In a pivotal year for the live casino giant, Evolution Gaming continues to make waves across multiple continents. With new ventures launched in the Czech Republic, Atlantic Canada, and Michigan, Evolution is not just cementing its dominance in regulated markets, but also transforming the landscape of live gaming entertainment.

Key Takeaways:

• Evolution opens its first live casino studio in Prague, Czech Republic.
• Partnership with Atlantic Lottery extends Evolution’s reach across Canadian provinces.
• The highly popular “Crazy Time” game show makes its debut in Michigan.

A Bold Move into the Czech Republic

Evolution recently made headlines with the launch of its first live casino studio in Prague, marking the company’s inaugural venture into the Czech market. The facility, located in the Kajot Intacto casino, represents a significant milestone as the Czech Republic continues to expand its regulated gambling environment.

At launch, the studio features native Czech-speaking dealers offering classics like Roulette and Infinite Blackjack. More games such as Poker and Baccarat are set to follow. “We are honoured to launch the first live casino offering for the new Czech live casino market,” said Gionata La Torre, Evolution’s CEO for Europe. “Leading the way in new regulated markets is central to Evolution’s growth strategy.”

This expansion provides Czech operators an opportunity to engage players with localized offerings. By employing native-speaking dealers, Evolution seeks to create a more immersive experience, building trust and fostering long-term customer loyalty—a hallmark of their global success.

Canadian Partnership Solidifies Evolution’s North American Stronghold

On the heels of their European move, Evolution has inked a deal with Atlantic Lottery (AL), extending their presence to the Atlantic Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Nova Scotia. This partnership completes Evolution’s rollout across all regulated provinces in Canada, following earlier agreements with British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Québec.

Jacob Claesson, CEO for Evolution North America, was elated: “This deal underlines Evolution’s commitment to innovation and market leadership, cementing our role as a trusted partner for regulated markets worldwide.”

The partnership with AL is a strategic one, considering the 2.5 million potential players in the region. Evolution will offer a robust selection of games from its broader portfolio, including titles from NetEnt, Red Tiger, and Big Time Gaming. For Atlantic Lottery, the collaboration aligns with their goal of enhancing their online gaming platform, creating a comprehensive experience for players in the region.

Crazy Time: The Game Show Craze Reaches Michigan

In a move that emphasizes Evolution’s adaptability and entertainment-driven approach, the live game show “Crazy Time” has officially launched in Michigan, following its success in other U.S. states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Described as an “immersive game show experience,” Crazy Time integrates cutting-edge technology, random multipliers, and augmented reality features, creating a dynamic spectacle that blends slot-machine excitement with interactive gaming. “Crazy Time continues to redefine online gaming entertainment,” said Jacob Claesson. “We’re thrilled to finally introduce this award-winning game to players in Michigan.”

With four interactive bonus games and the potential for 10,000x multipliers, Crazy Time’s appeal lies in its unpredictability and high engagement. The Michigan launch further solidifies Evolution’s presence in the U.S., continuing their trajectory as a leader in the live gaming sector.

Looking Ahead: What This Means for Evolution

The recent flurry of activity from Evolution demonstrates their commitment to expanding their market presence through innovation and strategic partnerships. Whether it’s launching localized studios or tapping into the lucrative U.S. market with blockbuster games, Evolution is setting the standard for the future of live gaming.

As regulators across the world continue to embrace online gaming, companies like Evolution are uniquely positioned to leverage their technological capabilities and global reach. “These are exciting times for us at Evolution,” La Torre noted. “We are leading the charge into new markets, and we are just getting started.”

With the Czech Republic now firmly on their map, Atlantic Canada within their grasp, and Michigan players spinning the Crazy Time wheel, Evolution’s 2024 is shaping up to be a year of growth and opportunity.

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The World Poker Tour (WPT) is setting the stage for a new chapter in its storied history by entering the U.S. sweepstakes market. The brand, already a titan in the world of professional poker, aims to expand its reach with the launch of ClubWPT Gold, a free-to-play sweepstakes poker platform that is expected to go live in early 2025. This move not only signifies the WPT’s ambition to innovate but also its intent to reshape how poker enthusiasts experience the game.

Key Takeaways:

• World Poker Tour will launch ClubWPT Gold, a sweepstakes poker site, in early 2025.
• A $5 million freeroll tournament will be held in Las Vegas to promote the launch.
• Players can play for free, earning sweepstakes coins to participate in cash games and tournaments.
• ClubWPT Gold targets a wide audience across the United States, with only four states excluded.

