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Loading… Updated: 24.06.2023
The midway point in the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has been achieved, and that means it’s time for an update on the $25k Fantasy Draft standings.
Entering Saturday’s action, it appears many teams that went heavy on no-limit hold’em crushers are in good position heading into the second half of the series.
Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2023 WSOP is here.
The draft took place in late May and the usual suspects — Daniel Negreanu and Shaun Deeb — received the highest bids. Deeb’s off to a strong start to the 2023 WSOP, including adding a sixth bracelet to his resume. “DNegs,” however, has yet to reach a final table and is down more than $700,000 overall.
In the $25,000 buy-in fantasy sports style draft, each of the 20 teams were given $200 to spend on bids and were required to draft eight poker players. Points are based on WSOP performance from the players on each roster. The winning team will take home $250,000.
If you’ve been following our 2023 WSOP coverage, you could probably already guess most of the players who are racking up $25k Fantasy points for their respective teams.
Chad Eveslage, the only multiple bracelet winner thus far this summer whose titles came in non-hold’em events (both dealer’s choice), is doing quite well for Team Fort Lauderdale. He’s provided that team with 167 points, which might surprise you that he only ranks eighth best overall. And the team he’s on, well, his points aren’t doing much good considering the rest of the team has done virtually nothing this summer.
Team Fort Lauderdale is in 19th place with just 264 points, perhaps already out of contention at the WSOP midway point, although anything can happen. There’s a close race going on between the top two teams, however, and every team in the top five appears to have a good shot at winning.
Team Lada Gaga, owned by Ren Lin, leads the way with 743 points. Sean Winter has provided the team with the most points (159) thanks to two final table appearances, both in NLH events. Biao Ding (154) and Lin himself (151) are also carrying the team, and those two have combined for 13 cashes this summer, 11 of which were in, you guessed it, no-limit hold’em tournaments.
In second place is Team DPMC, owned by Donnie Peters, with 734 points, just nine off the lead. The no-limit hold’em theme doesn’t hold true as much for this team, however. Shaun Deeb (223 points) has been the team’s top performer but only has three NLH cashes. But a chunk of Sam Soverel’s 110 points have come from NLH scores, and 80% of Stephen Song’s cashes — he is worth 106 points — were in NLH events.
Not too far off the pace in third place is Team Fleyshman (Dan Fleyshman), with 649 points. This team is almost exclusively being carried by some no-limit hold’em crushers, starting with Chance Kornuth whose 261 points are most in the league. Kornuth has eight cashes at the 2023 WSOP, including four final table appearances, all in no-limit hold’em events.
Joe Cada, the 2009 world champion who was picked up for an absolute steal at $2, has given Team Fleyshman a solid 105 points thanks to three cashes in NLH events, most notably a seventh place finish in Event #39: $1,500 Monster Stack.
Maria Ho’s team is the defending champion. This year, her team (Team Maria’s Homies) is hanging in there fifth with 542 points, well within striking distance.
| Place | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team Lady Gaga | 743 |
| 2 | Team DPMC | 734 |
| 3 | Team Fleyshman | 649 |
| 4 | Team Negreanu | 558 |
| 5 | Team Maria’s Homies | 542 |
The DeepStack Championship Poker Series kicked off on May 22 and continues through July 31, featuring nearly $14 million in guaranteed prize pools across 75 events at Venetian Las Vegas.
Several events during the series feature $1 million GTD prize pools, including Event #53: $2,500 NLH Mystery Bounty July 7 – 9 and Event #58: $1,600 NLH UltimateStack July 12-15. Those tournaments are also among the events on the Venetian schedule which offer reduced rake for early entrants.
Among those to claim titles recently include Brian Altman (Event #14: $800 NLH EpicStack for $37,626), James Van Alstyne (Event #12: $600 Limit Omaha 8/B for $13,257), Aleksandr Gofman (Event #19: $1,600 NLH UltimateStack Freezeout for $154,990), and Thibault Letort (Event #23: $1,600 NLH UltimateStack for $179,408).
Another winner early in the series was Joseph Altomonte (Event #16: $800 PLO Bounty for $26,500), who made headlines less than a week later when he won his first bracelet amidst his return to poker after breaking up with his girlfriend.
Here’s a look at some other notable recent winners of the DeepStack Championship Poker Series.
Check out the Venetian Poker Room Review on PokerNews here!
Cody Bell recently snagged his first WSOP bracelet when he won the first online bracelet of the summer. Bell won $87,665 in that event, and it didn’t take long for him to top that, as only 11 days later at Venetian he won $97,179 in Event #25: $1,100 NLH UltimateStack Freezeout.
The event attracted 611 entrants and the California resident put on a dominating show at the final table on his path to the Venetian lion trophy.
Others who cashed in the event include Benjamin Palmer (10th – $9,530), Dylan Linde (22nd – $4,642), Kevin Garosshen (36th – $3,097), Anthony Spinella (41st – $3,097, and David Yokoyama (59th – $2,528).
