Beth Hall is known for playing characters like Caroline on AMC’s Mad Men and Wendy Harris on CBS‘ Mom. But this week, the Los Angeles-based actress played a different role, that of a World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner.

Earlier this week, Hall topped a 166-player field in a $400 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event at the WSOP Circuit The Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles to win $13,885 and her first Circuit ring, while Cory Ryan finished runner-up for $5,585.

While surely the most famous, Hall is just one of a handful of players who have picked up rings at the latest Circuit stop, which got underway on March 4 and is wrapping up this week.

Rhode Island’s Tae Gon Kim topped a field of 338 runners in the $1,700 buy-in Main Event to win his first ring and a career-best $111,075, while other players who picked up Circuit rings at The Bike including longtime LA grinder Shirley Rosario (Event #12: $400 Omaha 8 or Better – $9,775), Pedro Rincon (Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack – $48,955) and Utah all-time money leader Jared Griener (Event #6: $2,200 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller – $42,555)

Check out this PokerNews review of The Bicycle Casino!

Put a Ring On It

Hall has IMDb credits dating back to 1997, but her first poker cash was a decade later when she finished eighth in a $50 Queen of Hearts event at the 2007 Sweetheart Weekend at Bell Gardens. Hall continued to rack up cashes around Los Angeles before picking up a career-best $24,000 from a 14th-place finish at the 2016 Socal Poker Championships at Bell Gardens.

The recent victory at The Bike gives Hall her second-biggest live cash and first live tournament win and brings her up to $94,454 in live earnings.

On Twitter, the actress and Circuit crusher thanked Faraz Jaka of Jaka Coaching for her recent success on the felt.

WSOPC Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results

	RANK	PLAYER	HOMETOWN	PRIZE
	1	Beth Hall	Los Angeles, CA	$13,885
	2	Cory Ryan	N/A	$8,585
	3	Jason Thomas	Bakersfield, CA	$5,985
	4	Scott Shannon	Los Angeles, CA	$4,275
	5	John Zentner	Las Vegas, NV	$3,125
	6	Michael Ung	Montclair, CA	$2,345
	7	Altynai Fung	Hacienda Heights, CA	$1,805
	8	William Vanderburgh	San Diego, CA	$1,430
	9	Ara Abkarian	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	$1,160

Hall is not the only Hollywood star to land a poker victory this year. Last month, acclaimed actor James Woods took down a Tag-Team mixed game event at the Los Angeles Poker Classic (LAPC) at The Commerce with the help of partner Lynda Tran.

Rosario Wins Second Circuit Ring

Later in the series, Shirley Rosario, an LA poker veteran with $720,324 in live earnings, picked up her second Circuit ring and $9,775 with a victory in $400 Omaha 8 or Better event. The event drew 103 and the mixed game specialist bested Pasadena’s Jesse David, who took home $6,040 for his runner-up finish.

But the biggest winner of the series was Providence’s Tae Gon Kim, who got through 338 players in the Main Event to win the bulk of the $512,070 prize pool.

Bracelet winner Sean Yu was looking for his ninth Circuit ring but bowed out in 7th place for $15,500, while other players who made deep runs included Spain’s Santiago Cortijo (2nd – $68,655), Sweden’s Mats Gavatin (4th – $36,115) and poker legend Phil Laak (38th – $2,485).

Kim had just a single live cash heading into the event from a 214th place finish in the 2021 WSOP $1,500 Closer, but that didn’t stop him from taking down the event for six figures and a first Circuit ring.

WSOP Circuit The Bike Main Event Final Table Results

Other players who took home decent hauls at The Bike this Circuit stop include Pedro Rincon, who got through 559 players, the biggest field of the stop, to win the $400 Monster Stack for $48,955, as well as Jared Griener, who took down the $2,200 High Roller to add $42,555 to his $2.5 million in earnings.

Next up on the WSOP Circuit schedule is a stop at Turning Stone Resort Casino in New York, which will culminate with the $1,700 buy-in Main Event on March 23.

A full list of WSOP Circuit The Bike winners is available in the table below.

