Category Archives: Poker

It is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to do all in our power to ensure we keep poker fun and fair, and listening to our players will continue to be a key factor to progress on this front 888poker refunded over $350k to players in 2023 as part of its continuing crackdown on fraudulent accounts that use prohibited tools, pokerfuse has learned.

The operator, sharing data with pokerfuse, disclosed that it took decisive action by blocking 161 accounts throughout the year. These accounts were identified for utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) or real-time assistance (RTA) during online poker tables.

In response, 888poker not only banned these accounts but also initiated refunds totaling $362,893, compensating 4068 players who had been adversely affected by these illicit activities.

Our continued progress in tackling bots stems from the understanding that it is crucial in order to ensure that 888poker continues to provide an enjoyable, safe, and level playing field for all our players, Matan Krakow, Head of Poker Offering at 888poker told pokerfuse.

The operator said that out of the $363k total, $250k was directly paid from the operators own pockets. The operator did this when it was not possible to reclaim funds from blocked accounts.

888 highlighted that their success in combating fraudulent accounts resulted not only from increased resources in detection capabilities, but also acknowledged the support and collaboration of the player community. According to Krakow, players play an important role to play in helping provide [them] with vital information about players they think are using AI and RTA.

The Head of Poker Offering at 888 further explained that the site continues to consult with advisors who are top notch in terms of analyzing hand histories and detecting non-human patterns. Feedback received indicates that, after rigorous work in recent years, 888poker stands out favorably compared to competitors, boasting a clean and safe playing environment.

It is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to do all in our power to ensure we keep poker fun and fair, and listening to our players will continue to be a key factor to progress on this front, Krakow stated in a statement to pokerfuse.

The disclosure of this data comes amid a surge in reports of cheating. Recent accusations targeted the US-facing offshore unregulated platform ACR Poker, where hundreds of accounts were alleged to be operated by bots (bot farm), accumulating over $10 million in winnings in recent years. Similar concerns were raised regarding social poker apps such as PokerBros.

Weeks ago GGPoker was hit with a massive superuser scandal after a security breach that granted a player access to flop and turn all-in equities, providing an unfair advantage over opponents.

Although the recent revelation of data regarding fraudulent activities may seem like a response to the ongoing discussions surrounding cheating in online poker, this is not the first time that 888 has been transparent about its initiatives to safeguard gaming integrity and share such information.

In 2021, 888 took steps to create a fair and level playing field for all players, joining the growing trend of transparency among operators in how they uphold game integrity. The commitment included regular reporting of figures.

In its first public disclosure three years ago, the platform announced 85 fraudulent accounts were detected for using AI software, recovering nearly $100,000 and compensating over 4000 players.

The following year, in 2022, the platform refunded almost $300,000 to 6801 players, reflecting a 32% year-over-year increase in the detection of fraudulent accounts. The latest figures now reveal a new record, with the operator reimbursing $362,000 to 4068 players, marking a 26% annual increase.

These latest statistics suggest that the operator has either enhanced its detection capabilities or that there has been a rise in fraudulent activities. Naturally, the platform would likely attribute the former to increased investments and the adoption of new, sophisticated detection methods.

Over the past few years we have continuously enhanced our AI and data capabilities when it comes to deducing playing patterns that indicate abnormal behaviour, Amit Berkovich, VP Head of Poker at 888, said in a recent interview with Poker Industry PRO.

Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800 GAMBLER.

Excerpt from:

888poker Refunded $350k to Players Affected by Bots and RTA in 2023 - Pokerfuse

Police took into custody and arrested a poker player wanted in connection to a shooting that occurred Sunday morning near the Las Vegas Strip.

Jon Letzkus, 45, is accused of firing his weapon from the balcony of the MGM Signature Towers overlooking the Strip at around 6:00 a.m. Although no one was injured in the shooting, authorities shut down the popular tourist area to ensure public safety.

Nearly five hours later, the area from the south end of the Strip and one block east on Koval Lane reopened after the suspect was apprehended.

At the time of publishing, the motive remained unclear or police just havent publicly released that information. Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) initially sent out a tweet asking the public for help in locating Letzkus. The search only took a few hours to conclude.

Despite no injuries or deaths occurring as a result of the early morning New Years Eve shooting, incidents such as this one will always bring back memories of the Oct. 1, 2017 shooting on the Las Vegas Strip in which deranged video poker player Stephen Paddock fired upon country music concertgoers from inside a Mandalay Bay suite, killing dozens of innocent people.

