Doug Polk Wins $600k on Big Bet Poker, Feuds w/ Berkey Over Training Sites

Doug Polk Wins $600k on Big Bet Poker, Feuds w/ Berkey Over Training Sites



What a night Friday was for Doug Polk in his first appearance on Bally’s Big Bet Poker LIVE at Tropicana as he won just north of $600,000, some of which came against his despised rival Matt Berkey.

The feuding poker pros tangled in a few sizable pots and also argued about their respective poker training sites. Polk runs Upswing Poker while Berkey heads Solve for Why.

Doug Polk and Matt Berkey Go at It

Kiero (@KieroLovesYou), a presenter for the live-streamed and televised poker show, shared a clip of the spat on Twitter.

“Upswing has a coach that sells a course, they’re on our site with their face, their course, and you’re calling that not our coach? Are you f*****g dumb?” Polk told Berkey, who refused to acknowledge that the pros who create courses for Upswing are actually coaches.

“Literally, yes,” Berkey responded.

“Literally, yes? You’re literally that dumb?” Polk said with a laugh.

“Dude, your point is almost so stupid, it’s almost hard to believe you’re making it, but then I have to remember that it’s you, so I can understand,” Polk later said.

Tensions boiled over multiple times during the show, and not just between Berkey and Polk. Rob Yong got into it with the dealer when he apparently misheard the size of an all-in bet. He made the call and then claimed he heard “$26,000,” not “$46,000,” and then said he wouldn’t have called his top pair on the turn with a jack-high flush draw against a set if he’d known the correct size of the bet.

Yong had a rough night and was the biggest loser in the high-stakes cash game down over $400,000. Patrik Antonius, who lost $250,000 in Thursday’s game, came back to Tropicana in Las Vegas on Friday and dumped another $55,000. The Finnish poker legend also questioned if there were some marked cards at the table, although he dropped it when everyone denied doing so and then realizing marking cards on a live-stream wouldn’t be easy to get away with.

Polk Gets Even

In May, Polk infamously bluffed off a $1.1 million pot to Tom Dwan during Hustler Casino Live’s $1 million buy-in game, and finished the session down nearly $1 million.

He’d go on to win some of that back at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) a few days later, taking second place in Event #8: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship for $313,362, a $288,000 profit. On Friday during the seven-hour Big Bet Poker stream, he would get back even more of those losses when he booked a $601,000 win.

Polk even snagged a bunch of money from Berkey with QQ when the Upswing Poker founder bet $67,000 into a pot of $95,000 on a board of 2325Q when his opponent couldn’t find a fold with 43. Berkey was bluff-catching, but he was up against a full house, not a bluff. Despite the huge pot loss, Berkey would go on to win $20,000 for the session.

The biggest hand of the night, which accounted for half of Polk’s profits, was quite a wild one. Polk four-bet preflop with QQ and was called by the 1010 of Antonius and A4 of Andrew Robl. With $84,000 already in the pot, the juicy flop came out 8Q9, hitting all three players in separate ways.

Antonius, with a pair and gut-shot straight draw, bet out $30,000 and was called by Polk, who had top set. Robl, chasing the nut flush draw, then moved all-in for $256,000. Antonius moved out of the way, but Polk snap-called. They agreed to run it twice, and the best hand held up both times, and Polk captured the full $613,400 pot. Robl would bounce back a bit and finish the session down $66,000, which wasn’t much in that game.





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Vegas Values Report – Details on the Best Casino Promotions in Las Vegas!

Vegas Values Report - Details on the Best Casino Promotions in Las Vegas!


See the best Las Vegas casino promotions! Come back the second Sunday of each month to find the best values in Las Vegas. Updated by Scot Krause, our Las Vegas promotions reporter. 

Here’s what we found!

M Resort Spa Casino: Will host their Fourth of July fireworks in partnership with the City of Henderson’s Fourth of July Celebration. To honor and celebrate the Henderson community and neighboring Las Vegas locals, the resort will offer spectators an extended 15-minute firework display choreographed to music on Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4 beginning at 9 p.m. While free public viewing of the fireworks will be available from many areas inside and surrounding the resort, M Pool will offer a premium firework viewing experience. M Pool will be open from 10:30 a.m. through the conclusion of the fireworks, approximately 9:30 p.m. Daytime paid pool admissions will include viewing of the fireworks. Swimming is permitted with proper swim attire. Day Bed and Cabana reservations are available at Mpool.UVTix.com. Admission for M Pool is priced at $30 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under, inclusive of LET during periods of live entertainment, with limited seating availability. Seating will be first come, first serve the day of the event. A special performance by Cover Lane will start at 7:45 p.m. Cover Lane is an acoustic duo – featuring Vegas Golden Knights anthem singers, Carnell “Golden Pipes” Johnson and Lynnae Meyers – that performs favorites from the last seven decades.

M Resort Spa Casino:  July promotions:

  • $50K Love it or Leave It Drawings – Saturdays at 6 & 8 p.m. Win up to $2,000 in Free SlotPlay®! Double your winnings with the PENN Play App. Ten winners will be drawn at each drawing at 6 & 8 p.m. every Saturday. Play your favorite slot machine or table game and earn one drawing entry for every 50 Tier Points. Earning period starts at 4 a.m. Sunday through 7:59 p.m. Saturday and guest must opt-in for the drawing at any kiosk beginning two hours prior to the drawings. Limit 100 entries per day. Guest will have 3 minutes to claim prize before redrawing a new winner. 
  • Beat the Summer Heat App Promo. Fridays in July | 6 – 9 p.m. Receive one Free Ice Cream each week by downloading the PENN Play App. Present your registered PENN Play App to one of our Team Members in front of the Knight Time Hockey Bar between 6 and 9 p.m. every Friday. 
  • Legendary Tuesdays – $10 Dining Credit & Drawings. Every Tuesday, 20 winners will share $4,000 in Free SlotPlay in this exclusive promotion for guests 50 years and older! Double your winnings with the PENN Play App and receive a $10 Dining Credit. Receive one entry for every 50 Tier Points. Earning period starts every Wednesday at 4 a.m. through 6:29 p.m. the following Tuesday. Limit 100 entries per day.
  • Super Progressive Cash Jackpot. Last Sunday of every month | 4 – 8 p.m. Win $10,000 Cash! Five winners every hour! One winner from each drawing selects a magnet for their chance at $10,000 cash. The jackpot will increase by $10,000 each month it’s not won. Earn one entry for every 50 Tier Points from 4 a.m. Saturday, July 1 through 7:59 p.m. Sunday, July 30. Max 100 entries per day. 
  • $30,000 Red, White & Blue Slot Tournament. Saturday, July 15, 2023. Tournament Time: noon – 6 p.m. Invited players receive one free 3-minute entry, while all PENN Play members can earn additional entries for every 300 Tier Points, with a maximum of three earned entries. Earning period starts at 4 a.m. Friday, July 14 through 5:59 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Winners will be awarded based on their best score. Top 50 players will win Free SlotPlay. Double your winnings with the PENN Play App. 
  • $30,000 Jackpot Celebration. Sunday, July 30. Preliminary Drawings will be held at 6:30, 7:30 & 8:30 p.m. where 10 winners will each receive $500 Free SlotPlay. Players can only win once in the Preliminary Rounds. Grand Prize Drawing will be at 9:30 p.m., where one player will win $10k Cash. Must be present to win. 

M Resort Spa Casino:  July Gift Days. On select days throughout the month, guests who play and earn 100 same-day Tier Points will receive a complimentary gift, available from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. at the Promotions Center. Same day tier points must be earned on the gift day between 4 a.m. – 6:59 p.m. Must be 21 or older. Player must be present in person with valid photo ID to collect their gift. Gift available while supplies last and are subject to availability. July Gift Days Include:
July 2 – Mason 7pc Shot Glass Set
July 5 – Juliette Rose
July 9 – Trunk Organizer
July 12 – 5pc Pasta Bowl Set
July 16 – Naples Insulated Cooler Tote
July 19 – Astral Blanco Tequila
July 23 – M Resort Logo Hat
July 26 – 4pc Wood Condiment Tray Set
July 30 – M Resort Sunshade
Visit PENN Play Center or www.themresort.com/casino/promotions for details.

South Point: In celebration of the Fourth of July, South Point is serving complimentary cake and champagne on July 4 beginning at 2 p.m. in the hotel lobby. (Editor’s note: Look for FREE coupons on the American Casino Guide Book app or website.)

Binion’s/Four Queens: Earn 200 points on July 4th and receive a FREE Stars and Stripes logo hat. (Editor’s note: Look for FREE coupons on the American Casino Guide Book app or website.)

Plaza: Will celebrate the 4th of July with its annual fireworks show – the only one in downtown Las Vegas – lighting up the sky on Tuesday, July 4 at 9 p.m. Staged from multiple locations on the Plaza’s roofs and towers, the fireworks will be an amazing show for people downtown and visible for miles beyond. To allow for prime viewing of the fireworks and increased pedestrian traffic, Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for a limited time from Carson Avenue to Ogden Avenue. Customers looking to stay at the Plaza for the holiday weekend can book online and save 20 percent on prevailing room rates. Hotel guests will get to exclusive opportunity to watch the fireworks from the Plaza’s rooftop pool deck with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. For more details visit: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/independence-day

FREE Casino Coupons – Get a FREE $50 match play bet, plus other great deals with the FREE casino coupons on our website and apps. To see what FREE coupons are currently being offered, visit our Las Vegas Casino Coupons page  There are 16 coupons that you can print out yourself and we continue to add new coupons, so please check back often. 