Introduction: Changing the Game with Sweepstakes Poker

The WPT’s decision to dive into sweepstakes poker may seem bold to some, but it’s not entirely unprecedented. The landscape of online poker has been evolving, and sweepstakes models have proven to be a viable alternative for those looking to avoid the complexities of real-money gaming. ClubWPT Gold will allow players to engage in poker for free while earning virtual currency through daily play, which can be exchanged for cash prizes and seats at exclusive tournaments.

Adam Pliska, CEO of WPT, commented on the venture in a recent press release: “In celebration of the launch of ClubWPT Gold, we’re aiming for another first for the poker world with the largest freeroll ever offered.” It’s a clear message—WPT is looking to make history once again.

A $5 Million Kickoff: The Freeroll Event

In typical WPT fashion, the launch of ClubWPT Gold will be marked by a monumental event: a $5 million freeroll tournament at Wynn Las Vegas from December 13-15, 2024. The tournament will feature 2,000 players, all of whom will compete for the top prize of $1 million. The structure of the event is designed to be inclusive, giving casual players and professionals alike a shot at life-changing payouts.

The freeroll will operate using “Golden Passports,” which players can earn by signing up for a free account on ClubWPTGold.com. Special promotions and ambassador-led contests will offer players additional ways to secure their entry into this exclusive event. In addition to the main prize, players can also compete for mystery bounties, second-chance drawings, and seats at the prestigious $10,400 WPT World Championship.

How ClubWPT Gold Will Work

The mechanics of ClubWPT Gold are designed with simplicity in mind, reflecting trends seen in mobile gaming. Players do not need to pay anything to set up an account or play poker. Instead, the platform will offer gold coins for use in play-money games, while sweepstakes coins, which can be earned through regular play or purchased, allow entry into cash games and tournaments.

Once launched, users will have the option to participate in either standard or promotional play. Promotional play is where the real excitement lies, as it offers the chance to win cash prizes and tournament entries. Players can earn sweepstakes coins through daily logins, purchasing gold coins, or by sending in requests via mail, creating a system that ensures accessibility for a wide audience.

The Appeal of Sweepstakes Poker

What sets ClubWPT Gold apart is its approach to offering players a cost-free way to enjoy poker with real-world rewards. This is not the first time a poker brand has attempted to tap into the sweepstakes market, but WPT’s backing gives this venture a unique advantage. By leveraging its reputation and existing player base, the WPT is in a prime position to attract both seasoned pros and new players.

Moreover, the inclusion of sweepstakes mechanics opens the door for players from states where traditional online poker is restricted. Players from all but four U.S. states (Idaho, Michigan, Montana, and Washington) can sign up, expanding the reach of ClubWPT Gold to a broad demographic across the country.

Conclusion: A Bold New Step for WPT

As the launch of ClubWPT Gold approaches, it’s clear that the WPT is not just following trends—it’s setting them. The combination of sweepstakes poker and the WPT’s established reputation could very well prove to be a game-changer for the U.S. poker market.

The $5 million freeroll event in December will serve as a powerful introduction to what the platform has to offer while also reinforcing the WPT’s commitment to innovation in the world of poker.

For poker fans and casual players alike, ClubWPT Gold offers a new way to engage with the game they love. And with the potential for significant rewards without any financial risk, it’s a proposition that is hard to ignore. As Pliska notes, “This is more than just a launch; it’s a celebration of what poker can be—a game for everyone.”

The post World Poker Tour Launches ClubWPT Gold with $5 Million Freeroll appeared first on Poker News Daily.

Rock You Like a Hurricane

My work in the poker industry began by accident in 2004, when I taught myself HTML and created a rudimentary website that discussed poker. Back in those days, I got interviews with the late Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, and even Barry Shulman took some time to speak with me. Later that year, a popular poker news site was looking for writers, I submitted some of my work, and they hired me on what has been a long, strange trip.

Back in those days, you simply shot work out as much as possible – there was not “research” done because, to be brutally honest, there wasn’t much info out there TO research. Four years after these auspicious beginnings, I was to come to the spot that would be the longest-tenured position of my career, here at Poker News Daily (PND), after becoming a newlywed in 2008. And there have been both good and bad along the way.