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Bell | Yorba Linda, CA | $97,179 |
| 2 | Withheld | Withheld | $71,721 |
| 3 | Edward Mroczkowski | Jacksonville, FL | $53,520 |
| 4 | Brekstyn Schutten | Grand Rapids, MI | $40,391 |
| 5 | Paul Hizer | United Kingdom | $30,833 |
| 6 | Yita Choong | Australia | $23,810 |
| 7 | Mohammed Munaf | Dallas, TX | $18,603 |
| 8 | Keven Stammen | Dayton, TX | $14,708 |
| 9 | Marton Czuczor | Hungary | $11,768 |
The Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) returned to Venetian for a couple of tournaments early in the summer series. The second of which, Event #11: $1,600 NLH MSPT, was won by Corel Theuma for $113,900.
The tournament attracted 701 entrants to generate a prize pool of $998,925. Theuma took the trophy following a four-way deal with Michael Weber (2nd – $109,367), Terry Fleischer (3rd – $108,767), and John Cap (4th – $99,510).
Other players who cashed in the tournament include Aaron Massey (9th – $19,556), David Jackson (21st – $7,629), Shannon Shorr (32nd – $5,693), Stephen Song (38th – $5,011), and Matt Affleck (77th – $3,416).
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corel Theuma | Boca Raton, FL | $113,900 |
| 2 | Michael Weber | Fishers, IN | $109,367 |
| 3 | Terry Fleischer | Henderson, NV | $108,767 |
| 4 | John Cap | Scotland, SD | $99,510 |
| 5 | Orestis Kanakopoulos | Greece | $51,070 |
| 6 | Fikret Eychenne | Marietta, GA | $39,508 |
| 7 | Spencer Champlin | Scarborough, ME | $30,903 |
| 8 | Ronald Sullivan | Riverview, FL | $24,444 |
| 9 | Aaron Massey | Las Vegas, NV | $19,556 |
Young, Sepiol, and Dighlawi Among Venetian DeepStack Extravaganza II Winners
Early in the series on May 25, Wisconsin native Josh Reichard was the last man standing in a 110-entrant field in Event #5: $600 NLH EpicStack to take the lion’s share of the $55,500 prize pool for $14,953.
The MSPT Hall of Famer and reigning MSPT Player of the Year notched his 21st live tournament win with the victory and added to his live tournament earnings total which just recently surpassed $2.5 million.
Others who made it into the money include Michael Rossitto (3rd – $6,938), Jeremy Becker (12th – $1,283), and Dustin Lee (14th – $1,283).
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Reichard | Janesville, WI | $14,953 |
| 2 | Yasser Aboulfetouh | Oakland, CA | $10,028 |
| 3 | Michael Rossitto | Italy | $6,938 |
| 4 | Anthony Nowalany | Las Vegas, NV | $4,957 |
| 5 | Errol Samuel | North Las Vegas, NV | $3,661 |
| 6 | Rohan Kachwala | United Kingdom | $2,779 |
| 7 | Anthony Noreen | Henderson, NV | $2,217 |
| 8 | Christopher Keller | Bismarck, ND | $1,823 |
| 9 | Ghassan Abou Khalil | Lebanon | $1,557 |
| Date | Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/22 | Event #1: $500 NLH EpicStack | 87 | $36,714 | Cornel Cimpan | Sacramento, CA | $10,599 |
| 5/22 | Event #2: $300 NLH Bounty Survivor | 40 | $10,000 | Multiple Winners | N/A | $1,800 |
| 5/25 | Event #3: $600 NLH UltimateStack | 334 | $168,670 | Yuzu Wang | China | $33,183 |
| 5/23 | Event #4: $300 NLH Survivor | 35 | $10,000 | Multiple Winners | N/A | $2,500 |
| 5/25 | Event #5: $600 NLH EpicStack | 110 | $55,500 | Josh Reichard | Janesville, WI | $14,953 |
| 5/25 | Event #6: $300 NLH Survivor | 51 | $12,750 | Multiple Winners | N/A | $2,500 |
| 5/29 | Event #7: $1,100 NLH MSPT | 807 | $778,755 | Matthew Schulte | Hamilton, OH | $118,874 |
| 5/26 | Event #8: $400 PLO | 79 | $26,860 | Datian Zhang | Bayside, NY | $7,972 |
| 5/26 | Event #9: $300 NLH Survivor | 61 | $15,250 | Multiple Winners | N/A | $2,500 |
| 5/27 | Event #10: $300 NLH Survivor | 77 | $19,250 | Multiple Winners | N/A | $2,407 |
| 6/1 | Event #11: $1,600 NLH MSPT | 701 | $998,925 | Corel Theuma | Boca Raton, FL | $113,900 |
| 5/30 | Event #12: $600 Limit Omaha 8/B | 138 | $69,690 | James Van Alstyne | Las Vegas, NV | $13,257 |
| 5/30 | Event #13: $400 NLH Survivor | 109 | $37,060 | Multiple Winners | N/A | $3,060 |
| 6/1 | Event #14: $800 NLH EpicStack | 257 | $178,615 | Brian Altman | Boston, MA | $37,626 |
| 6/2 | Event #15: $600 NLH EpicStack | 271 | $136,855 | Steven Wilkie | Arvada, CO | $24,812 |
| 6/2 | Event #16: $800 PLO Bounty | 297 | $208,791 | Joseph Altomonte | Clifton, NJ | $26,500 |
| 6/3 | Event #17: $600 NLH EpicStack | 280 | $141,400 | Hussein Hassan | Australia | $29,288 |