Golden Entertainment: Will host its inaugural slot tournament, the Golden Pyramid Tournament. Set to take place across multiple Golden Entertainment properties throughout Southern Nevada in July and August, the tournament will provide True Rewards members the opportunity to compete for a share of $50,000 in free slot play, including a $10,000 grand prize. Qualifying rounds will be held every Tuesday in July from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at both Arizona Charlie’s in Las Vegas, located at 740 S. Decatur Blvd. and 4575 Boulder Highway, beginning Tuesday, July 4. True Rewards members must accumulate 200 same-day base slot points on Monday to qualify to play in the weekly Tuesday tournament. Members can earn an additional entry by earning 100 same-day base slot points between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays for a maximum of two entries per guest.

True Rewards members in Laughlin, Nevada can earn 1,000 base slot points at Aquarius Casino Resort, located at 1900 S. Casino Dr. or Edgewater Casino Resort, located at 2020 S. Casino Dr., on Wednesday in order to play in the qualifying rounds. Aquarius will host the qualifying rounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Thursday in July beginning Thursday, July 6. Members will receive an additional entry by earning an additional 1,000 base slot points on Wednesday up to a maximum of two entries per guest each week.

Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Casino, located at 681 Hwy. 160 in Pahrump, Nev. will host its qualifying rounds from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Thursday in July beginning Thursday, July 6. True Rewards members must earn 500 base slot points from Monday to Wednesday to qualify for the weekly Thursday tournament.

The top five tournament scores from each qualifying round at both Arizona Charlie’s locations, in addition to the top 10 scores from qualifying rounds at both Pahrump Nugget and Aquarius, will receive up to $500 in free slot play and a coveted golden ticket to participate in the grand finale tournament at Aquarius. A total of 120 winners will compete in the $50,000 finale tournament on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Aquarius.

The top 40 winners of the finale tournament will collectively share $50,000 in free slot play, with the first-place winner receiving $10,000 of the prize pool. All players will receive a complimentary room offer for Friday and Saturday nights of the tournament. For the complete rules and regulations of the Golden Pyramid Tournament, visit the True Rewards center at any of the properties.

Rampart: July promotions.

  • Market Place Buffet: 2 for 1 Buffet on Monday, July 3. 2 for 1 or 50-percent off one lunch or dinner buffet. Earn 50 same-day points on Rampart Rewards to redeem special offer.
  • $80,000 Dodge Hornet Car Giveaway Drawings – Every Friday and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. & 8:15 p.m. 32 winners per weekend. Pick a prize from the board and win up to $2,500 and qualify to win the car. Must be present to win. Earn Entries: 100 Points playing Slots or Bingo = One entry. One hour of Table Games play at $10 average bet = One entry. 10x entries Monday – Thursday. 20x entries July 28-30. Start earning tickets June 24 at 3 a.m. Grand Prize Drawing for the Dodge Hornet – Sunday, July 30. Final Qualifying drawing at 6:15pm. Grand Prize Drawing at 8:15pm. 10 winners will be chosen and will punch through the punch board to reveal their prize. Nine winners will each receive $500 in free slot play. One grand prize winner will receive the keys to a 2023 Dodge Hornet GT or $20,000 in cash
  • Bingo Room Launches New Game & Other Promotions: Just in time for National Bingo Day on June 27 – “Double Bingo Postage Stamp Progressive” a first-ever for Las Vegas, debuts on Games 2 & 3 of each session. In partnership with Gaming Arts, this is a brand-new game that features double postage progressives starting at $2,000 with two additional players also winning $250 if you win in 12 numbers or fewer. Triple postage progressive starts at $5,000 with two additional players also winning $500 if you win in 22 numbers or fewer.

Mohegan Casino Las Vegas inside Virgin Hotels Las Vegas: Has partnered with Virgin Voyages to give new Momentum Rewards Members the ability to play and earn a Virgin Voyages cruise on their first visit. Momentum is Mohegan’s rewards program. The more a guest plays, the faster they will elevate their Status Level, and the higher the status, the more benefits the guest will earn. 

Binion’s: Million Dollar Display is now back after a three-year absence. The updated display now features a new background and automated process that lets you send the souvenir photo to your email address or phone. Located near the club booth. (Editor’s note: Look for FREE coupons on the American Casino Guide Book app or website.)

FREE 14-day Gold Membership at videopoker.com – No credit card required! – videopoker.com is operated by Action Gaming, the developer of the most popular games including: 3-play, 5-play, 10-play, 100-play, Ultimate X, Quick Quads, and Super Times Pay. It’s the only place you can play the same video poker games found in casinos. We have a special, exclusive offer that allows you to get a Free 14-day Gold membership and no credit card information is required! With this Gold membership, besides playing your favorite video poker games, you will also learn the proper strategies for playing all of your hands. Plus, you will have the ability to change the pay tables to match up to the same pay tables that you will find in the casinos where you like to play! Try it free for 14 days with no need to enter any credit information – only by using this link – www.videopoker.com/acg

Silverton: July Promotions:

  • July 8, 15, 22 & 29 – $120,000 Bigfoot Big Wheel. On Saturdays at 7 p.m., every 100 points equals one entry for a chance to win Free Slot Play or $10,000 in cash. Ten random winners will be chosen at each drawing. With a grand prize of up to $10,000 in cash, three of the winners will spin the big wheel to determine their prize, while the seven others will each win $500 in Free Slot Play.
  • July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 – Kiosk Swipe N Win. Each Friday in July, every 100 points equals one swipe for a chance to win outstanding prizes, including up to $1,000 in cash, Free Slot Play, dining and Guilt credits and mystery gifts.
  • July 10-13 and July 24-27- Earn and Win – Personal Blender. Earn 2,000 points each Monday through Thursday to win a personal blender. Prize pick-up will be available Fridays and Saturdays, July 14-15 and July 28-29. 
  • July 31 – Summer Sizzle Hotseat. On July 31, three random winners will be chosen every hour, from noon to 6 p.m., to win $100 in Free Slot Play. Plus, active players on either side of the winner will each win $25 in Free Slot Play. (Editor’s note: Look for FREE coupons on the American Casino Guide Book app or website.)

Sahara: July 1-31: Earn 1,500 Base Slot Points or 1,500 Tier Credits and receive a FREE Sahara beach towel.

Arizona Charlie’s (Both): Jackpot Win It Again Jackpot Campaign. Guests that hit a jackpot of $1,200 or more and sign a publicity agreement will be entered into Arizona Charlie’s “win it again” drawing that will be held in December. Guests can begin earning drawing tickets daily and the promotion will last until Wednesday, Nov. 1.

FREE Slot Tournament with over $2,000 in prize money! – The publishers of the American Casino Guide have created a website to play in slot tournaments for FREE! A new tournament begins the first of each month and last all month long. No download is needed and you can play right away!  You get 7,500 credits to play and the top scorers win a  prize – and you can play up to five times for FREE! To play, or for more details, go to: https://www.freeslottournaments.com/  Please note that you must be 18, or older, to play. Good luck!

Punk Rock Museum: Invites guests of all ages to enjoy complimentary admission on their birthday with the proof of a valid I.D. No reservations are required; guests can redeem their free admission at the museum box office. The Punk Rock Museum is open Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday. from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit thepunkrockmuseum.com. The Punk Rock Museum is the world’s most comprehensive attraction dedicated to the history, culture and absurdity of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s bastard stepchild. Located in Las Vegas, it houses not only artifacts and memorabilia from across the world’s punk scene—such as handwritten lyrics, instruments, clothing, photos, flyers and artwork—but also a bar, wedding/wake chapel, tattoo parlor, punk merch shop and more. Encompassing 12,000 square feet at 1422 Western Ave., between the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown, the museum celebrates the genre’s substantial cultural impact over the last half-century. For more information about The Punk Rock Museum, go to thepunkrockmuseum.com 

Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas: Every Friday and Saturday evening through Saturday, July 29, Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas is hosting its annual stein holding competition, where the regional winner with the longest time will win a trip to New York City this September to compete in the finals for the title of “U.S. Champion in Masskrugstemmen.” Will you be this year’s winner? All you have to do is hold your beer! Masskrugstemmen is not a drinking game – it is a game of strength and endurance. The competition is about who can hold “The Masskrug” – a 1 liter (34 oz.) mug – filled with beer at shoulder level with their arm extended for as long as they can. No beer can be spilled, no elbows can be bent, and your arm must stay parallel to the ground. The winner is the person who can keep their stein aloft the longest. In addition to bragging rights, the regional winner will win a trip to New York City to represent Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas in the National Masskrugstemmen Championship on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. The trip includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations and some spending money. The winner of the finals will be named “U.S. Champion in Masskrugstemmen” and will receive a trip for two to Munich, Germany, home of the original Hofbräuhaus. The prize includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, a guided tour at the Hofbräu Brewery and dinner at the Hofbräuhaus. For additional information on the stein holding competition at Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas and to make a reservation, visit HofbrauhausLasVegas.comm

Video Poker Training Software– One of the best ways to improve your playing skills is to use video poker software. By practicing with software you will easily be able to identify the best-paying machines in any casino, plus you will be able to practice playing those games so you can play at a near-perfect level. Our website has a page to get details on the bestselling video poker software:  Winpoker. It is available in both an instant download format, or on a CD to play on your Windows computer. For more information, go to our video poker software page.