2023 WSOPC The Bike Ring Winners

_{Lead image courtesy of WSOP}

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards talk about Phil Hellmuth looking to sell his Las Vegas house, Daniel Negreanu calling out Ali Imsirovic, winners from the recently-completed Triton Super High Roller Series Vietnam, and offer a winner interview with Michael Rossitto, who took down the 2023 Wynn Millions for $604,637.

Chad then sits down with Joe Stapleton to dive into the upcoming PokerStars USA SCOOP schedule for players in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Stapes also opens up about stand-up comedy, his upcoming comic book, and watching his good friend James Hartigan win a Global Poker Award.

Also, hear from Robbie Strazynski, who talks about his upcoming Mixed Game Festival IV returning to Resorts World March 19-23.

Finally, the crew end the show by discussing the real-time assistance (RTA) debate that has been raging on Twitter after a poker training tool removed their 20-second delay.

Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

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Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show — tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.

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WPT Global is sponsoring the Action Poker Tour, the newest tour on the live poker calendar. The inaugural Action Poker Tour Main Event takes place at City North Hotel in Gormanston, County Meath, Ireland, between March 24-25, and you could be playing in the €300 Main Event for a fraction of its cost thanks to exclusive satellites held online at WPT Global.

Satellites for the Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event are in the WPT Global tournament lobby now, waiting for you to play your way into the €300 Main Event in Ireland. Every day until March 19, there is a $22 Day 1 Qualifier running at 8:00 p.m. UTC where the top 15% of the field progresses to the no-direct buy-in finale on March 19. This finale has at least two €300 Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event seats guaranteed. $4.40 buy-in feeders run at 6:00 p.m. UTC every day, awarding $22 Day 1 Qualifier tickets.

Those of you that do not have time to play in a multi-day satellite should check out the $33 buy-in direct qualifier at 8:10 p.m. UTC on March 17, as it guarantees at least one €300 seat. Feeders from $6.60 are available for this satellite.

What is the Action Poker Tour?

The Action Poker Tour is the brainchild of Irish poker grinder Jason Tompkins. Anyone that has hit the online poker tables over the past 15 years will no doubt have bumped into “blaaaaaah666,” Tompkins’ famous moniker, at some point. Tompkins has assembled a stellar team for the Action Poker Tour that includes Liam Delaney (tournament director), and Irish poker legend and author Dara O’Kearney (tour ambassador).

About the Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event

Tompkins and his team have created a progressive clock for the blind structure, and it makes interesting reading. Everyone in the €300 buy-in Main Event (€267+€33) sits down with 50,000 chips. The first level has blinds of 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. That opening level is one-hour long, with the next three levels each lasting 20 minutes. The rest of the 11 levels on Day 1 are 30 minutes in length. There is a turbo-structured Day 1C where 10-minute levels are in play.

Day 2 starts off with a half-hour clock for the first eight levels, before extending to a 40 minute clock until only six players remain. Levels then reduce to 30 minutes and then to 20 minutes once only a trio of players remain in contention for the title.

Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event Day 1 Structure

Day 1A shuffles up and deals at 1:00 p.m. GMT on March 24, with Day 1B scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on the same day. There is a turbo Day 1C at 11:00 a.m. on March 25, which features a ten-minute clock. Day 2 commences at 2:00 p.m. on March 25, with play continuing until a champion is crowned.

Late registration remains open until the second break at the end of the eighth level. Buying in this late will see you enter the mix with a 25 big blind stack.

Side Events and Cash Games

The Action Poker Tour gives you the option to play in all of the starting flights, and uses a “best stack forward policy, meaning you can progress to Day 2 more than once and forfeit your smaller stacks. However, the organisers do not recommend forfeited any stack that is five big blinds or more.

Don’t worry if you don’t take down the Main Event because there is a €150 buy-in side event to get your teeth into at 5:00 p.m. GMT on March 25, in addition to various No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha cash games that have 5% rake capped at €10.

Join WPT Global Today

The launch of WPT Global means that poker players around the world now have the chance to win their way to WPT events, win prizes and enjoy exciting games such as Poker Flips. As one of the world’s largest cash game poker networks, WPT Global is available in over 50 countries and territories around the world.

WPT Global offers a large deposit match bonus: 100% on deposits up to $1,200 (using any payment method). New players depositing a minimum of $20 automatically receive this match bonus which is unlocked in $5 increments (credited straight to the cashier) for every $20 of rake contribution.