| 6/3 | Event #18: $800 Big O | 253 | $177,859 | Leonard Talerico | Merritt Island, FL | $37,791 |
| 6/6 | Event #19: $1,600 NLH UltimateStack FO | 677 | $961,340 | Aleksandr Gofman | Russia | $154,990 |
| 6/4 | Event #20: $800 PLO 8/B | 294 | $206,682 | Pearce-Christian Arnold | Baltimore, MD | $39,876 |
| 6/6 | Event #21: $800 NLH UltimateStack | 429 | $300,300 | Michael Johnson | Chatham, IL | $47,215 |
| 6/7 | Event #22: $1,100 PLO Monster Bounty | 445 | $431,650 | Samuel Bifarella | France | $37,926 |
| 6/10 | Event #23: $1,600 NLH UltimateStack | 944 | $1,340,480 | Thibault Letort | France | $179,408 |
| 6/10 | Event #24: $800 NLH UltimateStack | 380 | $266,000 | Joshua Boulton | United Kingdom | $38,010 |
| 6/13 | Event #25: $1,100 NLH UltimateStack FO | 611 | $586,560 | Cody Bell | Yorba Linda, CA | $97,179 |
| 6/13 | Event #26 $1,100 NLH UltimateStack | 263 | $253,795 | Ting-Yi Tsai | Taiwan | $53,463 |
| 6/13 | Event #27: $300 NLH Turbo Mega Satellite | |||||
| 6/16 | Event #28: $2,500 NLH Ultimate Bounty | 390 | $1,000,000 | Mario Navarro | Spain | $111,024 |
| 6/14 | Event #29: $300 NLH Turbo Mega Satellite | |||||
| 6/16 | Event #30: $1,100 Big O Bounty | 413 | $400,610 | Carlos Guerrero | Orlando, FL | $36,594 |
Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the iGaming industry, keeps its slot release dynamics at eight slots a month. But the provider seems to keep the content quality at an equally high level, as the latest release, the Heist for the Golden Nuggets reportedly ensures full player engagement and excitement boosted by tons of action.
Thrilling Experience:
Another money-heist-themed game seems brought to another level as the players are invited to join the band of outlaws in a quest for the golden prize. Thanks to the high-end visuals and sound effects, the players will find themselves in the middle of the frenetic rush and the constant run for the wins offered as the juicy rewards for the thrilling heist.
Wild West Theme:
The slot is set across the 5×3 reel layout designed to accommodate a range of Wild West characters representing the game symbols spread across the board. For example, Golden Badge Wilds are displayed on the reels to replace all other symbols and increase the opportunity to form some promising matching wins.
Nugget Value Collector:
However, it’s the Golden Nugget symbols that secure instant cash prizes as soon as they are landed on at least three reels. This feature will additionally award five free spins. Meanwhile, instant cash wins are aggregated in a Nugget Value collector and sit there until the players are introduced into the bonus round. During the bonus game, random characters are chosen to be added to the jackpot every time a bunch of characters are landed on the board. Golden Nuggets are also collected during the bonus round to additionally increase the win potential.
The Slot Follows Jackpot Play Launch:
Heist for the Golden Nuggets™ follows the recently released Zeus vs Hades – Gods of War™ and Fat Panda™ slot games from the Pragmatic Play’s impressive game library consisting of over 300 titles. Also, the latest slot release comes immediately after the provider added a thrilling Jackpot Play product to its jackpot portfolio offering massive cash prizes and qualifying for another player-favorite gem.
Winning Three Prestigious Awards :
The quality of Pragmatic Play’s content has also been recently recognized in Latin America where the studio won three prestigious awards as a result of its strong expansion in this region. The inaugural SiGMA Americas and Brazilian iGaming Summit (BiS), the largest iGaming conference in the region held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, hosted the award ceremonies that awarded Pragmatic Play the titles of the Virtual Sports Provider of the Year and Mobile Game Provider of the Year as a reward for the studio’s contribution to the iGaming industry.
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Day 25 of the 2023 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas slowed down after a hectic day with five bracelets awarded on Day 24. No winners were crowned in Las Vegas on June 23rd.
No bracelets awarded but that didn’t mean there wasn’t enough action inside the tournament areas as they played down to a final table in Event #50: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship.
