2b saw a staggering 2,924 hopeful poker players return to The Rio to un-bag their chips and fight it out across the felt for a seat in Day 3 of the World's biggest poker tournament. By the close of...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 8 - Birds, Booze and Blackjack

Dave Allan / 10 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Vegas is starting to grow on me. (writes Simon Zammit) I am getting used to all the great things going on and can really imagine myself being on of the regular visitors to this great city. Last night was another...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 7 - Interview, Craps and WSOP

Dave Allan / 09 July 2009 / Leave a comment

The excellent Simon Zammit completes his first week of blogging for Betfair Poker at the World Series of Poker. I rolled out of bed and dragged myself into the bathroom and the shower worked wonders as I felt like a...Read more »

2009 WSOP: Main Event in full swing

Dave Allan / 08 July 2009 / Leave a comment

The "Day 1s" are already over at the WSOP main event and some familiar names are nursing some healthy chip stacks at this stage. Eric Cloutier currently leads the pack as Day 2b begins. Cloutier had an outstanding days play...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 6 - Sunglasses and Call Girls

Dave Allan / 08 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Today I woke up as fresh as I could hope for, which was great! Richard and I met in the lobby around 09:30 and had a quick breakfast. Today was his last full day in Vegas and he needed to...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP: Day 2a of $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 08 July 2009 / Leave a comment

After the controversy of Day 1d, where hundreds of players missed out on playing in the Main Event due it selling out, most were happy to get back to playing and discussing poker. 1,476 players spilled into the Rio and...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 5 - Cardstacker Stunt

Dave Allan / 07 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Well on his way to losing his Vegas virginity, the popular Simon Zammit continues his revealing tales from behind the scenes at Betfair's World Series of Poker 2009. As the alarm clock rang like there's no tomorrow, I slowly got...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP - Day 1c and 1d of the $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 07 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Five more member of Team Betfair took to the felt with another 1,691 entrants in the Amazon and Brasilia rooms of The Rio and four managed to survive, with 1,102 others to make it through to Day 2. Congressman Barney...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 4 - Flying High

Dave Allan / 06 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Popular blogger and self-confessed car nut Simon Zammit returns with his latest adventures in Sin City including a poker tournament success, Lamborghinis and helicopter rides. Amy and Richard did not want to tell me where we where to eat dinner...Read more »

Team Betfair at the WSOP: Day1a and 1b of the $10k Main Event

Matthew Pitt / 06 July 2009 / Leave a comment

The final event of the 2009 World Series of Poker, the $10,000 World Championship No-limit Hold'em Event started on Friday 3 July and Team Betfair were well represented with a host of online qualifiers and the Betfair Pros. Day 1a...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 3 - Work and Play

Dave Allan / 05 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Simon Zammit continues his story of working behind the scenes for a major online poker room at the WSOP wrapping up Day 2 and geting stuck into work on Day 3. I met up with Amy and Richard at the...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 2 - The Real Adventure Begins!

Dave Allan / 04 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Our Vegas Virgin is still in England but not for long as Simon Zammit takes to the sky and finally lands in Sin City for the World Series of Poker and the start of his real adventures. As the TV...Read more »

Matt Hawrilenko wins the last WSOP bracelet of the summer

Matthew Pitt / 03 July 2009 / Leave a comment

With the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event final table once again being scheduled to play out in November, Event#56, the $5,000 No-limit Hold'em Six-handed event was the last chance to win a coveted gold bracelet this summer. In...Read more »

Tales of a Vegas Veteran - Part Two

Dave Allan / 03 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Just over 36 hours into my Vegas trip and as yet I haven't gambled away any of my hard earned money. (Plenty of time!) Rather impressively I have put on a kilo in weight though in just over a day...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - Day 1 - Destination London

Dave Allan / 02 July 2009 / Leave a comment

The excellent Simon Zammit continues his Las Vegas WSOP blog reaching London but not before an unfortunate incident with his dog, a run-in with a women's rugby team and some engine trouble. After finishing the Blog Intro and actually seeing...Read more »

Betting Odds On The WSOP Main Event

Dave Allan / 02 July 2009 / Leave a comment

The betting market on the WSOP is starting to take shape ahead of the Main Event that starts on Friday July 3rd. The most popular market is proving to be the "Will They Cash?" with money already changing hands about...Read more »

David Bach wins $50k HORSE Event

Matthew Pitt / 02 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Twenty hours and 492 hands after the final table of the $50,000 HORSE Event started it was David Bach who emerged victorious clutching a custom World Series of Poker bracelet, the commemorative Chip Reese Memorial Trophy and $1,276,802 in prize...Read more »

Tales of a Vegas Veteran

Dave Allan / 02 July 2009 / 1 Comments

My journey to Vegas started in the small hours of the 30th June at 6am. After stuffing my newly ironed shirts into my suitcase along with a mixture of smart, casual, hot, cold weather clothes I was ready to leave...Read more »

Tales of the Vegas Virgin - The Introduction

Dave Allan / 01 July 2009 / 1 Comments

Introducing Betfair Poker's Simon Zammit who is in Las Vegas for the very first time. Follow his experiences over the next few weeks as he reports on all things Vegas at the World Series of Poker Main Event. We all...Read more »

2009 WSOP: Big Names Top the Money Lists

Dave Allan / 01 July 2009 / Leave a comment

We're in "main event week" at the WSOP and so far this year we've seen plenty of big names going deep and winning the side events. The big dance starts on Friday July 3rd and, judging by the number of...Read more »