Both tournaments and cash games count towards bonus unlocking; new players have 90 days from the date of first deposit to unlock and claim their full bonus amount.

Almost all bounty tournaments played in the online poker world these days are “progressive knockouts” in which the value of the bounty isn’t fixed but can increase and thus remain relevant throughout the tournament. They differ from the Mystery Bounty tournaments at 888poker in that those mystery bounties remain a secret until someone wins one.

Because of this factor, sometimes in these events, we might want to modify our play in multi-way pots to keep in a player that we cover instead of isolating a player who covers us. That means when we have a hand that can go either way, we almost certainly want to avoid driving a covered player out — a strategy that perhaps goes against what we might prefer to do in non-bounty tournaments or cash games.

Here’s an example of an actual hand played in a $55 buy-in PKO Rumble at 888poker that illustrates how the bounties can affect strategic decisions.

Choosing Not to Squeeze

We’ll play this hand from the perspective of the big blind who has a stack of 40 big blinds and has been dealt . It’s the middle stage of the tournament — before the money when the “regular” prize pool will start being divided, but when bounties are in play as they always are.

A player of average skill opens the pot for 2.5x BB from under the gun, gets called in middle position by the weakest player at the table who has 30 BBs, and the button calls as well. The small blind gets out of the way, and it comes to us in the big blind. The initial raiser and the button both cover our stack.

In this situation, the opener has the strongest range, the caller in middle position the second-strongest, and the button the weakest. If we elect to three-bet, we will be pushing out those weak ranges to play our hand against the strongest one. Worse, we will be potentially offering our bounty to the strongest range and driving out the player whom we cover.

Therefore, though squeezing might be tempting here in a freezeout, in a knockout tournament with significantly large bounties, it is inadvisable. We call.

Check out these excellent tips for 888poker Bounty tournaments

Recognizing Weak Ranges

The flop comes , giving us the nut-flush draw.

We have hit this board very hard, but we still need to decide what course of action will return us the most money. Leading out could elicit a raise from the initial raiser’s strongest hands, which would shut our target out of the pot. We would also be left playing against a strong range that covers us.

We have equity that cannot be dominated, but on the other hand, we best dominate weaker ranges that include dominated draws. Looking past the UTG player who opened preflop, our weak middle-position player (whom we cover and who has a weaker range) and the button (with the weakest range of the three) can each have some J-9, Q-J, and 9-7 combos and 6-5 straight draws that we dominate, as well as inferior flush draws. So we check.

The initial raiser continuation bets — one-quarter pot. The recreational player calls, and the button folds.

Sometimes calling with multiple players behind is strong. All other things equal, it should be. But this does not seem like such a situation. Our recreational target would probably have raised a set or two pair here. A big combination draw, , likely would also raise. Therefore his hand seems quite weak. He is drawing or has a made hand of poor strength, something like T-9 or 5-5 or A-8.

How To Deal With Aggressive Opponents – Ask the 888poker Pros

Meanwhile, the initial raiser did continuation bet into three people, but he also only bet one-quarter pot. A betting range that required protection would likely have bet larger, but nevertheless, our logic from preflop remains the same — if we raise now we unduly pressure the player we cover in order to play for only chips (and no bounty) against a stronger range.

When the middle position player stays in the pot, our efforts are overlayed by his bounty. When he folds, we are playing for chips with the risk of elimination, shutting us out of the prize pool. In other words, we have some small ICM pressure, whereas our covering opponent is getting a bonus to play for all our chips. The differences here are severe, not subtle.

Our Last Decision

While raising the flop is tempting, we once again call with our nut-flush draw. We expect to never be shut out of the pot on the turn. We can turn a pair, a straight draw, and of course, the nuts. And indeed, the turn card is the to give us our flush.

Once again, we check. The initial raiser now double-barrels for two-thirds pot, a very sizeable bet. The recreational player calls the bet for about 40 percent of his stack.

At this point, there is little left for us to decide but to move all in. Once we do, we actually get called in both spots. The initial raiser has for a set of fours. The recreational player has , having called off with a jack-high flush draw and an open-ended straight draw, both drawing dead. After the river, we earned both a bounty and a near triple-up.