Minus5º ICEBAR at The LINQ Promenade:  Invites guests to cool off at its 3rd annual Christmas in July event, Thursday, July 20. The destination’s outdoor patio will transform into a winter wonderland with a life-sized snowman built with real snow, a live ice carving demonstration, live Christmas music by Troy Romzek, snow blowers and more. Meanwhile, the inside of the ice attraction will feature interactive Christmas-themed ice sculptures, festive décor and staff donning Santa hats and holiday attire. Visitors to Minus5º ICEBAR can also enjoy photo opportunities with Santa Claus dressed in his festive summer wardrobe. In addition, guests 21 years or older can enjoy a Christmas-inspired menu of chilly cocktails served in signature ice glasses or super daiquiris. Available for $12.25 each, the Christmas in July menu includes:

  • Heat Miser – Watermelon vodka, lime juice, grenadine and club soda.
  • Gingerbread Jacuzzi – Baileys Irish Cream, hot chocolate and half and half.
  • Snow Miser – Coconut rum, Blue Curaçao, lime juice and pineapple juice.
  • Abominable Snowman Super Daiquiri – Rumple Minze mixed with pina colada and blue avalanche daiquiri flavors from the Minus5 ICEBAR daiquiri bar.
  • The “Cool Package” for entry into the ice attraction will also be discounted to $12.25 per person throughout the day. Special appearance by the Minus5º ICEBAR summer-themed Santa Claus. Snowball toss with Minus5º ICEBAR’s yeti and penguin characters.
  • Musician Troy Romzek singing Christmas songs.
  • Festive Christmas décor and staff dressed in holiday attire.
  • Live ice sculpture carving on the patio by resident, master ice carver Austin Greenleaf.
  • Christmas-themed interactive ice sculptures inside the ice lounge.
  • Super daiquiris and Christmas-themed cocktails served in signature ice glasses.

Get our FREE App! – We are no longer publishing our annual guide book with casino coupons. However, all of the detailed casino information from our book on all US casinos is now available for FREE on our website, as well as on our FREE iOS and Android apps. Get the American Casino Guide Android app NOW!    Or, download the iOS app NOW!   Also, if you already have the app installed, be sure to upgrade to the latest version to enjoy all of the benefits it offers.

New coupon for Mob Museum admission discount is now available in the American Casino Guide app and on the website on the FREE coupons page.

FREE No Deposit Online Casino Bonuses!: Like to play at online casinos? Our sister website has more than 30 exclusive offers that give you FREE casino cash when you open a new account! No credit card is required and no need to deposit any money! To see the offers, go to: https://www.americancasinobonuses.com

Ongoing Las Vegas Casino Deals

We also give information on the best promotions in Las Vegas that are offered on a continuing basis. Click to see the latest edition of the Ongoing Vegas Values reports

 



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Industry Insiders: Steve Preiss Becomes VP of PokerStars North America

Industry Insiders: Steve Preiss Becomes VP of PokerStars North America



Steve Preiss is no stranger to the poker world. He was the man behind WickedChops Poker during the poker boom, and more recently was Head of Poker Operations for GGPoker. Now, Preiss has made his way over to Flutter International, the parent company of entities such as PokerStars, FanDuel, and even PokerNews. His new role – VP of PokerStars North America.

Preiss, who for many years was among the most respected members of the poker media, now finds himself in a position to help expand PokerStars’ footprint in the United States, which as he reveals below, includes some plans poker players will no doubt be excited about.

Finding His Way to Poker

Preiss grew up in suburban Atlanta and attended the University of Georgia. In college, he began coding, learning HTML, PERL script, SQL 1.0 and JavaScript 1.0, and while in college, he was hired to code and build out MCI’s intranet.

He quickly moved away from coding and into project management, joining an early Internet consulting agency called iXL. He was part of the project management team that built WebMD and e-commerce enabling Delta.com. He then shifted into marketing and investor relations and actually got to produce and travel on the iXL IPO and secondary float offering.

“I did a stint writing screenplays in LA after that, then came back to marketing and branding products for Aon,” Preiss told PokerNews. “Like many my age, I came into the poker industry after the Moneymaker boom. Along with two friends, we started a website on the side that covered the game in a way that we weren’t seeing at the time. Poker was fun, young, infinitely interesting and we wanted to read more about the personalities and stories that drew us in.”

The site Preiss was referring to was WickedChops, a combination of his nickname “Chops,” which he got back in 1991, and the Cooley Brothers at Wicked-PR.

“That led me to Brian Balsbaugh and Poker Royalty. I worked with Bbals for years managing digital media, TV, and consulting/strategy projects. From there I went to Churchill Downs before really focusing on more strategic work within the sector.”

Preiss became such a force in the poker industry that he made the BLUFF Magazine “Power 20” multiple times based on a peer vote.

PokerNews recently caught up with Preiss to learn a bit more about his game-changing move within the gaming industry.

Q&A w/ Steve Preiss

PokerNews: How did the opportunity come about for you to move from GGPoker to Flutter? What appealed to you about it?

Preiss: First and foremost, I’d like to say how valuable and exciting my time at GG was. It was some of the best work of my life and I have nothing but gratitude for being there. Overseeing the partnerships and initiatives that brought GG from essentially a B2B operator to where it is now was incredible. I had such an amazing team there. I loved that group. And none of the success I had there happens without the work the product and tournament teams did before I arrived. But after three years, I wanted to find the next challenge.

Steve Preiss
Steve Preiss

And that led me to Flutter.

I couldn’t be more impressed with the organization as a whole from the beginning. I appreciate the acumen, stability, and ethics of the leadership team. That was key to me. It all starts from the top and rolls down. So, after a few months consulting, an opportunity for this current role came up. This wasn’t a difficult decision. We’re talking about PokerStars here!

From its beginnings with Isai to current leadership, PokerStars is the gold standard brand in our industry. We’re the leader in regulated markets globally and in North America. The framework: from infrastructure to partnerships to in-house talent is second to none

We are poker. From its beginning, we’ve had an unmatched commitment to our customers and to the game. We have the biggest online poker series in the US and the largest guarantees, the most cash games, the most generous rewards. If you love the game—if you are truly passionate about poker and seeing it grow—this is where you want to be.

What sort of initiatives would you like to push in your new role in terms of the US market?

To my last point, throughout my career, I’ve genuinely cared about seeing the game grow and finding new audiences. In the US in particular, poker is part of our DNA. Finding ways to grow the game is key to me. There is not just one way to do that though. It’s a multi-faceted approach, including being active in helping get more states to open up (and share liquidity) to content strategies that reach new players.

“The timing is perfect for PokerStars to relaunch the NAPT here in the Fall. You’ll be hearing more about that in the near future.”

Fortunately, I’m walking into a great situation here already. The partnerships formed with Red Bull racing, Neymar, the Detroit Red Wings, MLSE, and a soon-to-be announced sports team give us some unique experiences to bring to our players. These are exciting times with a lot of stories to tell. You’ll see more of that from us soon.

As someone who has been involved with poker for many years, how do you feel about the future of both live and online poker in the United States?

I think poker is poised for another growth phase. And this is both for live and online play. For live play: Look at this year’s WSOP. Ty Stewart, Jack Effel and team are shattering records. Look at our EPT since we relaunched out of COVID. The events and content we’re producing are world-class. Look at what the WPT did at the Wynn last December and the buzz still from that event. Mid-stakes tours are still crushing it at more local and regional levels. The live poker market in the US has never been stronger.

The timing is perfect for PokerStars to relaunch the NAPT here in the Fall. You’ll be hearing more about that in the near future. We also have an exciting regional event kicking off later this summer. We’re coming to you, Philadelphia.

I wanted to highlight live events first because it shows the potential for where online is headed. Now we all know that online poker in the US faces more regulatory hurdles, but the early overall numbers are still strong in these early stages. This extends past the US and into Ontario as well.

We’re nearing a tipping point for meaningful growth via shared liquidity. Just one or two populous states open up and the market is primed for rapid growth for all operators. The underlying enthusiasm and continued growth for live poker play is a strong harbinger for what’s to come online.

Name Surname
Chad Holloway

Executive Editor U.S.

Executive Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.





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Australian Inquiry Suggests Federal iGaming Regulation, Complete Ban on all Gambling Ads

Australian Inquiry Suggests Federal iGaming Regulation, Complete Ban on all Gambling Ads


The government of Australia looks poised to ban all gambling advertising across all forms of media if it follows a scathing report compiled from a parliamentary inquiry into the subject.