Along with Dan, PND has tried to bring you the latest in the world of poker. Sometimes that would require recreating a tournament for readers where the participants were not the “big stars” of the game, but there have been times that those players and their families have reached out and said, “Thank you,” for giving them the same pixel space that players like Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, or Fedor Holz would have received. There have been the stories that brought injustices to light, such as the Houston poker club raids a few years ago, which shining light on injustices requires a media to uncover.

There have been records that have been broken, historic moments on the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour stages, and many a moment that I, and hopefully you, have enjoyed; I will always remember standing beside Johnny Chan at the final table where he won his tenth bracelet and asking him “Do you want me to tell you what the river card is?” With his back to the felt, Johnny simply said, “No, the crowd will tell me.” And they did…

There has also been the downside. Plenty of friends have passed away that I do regret not seeing more or being more “in touch” with over the years. Lou Krieger’s passing was difficult, as was Tony Holden’s recent departure from this mortal coil. There have also been scandals, which are never fun to remember. And that marriage has also been a casualty, of a spouse who loved the job I was doing when we met to a specter I did not recognize anymore who often complained about getting a “real job.”

I had a real job. I had it for sixteen years, and I do not regret it at all.

The Future’s So Bright…

So, where do we go from here? I am closer today to retirement age than I am to the drinking age, and as such the offers are not exactly going to be rolling in. I am going to be moving my operational base to a new location, Casinos.com, with more of a focus on the overall casino gaming world rather than a specification on just poker alone. I certainly hope to finish off my working days there, but I also have some other writing outlets that I work at, my music writing with Rock at Night and my radio shows with Real Rock Radio. I will be busy, still doing what I like doing and being able to make a little something for it.

What I do want to take the time to say is that both Dan and I have been the workhorses of PND since post-Black Friday. I was released for three months in that black time of 2011 and, as things began to settle, the then-owners brought me back for duty, and I would stand my watch…until June 13. I am sure I speak for Dan when I say I hope we entertained you, I hope sometimes we educated you, and I hope that sometimes you got a laugh off one of our jokes or were able to rail a friend. It has been a long, strange trip for Dan and me at Poker News Daily, and as we shut off the lights – who knows…there may be a rebirth someday – I am reminded of the old line that Mike Sexton used to sign off the WPT telecasts. It might sound hokey, but…

“May all your cards be live, and your pots be monsters.”

Signing off…End of Watch, Poker News Daily…6/12/2024

Mahalo…

The post A Long, Strange Trip It’s Been – Saying Goodbye to Poker News Daily appeared first on Poker News Daily.

In early 2005, my job was making me absolutely miserable. So I quit.

Meanwhile, I dabbled in micro-stakes online poker, one of the many people who jumped in at the beginning of the poker boom. I had found Poker Source Online (PSO), the original online poker affiliate that gave rewards like poker chip sets for signing up for sites like Party Poker. PSO had a message board that I soon contributed to daily and through that, I met the company’s co-founder, Mike Jackness.

Our paths crossed offline in Las Vegas, where we and our significant others hung out for a day. Mike and I kept in touch and developed a friendship and when I announced on the PSO message board that I had given my two-week notice, he called me with a proposition.

He and his PSO co-founders, Jay Lakin and Peter Jonnes, wanted to start a poker news site and Mike wanted to know if I wanted to come on board to run it. I jumped at the opportunity and started with PSO in March 2005, working on other things while they were still building Poker News Daily (PND).

All good things….

Now, I wouldn’t say I ever “ran” PND, but the moment the site went live that year, I was the lone writer and the one in charge of deciding what was posted. Over the years, I have written for many poker news sites, some that PSO had bought, some that recruited me to provide my contributions. But for the last 19 years, through multiple ownership changes, PND has always been my home base.

Those 19 years come to an end today.

Last week, management informed us that they are “pausing” posting on the company’s poker sites. They say it could ramp up again in the future, but I’m not holding my breath. Thus, it looks like this week is the end of Poker News Daily. Hopefully, the site will stay up so some evidence of our work persists, but who knows.

Come on in, the water’s fine

I never expected when I joined PSO/PND that I would still be doing this two decades later. Monetarily, it was a terrible career move. If I stuck with consulting, I could have had a lucrative career with great benefits. This career, not so much.

But what all these years writing has provided me has been the opportunity to be at home and raise my kids. I embarked upon this career before they were born and now they are about to be a sophomore and senior in high school. Without PSO/PND and the writing opportunities that followed, I wouldn’t have been here for them nearly every day of their lives. Every day I would have been traveling to a client would have been a day I wouldn’t have had with my kids.