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Find out more about the many freeroll poker tournaments held on 888poker

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The UTG Player’s Strategy

It is interesting to consider whether the early position player should bet the turn. At first glance it may seem ambitious. But on the other hand, were he ever somehow behind a better set, he probably would have been raised on the turn.

Thus if he bets his hand on the turn, he gets value from parts of his opponent’s ranges such as J-9. But remember, he also covers both players still in the pot. So he is always going to be priced in to call off and try to hit his 10-outer to fill up versus a straight or flush.

Since better sets are not in either opponent’s range, he can bet knowing he is always live if behind. It might not be the best spot — it certainly is not a great spot — but when you are drawing live to 20 percent equity at worst, and with a bounty or two in play, it is hard to go wrong.

In any case, it’s plain how the prospect of obtaining bounties — especially the bigger ones that occur during the middle and late stages of progressive KOs — should be taken into account, especially in multi-way hands like this one.

Put Your New PKO Knowledge to the Test at 888poker

Why not put what you have learned into practise by heading to 888poker and playing in their PKO and awesome Mystery Bounty tournaments? 888poker is the only online poker site that offers daily Mystery Bounty events, so you have plenty of choice if you want to try this exciting poker format.

Download 888poker via PokerNews, create your free account, and 888poker will give you a free $8 worth of tournament tickets – this is a free £20 for residents of the United Kingdom – just for reaching this stage.

Your first deposit is matched 100% up to $400 in the form of a releasable bonus. You have 90 days to release as much bonus as you can. Contact 888poker support for more details.

When you think about the world of poker, it’s easy to see the diversity of people who make up this dynamic community. From vloggers and podcasters to prominent pros and tournament directors, there are countless individuals who contribute to the game’s popularity and growth. But amidst this community, there are a select few who stand out as true visionaries. These individuals possess a passion for the game that extends far beyond their personal experience, and they are driven by a powerful idea for the future of poker.

In this article, I’ll explore the experiences I’ve had with such people, and gain a deeper understanding of the people who are shaping the future of poker.

Letting Lose on the Industry

A little over a year ago, I received an unexpected message on Twitter from a mutual friend in Cleveland. It turns out that the new poker room manager at JACK Casino was interested in having me host the grand opening of their brand-new poker room. I was booking a few grand opening gigs at the time so I was intrigued, but also a bit skeptical – what could this new poker room offer that others didn’t already have?

As it turned out, the new manager had an impressive background in the industry. He had spent time working at the renowned Aria casino in Las Vegas under the guidance of Sean McCormack, one of the most respected figures in the world of poker. With McCormack’s high standards for customer service and professionalism, it was clear that this new manager was bringing some serious talent to the table.

That manager was Chris Lose, a native of Cleveland who had decided to return home to take on the challenge of running the new poker room at JACK Casino. Despite the obstacles and uncertainties that come with launching a new poker room, Chris was confident in his ability to deliver an exceptional experience for players. And as I would soon discover, he also had a big vision for poker.

During our first conversation, he was brimming with enthusiasm about the brand-new poker room that had just been completed on the second floor. He had big plans for a grand opening that would not only showcase the room’s spacious capacity but also promote inclusivity in the Cleveland poker scene. Over the course of the next year, I had the pleasure of returning to the casino several times, and each time I found Chris hard at work on his mission to make the game more welcoming and diverse.

He was passionate about supporting women in poker, championing the LGBTQ+ community, and creating a fun and comfortable atmosphere for all players. It was clear that he had his finger on the pulse of what the community wanted, with a mix of low and medium-stakes games and plenty of PLO action to keep things interesting. As he continued to pursue his vision for the future of poker in Cleveland, it was impossible not to feel energized and inspired by his dedication and enthusiasm.

“He set his sights on attracting the biggest names in poker to the new room, with high-profile tours making it a regular stop on their schedules.”

With a bold vision for the future of poker in Cleveland, Chris was determined to make his mark on the industry. He set his sights on attracting the biggest names in poker to the new room, with high-profile tours making it a regular stop on their schedules. He was diligently working with the casino’s legal team to try to make the poker room a site for vlogging.