Over 30 recommendations are presented in the report, and several of them are focused on advertising and other ways to protect vulnerable persons. A committee on social policy and legal affairs in the House of Representatives took an in-depth look at problem gambling in the country, specifically among online gambling participants. One thing that makes the harsh assessment of the situation even more eye-opening is that the Australian government does not even allow for online casinos and licensed gambling is restricted mostly to sports and race betting.

Australians lose more per capita to online gambling than punters in any other country – while the government took in AU$1.60bn in taxes in 2022. Online gambling participation surged during the pandemic and continues above pre-pandemic levels.

Phazed-in Blanket Ban on All Forms of Gambling Advertisements

Among the proposals in the inquiry are an outright ban on all gambling advertisements in the country including those delivered over social media or other online portals directed at Australian players as well as all traditional media including newspapers, television, billboards, or any other message delivery system. Small local radio stations would be exempt until 2025 and dedicated racing channels would remain exempt.

The ban would be implemented in four steps over the next three years.

Recommendation 26
5.148
The Committee recommends the Australian Government, with the cooperation of the states and territories, implement a comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling, to be introduced in four phases, over three years, commencing immediately.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated that the government will take all of the recommendations under advisement.

Albanese said on ABC Gold Coast radio: “We need to deal with online issues, we need to deal with social media issues, we need to deal with it comprehensively across the board.”

Committee Chair, Peta Murphy, said in the summary, “Australians outspend the citizens of every other country on online gambling. This is wreaking havoc in our communities. Saturation advertising ensures our future losses. Only online wagering service providers (WSPs), major sporting organisations and media gain from the status quo. This inquiry heard evidence from gamblers who lost and were encouraged by WSPs to gamble more; and from those who won and were prevented from gambling further. Any business model which encourages harm deserves to be closely scrutinised.”

The title of the inquiry was changed about a month after it was adopted by the committee in late 2022 and an invitation to comment was changed to include “people with lived experience of gambling harm to participate,” which indicates the direction it had been headed from nearly the beginning. One month later the written comment period ended.

The final working title is: “You win some, you lose more” and the introduction to the inquiry report is titled as follows: “Inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm”.

The report can be read in its entirety or downloaded in separate segments here.

Membership of the Committee was comprised of the following:

Committee Chair and Members

Chair
Ms Peta Murphy MP
Australian Labor Party, Dunkley VIC

Deputy Chair
Mr Pat Conaghan MP
The Nationals, Cowper NSW

Member
Ms Kate Chaney MP
Independent, Curtin WA

Member
Ms Mary Doyle MP
Australian Labor Party, Aston VIC

Member
Mr Sam Lim MP
Australian Labor Party, Tangney WA

Member
Ms Louise Miller-Frost MP
Australian Labor Party, Boothby SA

Member
Hon Shayne Neumann MP
Australian Labor Party, Blair QLD

Member
Ms Jenny Ware MP
Liberal Party of Australia, Hughes NSW

Member
Mr Keith Wolahan MP
Liberal Party of Australia, Menzies VIC

The inquiry allowed “both sides” of the issues to be presented and gave opposing views provided by researchers, consumer advocates, and stakeholders, including those in social gambling realms which some parts of the inquiry defined as “targeting children”.

While some researchers have indicated that any causality between social gaming and real money problem gambling or between advertising and gambling harm is “tenuous at best”, some strong arguments were presented on the “prohibition” side of the equation with scholarly research to back them up as well.

In trying to determine whether or not to make changes to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, the MPs came up with a list of possible changes needed to social gaming, loot boxes, and “skin gambling” that may look like better casino training for children by exposing them to responsible gambling measures as employed in various jurisdictions for real money gambling. These include the following:

  • Display the odds for winning each prize
  • Provide loot box contents at a fixed and reasonable price so players do not need to chase desired items
  • Fix odds of loot boxes so that different odds cannot be offered to different players based on their playing or spending patterns
  • Fix sets of prizes
  • List prizes and prices in real money terms
  • Include an age verification system
  • Allow players to track expenditure
  • Allow players to self-exclude from games

Pushback on Total Gambling Ad Ban

Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) represents the country’s largest real-money gambling operators, In a statement, the trade organization called on the government to take a more balanced approach than an outright ban. The ban recommendation did not include evidentiary reasoning according to the group’s CEO, Kai Cantwell who stated in an industry response:
“RWA members, along with broadcasters and major sporting codes have publicly acknowledged that there is a growing desire in the community to see less gambling advertising..

However, blanket bans, even in a phased roll-out, are short-sighted, ineffective and are not the answer.

Cantwell continued, “We know that strict changes – like blanket bans and banning inducements, such as bonus bets – often prove ineffective in addressing problem gambling, with Australians instead turning to illegal offshore markets as they seek out these options.”

Would Federalized Regulation Open the Door for Online Casinos?

In Australia, gambling is regulated and licensed at the state level, not federally. Under the current law and system, although online casinos would be completely legal today if licensed in a state or territory, none have taken it upon themselves to do so. However, no federal law exists to discourage residents from gambling offshore – they are free to do so if they choose to.

It’s unclear if the committee’s recommendation to change the regulation and licensing to the federal level would encourage stronger advocacy for the licensing and regulation of online casinos or further complicate it for prospective operators as all of the opponents of online casino gambling would remain in play with a slightly different power dynamic, and any advocates would face the same opposition as they do at the state level along with a unified voice if the national mood of politicians were to be against it.

A Single Federal Online Gambling Harm Ombudsman?

The inquiry suggests that a single minister should handle gambling harm mitigation at the federal level. It also suggests that there should be new taxes levied on existing operators to fund gambling harm specifically, a public education campaign on gambling harm reduction, and a harsher crackdown on unlicensed offshore operators. A ban on deposit incentives or inducements such as bonuses would come into effect if all recommendations were put in place.

Source: Australia mulls gambling ad ban after report, iGaming Business, June 28, 2023

The post Australian Inquiry Suggests Federal iGaming Regulation, Complete Ban on all Gambling Ads appeared first on Casino News Daily.

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Evoplay To Run Endless Summer Network Tournament

Evoplay To Run Endless Summer Network Tournament


Award-winning iGaming provider, Evoplay, has announced that its Endless Summer Network Tournament will be held over the next two months. As reported, the engaging tournament features a €120,000 prize pool spread across three campaigns running from June 13 to August 22, 2023.

Tournament Comprising Three Campaigns:

The first campaign titled Seaside Days is set to run from June 13 to June 22 and will induct players into the thrill of a series of online summer events. The Island Getaway campaign is slated to run from July 14 to July 25 to make players feel the steaming heat of the midsummer gaming dreams.

Some gaming dreams may easily come true by the end of this second tournament. Otherwise, there is another opportunity emerging on the horizon of the action-packed Endless Summer Network Tournament. Indeed, the concluding campaign called the Sun-Kissed Party will reportedly start on August 9 to give players additional chances to party any time between August 9 and August 22.

Remarkable Prize Pool:

The tournament provides multiple opportunities for gaming enthusiasts to have tons of fun while playing their favorite Evoplay slots during the three campaigns of the tournament. But the fun is guaranteed for those that get hold of the tempting content of the remarkable €120,000 prize pool. Such players will rest assured that the living is easy in the summertime when the weather is hot and so are the prizes.

Leading Titles Available:

For this purpose, the supplier will make its most wanted titles available for all operator partners. According to the report, it means that players will be able to access Evoplay’s library to play slots like Penalty Shoot-out, Hot Triple Sevens, Patrick’s Magic Field, Fruit Super Nova, as well as some recent releases including Hot Rio Nights and Mega Greatest Catch.

Evoplay reportedly launches the Endless Summer Network Tournament as another installment of a series of similar tournaments run over the last couple of years. The provider reportedly expects the latest tournament to attract an increased number of users to generate the increased handle and revenue levels.

Innovative Approach Driving Key Metrics:

Commenting on the Endless Summer Network Tournaments, Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, reportedly said: “Evoplay is delighted to let out the sunshine and give back to its players and our operator partners with our Summer Network Tournament. With the promotion running across our top-performing titles, it will be sure to drive key engagement metrics for operators and entice players with exciting cash prizes.”

As reported, the tournament is another confirmation of the provider’s innovative marketing approach that has resulted in multiple EGR Awards and SBC Awards, such as 2022 Casino/Slots Developer of the Year and 2023 Innovation in Mobile category award reportedly recognizing Evoplay as an exceptional European content supplier.





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2023 WSOP Day 32: Dzivielevski Brothers Chasing Gold, Both Run Deep

2023 WSOP Day 32: Dzivielevski Brothers Chasing Gold, Both Run Deep



An incredible 11 bracelet events were running on Day 32 of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas with three events having an extra day, resulting in five bracelets being awarded on June 30th.

Yuri Dzivielevski won his third WSOP gold bracelet last week in Event #47: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. but he’s making a run for his fourth in Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Championship where he bagged the chip lead. All while his brother, Vitor Dzivielevski, is chasing a gold bracelet of his own on the final table of Event #65: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em.

One of the marquee events of the 2023 WSOP kicked off as well on Day 32 with the first flight of Event #70: $400 Colossus taking over multiple ballrooms. Catch up on all the action that went down in Las Vegas on June 30th.