Day 3 of Event #50: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship has come to an end, with the final five players returning on Day 26 to play for a top prize of $1,309,232 and a gold WSOP bracelet.
Sitting atop the leaderboard is Stanislav Halatenko, who bagged 19,750,000 to take a massive lead into Day 4. The Ukranian went on a big run early in the day, including eliminating William Kopp in 16th with a rivered full house, and enters the final day with 45 percent of chips in play.
Travis Pearson sits in second place, having bagged 8,550,000. Pearson came on strong near the end of the night, firmly entrenching himself in second position with a rivered Broadway.
Peng Shan will enter Day 4 in third, bringing 6,800,000 in chips, while Arthur Morris (4,875,000) and Ap Garza (3,775,000) sit at the bottom of the leaderboard.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur Morris | United States | 4,875,000 | 24 |
| 2 | Travis Pearson | United States | 8,550,000 | 43 |
| 3 | Peng Shan | China | 6,800,000 | 34 |
| 4 | Ap Garza | United States | 3,775,000 | 19 |
| 5 | Stanislav Halatenko | Ukraine | 19,750,000 | 99 |
After ten more 60-minute levels of play on Day 2 of Event #52: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw, just 19 players remain from a start-of-day field of 145 as they battle it out for the first-place prize of $181,978.
Leading the survivors is Nicholas Pupillo with a large stack of 1,505,000 after he was able to add a significant chunk to his count late in the day by making a wheel against Cary Katz’s number two in 2-7 triple draw. His nearest competitor, Tomomitsu Ono, was able to amass 1,235,000 while Joao Vieira rounds out the top three on 1,040,000.
It took quite some time to reach the money bubble but when it finally happened it was Yuebin Gao who was unfortunate enough to hit the rail in 54th place, guaranteeing the remaining 53 players a payday of at least $4,069.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicholas Pupillo | United States | 1,505,000 |
| 2 | Tomomitsu Ono | Japan | 1,235,000 |
| 3 | Joao Vieira | Portugal | 1,040,000 |
| 4 | Brant Hale | United States | 1,000,000 |
| 5 | Oscar Johansson | Sweden | 910,000 |
| 6 | Robert Wells | United Kingdom | 850,000 |
| 7 | Hye Park | United States | 810,000 |
| 8 | Anatolii Zyrin | Russia | 800,000 |
| 9 | Ryan Moriarty | United States | 640,000 |
| 10 | Divakaran Marella | United States | 530,000 |
It was a mad dash to the money as Day 2 has officially concluded in Event# 51: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em and just 26 teams remain in contention for the $95,331 first-place prize and the coveted gold bracelet.
Team Sako is leading the way with 2,340,000. Team Williams and Team Java have 2,085,000 and 2,065,000, respectively, to round out the top three and Team Ventre is not far behind with 1,645,000.
Some well-known players to head to the payout desk on Day 2 include Team Sluder, consisting of William Sluder and Matt Berkey, and Team Mariott, consisting of Julie Marriot and Dara O’Kearney.
| Rank | Player/Team | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuki Sako – Shunsuke Tokoo | Japan | 2,340,000 | 78 |
| 2 | David Williams – Theo Tran | United States | 2,085,000 | 70 |
| 3 | Nipun Java – Ronald Phipps | India | 2,065,000 | 69 |
| 4 | John Ventre – Kenneth Gallo | United States | 1,645,000 | 55 |
| 5 | Jorge Machado – Lucian Camargo | Brazil | 1,645,000 | 55 |
| 6 | Jonah LaBranche – Dustin Wills | United States | 1,475,000 | 49 |
| 7 | Lindsey McDougall – Joshua McDougall | United States | 1,375,000 | 46 |
| 8 | Sean Cosgrove – John Lucas | United States | 1,275,000 | 43 |
| 9 | Mitchell Collins – Arash Asadabadi | United States | 1,265,000 | 42 |
| 10 | Vincent Moscati – Tanner Bibat | United States | 945,000 | 32 |
Event #48: $1,000 Seniors Championship saw 1,624 runners make it back for day two. Only 1,227 players would be eligible for the $1607 min-cash and the bubble would burst at about 1 p.m on a hand by James Clarke where his ace-nine would hold against Dennis Otto’s King-three.
After 10 levels of play, approximately 217 players remained and have locked up at least a $5,138 cash. Leonard Clementi appeared to bag the chip lead with 4,200,000. Others to bag big stacks were Chun Li (3,165,000), David Palm (2,335,000), James Clarke (2,250,000), and Bryant Morrison (2,055,000).