And he didn’t stop there – Chris knew that players were looking for more than just big guarantees. He wanted to create an unforgettable experience that included innovative game formats like double board bomb pots, ensuring that every player who walked through the door would leave with a sense of excitement and anticipation. With his sights set on becoming a competitive market for traveling poker grinders, Chris did everything in his power to make the JACK Casino poker room the go-to destination for players within traveling range of Ohio.

I sadly found out that Chris has recently resigned from his position at JACK Casino. As a poker player, I know firsthand the difference between playing in a room that is truly dedicated to providing the best possible experience for players, and one that is simply focused on hitting its financial targets. Chris was the driving force behind the poker room at JACK Casino, and his passion and dedication were evident in every aspect of its operation.

His departure is a blow to the Cleveland poker community, and to players like me who had come to appreciate his vision for the future of the game. While I am saddened by this news, I am hopeful that Chris will soon find a new home in the poker world – one that recognizes and appreciates his commitment to excellence and his unwavering focus on the needs of players.

Industry Insiders: Chris Lose Shares Legendary JRB Story

The One Who Bets the Most Wins

Women are significantly underrepresented in poker. This can be attributed to a variety of factors, including social norms and the belief that poker needs high-risk tolerance that is better suited for men. One woman has made it her job to change that terrain.

Jamie Kerstetter had already made a name for herself before I had ever met her. She was featured on Poker Night in America and hosted the Run it Once podcast. Jamie could have easily taken a sponsorship deal, pocketed a yearly poker Twitter personality GPI award, and promoted herself into vast monetary gains full of Instagram posts, Florida casino commercials, and poker tour stops. But instead, Jamie knew the game not only needed fresh faces, but also needed more representation by women.

The interesting thing about Jamie is that she truly understands that marketing products to men and women require a different approach. Harvard Business Review once wrote about a phenomenon called “Gender Contamination,” which occurs when men and women become uncomfortable when a product that symbolizes their gender is extended to appeal to another gender. Jamie recognized this issue and changed the way poker was marketed to women. She began hosting women-only meet-up games in a comfortable setting, where women could learn and play poker without feeling intimidated or out of place.

These women-only meet-up games provide a supportive and encouraging environment for women to learn and grow their poker skills. Jamie understands that if women sit at a table to learn to play HORSE for the first time at her meet-up game, they will be met with patience and acceptance. She has also been the driving force behind the WPT women’s $25/50 televised cash game, which has given women much-needed recognition in the game.

As someone who has played in the WPT at Wynn Las Vegas, I can attest to the importance of Jamie’s efforts. During our $25/50 televised game, I was outplayed and gladly gave my $5k to the crushers I was up against (or Jamie had pocket kings vs. my jacks when I was all in for my last $1,800). These types of games give us all more recognition in the game and it’s important that we are included.

Jamie’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse poker community is making waves in the industry and inspiring us all. She has shown that with hard work, determination, and a willingness to think outside the box, we can break down barriers and create a more welcoming and supportive poker community.

Jamie Kerstetter’s WPT Ladies Meet Up Game at Wynn a Smashing Success

Make Poker Great Again

Poker has come a long way since its early days when gut feeling and a lot of gambling were the keys to success. With the advent of solvers and advanced strategies, the game has become more complex and competitive. However, this shift towards a more serious and professional approach has also made recreational poker less fun and enjoyable for many players. But one tour is changing that – the Run Good Poker Series (RGPS).

The RGPS is the brainchild of Tana Karn, a Buffalo slot professional and poker enthusiast who understands the foundation of the game and the regular guy who wants to play without breaking the bank. Tana has created a traveling community disguised as a poker tour, where players can come together and enjoy the game in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

I had the pleasure of being an ambassador for Run Good last year at the Graton stop, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had outside of Cleveland. The atmosphere was electric, with everyone getting t-shirts and trying to get the bounties placed on the ambassadors in the tournaments. There were tons of pictures, laughs, and good vibes all around.

What sets the RGPS apart is its focus on creating a fun and inclusive environment for all players. The tour caters to recreational players who want to play mid-level events and have a great time. The emphasis is on having fun, meeting new people, and building a community around the game we all love.

Tana Karn’s vision for the RGPS, which recently won the Global Poker Award for “Mid-Major Tour of the Year” for the third time, has breathed new life into the game. By focusing on creating a fun and inclusive environment for all players, the tour is attracting a new generation of players who value community and enjoyment. Congrats on the GPI award!