Letzkus has just over $14,000 in live poker tournament results on The Hendon Mob. His most recent cash a first-place finish in Lincoln City, California, a $4,847 score in a $160 buy-in PacWest Poker Classic Omaha hi-lo event.

The alleged shooter has four World Series of Poker (WSOP) cashes, all for small amounts from 2019 to 2020, and two of which took place online at WSOP.com. Letzkus is a low-stakes player.

Metro Deputy Chief Dori Koren said during a Sunday press conference that he believes Letzkus used a single handgun. Investigators felt confident the incident wouldnt have any impact on the Las Vegas Strips New Years Eve festivities.

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Poker Player Jon Letzkus Suspected in Las Vegas Strip Area Shooting - PokerNews.com

As 2023 comes to a close, its time to cast a glance back at the years biggest stories. We have the usual mix of good and bad mostly bad, as is usual and this year we also got the sad news that the great Doyle Brunson was no longer with us.

The Texan was a double WSOP Main Event champion with 10 bracelets to back it up. We will never see another player like him.

His tales from the Texas road game would send shivers down the spine of the youngsters starting their careers today.

Although Covid was long gone, it wasnt until 2023 that the inconvenience of travel restrictions finally got out of the way.

Tournament winner Daniel Weinman took home $12,100,000 for his efforts, just pipping the $12 million that Jamie Gold won.

Its one of those cases where after the event people kind of think whoever was moaning overreacted, but there are an awful lot of cases to look back at.

In this story, Kabrhel was flat out accused of cheating by marking cards with his nails during a $250,000 super high roller at the WSOP.

There was an investigation by the organisers but no foul play was discovered to have taken place despite many of the high-stakes community protesting strongly.

Most recently, Hustler Casino Live regs Nik Airball and Wesley Fei fell victim to a scam involving UV-marked cards in a private game hosted in California. The perpetrator was none other than a supposed friend of Airball, Tony Mars, who also made appearances on Hustler Casino Live.

The gang won millions of dollars from that game and were said to be owed as much as $15 million by a group of celebrities who were conned.

It is thought that this debt will remain unpaid due to the exposure Wesley Fei gave the case, earning him multiple death threats for his trouble

Rudy Galvadon is charged with attempted murder and is now awaiting his fate in a jail cell after testing positive for opiates.

Earlier this year we reported:

Gavaldon was arrested at the scene of the crime in Traverse City, Michigan at 12.05 am on July 30, 2022. Police arrived to find his wife Lara Gavaldon in a critical condition while he wandered in the street holding their child.

The 28-year-old was taken to a local hospital before being med-evaced with life-threatening injuries to Grand Rapids Hospital.

A 2+2 thread explained:

User "MoneyTaker69" is alleged to be superusing on GG Poker.

In December, Moneytaker won at 90bb/100 on GG Poker in 8,900 hands playing 53% VPIP. Soon after, he binked a $150 Sunday MTT for $47,586 while playing an extremely volatile strategy, which aroused a lot of suspicion.

GG Poker has acknowledged the situation privately and is preparing to address it, but it's important for the public to know immediately due to the significance of superusing.

GGPoker posted a statement admitting that this really did happen, and promised that security would be improved with the team size doubled.

At the time of writing, the internet is awash with commentators pointing the finger at GGPokers recent ban of tracking sites from collecting data from its players. Many think this could have been move one of an inside job.

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Top Poker Stories of 2023 - HighstakesDB

Summary

Star Trek: The Next Generation famously ends with a poker game, and writer Ronald D. Moore explains the origin of that iconic and beloved moment. Moore and Brannon Braga co-wrote the Star Trek: The Next Generation series finale, "All Good Things...", which had the challenge of wrapping up TNG's historic 7-season run while also opening the door for the USS Enterprise-D crew's jump to feature films in Star Trek Generations. By all accounts, Moore and Braga succeeded in their task, and "All Good Things..." is considered a classic TV series finale, with the poker game as a fitting capstone to the voyages of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) Enterprise.

