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WSOP Attendance Just Fine

Everyone speculated about whether or not the 2011 World Series of Poker would have the traffic necessary to make the series worth the time and money it takes to put it on and make it worthwhile to the players who do show up. Since Black Friday, many online poker blogs have been saying that with US players’ money tied up in their player accounts at the big three online poker rooms where they could no longer access their funds, they wouldn’t even be able to afford to travel to and then buy in to WSOP events.

There was also the whether or not poker players in other countries would even come, since they wouldn’t be able to play online while there. Many also speculated that the lack of satellites and WSOP packages given out by Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars would hurt attendance, as well as the lack of sponsored players by these online poker brands, which would in turn cause players who would otherwise be given a free ride to pay their own ways. Or would the negative publicity that has been surfacing on a regular basis hurt WSOP traffic?

WSOP officials said they weren’t worried and had faith in the reputation of the tournament series. They were right. There has been little decline in attendance at the WSOP this year, and traffic for the most part has been up, though there has been decreases in overall attendance, but it’s not even enough to worry about.

Furthermore and despite the fact that the Nevada Gaming Board has prohibited any online poker site advertisements on the part of WSOP, many players are still sporting their PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker logos. The WSOP goes on.

There are however some big name poker pros who are avoiding the series including Phil Ivey, who says he will be boycotting the 2011 WSOP perhaps because he isn’t getting a free ride or maybe he just doesn’t want to answer any questions about the state of online poker in the US. Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer are not expected to show up either, as they are already MIA and likely fear being heckled by players for the money still unreturned by Full Tilt Poker.

Lastly, Tony G, poker pro associated with Party Poker, says he doesn’t want to deal with the head ache of the hole situation. He has been threatening avoidance of the WSOP though long before Black Friday because he wasn’t invited to play in the Tournament of  Champions satellite last year.

Merge to Temporarily Shut Doors to New US Players

After multiple online poker rooms have been forced to shut down to US players or have backed out of the US market themselves, now comes another similar story. Merge Network has decided that starting tomorrow, June 3rd, they will no longer accept new US player signups; however, they will allow existing US players to continue playing for real money, and their accounts will not be affected (nor will non-US players).

Popular Merge Network skins include Lock Poker, Carbon Poker, RPM Poker, Hero Poker, Felt Stars, GR88 Poker, Overbet Poker, Poker Nordica, PDC Poker, and Iron Duke, among others.

Merge announced the other day that they would be ending their rakeback deal on June 1st, so an influx of players registered with the network’s various skins in order to get in on the rakeback deal before it was too late. These sign ups, along with the otherwise 76% traffic increase since Black Friday, have apparently backlogged the support department, and caused problems with payment processing. Therefore, this “temporary” new US player registration break is being implemented so that they can catch up.

And it is reported that this is all temporary, and US players will be able to sign up again, but that date is unknown by Merge Network at this time.

So, since already registered players will still be able to play on Merge Network skins after June 3rd, it is advised that you
create a player account today if you don’t already have one. Click here to access Lock Poker.

Although they seemingly do have a good excuse, it is suspected by some that this is really part of Merge’s strategy to stay out of the line of fire of the US Department of Justice, at least until regulations are passed and put into effect.

Full Tilt Poker’s TV Show “The Poker Lounge” Returns to the UK

Despite the fact that the one Full Tilt Poker account belonging to co-founder of the online poker site Raymond Bitar has been unfrozen by the US Department of Justice, Full Tilt Poker is still unable to make any refunds to their players. American players are just not able to access their player accounts and cash out just yet.

Full Tilt Poker recently released a statement that explained they just cannot say exactly when funds would be returned, though they assured players that they would in fact get their money back… eventually.

But there is some good news for Full Tilt Poker. They have announced details regarding the second season of their UK TV show “The Poker Lounge.” This show is similar to another popular Full Tilt Poker TV show, “Late Night Poker.” Ten episodes will air in the UK, and the show features a sit and go format, like “Late Night Poker,” but the difference is that this show has a six-person format where winner takes all. Each game features pro poker players and one qualifier. Thus, there are 10 spots up for grabs, and non-US players residing in poker-friendly areas can qualify online at the Full Tilt Poker website.

Each winning qualifying package is worth $22K. That’s $20K for the buy-in and an addition $2K for travel expenses and accommodations. The winner of the game will take home the entire $120K prize pool. Online qualifiers range from free to $640.

One-hour episodes of “The Poker Lounge” will air every week in the UK beginning July 25th and running through September 26th, not to interfere with the World Series of Poker.

WSOP Gets a Comfy New Sponsor

In an effort to attract new sponsors for the 2011 World Series of Poker, WSOP VP Ty Stewart and WSOP communications director Seth Palansky have been putting in long hours, and their hard work has finally paid off. They’ve announced that the official footwear sponsor of the WSOP for the next two years is Dearfoams Slippers, which seems a tad inappropriate, but it wouldn’t be the first time that the WSOP commissioned an unusual sponsor. For instance, anti-perspirant and deodorant brand Degree by Helene Curtis was once a sponsor, and let’s not forget GlaxoSmithKline/Bayer’s Levitra for erectile dysfunction, not to mention beef jerky?