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leonard Clementi | United States | 4,200,000 | 168 |
| 2 | Chun Li | United States | 3,165,000 | 127 |
| 3 | David Palm | United States | 2,335,000 | 93 |
| 4 | James Clarke | United Kingdom | 2,250,000 | 90 |
| 5 | Christopher Stevens | United States | 2,195,000 | 88 |
| 6 | Bryant Morrison | United States | 2,055,000 | 82 |
| 7 | Amie Martini | United States | 2,000,000 | 80 |
| 8 | Brad Anderson | United States | 2,000,000 | 80 |
| 9 | Jeff Banghart | United States | 1,980,000 | 79 |
| 10 | Randi Singer | United States | 1,975,000 | 79 |
From a field of 165 entries, 91 have survived the opening day of WSOP Event #54: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship with plenty of big names at the top of the leaderboard including Scott Bohlman (311,500), Scott Seiver (297,000), David “Bakes” Baker (268,000), and Poker Hall of Famer Mori Eskandani (238,500).
They’ll all be chasing chip leader Steven Loube to start Day 2 however, as the 2012 bracelet winner in $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better bagged up 353,000 to top the leaderboard.
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steven Loube | United States | 353,000 |
| 2 | Scott Bohlman | United States | 311,500 |
| 3 | Young Ko | United States | 298,500 |
| 4 | Scott Seiver | United States | 297,000 |
| 5 | David “Bakes” Baker | United States | 268,000 |
| 6 | Mori Eskandani | United States | 238,500 |
| 7 | Binh Ly | United States | 238,000 |
| 8 | Paul Volpe | United States | 214,500 |
| 9 | Matt Grapenthien | United States | 207,000 |
| 10 | Daniel Tafur | Spain | 205,000 |
A large total of 4,585 entries filled almost the entire room at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino for Day 1a of Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker.
Out of all those entries, only 1,012 players made it through to Day 2 that will be playing out on Sunday, June 25. On of the chip leaders for Day 1a is Nicola Basile who bagged an impressive 480,000.
Basile already had a big stack as the day was winding down and kept winning small pots to stay in the end-of-day top counts. The Canadian player, holder of three WSOP rings, is still in the hunt for his first gold bracelet.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yong Yi | United States | 750,000 | 300 |
| 2 | Sihao Zhang | Luxembourg | 725,500 | 290 |
| 3 | Nicola Basile | Canada | 480,000 | 192 |
| 4 | Peng Li | United States | 460,000 | 184 |
| 5 | Paul Gunness | United States | 430,000 | 172 |
| 6 | Ryan Dodd | United States | 414,500 | 166 |
| 7 | Alex Greenblatt | United States | 405,500 | 162 |
| 8 | Osman Ihlamur | Turkey | 392,000 | 157 |
| 9 | Lawrence Beach | United States | 361,000 | 144 |
| 10 | Jamie Rosen | United States | 357,000 | 143 |
We’re back to awarding bracelets inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas for Day 26 of the World Series of Poker as they play down to a winner in Event #50: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, Event #51: $1,000 Tag Team, and Event #52: $2,500 Mixed Limit Triple Draw Lowball.
Keep an eye on the PokerNews updates while the field Event #48: $1,000 Seniors Championship gets thinned out.
More updates can be found on Day 1b of Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker, Day 2 of Event #53: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship, and Day 1 of Event #55: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better.
Digital Media Manager
Milko van Winden has been a part of the poker media corps since 2017. An occasional [I]PokerNews[/I] contributor and live reporter, Milko is the Head of Digital Media at poker training site Pokercode.
The first Japanese land-based casino is finally on the horizon. It’s time to take a closer look at what it will offer. Additionally, we will shed some light and explore the legal context behind the current situation.
The news came on 14 April 2023 when the JP government revealed its approval for the first Japanese casino in history. It’s no humble project, either.
The authorities plan to establish a massive complex in the city of Osaka. The gaming venue will be built on Yumeshima, which is an artificial island in the western part of the country.
The project is estimated to cost around the equivalent of $8 billion in JP yen and is projected to be completed by 2029. The casino has multiple backers behind it, including the city of Osaka and MGM Resorts – the American gambling behemoth responsible for some of the largest US casino complexes, among others. Each party has varying stakes in this venture, so all stand to profit from it.
As for what it will hold, the first casino resort in Japan is slated to be a massive undertaking. Alongside the usual gaming halls, it will include some of the following facilities:
As you can see, the backers behind the land-based casino project plan on going big from the start. After all, they must be able to hit the expected $3.8 billion yearly revenue mark somehow.
While Japan is no stranger to gambling, it has held out for a long time to create a major-league gambling scene. Small-scale operations are quite popular with the Japanese public, with pachinko halls readily available in every major city.
However, the authorities have, thus far, been apprehensive about permitting major operations such as the one envisioned here. The goal of the first casino in Japan is to attract tourists. Japan already has a thriving tourism sector, and this venture will prove very useful in strengthening it even further.
The plans are nothing if not ambitions, with estimations of 6 million international visitors per year. The expected number of domestic tourists is calculated at around 14 million. The goals are certainly ambitions, and it will be very interesting to see how it plays out.
The local population’s take on the project is more difficult to grasp. A significant part of Japanese residents is either against or unsure about further allowances for gambling in the country. Their view is certainly shaped by the rate of gambling addiction among their fellow countrymen, which stands at around 2%.