In the Star Trek oral history, "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years" by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Ronald D. Moore details how Star Trek: The Next Generation's finale poker game became the "signature of the show," and how it was an order by executive producer Rick Berman to leave the audience with a "warm, fuzzy feeling" that led to Moore and Braga closing out TNG with Captain Picard and his crew playing poker. Read Moore's quote below:

The poker game that ended the episode, and the series, has become the signature of the show. It was a great idea that brought the crew together in a social situation. Its something weve always played through the years, and it seems like them at their best, sitting around, off the bridge, just interacting with each other. Rick Bermans big note on the script was that he wanted the end of the series to have a sweet, nostalgic feel, and he wanted everybody to walk away with a warm fuzzy feeling. That was his dictum to us. We wanted it to be something sweet and sentimental and we wanted the whole family there together, and we did not want to do it on the bridge. We thought it was the most obvious thing to do. The bridge is kind of cold and its not very personal, and we wanted to do one last poker game and end it there with the whole family in a quiet, intimate setting.

Captain Picard joining his crew for a poker game in the finale moments of Star Trek: The Next Generation's finale was a major breakthrough for Jean-Luc. When Picard experienced the alternate future shown to him by Q (John de Lancie) in "All Good Things...", he was dismayed that the USS Enterprise-D's senior staff had broken apart. Captain Picard always kept his crew, even those closest to him like Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), at a distance, but Jean-Luc's ordeal made him realize that his crew was his family. Picard sitting down to play poker with Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and the others - something he "should have done a long time ago" - was Jean-Luc acknowledging how much they all mean to him.

Captain Picard's closing dialogue, "Five card stud, nothing wild, and the sky's the limit" is one of the greatest last lines in TV history.

Star Trek: Picard season 3's ending provided a sequel to Star Trek: The Next Generation's finale poker game. After saving the galaxy from the Borg one final time, the triumphant Admiral Picard and the USS Enterprise-D's crew assembled in Ten Forward where Jean-Luc invited them to another poker session. This time, Star Trek: Picard showrunner and director Terry Matalas let the camera linger over an unscripted poker game, allowing the audience to see the actors' real-life camaraderie, as Picard tells Riker, "I've come to realize the stars have always been in my favor." Just like Star Trek: The Next Generation's series finale, Star Trek: Picard season 3's poker game left audiences with a warm, fuzzy feeling and a genuine affection and love for these beloved, iconic characters.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: Source: The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross

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TNG Finale's Signature Poker Game Origin Explained By Star Trek Writer - Screen Rant

It was not long ago that the live poker world was put under lock on key as it, and the rest of the world, found itself in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the coronavirus was PokerNews' top story of 2020, and rightly so.

Live poker returned in drubs and drabs throughout 2021, including the return of the live World Series of Poker (WSOP), with a mini poker boom achieved the following year in 2022. It turns out that spike in live poker activity during 2022 was not a flash in the pan because live poker in 2023 continued booming throughout 2023, including right up to year-end.

The WSOP is usually a good barometer for the state of the live poker world. The longest-running and arguably most prestigious live poker tour of them all always attracts players in droves, but the 2023 WSOP in Las Vegas was something else.

Most live poker tours had experienced increased attendance by the time the 2023 WSOP rolled around in May, but nothing prepared the poker community for what lie ahead. As the series completed its first quarter, with 20 events having crowned their champions, 18 saw an uptick in attendance, which boded well for the $10,000 WSOP Main Event.

Some 8,773 players turned out in force when Jamie Gold became the 2006 WSOP Main Event champion. A handful of Main Events surpassed 7,000 entrants in the coming years, while Espen Jorstad outlasted 8,662 opponents on his way to becoming the 2022 WSOP Main Event champion.

With attendances of other events off the charts, everyone had their fingers crossed for the 2023 WSOP Main Event being the biggest ever. Those finger-crossers were not left disappointed because 10,043 entries were processed resulting in a record $93,399,900 prize pool and a $12,100,000 top prize for Atlanta's Daniel Weinman. It is not outside the realms of possibility that the upcoming 2024 WSOP Main Event could be even larger than this year's; we shall see.

It wasn't only in Las Vegas were the WSOP set new records but in Rozvadov, too. The 2022 WSOP Europe Main Event set a new benchmark when 763 players bought in, but the 2023 edition blew that out of the water with 817 entrants. Former professional basketball player Max Neugebauer was the main beneficiary of the juicy prize pool because he came out on top and walked away with a cool 1,500,000 for his victory.

December 2023 was one of the busiest months on record for live poker grinders. Not only was the PokerStars EPT Prague festival and the WPT World Championships in full swing but the WSOP, alongside GGPoker, decided to run the inaugural WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas, too!