And boy, has this gig been fascinating. Mike had me jump into the deep end immediately, sending me to Las Vegas to cover the 2005 World Series of Poker. I had no idea what I was doing – I even used the flash on my camera for the first few pictures I took of those poor, blinded players. It was a whirlwind, but a fun one. I met so many interesting people, from poker pros and actors to authors and fellow poker writers like my now-friend and colleague, Earl Burton, who wrote for a different media outlet at the time.

I found myself quoted in a book. I hung out with Wil Wheaton, talked about his show “Arena” on G4TV, and got him to sign the King of Hearts to my wife, Jen (to whom he wrote, “I love you.”). I became intimately familiar with the Las Vegas backroads. I served as a de facto host for PSO customers who won trips to the WSOP through our site.

I went back the next year and somehow found myself in a huddle during the Main Event final table with ESPN’s Andrew Feldman, Johnny Chan, and Scott Lazar, who showed us some close-up magic.

So long and thanks for all the fish

Once my first child was on the way, that was the end of my extended travels, but my career in the poker industry had only just begun. So many wonderful people have made this ride a joy and I am ever-thankful for the lifelong friendships I have made because of it.

I knew very little about poker when I started out with PSO/PND – my favorite hand was A-2 suited. And I am certainly not a poker pro – I write about poker news, after all – but I have learned so much about the game, the industry, and what the game of poker means to so many.

So with this, I say goodbye to Poker News Daily, hopefully not for good, but at least for now. I wish it wasn’t ending, but can’t argue with 19 years of run-good.

In the meantime, you can find me writing and editing gambling news at VegasSlotsOnline News (quite the succinct name) and penning the occasional comedy article on the video game and pop culture satire site, Hard Drive.

If you would like to contact me, feel free to send me an e-mail at: dkatz email AT gmail DOT com (no spaces between the first two words and substitute the appropriate symbols for the words in caps)

The post A Farewell to Poker News Daily and a Poker News Daily Farewell appeared first on Poker News Daily.

Not only did investigators figure out that Eddy was scammed (it was pretty obvious, assuming she was telling the truth about what happened), but she also did not profit a cent from the March 12, 2023 heist. As such, the DA felt it would not have been ethical to go continue the case.

Security footage showed that early in the morning of March 12 of last year, Eddy took $50,000 bricks of cash and put them into a box. She then left the Blackhawk, Colorado casino and drove away. About an hour later, she returned and did the same thing. All told, she took $500,000 from the casino.

As it turned out, Eddy was being scammed. She told investigators that she took a call on the casino’s phone from someone saying he was the casino’s head of operations. He also exchanged texts with Eddy, looping in an apparent accomplice who posed as a cage manager. They said Monarch was having an issue with a vendor payment and needed her to take the money to someone they said was a lawyer so that the casino would not be “in breach of contract.”

The meet up spot was a local hospital, where the supposed lawyer approached her car door and took the money after 4:30am. She called her contacts back, but nobody answered. It was then that she may have realized something was amiss. She called the casino to say she was coming back, adding that she “thought she might be arrested.”

Ron Kammerzell, former head of the Colorado Division of Gaming and now a regulatory consultant for the gaming industry, told 9News at the time, “For something like that to happen, it would’ve had to defeat a number of different levels of casino controls within the property.”

Eddy said she was aware of the official procedures at the casino, but was rushed and convinced she was under orders from a superior. She was arrested and charged with one count of felony theft.

The post Former Colorado Casino Employee Cleared in $500,000 Theft Case appeared first on Poker News Daily.

Matching His Brother

Mizrachi came to the final trio with a slight lead over Martinelli (4.3 million to 3.1 million), while Suzuki (1.1 million) was going to have to find some cards or a miracle to climb. It was not to be for Suzuki, however, as he lost a set of Deuce to Seven Triple Draw hands to watch his stack go down to only 100K in chips. Martinelli would finish Suzuki off in the first hand of Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Eight or Better as Martinelli’s A-J-7-2 flopped two pair against Suzuki’s K-K-J-6 on a J-9-7 flop. Neither the eight on the turn nor the deuce on the river helped Suzuki and he departed the Mothership in third place only thirty minutes into play.