Visionaries like Chris Lose, Jamie Kerstetter, and Tana Karn are crucial to the evolution of poker. They work hard to create a more inclusive and fun atmosphere for all players and have breathed new life into the game and attracted a new generation of enthusiasts. These trailblazers have shown that with hard work, determination, and a willingness to think outside the box, we can break down barriers and create a more welcoming and supportive poker community.

Just a few months after breaking attendance and prize pool records at the Wynn in Las Vegas, the World Poker Tour (WPT) announced the return of the WPT World Championship this December to commence Season XXI of the iconic poker tour.

The inaugural WPT World Championship at the Wynn was recently named the 2022 Event of the Year at the Global Poker Awards after drawing 2,960 entrants to nearly double the $15 million guaranteed prize pool. Canada’s Eliot Hudon took down the event for $4.1 million, while England’s Benny Glaser finished runner-up for $2.8 million.

This year’s WPT World Championship festival will run from Nov. 29-Dec. 23 and the championship event is scheduled to take place Dec. 12-18. The festival will also feature the WPT Prime Championship from Dec. 7-12 and the WPT Ladies Championship from Dec. 16-18.

“The WPT World Championship festival was such an extraordinary milestone during our 20th season last year, thanks to our partner Wynn Las Vegas and the enthusiastic support of the players,” said WPT CEO Adam Pliska. “It is our hope that we have started a tradition in poker that we can enhance and add to each season. We look forward to making this year’s World Championship even more memorable for players.”

Read about the record-breaking 2022 WPT World Championship!

Another Record-Breaking Event?

Last year’s WPT World Championship festival was one of the most memorable in recent poker memory. Featuring several $10,000 seat giveaways, a Super Bowl-esque halftime show and meet-up games with the likes of Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey, it is hardly surprising the championship event smashed attendance records.

Wynn Executive Director of Poker Operations Ryan Beauregard, who played an integral role in promoting several of last year’s massive guaranteed tournaments, said that “after paying out more than $53 million in total prize money last December, we are excited for the return of the WPT World Championship at Wynn.”

“Due to last year’s incredible turnout and the strong rapport we built with WPT, we have extended the festival dates and will create a tournament schedule to make 2023 even more memorable,” he said in the press release.

Stephen Song took down the 2022 WPT Prime Championship for $712,650 en route to being named both the overall and Mid-Major Player of the Year, while Lina Niu took down last year’s WPT Ladies Championship for $105,136.

Other notable tournaments on the schedule include a Seniors event from Dec. 6-8 and the return of the Mystery Bounty event from Dec. 18-21.

The complete schedule for the 2023 WPT World Championship festival will be finalized and made available in the coming months, according to WPT.

_{Photos courtesy of WPT}

If you’re looking for great poker live streaming and watch to watch poker for free, we have a long starter list of some of the best poker streamers on Twitch out there today.

Of the thousands available, here are our top 10 best Twitch poker streamers you have to watch, including both some of the most famous names and also promising up-and-comers in this department.

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Arlie Shaban

A poker streamer from Canada, Arlie Shaban‘s first claim to fame came in 2014 when he competed on Big Brother Canada 2. Three years later, he started streaming his low-stakes online poker games and captured the spotlight after streaming for 1,000 hours over 125 consecutive days. This insane marathon finished with a 43-hour stream.

Later on, Shaban became an ambassador for Somerville’s brand Run it Up and in the latter part of 2018, he did a “Herculean Challenge from the Poker Gods” that landed him a $30,000 Platinum Pass from PokerStars. Shaban went on to become a PokerStars Ambassador, a role in which he currently serves.

There are now 52,800 people who follow him on Twitch and you can watch one of his most viewed clips here: “We’re going to the Bahamas yes baby” (Dec. 25, 2018).

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Ben “Spraggy” Spragg

Ben Spragg, a British online poker player, is one of the members of Team PokerStars Online. After graduating in 2012, he started playing poker and streaming on the internet. “Spraggy” isn’t only streaming on his own channel because together with his mate, Fintan “easywithaces” Hand, he also streams on the PokerStars channel.