Ryan Miller Wins Maiden Bracelet in Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship

Ryan Miller

After Day 3 of Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship was playing late into the night with six still remaining, an originally unscheduled fourth day was played out today. And on that day, Ryan Miller was crowned the Stud Eight or Better Champion at the 2023 World Series Of Poker.

Miller took home $344,677, the lion’s share of the $1,311,300 prize pool, and his first WSOP bracelet, he defeated Super High Roller regular Bryn Kenney, who took home $213,027 for his valiant efforts, after a heads-up battle lasting over five hours.

“I’ve waited a long time and I wasn’t sure if it would ever come,” said Miller, whose first WSOP cash stems from 2007, after all was said and done, “but I’m super excited to get one. I feel like I put a lot of time in poker and was deserving of one, and now it finally came and it’s great to get it in a Championship event.”

Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize
1 Ryan Miller United States $344,677
2 Bryn Kenney United States $213,027
3 Maximilian Schindler United States $149,981
4 Andres Korn Argentina $107,824
5 Chino Rheem United States $79,189
6 Eddie Blumenthal United States $59,441
7 Yong Wang China $45,624
8 Joao Vieira Portugal $35,826

David Simon Emerges Victorious in Battle of Davids to Win Maiden Bracelet in $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha

David Simon

Prior to today, David Simon had six cashes in the 2023 World Series of Poker. His seventh comes with an incredible bonus – the title of WSOP bracelet winner. Simon outlasted a field of 2,076 entrants, four days of play, and a grueling heads-up battle against bracelet winner David Prociak to win $410,659 and his maiden bracelet in Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha.

Simon’s best cash prior to winning this event was $18,158, coming from 2019. “I’ve played with a lot of people who have always been super positive with me and just been like, ‘It’s gonna happen for you at some point,'” said Simon. “I don’t know if I myself really believed that, but during this event in particular I just felt incredibly calm and locked in.”

The new champion, who lives on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, is cognizant of the effect this win has on his poker career. “I think I’ve just gained so much confidence throughout this tournament and felt like I could actually hang in this event,” said Simon.

Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize (in USD)
1 David Simon United States $410,659
2 David Prociak United States $253,821
3 Eric Pfenning United States $185,630
4 Eran Carmi Israel $137,058
5 Tsuf Saltsberg Israel $102,173
6 Robert Mizrachi United States $76,910
7 Upeshka De Silva United States $58,464
8 Guofeng Wang China $44,884

Brazil’s Gabriel Schroeder Bad Beats Andy Black on Way to Super Turbo Bounty Bracelet ($228,632)

Gabriel Schroeder

Event #68: $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty attracted 2,854 players ($2,513,360 prize pool) and was scheduled to play down to a winner, but with a turnout like this, they ultimately played down to the final table. The next day, those nine remaining players returned to determine a winner. After just over two hours of play, Brazil’s Gabriel Schroeder emerged victorious to capture the $228,632 top prize, plus 15 bounties valued at $300 apiece, to go along with his first gold bracelet.

After the win, 32-year-old Schroeder, who started the day as chip leader, immediately began to kiss pictures of his wife and young daughter, who are slated to join him in Las Vegas next week. Primarily an online player with a prior career-best score of $142K, Schroeder is fresh off finishing in fourth place in a Venetian $1,100 Ultimate Stack for $99,922.

Event #68: $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize
1 Gabriel Schroeder Brazil $228,632
2 Joel Wertheimer United States $141,298
3 Andy Black Ireland $105,337
4 Elson Lima United States $79,142
5 Jordan Jayne United States $59,929
6 Daniel Lowery United States $45,741
7 Jose Brito Portugal $35,191
8 Jonathan Akiba United States $27,293
9 Ryan Goindoo Trinidad & Tobago $21,340

Austria’s Klaus Ilk Wins 2023 WSOP Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors for $371,603

Klaus Ilk

After four grueling days of poker, and outlasting 3,121 opponents, Klauz Ilk of Austria won the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #61 $1,000 Super Seniors No Limit Hold’em tournament for $371,603, and a gold bracelet at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

Ilk, who started the day with only eight big blinds, managed to outlast 12 other competitors to land the first prize. Ilk is only the seventh Austrian to lay their hands on the most coveted prize in poker — a WSOP gold bracelet!

It was the 66-year-old’s biggest cash by far. With this win, he also increased his recorded lifetime winnings tenfold with his previous biggest cash coming last year for $11,351.

Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors Final Table Results

Rank Player Country Prize
1 Klaus Ilk Austria $371,603
2 Ronald Lane United States $229,685
3 Farhad Davoudzadeh Iran $172,058
4 Ronald Swain United States $129,812
5 Kevin Danko United States $98,644
6 Federico Trujillo Argentina $75,503
7 Arnon Graham United States $58,213
8 Rassoul Malboubi United States $45,213

“Can’t Stop Kopp!” William Kopp Wins Event #66: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better ($259,549)

William Kopp

On Friday night, William Kopp bested a 1,125-player field and defeated Michael Rodrigues heads up in a one-sided match to claim his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet and the $259,549 first-place prize in Event #66: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better.

The Ohio native added to his $1 million in career-tournament earnings and joined his sister, Katie Kopp, who won the 2022 Casino Employees Event, as a WSOP bracelet winner. Today’s victory marks Kopp’s eighth cash of the series and his biggest cash to date.

“It feels really good, especially since my best friend won a bracelet this year and my sister won one last year,” Kopp said when asked how he felt about his victory.

Kopp attributes part of his success to having a strong poker family.

“When we were growing up we were always about poker. We’re pretty close…me, my sister, and my mom. We all talk poker and help make each other better,” Kopp said.

Event #66: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize
1 William Kopp United States $259,549
2 Michael Rodrigues Portugal $160,418
3 Mike Linster United States $113,991
4 Sterling Savill United States $82,104
5 Joseph McCarthy United States $59,953
6 Loni Hui United States $44,391
7 John Goyette United States $33,335
8 Anthony Zinno United States $25,394
9 Aaron Wallace United States $19,627

Norbert Szecsi Leads the Final Six of Event #65: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em

Norbert Szecsi

Day 3 has concluded for Event #65: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limited Hold’em at the 2023 World Series of Poker. Hungarian Norbert Szecsi bagged the chip lead and will be looking to capture his third WSOP gold bracelet and first live bracelet since 2013. Szecsi was very short-stacked on Day 2 as the bubble approached after being on the receiving end of a bad beat. Despite the setback he managed to start Day 3 with one of the bigger stacks in the field before firmly establishing himself as the chip leader after winning a pivotal pot against Pedro Garagnani.

Day 2 Chip Leader Vitor Dzivielevski remains in contention heading into the final table. Dzivielevski had a dominant run in the first half of Day 3, at one point winning a colossal pot with pocket queens to become the commanding chip leader at the time for several levels. Vitor’s brother Yuri Dzivielevski already won a bracelet earlier in this series and Vitor will be looking to follow suit by capturing his first ever WSOP gold bracelet in this event.

Event #65: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Chip Counts

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds
1 Norbert Szecsi Hungary 18,600,000 93
2 Vitor Dzivielevski Brazil 5,850,000 29
3 Tyler Cornell United States 7,475,000 37
4 Angelina Rich United States 14,000,000 70
5 Pedro Garagnani Brazil 4,725,000 24
6 Weiran Pu China 10,475,000 52

Yuri Dzivielevski Bags the Biggest Stack as He and His Brother Will Simultaneously Chase WSOP Gold!

Yuri Dzivielevski

Day 2 of Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Championship continued and the event attracted 154 entries to create a prize pool of $1,447,600 with only 18 returning for Day 3 to chase the $367,599 top prize and the gold bracelet.

Coming back to the biggest bag is Yuri Dzivielevski who will use his 1,288,00 chips to try and win his second bracelet of the summer and his fourth overall, while his brother simultaneously attempts to win his first after bagging the final six of Event #65: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em. Looking to stand in Dzivielevski’s way is a stacked field including Alex Livingston (1,137,000), Ryan Riess (792,000) and Daniel Negreanu (595,000).

That’s just a small taste of the elite level of the returning field as there are 40 total WSOP bracelets held by the 18 returning players with other notables Eli Elezra (484,000), Brad Ruben (341,000), John Monnette (208,000), and David “ODB” Baker (154,000) all returning looking to add to their bracelet collections.

Jason Mercier also bagged for Day 3 (340,000) having just won the $1,500 version of this very tournament just one day ago.

Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Championship

Place Player Country Chips
1 Yuri Dzivielevski Brazil 1,288,000
2 Young Ko United States 1,197,000
3 Alex Livingston Canada 1,137,000
4 Ryan Riess United States 792,000
5 James Chen Taiwan 640,000
6 Daniel Negreanu Canada 595,000
7 Christopher Vitch United States 544,000
8 Eli Elezra Israel 484,000
9 Galen Hall United States 387,000
10 Brad Ruben United States 346,000

Mary Dvorkin Bags the Chip Lead on Day 2 of the Ladies Event

Mary Dvorkin

Mary Dvorkin has emerged as the Day 2 chip leader, bagging 1,420,000 in chips in Event #67: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship. A total of 331 players started the day out of the original 1,286 entrants from Day 1. At the end of the day, 47 players bagged and will be competing tomorrow on Day 3.