Staked to more than a 2:1 lead, Mizrachi was the epitome of the former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden saying “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” He meticulously took the game to Martinelli, defeating him for small pots in PLO Hi/Lo, Badeucey, and PLO straight. Once the game switched to Pot Limit Deuce to Seven Triple Draw, Mizrachi ended the tournament.

On the final hand, both men drew three cards and, after Martinelli bet pot and Mizrachi called, Martinelli drew one card and Mizrachi two. Another pot bet came out of Martinelli, but this time Mizrachi repotted, which was enough to commit the remainder of Martinelli’s chips. Martinelli called and, after he drew one, Martinelli had to feel the weight when Mizrachi stood pat.

With all the draws complete, Mizrachi turned up a 9-5 that was going to be tough to beat. Martinelli had the right start with his 7-5-4-2 to do the job but, as he squeezed the final card, all he could do was reluctantly flip up another four that paired his hand. With that, Mizrachi took the championship and his fifth-ever WSOP bracelet.

1. Robert Mizrachi (USA), $333,045
2. Michael Martinelli (USA), $215,848
3. Ryutaro Suzuki (Japan), $144,431
4. Ben Lamb (USA), $99,885*
5. David Bach (USA), $71,476*
6. Richard Bai (USA), $52,985*

(* – eliminated on Wednesday, part of official WSOP final table)

With this victory, Robert matches his brother, three-time Poker Players’ Championship winner Michael, with five bracelet victories. It also leads one to think that if Michael is worthy of discussion for the Poker Hall of Fame with his achievements, why isn’t Robert included in that discussion?

Malcolm Trayner Leads Unofficial WSOP Player of the Year Race

At this point in the WSOP, it is way premature to discuss the Player of the Year race. Because of the rules instituted this year by the WSOP, players must have five points-earning finishes to be eligible to win the WSOP POY, with a maximum of thirteen counting tournaments and only one of those can be from an online event. A quick look at the current UNOFFICIAL standings (because nobody has five points-earning finishes…yet) shows that winning the “tentpole” events can push you a long way.

The winner of Event #5, the $1000 Mystery Millions, was Australia’s Malcolm Trayner, who banked the million-dollar first-place prize for winning that tournament. It also banked him a boatload of WSOP POY points (1416.41). To this mark of the Series, however, it is Trayner’s only cash on his scorecard; if the Series were to end today, he would not even be counted in the “official” standings because he does not have five points-earning finishes.

Several players behind Trayner have already made inroads to clicking off their five points-earning finishes to qualify for the POY. $1500 Dealer’s Choice champion John ‘World’ Hennigan has earned three points finishes to currently sit in second place, while Champions’ Reunion victor Asher Conniff has two finishes to enter third place. These numbers are meaningless, however, until a player actually reaches that five points-earning finishes level, at which point they will officially “qualify” for the WSOP POY.

Nevertheless, here is how the players line up for the Player of the Year race now:

1. Malcolm Trayner (Australia), 1416.41 points (one points finish)
2. John Hennigan (USA), 1174.76 (three)
3. Asher Conniff (USA), 1165.98 (two)
4. Bryce Yockey (USA), 1164.08 (three)
5. Scott Seiver (USA), 1117.9 (three, one online)
6. Daniel Willis (United Kingdom), 1048.77 (one)
7. Nick Guagenti (USA), 1034.73 (three)
8. James Chen (USA), 1027.14 (one)
9. David Prociak (USA), 1005.8 (two)
10. Yuchung Chang (USA), 783.26 (four, one online)

With his next cash, Chang will officially become the first player to qualify for the 2024 WSOP POY award, which gives the player an entry into the 2025 WSOP Championship Event, a commemorative trophy, and a banner that will permanently fly each year at the World Series of Poker.

(Photo courtesy of WSOP.com)

The post Robert Mizrachi Goes to Overtime to Win Fifth WSOP Bracelet; Race for WSOP POY is On appeared first on Poker News Daily.

“With the poker world losing original participants of the 1970 WSOP in the last two years, it’s more important than ever to celebrate the history of the game,” said Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the World Series of Poker, in Tuesday’s press release. “The Poker Hall of Fame is meant to make sure legends who paved the way for today’s record-setting fields are never forgotten, and we thank poker fans for their help putting forth worthy candidates during the nomination process.”

Those two legends Stewart mentioned are Doyle Brunson, who passed away in May 2023, and Crandell Addington, who the poker world just lost in April.