However, the majority seem to be in favour of expanding the gambling business. 45% of Osaka residents agree that this project should be carried out to fruition, making it the largest of the groups polled on the topic. It’s no surprise that many Japanese citizens would be interested in more accessible gambling venues. After all, online casinos for Japanese players are becoming more and more popular.
It’s clear that this is an enormous enterprise by any measure. The project wasn’t developed overnight. So why is the first casino in Japan being announced only in 2023? As it happens, this was stuck in planning limbo for quite a long time.
For a long time, Japanese gambling laws were very strict, but they were due for a change. The first clues came back in 2016 when the government introduced legislation that would pave the way for this kind of casino resort in Japan.
In 2018, a law was passed that legally permitted games, such as poker and baccarat. Still, no major developments would occur for a couple of years. Initially, some plans were to be announced in 2020. But that is also when the global pandemic reared its ugly head, and Japanese authorities were preoccupied with that.
Now that COVID is mostly an afterthought, officials have the opportunity to consider this project fully. While it may have been announced officially, its future is not fully clear. Specifically, this is due to the political situation. While the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has been a long-term supporter of the idea, there’s no guarantee that other political actors will show the same approval.
This is not some scare rant meant to cast doubt on the establishment of the first Japanese casino. It will be built, but development will conclude in 2029, at best. If other more conservative or gambling-averse parties gain power, the scope of the venture might change. Still, given the level of support from local politicians, we don’t expect many alterations to the original designs.
It has been a difficult battle to get the first casino in Japan approved. There are no other plans for developing similar establishments in the near future. However, that doesn’t mean that expanding the Japanese gambling industry is implausible.
If the revenue hits expectations, it may pave the way for more gambling complexes in the country. After all, we all know how good cash flow tends to influence people. Experts have made predictions that a Japanese gambling industry supported by three premium resorts would total $20 billion annually. That would certainly be a motivating factor in opening new venues.
If you have any questions about the Japan casino opening, feel free to check out the FAQ section below. We have gathered the most common queries online and presented them alongside brief and succinct answers.
In 2009, Joaquin Phoenix appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman” to promote his film Two Lovers. He was dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. His hair was a mess and his beard was overgrown and untamed. He wore sunglasses and chewed gum. He was fidgety and at times incoherent, aloof to the point of rude and awkward to the point of cringe.
he successfully pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes
Phoenix’s appearance and behavior befuddled his host and the audience. Was he having a nervous breakdown? Was he high? Was he playing a joke? It turned out he had fully immersed himself in a piece of performance art for the experimental movie I’m Still Here, directed by Casey Affleck. Staying in character for 18 months, he successfully pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, confusing first the media and then later, the film’s audience.
At first glance, I’m Still Here might seem like a mockumentary, deconstructing the relationship between the image and the referent, subverting the traditional conventions of documentary to bring across its message about fame, identity and the nature of media representation. However, there is one very important distinction. Mockumentary requires an implicit contract with a knowing audience who are in on the joke and the social/political critique being expressed. Instead, I’m Still Here intentionally conceals the information necessary for the audience to be in the loop, creating a state of disorientation and uncertainty.
I will admit to a similar level of disorientation in recent weeks when I have found my way onto a number of poker Twitter Spaces, where a man going by the monicker “Eden Rocks” has cultivated a peculiar sort of notoriety. I initially became aware of him via a clip that was circulating in which he was attacking poker community stalwart Donna Morton. Then I heard a clip of him “going toe to toe” with Daniel Negreanu, the pair throwing drunken barbs at one another in what was a pathetic and undignified display of male ego run amok.
Against my better judgement, I actually tuned into a Space on Friday morning, hoping to get some reaction to Brian Rast’s third WSOP Poker Player’s Championship victory. Instead, I endured thirty minutes of reaction to Eden Rocks being 86ed from Caesars properties for his umpteenth infraction.
I have no idea whether he deserves his ban or not. There was apparently a minor altercation that led to him being booted from a $1/$3 cash game table last week. He was a bit rowdy on the $250,000 rail a few days ago. He entered the tag team event so his money is in play. It’s possible that the WSOP over-stepped, but it’s also possible that he is correctly being deemed a nuisance.
Drawing heavily on the post-documentary cultural movement, I’m Still Here was uncomfortable viewing. Phoenix disappeared into his character, fully committing to his descent from famed actor to mumbling rapper. The approach taken by him might have seemed excessive, but there was an artistic point being made that required the level of fidelity that he brought to the part. When what is being presented as real is a public figure sinking deeper and deeper into crisis, that ignites a critique of the audience, the media and the relationship between the two.
spiraling into tantrums like a jilted teenager
Similarly, the man behind Eden Rocks seems devoted to the part. From the bombastic rhetoric to the melodramatic outbursts, he revels in the spectacle, posting teasers and contriving cliffhangers for his nightly bouts of verbal diarrhea. He gets triggered when challenged, spiraling into tantrums like a jilted teenager and a moment later he breaks the fourth wall, claiming that it’s all part of the narrative.