But Palansky and Stewart have their reasons for signing on with Dearfoams Slippers. Stewart points out that last year, the Main Event was won by Jonathan Duhamel, who “won nearly $9 million while wearing flip-flops,” thus proving that “poker players covet comfort in their pursuit of glory.”

Furthermore Stewart says, “flip-flops aren’t so comfortable,” though Dearfoams “who make the world’s most comfortable slippers” will allow WSOP players to “feel truly comfy as they pursue their dreams of winning the WSOP and going on to live a life of leisure, where it will be appropriate to wear Dearfoams Slippers 24/7.”

Not only will the Dearfoams logo be displayed all over the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, but all the Main Event players will be receiving a pair of slippers, as will all the ladies registered in the Ladies’ Championship event. Also, Dearfoams will be for sale during all other events for those whose feet get sore while sitting at the tables all day.

WSOP officials have even said that dealers and ESPN camera crews can even wear slippers during the Main Event.

If anything, this new trend will help ease the stress of the players who become over tired and uncomfortable after hours and hours of playing. It will be interesting to see who of the big name players actually takes off their stylish kicks for a pair of comfy Dearfoams.

Full Tilt Makes a Statement Regarding US Player Payouts

Full Tilt has made yet another statement directed at US players once again concerning problems with cash outs, and while it’s something, it’s not much because it still doesn’t garner players their funds.

While PokerStars has been cashing out player accounts and refunding former players located in the US, Full Tilt Poker has not been able to do the same. Consequently, a representative from Full Tilt Poker posted on the 2+2 online poker forum regarding the issues.

Part of his post stated:

We acknowledge that our lack of communication reflects poorly on us, and rightfully so. We have been too optimistic in estimating how long it would take to sort through the issues we have faced since Black Friday. And as frustrating as the delays have been for us, we recognize that it cannot compare to the frustration you have been feeling.

We further recognize that our lack of communication has led to much speculation and many unsubstantiated rumors, which have often been contradictory. With this message, we hope to clear up as much confusion as we can, while at the same time keeping in mind the constraints imposed on us as a result of the cases brought in the Southern District of New York.
More of the 2+2 thread can be read here.

Furthermore, the post assured players that the Full Tilt Poker company is not bankrupt. In fact, it said that “FTP’s worldwide business is healthy and, although we’ve had some short-term challenges, it is operating as normal.” And who can blame them for these “short-term challenges,” which are only a direct result from the Black Friday ordeal. Also, the rep explains that they are trying to raise capital in order to facilitate US players’ pay outs. At least they are being honest.

2011 World Series of Poker Starts Today

The day is finally here. The 2011 WSOP starts today in Las Vegas, Nevada at noon, Las Vegas time at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino when the Casino Employees No-Limit Hold ‘em begins. Then later today, at 5:00 Vegas time, Event #2, the Heads Up No Limit Hold ‘em Championship with 256 player maximum will run for the next four days.

This will be the 42nd WSOP and features 58 bracelet giveaways across tournaments that range from $500 to $50,000. The total prize pool for the entire series is expected to be about $180,000,000. More than 70,000 players are expected to compete in this year’s series, despite the fact that many believe attendance will be down due to Black Friday and the fact that many player’s bankrolls are otherwise tied up in their seized accounts.

However, WSOP officials feel that this year’s series is going to be as big as ever, and nothing is going to keep poker players from going to the WSOP.

One hundred square feet of ballroom space at the Rio will be converted into poker central with 380 poker tables that will accommodate players from 115 players over the next seven weeks.

Aside from the 58 bracelet events, there will also be 24-hour cash games as well as single-table and mega-satellite tournaments. Also, three daily NLH tourneys will be hosted every day featuring buy-ins as low as $135.

The Main Event will gear up on July 7th when nine finalists will be determined, only to have to wait until November to complete the final table competition and determine the WSOP Main Event Champion.

If you are interested in registering for the World Series of Poker, you can pre-register up to two weeks in advance for any event, or just walk up and register right then and there. The cashier’s cage will be open 24/7 for the remainder of the series. Rail entry to all events is free.

Lock Poker Moving Up in the Polls

Since the destabilization of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker, Lock Poker seems to be the big winner. Black Friday was nothing but black for Lock Poker, which has seen a monumental increase in US online poker traffic. It was one of the smaller online poker sites in the industry accepting US players, but it has since become one of the best options for online poker players in the US.

Despite the risk, Lock Poker has really taken the opportunity to move into a higher rank with the US market and ran with it. They do run the risk of being next on the Department of Justice’s radar, but US players had to have somewhere to go. They are hoping they won’t be in the line of fire in the future.