One important hand for Dvorkin was when she flopped a full house against Daris Justice. Following close behind Dvorkin were Eunji Park (1,400,000), Shiina Okamoto (1,225,000) and Talia Fligelman (1,190,000). Last night’s chip leader Bernice McLennan is still in contention with 980,000 and last year’s winner Jessica Teusl is holding her own with 785,000.

The players returning will be guaranteed $3,860 out of the $1,152,550 total prize pool but all of them will by vying for the $192,167 first-place prize and the coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet.

Event #67: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship Top Ten Chip Counts

Place Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds
1 Mary Dvorkin United Kingdom 1,420,000 71
2 Eunji Park Canada 1,400,000 70
3 Shiina Okamoto Japan 1,225,000 61
4 Talia Fligelman United States 1,190,000 60
5 Bernice Mclennan Canada 980,000 49
6 Chrysi Phiniotis Cyprus 950,000 48
7 Tara Cain United States 915,000 46
8 Felisa Westermann Germany 915,000 46
9 Nam Nguyen United States 900,000 45
10 Marguerite Spagnuolo United States 820,000 41

John Taylor Bags Chip Lead With Just Three Players Remaining

John Taylor

Day 3 of Event #64: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship saw 44 competitors return and vying for the coveted WSOP gold bracelet and first-place payday of $270,972.

After 11 levels of play, just three players remain. The final table was a roller coaster, but after the dust settled and the bags were filled the chip leader going into Day 4 was John Taylor who bagged 48,225,000. Just behind him was David Guay with 46,000,000 and Steven Stolzenfeld with 35,200,000.

At the moment all three players have locked up a minimum of $124,821.

Event #64: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship Final Three

Place Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds
1 John Taylor United States 48,225,000 40
2 David Guay Canada 46,000,000 38
3 Steven Stolzenfeld United States 35,200,000 29

Alex Foxen Shines Bright on Day 1 of Event #71: $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller

Alex Foxen

Among one of the most elite and star-studded fields on the World Series of Poker calender, Alex Foxen’s star shone the brightest on Day 1 of Event #71: $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller.

The poker superstar and WSOP bracelet winner was spotted with more than 1,000,000 early on and never stopped accumulating chips. Foxen bagged up a massive stack of 2,868,000, far and away the largest among the 70 surviving players.

Jesse Lonis is one of the players looking up at Foxen on the leaderboard. Lonis doubled up against Jeremy Ausmus after a more than three-minute tank, then won a massive pot against John Riordan on his way to 1,460,000.

The third time was the charm for Ausmus on Day 1. The 2021 champion of this event had to reenter twice, but built up his stack to 1,291,000 on his third bullet. Defending champion Robert Cowen (1,187,000), Dylan Weisman (1,170,000), and Shaun Deeb (1,014,000) are also in the million-chip club.

Event #71: $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller Top Ten Chip Counts

Place Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds
1 Alex Foxen United States 2,868,000 191
2 Krasimir Yankov Bulgaria 1,786,000 119
3 Jesse Lonis United States 1,460,000 97
4 Zeki Soyirgaz Turkey 1,400,000 93
5 Michael Heritsch United States 1,400,000 93
6 Anthony Marsico United States 1,378,000 92
7 Jeremy Ausmus United States 1,291,000 86
8 Adam Hendrix United States 1,266,000 84
9 Michael Moncek United States 1,236,000 82
10 Robert Cowen United Kingdom 1,187,000 79

Olga Iermolcheva Bags Big in Event #70: $400 Colossus; Spraggy Well in Contention

Olga Iermolcheva

Droves and droves of both recreational and professional poker players filled the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas at the 2023 World Series of Poker for Event #70: $400 Colossus. An overwhelming 7,705 entries were tallied from the start of the day until the end of dinner break. Of those entries, only 965 remain with a bag and a guaranteed shot at the WSOP gold bracelet. Those unable to find a bag have another opportunity to find one on Day 1b.

One, Olga Iermolcheva, ran a stack of 65,000 to a whopping 1,125,000 over a span of two hours. She has had plenty of deep runs this summer already, including a win at the $500 Ladies Championship at the Orlean’s Summer Open for $14,350, as well as a 19th place finish here at the Event #11: $600 NLH Deepstack for $ 13,438. There was one hand she might have talked herself out of risk that may have been pivotal in her arriving where she did.

What to Expect on Day 33 of the 2023 WSOP

A total of eight bracelet events will run on July 1st and four WSOP gold bracelets will be awarded as we expect winners in Event #64: $600 Deepstack No-Limit Hold’em Championship, Event #65: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, and Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Championship.

One event that is scheduled to start on Day 33 will also play down to a winner as Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty is scheduled for a single day. Another fresh event on the schedule is Event #73: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet.

Tune in to PokerNews to stay up to date on everything WSOP.

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Milko van Winden

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.





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“K.clement” Wins The First PartyPoker Ontario Micro Series Main Event

"K.clement" Wins The First PartyPoker Ontario Micro Series Main Event



After two weeks — and hundreds of fast-paced online poker tournaments — the Micro Series on PartyPoker Ontario has wrapped up.

From June 11 to June 26, players battled it out across 88 events, most of which were made up of three tournaments (a high-, medium-, and low-stakes edition of each). All in all, PartyPoker Ontario had guaranteed $200,000 in prizes. While the biggest events beat their guarantees, there were plenty of smaller events offering excellent overlay to any watchful bargain hunters in among the tourney lobbies.

Off the success of the Micro Series, PartyPoker Ontario has also launched a series of tournaments in the same kind of price range called Daily Legends that start up this week.

*All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.

Micro Series Main Event High Goes To “K.clement

At the heart of the action was Event #87-H: $55 Main Event PKO. With 521 entries across 30 Day 1 flights, the event had a prize pool of $26,050. $13,441 in the main prize pool and $12,609 in bounties.

Of those 521 entrants, only 70 made the final day. All 70 collected a paycheck starting at $65.26 for a min-cash. Those 70 battled it out for four hours and thirteen minutes until 69 of them had fallen and “K.clement” had all the chips.

K.clement chopped with his heads-up opponent “weiser1.” For his trouble, K.clement took home a total of $4,038 — made up of $1,895 in prize money and $2,143 in bounties — and the title of Micro Series Main Event Champion.

PartyPoker Ontario Micro Series Event #87: $55 Main Event High Final Table Results

Place Player Bounties Prize Total Prize
1 K.clement $2,143 $1,895 $4,038
2 weiser1 $493 $1,892 $2,385
3 Kittycats1556 $62 $1,272 $1,334
4 Foreigner123 $782 $836 $1,618
5 ValueT0wn $37 $581 $618
6 VisTesReves $451 $460 $911
7 Sesh-Man $282 $345 $627
8 ZOODIK $59 $281 $340
9 KyleBodi $370 $229 $599

DOWNLOAD PARTYPOKER ONTARIO AND JOIN THE ACTION NOW!

“billpancake” Wins Flips In Main Event Low

At the truly micro end of the Micro Series — at around the same time that K.clement was winning their event — “billpancake” was closing out the Micro Series $5.50 Main Event Low.

Up against “BATAN88” in heads-up play, billpancake was the last but greatest of four players who turned their fiver into a three-figure score.

With 652 entrants ponying up $5.50 each, the total prize pool hit $3,260. As a result, billpancake took down $241 for their first-place finish and $143 in bounties.

PartyPoker Ontario Micro Series $5.50 Main Event Low Final Table Results

Place Player Bounties Prize Total Prize
1 billpancake $143 $241 $529
2 BATAN88 $54 $240 $294
3 podjo67 $67 $161 $228
4 harrycox $24 $105 $129
5 Shoorra $14 $73 $87
6 four888 $34 $57 $91
7 LuciousT $36 $42 $78
8 chris777444 $15 $34 $49
9 RAGeDOLL $26 $27 $53

Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. PartyPoker Ontario operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario.

For more information, visit the Ontario Players Homepage

Ontario iGaming

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Sign Up To Play Daily Legends On PartyPoker Ontario

If you missed the action of the PartyPoker Ontario Micro Series, but still want in, then you might be interested in the new series of tournaments that PartyPoker Ontario is calling Daily Legends.

These events are aimed at recreational players looking to have a good time. The key features of these Daily Legends are a ban on heads-up displays, limited rebuys, and short late registration periods. These features target some standard practices among professionals that tend to suck the fun out of poker. In doing so, the folks at PartyPoker Ontario are making a place for recreational players to enjoy competitive games.

There are twelve Daily Legend tournaments in total, including a series of special Super Sunday events with $100,000 guaranteed. Other highlights include daily Terminator (an $11 PKO tourney with $1k GTD), Predator ($22 PKO), and Titan ($33 PKO) events.

Stick with PokerNews for Ontario news, views, and gossip, as well as all the info on upcoming tournament series and poker festivals that are coming your way.