Some of the attendances were nothing short of remarkable considering the competition the WSOP Paradise faced. For example, Martin Raus of Canada fought his way through 2,233 opponents in the $1,100 Mini Main Event, while 533 players parted company with $25,100 in the GGMillion$ High Rollers Championship, including worthy winner Samuel Mullur, who banked $2,736,300.

Stanislav Zegal triumphed in the inaugural WSOP Paradise Main Event, defeating Michael Sklenicka heads-up for the $2 million top prize. The 3,010-strong field was not enough to hit the $15 million guarantee, but it was a superb turnout under the circumstances.

There were only five stops on the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) during 2023, but each attracted players from far and wide. The EPT made its debut in Paris in February, and despite some initial teething problems, and impressive 1,606 players competed in the EPT Paris Main Event, with Romania's Razvan Belea emerging victoriously for a 1,170,000 score.

Mike Watson became only the third player in EPT history to win two Main Events when he triumphed in the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event, bulldozing his way through a 1,098-strong field on his way to collecting 749,425. The event's attendance was the joint largest for this stop.

Barcelona is always a popular stop on the EPT calendar, and 2023's edition was no different. A field of 2,120 entrants made the 2023 EPT Barcelona Main Event the second-largest EPT Main Event field of all time, and Frenchman Simon Wiciak is the man who took it down. Wiciak scooped 1,134,375 after a heads-up deal with Brazilian Joao Oliveira (1,048,555).

PokerStars then jetted off to sunny Cyprus, making its second debit of the season. The combination of glorious weather and five-star accommodation helped the $5,300 EPT Cyprus Main Event draw in a 1,320 entry crowd. Dutch star Gilles Simon was the last man standing; he helped himself to a $1,042,000 first-place prize.

The curtain came down on another hugely successful EPT season in picturesque Prague. The 1,284 opponents Ireland's Padraig O'Neill left in his wake was another all-time high for EPT Prague, with the 1,030,000 prize O'Neill collected more than doubling his lifetime earnings in the live poker arena.

The PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) returned to action following an extended 12-year hiatus, and boy did it surpass all expectations. It took place at Resorts World Las Vegas immediately after Las Vegas hosted its first-ever Formula 1 Grand Prix. Every event posted impressive numbers, with the $1,650 buy-in NAPT Las Vegas Main Event seeing 1,095 players battle it out for a slice of the $1,500,000 prize pool. Poker dealer Sami Bechahed is the name written into the NAPT history book under the heading NAPT Las Vegas Main Event champion, an accolade that came with $268,945. PokerNews expects big things from the NAPT in 2024.

In December 2022, the World Poker Tour (WPT) put on a $10,000 buy-in event at the Wynn Las Vegas called the WPT World Championship, and slapped a $15 million guarantee on its prize pool. A field of 2,960 entrants created a $29,008,000 prize pool, and Eliot Hudon claimed $4,136,000 of that princely sum.

Everyone knew the WPT would run the event again in 2023, but they had no idea the WPT would guarantee $40 million! The amount was ambitious in its own right, especially with EPT Prague scheduled for the same time, but then the WSOP came in and announced the WSOP Paradise.

Although the tournament failed to reach its guarantee, the fact it attracted 3,835 entrants when players were only allowed to re-enter on the next available Day 1 made the 2023 WPT World Championship a massive success. After a week of intense poker action, Dan Sepiol came out on top and saw his $10,000 investment swell to $5,282,954 in time for Christmas.

Every side event obliterated its guarantee, including the $1,100 WPT Prime Championship, which saw Calvin Anderson bank $1,388,280 after beating out 10,511 opponents.

Speaking of WPT Prime, that mid-stakes tour has gone from strength to strength in 2023. WPT Prime headed to Australia, Cambodia, France, India, Italy, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, and Vietnam this year and pulled up trees on every stop. Being able to win packages and passports to WPT Prime events online at WPT Global has helped matters, but the tour's popularity proves there is a thriving market for live tournaments costing $1,000.

The Triton Poker Super High Roller Series sees tournaments with buy-ins that mere mortals can only dream of playing. The tour stopped off in Vietnam, Cyprus, London, and Monte Carlo this year, and some of the game's biggest names took down those Main Events.

Talal Shakerchi outlasted 134 opponents in the $100,000 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Vietnam Main Event, and saw $3,250,000 land in his bank account.

Jason Koon won the $100,000 Cyprus Main Event for $2,451,082, with Ramin Hajiyev banking $4,122,554 in a $200,000 buy-in Luxon Invitational event.