Criteria to be consider for the Poker Hall of Fame are as follows:

• Must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
• Be a minimum of 40-years-old at time of nomination
• Played for high stakes, consistently well, and stood the test of time
• For non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results

Anyone can nominate a person for the Hall of Fame by going to the HOF website and filling out a form. A reason for the nomination must be provided. The public nomination window will be open through June 16.

Once all the nominations are in, the top ten vote getters will be reviewed by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council, presumably to make sure everyone is eligible (this part of the process has never been particularly transparent). When the ten finalists are set, the living Poker Hall of Fame members will cast their votes. If it works the same as in past years, the Hall of Fame voters will have ten votes which they can distribute among the finalists however they would like. They can give all ten to one person, half to one and half to another, one to each finalists, any combination.

Only one person will make the Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2024. That person will be announced on July 14. Last year’s inductee was Brian Rast.

The post 2024 Poker Hall of Fame Nomination Process Is Open appeared first on Poker News Daily.

In the few years that it has existed, the $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold’em event at the World Series of Poker has been a huge hit. It not only sports a $1 million guaranteed prize for the winner, but is also a bounty tournament, which always makes things more exciting. But unlike many bounty tournaments where there is a fixed or progressive bounty on everyone’s heads, this tournament adds more gamble to the gamble, as each bounty is unknown until it is revealed post-elimination.

And the bounties in the Mystery Millions event are lucrative. $300 from each buy-in went to the bounty pool, and with 18,409 entries, the bounty pool amounted to $5,523,000 with at TWO million-dollar bounties up for grabs. There were five more six-figure bounties – $500,000, $250,000, and three $100,000 – and 949 in total, going down to $1,000.

Starting on Monday’s Day 2, everyone who knocked out an opponent got to randomly pull a bounty. If that bounty was for more than $25,000, the player went on stage to select an envelope from a GGPoker-branded bounty chest in hopes of hitting the jackpot. The bounties in the chest were worth a lot, but there is nothing quite like opening an envelope to see a cool million bucks.

Shabelnyk almost got a free phone

The first million-dollar bounty went to Valentyn Shabelnyk. After emcee Jeff Platt gave him some quick instructions, he picked an envelope from the massive chest and carefully tore open one end. In previous years, players would often slowly unfurl the paper within to see if it started with a one and then build the suspense from there, but Shabelnyk just went for it, quickly unfolding the card as Platt tried to say, “The first number is a one…”

As Platt excitedly announced the million-dollar win, Shabelnyk calmly smiled a showed the paper to cameras and onlookers. Platt attempted to interview him, but Shabelnyk wanted to get back to his table – after all, he was missing hands in the tournament.

As he made his way through the poker floor, Shabelnyk realized in the excitement that he took Platt’s cell phone. He hurried back to return it and then got back to the action, where he eventually bowed out in 528^th place for $3,070.

Buckley had a cheering section

A few hours later, D.J. Buckley found out he won more than $25,000, so it was his turn to step up to the bounty box – again, mid-tournament – to see if the poker gods were with him a little bit longer. With Jesse Fullen holding the mic next to him, Buckley calmly tore open the envelope and asked what the best way to open it was. After pulling out the paper, he did the slow reveal, displaying the first digit to Fullen, who excitedly announced it to everyone. Then it looked like Buckley was going to slowly go through each zero, but he could quickly tell he had hit it big, so he unfolded the paper all the way and proudly raised it for all to see.

Though he was beaming more than was Shabelnyk, Buckley was also very calm for someone who just won a million dollars. His friends, not so much, as they cheered and mobbed him when he got off the stage.

When Fullen asked him how he felt, Buckley simply said, “Feel great,” and said he wasn’t about to buy anything with his new-found riches. Like Shabelnyk, Buckley quickly made his way back to his table as people congratulated him and gave him fist bumps. He was later eliminated in 90^th place, good for $8,170.

There are 18 players remaining in the Mystery Millions event as it heads into its final day.

Image credit: PokerGO.com

The post Valentyn Shabelnyk, D.J. Buckley Unearth $1 Million Bounties at WSOP appeared first on Poker News Daily.

Major League Baseball (MLB) has banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for betting on baseball. In Tuesday’s announcement, the league said that he placed 387 bets, including 231 that involved MLB teams, in two stretches in 2022 and 2023. What got him banned for life, though, was that 25 of the bets were on his team at the time, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Major League Rule 21 lays out the league’s policies around sports betting. It is permitted, but only on other sports and only with legal sportsbooks. If a player is found to have bet on MLB games, but not on their own team, they face a one-year suspension. If a player is found to have bet on games involving their team, which is what Marcano did, a lifetime ban is in play.