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Ryan Miller Wins Maiden Bracelet in Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship

Ryan Miller Wins Maiden Bracelet in Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship



After Day 3 of Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship was playing late into the night with six still remaining, an originally unscheduled fourth day was played out today. And on that day, it was Ryan Miller who was crowned the Stud Eight or Better Champion at the 2023 World Series Of Poker, held at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Winning $344,677, the lion’s share of the $1,311,300 prize pool, and his first WSOP bracelet, he defeated Super High Roller regular Bryn Kenney, who took home $213,027 for his valiant efforts, after a heads-up battle lasting over five hours.

Miller, who came into the day as chip leader but had a rocky start to his day noted, “I was always slightly confident, not really expecting that I could win just of the chip disadvantage. But once I reached heads up, I said, ‘You know what, anything could happen.’ And right when I got back from dinner, I won a big pot pretty quickly, and at that point I thought I could do it.”

“I’ve waited a long time and I wasn’t sure if it would ever come,” said Miller, whose first WSOP cash stems from 2007, after all was said and done, “but I’m super excited to get one. I feel like I put a lot of time in poker and was deserving of one, and now it finally came and it’s great to get it in a Championship event.”

Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize
1 Ryan Miller United States $344,677
2 Bryn Kenney United States $213,027
3 Maximilian Schindler United States $149,981
4 Andres Korn Argentina $107,824
5 Chino Rheem United States $79,189
6 Eddie Blumenthal United States $59,441
7 Yong Wang China $45,624
8 Joao Vieira Portugal $35,826
2023 World Series of Poker Hub

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Final Day Action

When the first hand was dealt, six players had taken their seats at the Horseshoe Convention Center. However, during that very first hand it was Eddie Blumenthal who was the first to get scooped, resulting in his elimination in sixth place. Chino Rheem was also felted in the first level of the day when he and Bryn Kenney both hit a pair on seventh street, with Kenney hitting the superior one.

With that, the two shortest stacks at the start of day had fallen. However, it would take less than an hour for the next person to bust. Argentina’s Andres Korn would exit in fourth place when he lost two consecutive big pots. He chopped one pot when he got his last ante in, but on the second forced all-in, he could not make a low against Ryan Miller’s flush and left to pick up his six-figure score.

The pace of play would not slow down three-handed, as it took only 30 minutes for Maximilian Schindler to get ousted in third place. The relatively unknown player made an admirable deep run in a field full of poker’s greats and even held the chip lead at the final table for a short while. Ultimately, however, he too would be eliminated by the hands of Kenney, when Schindler’s aces up could not beat the trip deuces of Kenney.

Maximilian Schindler

Heads-Up Play

After a small break, heads-up play then began between Kenney and Miller. Miller started Day 4 as chip leader, but failed to win a lot of significant pots during the first two levels, while Kenney scored knockouts left and right. The result was that Kenney started the duel with roughly double the chips of Miller. However, Miller would win a few small pots and the players headed into their first break of the battle virtually tied.

Bryn Kenney and Ryan Miller Heads Up

Kenney would regain a firm lead thereafter, however, and the first all-in of the heads-up match was had soon after the players returned from a dinner break. With both players having trips by fifth street, it was Miller with the higher trips that held for a full double-up. Shortly after, Miller would even gain the chip lead over Kenney, when he made a straight to scoop a large pot.

The two then clashed for a while longer, trading the chip lead back and forth in a close affair. Eventually, though, it was Miller who reduced Kenney’s stack to crumbs when he made two pair that Kenney could not beat. Kenney was left with just over one big bet which went in not much later. When the chips went in on fourth street, both players had ace-high, and both players would make a pair on the next street. It was Miller who caught his second ace, however, for the superior pair. Neither player made two pair on sixth nor seventh street, and the lows remained absent as well.

Thus, Ryan Miller was the victor in Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship. With a bracelet now under his belt, and a boost to his bankroll, it will be exciting to see if the newest stud eight champion will enter more events this summer. If he does, it will be most likely be in the split-pot games, as he stated, “I have played them the last 15 to 20 years, but I don’t play many tournaments anymore, mostly cash games. But I try to play at a few tournaments at the WSOP every year, mostly the split-pot games.”

Ryan Miller

That wraps up the PokerNews live report of the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship at the 2023 WSOP. However, the series is far from over, and with the iconic Main Event just around the corner, be sure to keep checking back to not miss any of the action in the marquee bracelet events.





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Best Online Casinos for July 2023 ✔️ Guide for the UK

 Fun Casino in the UK for July


Casino Site Welcome Bonus All Games Mobile Games Live Tables Site Rating Secure Link:
£100 + 100 Free Spins 1100+ 1000+ 20+

5.00 ★ out of 5

www.duelz.com Full T&Cs apply. 18+ new players only. Min deposit: £20. Max £100 bonus. Max bet with active bonus: £2. Wagering required 100% match bonus: 30x deposit + bonus. Max win from welcome bonus: £500. 100 Free Spins are given out 20 per day on Book of Dead for 5 days in a row. Max Free Spins winnings: £100. Free Spins winnings credited as bonus money with 45x wagering & 3 days expiry. Deposit bonus & Free Spins wins are forfeited 30 days after bonus is credited if the wagering is not met. Game weighting and restrictions apply. Play Responsibly www.begambleaware.org.
£30 Welcome Bonus 1700+ 1500+ 30+

4.95 ★ out of 5

www.ladbrokes.com Full T&Cs apply. 18+. New Casino players only. Deposit required. Play £10+ on qualifying games. 40x wager reqs (Bonus only) on selected games. Accept Bonus within 14 days. Bonus valid for 30 days. Certain deposit types excluded. Player restrictions and T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.
£100 + 10% Cashback 1000+ 700+ 50+

4.90 ★ out of 5

www.allbritishcasino.com Full T&Cs apply. Welcome bonus for new players only | Maximum bonus is 100% up to £100 | Min. deposit is £20 | No max cash out | Wagering is 35x bonus | Maximum bet while playing with bonus is £5 | Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse | Cashback is cash with no restrictions | Skrill & Neteller deposits excluded | Cashback applies to deposits where no bonus is included.
£50 Welcome Bonus 450+ 400+ 30+

4.85 ★ out of 5

www.coral.co.uk Full T&Cs apply. 18+. New customers only. Min spend £10 on qualifying games. Certain deposit types excluded. £50 Bonus on selected games subject to 40x wager req. Must accept within 7 days, valid for 30 days.
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4.80 ★ out of 5

www.funcasino.com Full T&Cs apply. New players only, Maximum bonus is £123, Max bet with bonus is £5, No max cash out, Wagering is 50x – Skrill & Neteller excluded, Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse.
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4.75 ★ out of 5

www.mrmega.com Full T&C’s apply.. New players only. 18+. Min deposit €10. Wagering requirement apply 35x. Offers valid for 72hr. 100 spins includes 3 deposit.
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4.70 ★ out of 5

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4.65 ★ out of 5

www.casumo.com Full T&Cs apply. *18+. New UK customers only. Opt-in required. 20 Bonus Spins on “Book of Dead” and 100% Deposit Bonus up to £25 on first deposit. Min deposit £10. 30x wagering requirement for Bonus Spins and 30x wagering requirement for Deposit Bonus (game weighting applies). Max £5/spin or £0.50/line or £50/round (live casino). 30 days expiry. T&C’s Apply. Please gamble responsibly http://www.begambleaware.org/
30 Free Spins 500+ 450+ 20+

4.60 ★ out of 5

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4.55 ★ out of 5

www.rainbowrichescasino.com T&C’s Apply. 18+. New members only, must opt in. Min £10 deposit & wager. 30 day expiry from deposit. Free Spins: on Rainbow Riches. 1p coin size, max lines. Bingo: Advertised ticket value based on £1 tickets. Game availability & restrictions apply. **£10 lifetime deposit for Daily Free Game.

The UKGC licenses all top UK casinos for July we have highlighted. Some have exclusive summertime promotions, while others can offer excellent apps that you can enjoy even on the beach. So, read on to discover their unique benefits.

Best UK Casinos for July by Type

  1. 🥇 Duelz (Best Among UK Online Casinos for July)
  2. 🥈 Ladbrokes (Best UK Casino Bonuses for July)
  3. 🥉 All British Casino (Top-Rated Mobile Casino for British Players in July)
  4. 🏅 Coral (Best Casino in July with Diverse Payment Methods)
  5. 🏅 Fun Casino (Top July Casino in the United Kingdom for Slots)
  6. 🏅 Mr Mega (Great Customer Service for British Players)
  7. 🏅 Betiton Casino (Great Table Games Casino for July)
  8. 🏅 Casumo (Excellent Neteller Casino for UK Players)
  9. 🏅 Monopoly Casino (Top July Casino Site with Popular Software Developers)
  10. 🏅 Rainbow Riches (Best UK Live Casino for July)

Duelz Casino – Best Among UK Casino Sites in July

Two main factors contribute to a high-quality summertime gambling experience. The first is access to an intuitive casino app, which you can enjoy while lounging beside the pool. The second one is generous bonuses to increase your chances of winning this July.

As you can see below, Duelz Casino UK can offer those and other benefits. This UK gambling site is known for its excellent bonuses and live games, which you can easily access on your phone. So, it’s the ideal gambling operator for this summer.