Spragg started as a cash game player, but after grinding those tables he moved over to tournament poker. That is when he started streaming his poker sessions and gained popularity after winning a $7.50 tournament. Spragg now has 150,000 followers on Twitch and you can watch one of his most viewed clips here: “HOW DOES HE CALL WITH 9-7 suited” (May 24, 2018).

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Kevin “Kmart” Martin

Kevin Martin is a Canadian poker player who first appeared on the reality TV series Big Brother Canada. Originally from Calgary, Martin is best known as one of the earliest adopters of the Twitch platform, having streamed his play since 2015. He is currently a member of the GGSquad on GGPoker, having joined in October 2020.

After appearing on Big Brother Canada, Martin originally signed as a member of Team PokerStars Pro Online in May 2016. During this time he racked up over $200K in live cashes included four tournament wins in Calgary and his biggest-ever live cash of $48,210 for finishing runner-up in the Run It Up Reno VII Main Event before quitting in 2019.

After a short break, Martin joined partypoker Team Online but resigned four months later.

That was until October 2020, when he joined GGPoker as a member of their new GGSquad. Martin also claimed the 2022 Global Poker Award for Streamer of the Year.

Kevin Martin Wins “Streamer of the Year” at 2022 Global Poker Awards

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Patrick “Egption” Tardif

Patrick ‘Egption’ Tardif is a Canadian poker Twitch streamer and member of the GGPoker Twitch Squad.

Having graduated from the University of Western Ontario, Patrick relocated to South Korea to teach English as a foreign language. However, he quit his career as a teacher in 2017 and transitioned full time to Twitch poker streamer.

Tardif has amassed $400,754 in tournament earnings including a career-best $159,157 for finishing 2nd in the 2020 World Poker Tour – WPT Fallsview, Niagara Falls C$2,250 + 250 No Limit Hold’em – $2,500 Event.

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Rayan “Beriuzy” Chamas

Rayan Chamas is a poker streamer born in Lebanon and living in Canada. Chamas went to college pursuing a degree in business and hotel management. During college, Chamas played poker as a hobby and quickly excelled in the game. Despite completing his degree and some work experience in the hotel industry, Rayan’s true passion was poker and that’s the road he chose the take. Chamas plays high stakes tournaments both live and online and recently joined the GG Team. You can find Chamas playing HS games on Twitch with 13.5k followers and posting great poker content on YouTube as well!

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Felix “xflixx” Schneiders

On his website, Felix “xflixx” Schneiders explains who he is: “I’m a long-time professional poker player on Team PokerStars Pro Online with expertise in cash games. My website provides you with poker videos, strategy tips, personal poker coaching and live poker training so you can start crushing the tables!”

He is closing in on 70,000 Twitch followers and his most popular YouTube video Grinding it UP! #1 – $80 to $8000 Poker Bankroll Challenge has 146,000 views.

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Fintan “EasyWithAces” Hand

In his bio on the PokerStars Team page, we learn it all started for him with dealing poker: “From poker dealer to poker player, it didn’t take Fintan long to realize he could make more money on the other side of the table and since then, the man who goes by the moniker ‘EasyWithAces,’ has never looked back.”

Fintan “EasyWithAces” Hand achieved his big dream of becoming a Team PokerStars Online player, and now has more than 131,000 followers on Twitch. One of the most viewed clips of his channel is a classic one, where he finds out that trapping is for nerds.

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Jaime “PokerStaples” Staples

The 31-year old Jaime Staples is a Canadian poker player who streams around five days a week on his Twitch channel. Jaime is one of the most popular streamers on the internet with over 157,000 followers. A few years ago, he and his brother Matt won a $150,000 weight loss/gain prop bet made with Bill Perkins, which further put him in the spotlight as he shed 100 pounds in a year.

Like some others, Staples has also made the switch from PokerStars online pro to Team partypoker Online. One of the most popular clips on his channel is called “Sick Call Awful River” that featured an amazing call followed immediately by a brutal river card.

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Lex “LexVeldhuis” Veldhuis

Lex Veldhuis, known by his moniker “RaSZi”, been playing poker for over 20 years now. The member of the Dutch Poker Hall of Fame is also a member of Team PokerStars Online and is one of the most popular streamers of the day, capturing 2019 and 2020 “Streamer of the Year” honors from the Global Poker Awards.