What makes Lock Poker different from other US-friendly online poker sites still in business is that they are enhancing their pro team, hiring new poker pros, and gearing up for a very successful World Series of Poker.

Just in the past few weeks, Lock Poker has picked up three new online poker pros, Casey “Bigdogpckt5s” Jarzabek, Michael “bigguylegend22” Drummond, and Brian “PrimodialAA” Pellegrino, all of whom are quite popular in the online poker realm and the live poker world as well. Just imagine the outcome if one of these Lock Poker ProElite players makes it to the final table, or even wins a few preliminary bracelets along the way. Their reputation will shoot up even more, and they could become bigger than they ever imagined was possible. Remember what Chris Moneymaker did for PokerStars. Lock Poker could even become the number one poker site for US players before it’s all said and done with. It may even make it big before regulation happens.

Whether or not the US allows Lock Poker to stay in business following legalization is still an unknown, as is the future of online poker in general. How could Lock Poker not take advantage of such an opportunity?

Steve Wynn Says Now is the Time for Casinos to Make their Move

Now that a wedge has been driven between the online poker market in the US, casinos are hoping to fill the void with their own online poker websites if and when the game becomes legal in the US, which it is looking more and more likely that it will. Should the online poker flood gates be reopened with regulation, there would be millions of potential US customers rushing to get back on the virtual tables after being stripped of their favorite past time—online poker.

Land-based casinos argue in favor of these players, suggesting that US players find a way to play no matter how many obstacles are put in their way in efforts to stop them. The casinos also believe that the tax revenue generated by the game would be monumental for the government at both state and federal levels.

Recently Steve Wynn, billionaire casino mogul and owner of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, spoke in favor of rewriting federal laws to specifically allow Internet poker (never mind sports betting and casino betting). Casino tycoons like Wynn are hoping that former online gambling empires in the US, namely PokerStars, Absolute Poker, and Full Tilt Poker, will never be allowed to operate in the US market again due to the indictments and charges against them. This leaves a lot of room for existing land-based companies to move in and take their place.

Gary Loveman, CEO of Caesars, told the Associated Press that this is the right time for casinos to
make their move. He says, “Our industry has to modernize itself in a way that allows its services to be provided electronically and not in these massively expensive brick-and-mortar facilities. To speak to a younger audience, this is increasingly necessary.”

Because the 2006 UIGEA prohibited banks from processing online gambling transactions and never specifically defined gambling as illegal, the door is open for regulation and legalization of online poker.

Player Gets Ripped off $60K by Cake Poker

Cake Poker recently made a decision to rule in their own favor of $60K when a player was the victim if a glitch in the Cake Poker Network software that allowed a couple players to bet with money that wasn’t actually in their accounts.

From Donkdown.com, a poker forum, the player posted his communication with the Cake Poker security department on the forum. Part of the post follows:

One of the partner sites on the Cake Network had a security issue which involved some accounts bringing fraudulently acquired funds to the tables and losing them. Your account was one of the accounts which won funds from one these fraudulent accounts ($60,614.10). We are sure you recognized and understood that the manner in which these accounts were playing against you was not rational poker. We apologize for this unfortunate issue but we cannot allow these funds to be retained in your poker account since they were not legitimate funds to begin with. These funds have now been removed from your account.

Regards,

Cake Poker Security

Despite the fact that this player won fair and square, the player whom he won the funds from was not playing with fair money. Therefore, the victim is the player who lost his winnings because he was at the wrong table at the wrong time.

Many are wondering what would have happened if the player had lost to the fraudulent account. It is doubtful that Cake Poker would refund the money he lost.

Legalized US Online Poker May Follow Market Shut Down

Republican Congressman Joe Barton out of Texas is planning on introducing some legislation to regulate and legalize online poker in the US this summer. After the virtual wipe out of a large part of the US Internet poker market by the US Department of Justice beginning on April 15th and still apparently going on, Barton will hopefully be making moves here shortly.

Barton has long supported online poker and is an advocate of poker as a game of skill. Republican Senator Alfonse D’Amato out of New York agrees with Barton and says, “It seems to me rather ludicrous that we permit gambling like lotteries and horse racing on the Internet, but we say no, a game of skill like poker, you can’t play.”

Barton explains that the online poker industry was attacked because the online poker companies were using shell companies and under the radar banks to process illegal payments, as were the additional online gambling sites that were shut down last week. Because these companies broke the law in the “transactional elements” of their business, meaning in the sending and receiving of funds through other online companies, they were shut down.

D’Amato has said on the record that he believes Barton’s bill will pass. Because Barton’s reputation is unflawed and his credibility is good, he has a good chance. His basic argument is to give “a basic right to people to use the Internet.” He adds, “We use the Internet for a lot of other things that aren’t so nice like pornography. You don’t ban that, but you ban poker?”

Barton is still working on the bill, finishing it up, and he is optimistic that it will pass in both houses of Congress this session.

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