Erik Sagstrom chip leader as $50k HORSE reaches final table

Matthew Pitt / 30 June 2009 / Leave a comment

After four full days of play, 95 hopefuls have been whittled down to the final table of eight in Event#49 the $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. Whilst there were 53 fewer entrants than last year, the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy is...Read more »

Greg Mueller wins second bracelet at WSOP Event#50

Matthew Pitt / 29 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Greg 'FBT' Mueller outlasted 571 players in Event#50 of the 2009 World Series of Poker, the $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout to become the fourth player of the series to win multiple bracelets. After a long ten hour Day 1, the...Read more »

Greenstein reaches final table of WSOP Event#47 $2,500 Mixed Hold'em

Matthew Pitt / 26 June 2009 / Leave a comment

After two gruelling days of poker, including a 13 hour long Day 2, the $2,500 Mixed Hold'em Event#47 is down to the final nine players and is preparing to hand out another coveted bracelet to the lucky winner. The first...Read more »

John Kabbaj running over the $10k Pot Limit Hold'em WSOP Event#45

Matthew Pitt / 25 June 2009 / Leave a comment

The penultimate $10,000 World Championship Event of the 2009 World Series of Poker is in the final stages and it is the English professional player, John 'Large' Kabbaj who leads the way with just 14 of the 275 entrants remaining....Read more »

2009 WSOP: Three championship events conclude while Mizzi goes close

Dave Allan / 24 June 2009 / Leave a comment

It has been a heartbreaking week for Betfair Poker's Sorel Mizzi. The Canadian professional played some outstanding poker to go deep in the $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha event at The Rio in Las Vegas and, as the final started, appeared...Read more »

Matthew 'mattg1983' Graham win second bracelet in WSOP Event#40

Matthew Pitt / 24 June 2009 / Leave a comment

When 295 players paid the $10,000 entry fee to take part in Event#40, the World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha Event they were informed 27 of them would make the money and earn at least $25,817 but each and every one of...Read more »

British duo miss out on WSOP bracelet in Event#41

Matthew Pitt / 23 June 2009 / Leave a comment

British professional poker players Barny Boatman and Neil Channing both made courageous deep runs in Event 41, the $5,000 No-limit Hold'em Shootout but fell short of claiming their first bracelet. The shootout is a unique tournament in that in order...Read more »

Jeffrey Lisandro - The Seven Card Stud

Matthew Pitt / 22 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Jeffrey Lisandro won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2007 when he took down the $2,000 Seven Card Stud Event for a cool $118,426 but he has come into his won at this year's series by doing what...Read more »

Sorel so close to WSOP bracelet...again

Matthew Pitt / 21 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Sorel 'Imper1um' Mizzi once again came within touching distance of winning a coveted World Series of Poker bracelet, but unfortunately finished as runner-up in Event#35, the $5,000 Pot-limit Omaha tournament. Eleven players returned for the third and final day but...Read more »

Sorel Mizzi deep in Event#35 $5000 Pot Limit Omaha

Matthew Pitt / 18 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Betfair pro Sorel Mizzi is on course for his third WSOP cash of the 2009 series in the star-studded $5,000 Pot-limit Omaha Event. Billed as the warm-up to Saturday's $10,000 World Championship Pot-limit Omaha (Event 40), Event 35's entrants are...Read more »

2009 WSOP: Britain's Got Bracelets

Dave Allan / 17 June 2009 / Leave a comment

We're in the second half the World Series of Poker right now and things have certainly taken a turn for the better for British poker players in Las Vegas. After a dry spell, early on in the festival, the British...Read more »

De Wolfe, De Wolfe, De Wolfe is on fire!

Matthew Pitt / 17 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Winning a bracelet at the World Series of Poker is no mean feat at the best of times never mind outlasting 197 entrants to win at a game that you have less than an hour's experience in! Just three days...Read more »

2009 WSOP: Almost at the half way point

Matthew Pitt / 10 June 2009 / Leave a comment

Since the last update there have been a further 13 coveted World Series of Poker bracelets awarded and many hearts broken as they fell just short of winning one of the most wanted pieces of jewellery in the game of...Read more »

2009 World Series of Poker: The Story So Far

Matthew Pitt / 03 June 2009 / Leave a comment

On May 27 the 2009 World Series of Poker began with the $500 No-limit Hold'em Event for Casino Employees, where N9NE Steakhouse Barman, Andrew Cohen won $83,778 and the first Corum bracelet of the series. However, it was the next...Read more »

Eastgate becomes youngest Main Event Champion

Matthew Pitt / 11 November 2008 / Leave a comment

The 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event finally crowned its new champion after an epic heads-up match between Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov that lasted 104 hands. Coming into the match, it was the aggressive Dane, Eastgate who held...Read more »

Phillips exit leaves bracelet chase to Europeans

Dave Allan / 10 November 2008 / Leave a comment

The WSOP 2008 Main Event bracelet will be fought out by the only two Europeans in the November Nine after Dennis Phillips was eliminated in third place. Russian Ivan Demidov, the third place finisher in the World Series of Poker...Read more »

Eastgate claims Schwartz's scalp

Matthew Pitt / 10 November 2008 / Leave a comment

Former professional chess player, Ylon Schwartz was eliminated from the final table in fourth spot after a bluff against a man in form, Peter Eastgate, went terribly wrong. Eastgate opened the action to 1,500,000, a common occurrence since the play...Read more »

Montgomery busts in fifth, again

Matthew Pitt / 10 November 2008 / Leave a comment

Scott Montgomery World Series of Poker is over for another year after he was eliminated in fifth position, mirroring his result in the LA Poker Classic. The aggressive Peter Eastgate made yet another opening raise, this time to 1,250,000, prompting...Read more »