Timothy Adams was the London champion (he won $4,185,000), while Matthias Eibinger was crowned the Monte Carlo champion and received $3,461,261 for his efforts.

Our very own PokerNews Cup broke its attendance record in 2023, thanks to 2,331 players buying in at the Golden Nugget and creating a guarantee-busting $1,356,642 prize pool. Johnny Kelly got his hands on the lion's share of the pot, namely $176,540. We have big plans for the PokerNews Cup, so stay tuned to our plages through the coming year.

888poker LIVE's 2023 tour will go down as one of the most successful in its history. The Coventry Main Event, in the UK, saw Yiannis Liperis return home having turned his 888 buy-in into 120,000. 888poker recently announced the dates for the 2024 installment of the 888poker LIVE tour, including details of a new UK-based tour that looks incredibly exciting.

Speaking of the UK, the long-running Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) completed its 17th season, and what a season it was. There were so many highlights that we could have filled this article with GUKPT content alone. However, one standout performance was the ever-popular Goliath, which saw a record turnout of 11,493 players fighting it out for a share of 1,324,000. Alex Todd slayed the Goliath, securing a 176,860 payout despite the tournament ending in a six-handed chop. The 2024 GUKPT schedule can be found here.

Shout-outs also must go to the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT), the PokerStars UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), the WSOP Circuit, The Festival Series, the awesome Kings of Tallinn, Irish Open, Asian Poker Tour, and the EA Poker Tour among others.

So much work goes into the planning and execution of any live tour, regardless of the buy-ins offered. Everyone who had played a role in hosting and running a live poker event in 2023 deserves a pat on the back and a long rest over the holidays. Don't get too comfortable, though, because live poker action will come at you thick and fast throughout 2024. We cannot wait!

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Top Stories of 2023, #2: Live Poker Continues to Boom - PokerNews.com

If you follow me on X at @ChadAHolloway, you know that I often post poker-themed thrift store finds. Im fond of thrifting, and with Vegas being a transient city, I can tell you that the dozens of secondhand shops are ripe for the picking. I usually hit at least a thrift store a day hunting for treasure.

Pretty much any day of the week Ill come across poker books and DVDs, and occasionally Ive been known to find rare poker shirts and hats. Speaking of which, perhaps my favorite hunt of the year resulted in me stumbling upon a trove of old Run It Up merchandise at a Goodwill, complete with Spraggy and Lex Veldhuis clothing.

The merch harkened back to their early streaming days when they would venture to Jason Somervilles popular Run It Up (RIU) Reno.

One man took notice of the above tweet in the form of 2021 WSOP.com Player of the Year and favorite to win again in 2023 Mike BrockLesnar Holtz.

Mike "BrockLesnar" Holtz Running Away with WSOP.com Player of the Year

Upon learning of the robust bounty hanging on the shelves of a local Goodwill, Holtz jumped in his vehicle and headed to the store where he proceeded to spend $140 snatching up goodies.

Spraggy hoodies are a hot commodity, Holtz told PokerNews. I was watching his YouTube stream and saw they were there. I had to go buy them.

Holtz stocked up on apparel that he brought to Day 2 of the 2023 NAPT Main Event. Being a generous guy, Holtz began to give clothing away to anyone who wanted it, among them Landon Tice, Adam Hendrix, Dustin Lee, and chip leader Parker Talbot.

Here's a look at some other fun finds, including an old Caesars Palace instructional poker VHS featuring a savage burn by host Wil Shriner.

What's your best-ever thrift store find? Let me know on X at @ChadAHolloway. In the meantime, rest assured I'll be hitting up the Goodwills and Savers throughout Las Vegas in my quest to dig up more poker goodies, and maybe, just maybe, hit the jackpot by finding a World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet!

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Poker shirts, hats, books, DVDs, and more! Check out these thrift store treasures from @ChadAHolloway

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

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Check Out Chad Holloway's Top Poker Thrift Store Finds of 2023 - PokerNews.com

The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) wrapped up its 14th season over the weekend at the Venetian Las Vegas. It was there that the last mid-major tournament of the year a $1,100 buy-in Main Event took place and presented players their last opportunity to win points to both the GPI Mid-Major and MSPT Player of the Year races.