As a viewer, I could not help but constantly question the authenticity of I’m Still Here and I experience that same discombobulating feeling when I listen to Eden Rocks. Like Andy Kaufman playing the absurdly foul-mouthed and overbearing lounge singer Tony Clifton, I don’t know what to take at face value. Eden Rocks likens his role to that of circus ringmaster, but having listened in for half an hour I felt more like I was eavesdropping on an insane asylum.
As I drank my Friday morning coffee, I knew that I was free to turn off the Twitter Space, but something compelled me to stay. I‘ve heard others speak of the FOMO with regard to these Spaces, but it wasn’t that. Something was dawning on me about the Eden Rocks presentation: part Howard Stern radio talk show, part audience participation improv comedy, part Andy Kaufman performance art, part Charlie Kaufman metafiction.
This might be a rather obvious Johnny-come-lately observation in which case, my apologies to the Eden Rocks faithful who cottoned on long ago to what it is he is doing. I have done my best to resist attending these Spaces because they seem like dumpster fires. Having had some exposure now, I would tentatively acknowledge that alongside all the gossip pedaling, name calling, attention seeking, and anti-bully kumbayaing, there is also maybe, just maybe, something interesting going on.
Comedians are always experimenting with form and aside from the Kaufmans, different kinds of meta-comedy have been deployed by the likes of Woody Allen, Larry David, Garry Shandling, Tom Green, and Norm MacDonald. Now I’m not for a moment putting Eden Rocks in that category, but I am cautiously suggesting that behind the conversation hijacking, belligerence, and mania, there might be some method behind the madness.
Plenty of people presumed that Phoenix was messing about at the beginning. However, his convincingly long performance made it less likely that it was all fake and more likely that we were watching something real. At that point, it was the audience that was on trial as a mirror was held up to our responses and reactions, making us squirm, challenging our pre-conceived notions as a man revered for his acting becomes a juggernaut of desolation, a narcissist interested only in himself. We were the ones laid bare against the backdrop of a definition defying narrative.
how we choose to respond is revelatory
Eden Rocks, either by accident or design, is illuminating something about the character of the poker community. He has been controversial, obnoxious, contrite, and messianic in his delivery and people tune in to rail the train wreck. While we can never be sure exactly what is contrived and what is real, how we choose to respond is revelatory.
It’s very possible that I am giving Eden’s schtick way too much credit and that he’s actually a muttonheaded blowhard who uses the “meta” justification when he takes his listeners down a conversational cul de sac because he isn’t actually able to weigh in on the more substantive issues in poker. There’s also a chance that he’s something in between, that he is poker’s Worzel Gummidge: a just about fit-for-purpose scarecrow who comes to life and goes on adventures with his one suit and collection of interchangeable heads.
At the end of “The Late Show” interview, Letterman quipped: “Joaquin, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.” I don’t know if Eden Rocks is really there, but I do know that by writing about him, I am now part of the meta.
The post Eden Rocks Is Still Here appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.
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The PokerStars US Summer Stacks Series, which began July 9, is nearing its conclusion. But there’s still time to get in on some of the juicy action for players in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
In fact, the biggest event of them all — the $100 buy-in Main Event — hasn’t even started. That online poker tournament kicks off this Sunday, June 25, and has a guaranteed $100,000 prize pool for PA players, and $125,000 for those on the shared client in NJ or MI. You’ll be hard-pressed to find better value for such a low buy-in on any US online poker site this entire summer.
If that hasn’t piqued your interest enough, you can actually play in this tournament without having to pay the $100 buy-in. All you have to do is make a deposit of $50 or more into your PokerStars account while using the code “SUMMERSTACKS” by 1:59 p.m. ET on July 25 and you’ll be automatically entered into a Depositor Freeroll where you can win free entry into the Main Event.
PokerStars Summer Festival Kicks Off in a Big Way; $658K Awarded Through First 17 Event
Additionally, players who deposit $150 or more will receive a $30 Summer Stacks ticket on top of the Depositor Freeroll seat. Essentially, you’re looking at having a chance to win upwards of $20,000 or more without spending a dime. And if you don’t think that’s probable, there’s a solid possibility that the Main Event winner will be someone who entered the Depositor Freeroll.
The Summer Stacks Series, available across all PokerStars US platforms, will wrap June 26 having paid out a minimum of $1,250,000 across 100 events. Every tournament within the series has been priced at $100 or less, creating great value for the low-stakes grinders. These events have given poker players in three states with legal online poker a shot at building their bankrolls with minimal investment.
| Date | Time | Platform | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-Jun | 18:00 ET | PokerStars MI-NJ | $100 NLHE Main Event, $125K Gtd |
| 25-Jun | 18:00 ET | PokerStars PA | $100 NLHE Main Event, $100K Gtd |
| 25-Jun | 18:30 ET | PokerStars MI-NJ | $30 NLHE Mini Main Event, $30K Gtd |
| 25-Jun | 18:30 ET | PokerStars PA | $30 NLHE Mini Main Event, $25K Gtd |
| 25-Jun | 20:00 ET | PokerStars MI-NJ | $50 NLHE Turbo Main Second Chance, $40K Gtd |
| 25-Jun | 20:00 ET | PokerStars PA | $50 NLHE Turbo Main Second Chance, $35K Gtd |
How to Play PokerStars in the US
The Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series kicked off on May 30 and continues through July 3, featuring 89 events with over $3 million in guaranteed prize money.