In total, Marcano bet more than $150,000 on baseball, $87,319 of that on MLB games. And he was oh, so bad at betting, winning only 4.3% of his MLB-related wagers.

The league said that Marcano never bet on any games in which he played (the vast majority of his bets were after he suffered a torn ACL on July 24, 2023 – he has not played since) and that there is no evidence that any game’s integrity was harmed because of his betting.

Additional suspensions

Four other players were also suspended for one year for betting on baseball:

• Oakland A’s pitcher Michael Kelly
• San Diego Padres minor league pitcher Jay Groome
• Philadelphia Phillies minor league infielder José Rodríguez
• Arizona Diamondbacks minor league pitcher Andrew Saalfrank

Kelly is the only one of the four who is currently on a major league squad. All of them bet while in the minor leagues, three of them in organizations other than the ones they are in now (Saalfrank was in the Diamondbacks’ minor league system when he gambled). All of them also placed bets involving the major league clubs of their organizations, but because they weren’t on the big league ball club at the time, their violations do not rise to the severity of Marcano’s.

None of the four players wagered sums of money that come anywhere near Marcano’s. Rodríguez bet the most, $749.09, almost all of which were on MLB games. Kelly risked his career and likely forfeited the rest of his $750,000 salary on less than $100 worth of bets.

Like Marcano, Groome was hilariously bad at betting. On $453.74 in MLB-related wagers, he had a net loss of $433.54, winning only two of 32 bets.

The post Tucupita Marcano Permanently Banned from Baseball for Betting on MLB Games appeared first on Poker News Daily.

Bryce Yockey can sure play Omaha

Bryce Yockey won his first WSOP bracelet seven years ago when he took home the hardware in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Championship. On Sunday, he ditched the low, but got the high, winning Event #8: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for a personal best $606,654 payday.

He’s got a chip on his shoulder, too, making him even more determined to win another WSOP event this summer. In a display of confidence that reminds me of Jake Taylor’s comment to his team in Major League, Yockey told PokerNews.com what his plans are:

“I’m going to win another one this year. Like honestly, when I saw myself get drafted for $13 in the fantasy draft, I’m like, f*** these guys. I’m just going to win two bracelets instead. I do a morning affirmation every day and I just tell myself I’m going to win two, and I got one down so far.”

Yockey is also gunning for the WSOP Player of the Year award and doesn’t seem to mind at all that the new rules will only count player’s top ten points results.

“I’m never going to be like Shaun Deeb or Daniel Negreanu,” Yockey said. “I’m never going to play two tournaments at the same time unless it’s a really unusual situation. But, I mean, I always play 40 events anyway. If I play another ten, it’s really not that different. So I’ll be in here every single day.”

1. Bryce Yockey – $606,654
2. Farid Jattin – $404,430
3. Zachary Schwartz – $283,221
4. Aditya Sadhu – $201,419
5. Jason Berilgen – $145,504
6. Joao Vieira – $106,795
7. Joao Simao – $79,661
8. Paul Radcliffe – $60,405

First live bracelet win for Nick Guagenti

Nick Guagenti won an online $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack event in 2020, and while he will always be immensely proud of that accomplishment, he really wanted a live bracelet win in the worst way. He got his wish this weekend, as he won Event #9: $1,500 Limit Hold’em (8-Handed) for $121,074.

Like Yockey, Guagenti said in his post-game interview that he plans on playing in dozens of tournaments at the WSOP, so there’s no reason to think that he couldn’t make a run at WSOP Player of the Year.

“I mean, I was planning on playing 50-55 events this summer regardless. I mean, I could still end up stuck on the Series [meaning losing money overall] despite this win, so I’ll be playing.”

He said that he enjoys Limit Hold’em because of the speed of the game, that without the potentially massive bets, there isn’t as much of a need to go into the tank on decisions, even important ones.

“It’s fast. The pace of it is much faster than the other games. It’s kind of automatic and robotic.”

1. Nick Guagenti – $121,074
2. Joseph Brodsky – $80,717
3. George Chen – $54,708
4. Juha Helppi – $37,880
5. Qinghai Pan – $26,807
6. Bradley Carter – $19,400
7. Abdulrahim Amer – $14,363
8. John Kim – $10,886

Image credit: PokerGO.com

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