Veldhuis made it to the highest stakes worldwide both live and online but when he started streaming his sessions on Twitch, he was completely focused on online tournaments. He now has over 307,000 Twitch followers. Lex has made it known that twitch will always be meaningful to him but he’s intent on building a vibrant content channel over on YouTube as well.

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Matt Staples

Matt Staples is a Canadian poker player and PartyPoker Ambassador.

The popular Twitch streamer joined PartyPoker in 2019 and is mid & high stakes MTT regular.

In 2018, Staples famously won a $150,000 Weight Loss Bet against Bill Perkins. Staples is a regular streamer on Twitch with over 108,000 followers on his channel.

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There are a significant number of reasons to play on PartyPoker, and their Sit & Go (SNG) poker games is just one of them.

And now there is even more incentive to play the platform’s SNG’s as P$15,750 is being dished out weekly thanks to the SNG Leaderboards.

How to Earn SNG Leaderboard Points

With the exclusion of SPINS, SPINS Ultra (PartyPoker’s version of Spin and Go’s), Satellite SNG and Heads-Up SNG, every Sit and Go game earns you points that count towards the leaderboard. And what’s even better is that you don’t even need to make the money to accrue these points.

However, winning the SNG’s you participate in will reward you more. So while putting in the volume can see you climb up the leaderboard, quality over quantity is also a route for you to take as you look to place on the leaderboards.

PartyPoker’s Daily fastfoward Leaderboards to Give Out More Than P$1,000 Every Day

What Can You Win?

There are two SNG leaderboards, which are split into micro and low buy-in levels. You have the Monday to Friday SNG leaderboard and the Weekend SNG leaderboard.

Microstakes SNG’s come with buy-ins of $1-$4.99, while the Low SNG have entry fees of $5-$19.99. These are the only stakes where leaderboard points can be accrued. If you’re battling in the microstakes, the top 75 places pay out a prize, while the top 50 players will be rewarded in the Low leaderboard.

The Weekend leaderboard sees things heat up as prizes are boosted over Saturday and Sunday. Be sure to check out what rewards are paid out in the tables below. All prizes awarded are paid out in Party Dollars (P$), which can be used to buy into any of the site’s real-money poker games.

Monday to Friday SNG Leaderboard

Weekend SNG Leaderboard

PartyPoker Revamps MTT Schedule; Launches Two New Sunday Majors

Join PartyPoker To Get This Incredible Welcome Package

New PartyPoker customers can get a 100% match-up to $600 welcome bonus plus up to $30 worth of free play in the form of SPINS tickets. Download PartyPoker via PokerNews, create your account, and decide how much you want to deposit.

Deposit $10, and you receive $10 worth of tickets over six days:

• Day 1: 1x $5 SPINS and 5x $0.25 SPINS tickets
• Day 2: 5x $0.25 SPINS tickets
• Day 4: 5x $0.25 SPINS tickets
• Day 6: 5x $0.25 SPINS tickets

Do You Know The Fastest Way to Earn PartyPoker Cashback?

Make your first deposit of $20 or greater to receive the following package worth $30:

• Day 1: 1x $5 SPINS and 5x $1 SPINS tickets
• Day 2: 1x $5 SPINS and 5x $1 SPINS tickets
• Day 4: 4x $1 SPINS tickets
• Day 6: 2x $3 SPINS tickets

Your initial deposit is matched 100% up to a maximum of $600. The bonus releases into your playable account balance in 10% increments of the deposit amount. You must earn four times the bonus amount in loyalty payments within 90 days to release the total amount.

The bonus is slightly different for residents of the United Kingdom. Your deposit bonus is 100% up to £400, with the same release rates. Your deposit of at least £10 comes with £40 of free play, consisting of the following:

• Day 1: 5x $1 SPINS and 1x $5.50 MTT tickets
• Day 2: 1x $3 SPINS and 1x $3.30 MTT tickets
• Day 3: 1x $3 SPINS and 1x $5.50 MTT tickets
• Day 4: 4x $0.25 SPINS and 4x $2.20 MTT tickets
• Day 5: 1x $5 SPINS and 1x $3.30 MTT tickets
• Day 6: 5x $1 SPINS and 2x $2.20 MTT tickets