The upcoming highly anticipated PokerNews Cup featuring a $1,000,000 guarantee and an exciting mystery bounty format will run June 29 – July 3, and there will be a $200 buy-in mega satellite opportunity featuring 10 guaranteed seats on June 28.
The Bar Poker Open was recently at the Downtown Las Vegas venue and Edward Holt defeated a field of 1,053 entrants to win the 2023 BPO Vegas World Championship. There was also a $1,000 buy-in BPO Pro-Am event, and Konstantinos Tsikopoulos was victorious in that one against a 199-entrant field which included familiar faces such as Jamie Kerstetter, Ryan Depaulo, Garry Gates, and Veronica Brill just to name a few.
Here’s a look at some other notable recent winners of the Grand Poker Series.
Read More About The Grand Poker Series here!
Event #41: $300 NLH Mystery Bounty $250K GTD featured nine starting flights and attracted a total of 2,356 entrants to generate a prize pool of $339,340.
In the end, it was England’s Kyle Jeffrey taking home the first-place prize of $55,485 after he defeated Neel Mazumdar in heads-up play. This was Jeffrey’s second-biggest live tournament cash according to Hendon Mob, with his best score of £200,000 having come last year in another large field event with 10,584 entrants.
Others who cashed in the tournament were Ebony Kenney (97th – $540), Event #28 winner Baker Abdallah (109th – $490), and Conor Beresford (172nd – $375).
Although Kenney finished well before the final table, she ended the day with a massive score of $31,540 thanks to pulling a $20,000 bounty, a $10,000 bounty, and a $1,000 bounty in the fun poker format which will also be featured in the upcoming PokerNews Cup.
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Jeffrey | $55,485 |
| 2 | Neel Mazumdar | $38,880 |
| 3 | Mark England | $25,590 |
| 4 | Jason Faircloth | $18,980 |
| 5 | Robert Schmidt | $14,210 |
| 6 | Plamen Yakimov | $11,425 |
| 7 | Logan Hewett | $9,020 |
| 8 | Michael Baldwin | $7,025 |
| 9 | Asi Elias | $5,545 |
Check out the Golden Nugget Poker Room review here on PokerNews!
On June 15, Event #39: $200 NLH $25K GTD saw 292 entrants battle it out the felt for a piece of the $43,800 prize pool.
Belgium’s Ivo Schoofs was the last man standing when he defeated Brent Philbin in heads-up play. Others at the final table were Ubaid Habib (3rd – $4,367), Richard Collier (8th – $1,205), and Hobin Suh (9th – $965).
Schoofs had a third-place finish four days earlier in Event #31 for $3,502, and four days before that, he had another third-place finish in Event #24 for $4,017. Four days after Schoofs’ victory in Event #39, he made another deep run with a runner-up result in Event #46 for $1,845 and his fourth podium finish in the Grand Poker Series.
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivo Schoofs | $9,656 |
| 2 | Brent Philbin | $6,789 |
| 3 | Ubaid Gada | $4,367 |
| 4 | Matthew Brownlee | $2,727 |
| 5 | Michael Hensley | $2,105 |
| 6 | Edward Hager | $1,743 |
| 7 | Tommy Adams | $1,465 |
| 8 | Richard Collier | $1,205 |
| 9 | Hobin Suh | $965 |
How to Win One of 100 Mystery Bounty PokerNews Cup Seats at Golden Nugget for FREE
Event #35: $200 NLH Tag Team $10K GTD ran on June 13 and attracted 192 entrants to generate a prize pool of $28,800.
The team consisting of Brian Barros Vazquez took the $7,297 first-place prize after defeating the team consisting of Lisa Godbehere. Vazquez bested his third-place finish only two days earlier for $3,921 in Event #30: $200 NLH $25K GTD.
Others who cashed in the event include Team Lena Evans (9th – $733), Team Abby Merk (22nd – $266), and Team Vanessa Alvarez Mejias (24th – $266).
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Barros Vazquez | $7,297 |
| 2 | Lisa Godbehere | $4,978 |
| 3 | Merrill Eversman | $2,952 |
| 4 | Kristopher Burchfield | $1,796 |
| 5 | David Smith | $1,387 |
| 6 | Veronica Wautier | $1,149 |
| 7 | Jason Umpleby | $979 |
| 8 | Evgeny Urubkov | $854 |
| 9 | Lena Evans | $733 |