  • Excellent Casino App
  • Wide Variety of Bonuses
  • High-Quality Live Casino

Ladbrokes

The availability of trusted payment methods is fundamental for any reputable online casino in the UK. Ladbrokes excels in this category by offering over 10 deposit and withdrawal options. British players can choose between various eWallets and debit cards.

This may come in handy when on vacation this summer, as it gives you more options in case you didn’t bring your debit card, forgot your PayPal password and so on. However, this operator has much more to offer, so here are some of its other strengths:

  • Slots from Popular Software Developers
  • Wide Variety of Payment Methods
  • Exclusive DC Comics Games

All British Casino

Another excellent UK online casino for July is All British casino. This operator provides some of the best casino bonuses, and this summer, it has outdone itself. The gambling site has a generous welcome offer which you’ll find appealing.

British players can use these summertime promotions to increase their chances of winning. In addition, the online casino site has numerous high-quality games, so it shouldn’t be hard to find ways to utilise that welcome bonus.

  • Excellent Interface
  • Generous Bonuses
  • Top-Tier App

Coral

When picking out the best online casinos for July, we considered a variety of factors, but one of the most important ones was the quality of the customer service. Naturally, all operators performed well in this category.

However, Coral was the British casino site that stood out with the quickest and most reliable support team. Being able to resolve problems fast, especially when travelling, is fundamental, so before you start your vacation, consider this and Coral Casino’s other advantages:

  • Various Promotions
  • Wide Table Limits
  • Mobile Friendly Casino

Fun Casino

When it comes to July UK casino sites, there is no other operator that captures that summer vibe better than Fun Casino. Even the website’s design features pools, inflatable toys shaped like poker chips, and so on.

However, it’s more than just looks. This online casino offers a variety of games with suitable themes like Midsummer’s Fortune, Slingo Pirate’s Treasure and more. They are also available on mobile, so that’s another benefit to consider.

  • Excellent Design & Navigation
  • Wide Variety of Games
  • Competitive Welcome Bonus

Mr Mega Casino

As we mentioned when discussing the best casino sites in July by type, the best option for British mobile players is Mr Mega. Its highly-rated app offers intuitive navigation, secure payments and numerous slots and table games.

The app is available for Android and iOS, while the Mr Mega online casino website is optimised for mobile. Just keep in mind that you need a strong Internet connection, so we hope your vacation is not in some utterly remote location.

  • Excellent Casino App
  • Various Table Games
  • Accepts PayPal & Other Secure Payment Methods

Betiton

Another fun casino worth a visit this summer is Betiton casino online. Among all the best online casinos for July, this British operator stands out with its diverse deposit methods and easy mobile payments.

It’s also one of the few that accept Skrill and offer fast processing, which is essential when you’re on vacation and feel like time is flying. Furthermore, Betiton offers multiple promotions for regular players, so that’s a key benefit to consider along with these:

  • Daily Promos & Frequent Promotions
  • Fair Bonus Terms & Conditions
  • Excellent Casino App

Casumo

If you want to feel submerged in the summer vibes even while gambling, then what better casino than Casumo? The logo of the gambling operator is navy blue, so we’re pretty sure most British players would agree this colour resembles the clear blue summer sky.

Of course, that’s not the only reason we included it in our list of the top UK casinos for July. As expressed in our Casumo review, this operator stands out with its game collection provided by the best software developers in the industry and other strengths:

  • High-Quality Live Casino
  • Numerous Classic Slots
  • Fast Interface

MONOPOLY Casino

Playing easy-to-understand games like slots while relaxing next to the pool sounds logical. However, there are also many British players who prefer table games. So, the following recommendation is for those of you who enjoy blackjack, roulette, and so on.

As mentioned in our Monopoly Casino review, this operator is famous for its diverse RNG roulette collection. The gambling site also features many blackjack options and some other benefits like:

  • Poker Tournaments
  • Exclusive Slot Games
  • Great Mobile Support

Rainbow Riches

Last but not least, we have an incredible casino that British players who like real-time interaction will appreciate. As expressed in our Rainbow Riches review, this operator has one of the best live dealer collections in the United Kingdom.

Therefore, even if summer is the time to relax, we think it’s important to make time for some excitement. Especially when the live games in question are provided by top software developers like Evolution and Playtech.

  • Multiple Gambling Products
  • Easy to Navigate Casino App
  • Quick & Intuitive Interface



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David Simon Emerges Victorious in Battle of Davids to Win Maiden Bracelet in $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha


David Simon

Prior to today, David Simon had six cashes in the 2023 World Series of Poker. His seventh comes with an incredible bonus – the title of WSOP bracelet winner. Simon outlasted a field of 2,076 entrants, four days of play, and a grueling heads-up battle against bracelet winner David Prociak to win $410,659 and his maiden bracelet in Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha.

Simon, whose best cash prior to today was $18,158 in 2019, was confident but in disbelief as he spoke with PokerNews. “I’ve played with a lot of people who have always been super positive with me and just been like, ‘It’s gonna happen for you at some point,'” said Simon. “I don’t know if I myself really believed that, but during this event in particular I just felt incredibly calm and locked in.”

David Simon takes a moment after winning his bracelet

The new champion, who lives on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, is cognizant of the effect this win has on his poker career. “I think I’ve just gained so much confidence throughout this tournament and felt like I could actually hang in this event,” said Simon. “To have a result like this is – not so much validation or anything, because I’ve never really put myself on that level – but it definitely just increases my confidence level and makes me so thankful for all my friends and family who have been so into everything that I’ve been doing.”

Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize
1 David Simon United States $410,659
2 David Prociak United States $253,821
3 Eric Pfenning United States $185,630
4 Eran Carmi Israel $137,058
5 Tsuf Saltsberg Israel $102,173
6 Robert Mizrachi United States $76,910
7 Upeshka De Silva United States $58,464
8 Guofeng Wang China $44,884
2023 World Series of Poker Hub

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Final Five Action

The final five players returned to Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas for an unscheduled Day 4, which was streamed on PokerGO. Tsuf Saltsberg was the first to fall when his top pair fell to the flopped set of Prociak in No-Limit Hold’em.

Day 2 chipleader Eran Carmi departed shortly thereafter in fourth place. Carmi, out of Tel Aviv, Israel, was unable to complete his draws in Pot-Limit Omaha against Simon’s flopped straight.

Eric Pfenning was out next, finishing in third place. Pfenning lost most of his chips when his ace-queen doubled up Simon’s ace-king, and Prociak ended his day when he flopped two pair against Pfenning’s ace high.

David Simon

Heads-Up Play

The David versus David matchup initially felt like David versus Goliath, with Prociak serving as the giant. He entered heads-up play with nearly a two-to-one chip advantage, and the 2016 $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better champion seemed primed to win a second bracelet. He attacked Simon relentlessly, and seemingly saw through the majority of his opponent’s bluffs.

Simon found himself all in for his last 8,800,000 in Pot-Limit Omaha. Prociak had a set of tens, and Simon would need to find a flush or straight on the river. A jack of hearts was his salvation, completing his flush and doubling him up. From there, Simon began to grind.

“I think that honestly, David (Prociak) is a better player than I am,” said Simon. “I know he’s a better PLO player than I am, for sure. I didn’t really want to try to mix it up with him in PLO too much. Obviously, once we’re heads up then that’s out the window. I was thinking that I was going to try to make him uncomfortable by playing bigger pots than he would probably want to. ‘Cause I think that, in his mind, he had the advantage heads up – and I think he had every reason to think that way – so I made some bigger bets at the very beginning of heads up just to kind of put that fear in him a little bit.”

David Prociak

“I don’t know if that played a part or not,” Simon continued, “but once I doubled up I just felt super locked in, just each hand is like ‘Alright, this seems like the decision to make on this street’ – do it, you know? There are times where I’ve played and I’m like ‘Oh, this would probably be the thing to do at this moment’ but I don’t necessarily always follow through with it. Today, I was just like, ‘Whatever you think is the right move here, just do it, and whatever happens is gonna happen.'”

Simon’s play after doubling up enabled him to slowly chip away at Prociak’s stack. Within 45 minutes, he had taken over the chip lead. Prociak regained the lead for a time, but Simon continued to win hand after hand. The final hand came in Pot-Limit Omaha. Prociak got his chips in the middle before he flopped a flush draw, but Simon turned a pair that held up. Prociak’s day ended one spot short of where he had hoped, but his incredible run still netted him over a quarter of a million dollars.

What’s next for the new champion?

“It seems like I’m going to be playing the Main Event at this point,” he laughed. “My poker life is going to remain very much the same as it has been. I’m going to be here for another couple of weeks, play the Main Event, play some other stuff – gonna go to New Jersey, gonna see my family and hang out with my friends, who have been amazing. I have incredible family and friends that I just want to say thank you to them for everything that they’ve ever done for me. Then I’m probably going back to Kauai towards the end of the summer and get back into the cash game mix. There’s a lot of cash that’s going to be coming back to the ecosystem in Kauai.”

This concludes PokerNews‘ coverage of Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha. Keep it tuned in here for continuing coverage of the 2023 World Series of Poker.





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