Both Preston McEwen and Nick Pupillo were there with the former trying to catch the latter in the GPI Mid-Major POY race, but ultimately failed to do so. Likewise, Rob Wazwaz and Umut Ozturk were jockeying for MSPT Season 14 POY points in one of the tightest races in tour history.

On top of it all, you had the actual tournament that attracted 550 runners and ended with a familiar face hoisting the trophy.

At the end of November, poker pro Eric Baldwin topped a field of 274 entries to win the MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event for $55,261. It marked the second time the two-time WSOP bracelet winner took down an MSPT Venetian title after having done so in 2019 to the tune of $80,872.

Amazingly, the former Wisconsinite went back-to-back to become a three-time MSPT Venetian champion, the latest score good for $90,692.

I love it when you guys here and that I run so well in MSPTs, Baldwin told MSPT officials after the win. This is such a great tour, and its just ran really well especially here at the Venetian, and being from Wisconsin, its just awesome to play with all the players who travel from all over the country that come here to play it.

He added: This is what I love doing and I always get excited when I see the MSPT on the Venetian schedule so Im looking forward to the next stop here in February.

The MSPT is slated to return to Las Vegas for two events the $1,100 Mystery Bounty Poker Bowl from Feb. 6-8 and the $1,600 Poker Bowl Main Event from Feb. 8-10.

Others to cash the tournament were Shannon Shorr (10th - $8,853), Ben Moon (14th - $6,025), Stanley Lee (16th - $6,025), Ping Liu (19th - $5,066), Jack Salter (24th - $3,722), Jared Jaffee (28th - $3,254), Aaron Massey (33rd - $3,254), Hayley Hanna (36th - $2,882), Stephen Song (42nd - $2,882), and Christina Read (44th - $2,882).

Check out the MSPT Hub on PokerNews here!

Its been a great year for Umut Ozturk, who earlier in the year became just the 13th player to win their way into the MSPT Hall of Fame. He then amassed a record 17 cashes on the MSPT in 2023 including a record five Top 10 finishers which included a $101,336 win in Februarys MSPT Hollywood Casino.

However, with 16 cashes of his own, Rob Wazwaz was right up there with him, and the duo engaged in a back-and-forth race down the stretch.

After Wazwaz failed to find a Day 2 bag, Ozturk locked up the Season 14 POY title. He wasnt done, however, as the Minnesotan not only advanced to Day 2 but went on to finish in 23rd place for $4,314 and an additional 300 POY points.

All told, Ozturk has $327,507 in MSPT earnings, of which $244,620 came in 2014!

*Images courtesy of MSPT.

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

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Eric Baldwin Goes Back-to-Back at MSPT Venetian; Umut Ozturk Wins Tight POY Race - PokerNews.com

In the ever-evolving landscape of entertainment, the poker content space has experienced a remarkable surge in popularity in 2023. From engaging poker vloggers to the advent of innovative platforms like "Game of Gold," the poker community is thriving in a new era of excitement and engagement.

We're no longer limited to watching televised tournaments or reading strategy articles. The rise of poker vloggers has ushered in a new era, providing a captivating and personal perspective on the game.

Vloggers such as Andrew Neeme, Brad Owen, and Ethan "Rampage" Yau, along with a whole list of other pioneers have gained massive followings by sharing their poker adventures, strategy insights, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the poker lifestyle.

These vloggers offer more than just card-playing action; they provide a narrative that resonates with both seasoned players and newcomers to the game. The combination of poker knowledge, storytelling, and a touch of humor has turned these vloggers into influential figures within the poker community, contributing significantly to the boost in interest as well as bringing new players into the game.

At the inaugural World Series of Poker Paradise, PokerNews spoke to some of the biggest names in the poker content sphere. Daniel Negreanu, Kevin Martin and chess superstar Alexandra Botez gave their thought on the poker content boom and shared their thoughts on how they see it stepping up a gear in the coming years.

What made you want to get into the space?

Botez: "I started playing poker when I was a kid because my dad taught me. Then I got invited to a heads-up championship where they were bringing some content creators in. And basically, I've been playing more and more poker ever since."

Negreanu: "It was natural. It wasn't even something I thought of. It was something I did before anyone called it the content creation space."

Martin: "I love storytelling. I love connecting with people on the internet. But there's a lot of money to be made, and that's the honest truth. I just saw the dollars, and I was like, I knew I could do good at it. So that's a big motivating factor for me.

Why do you think poker content is so sought after now?

Botez: "Everyone's jumping on it. I actually think it's just the start of poker content. I think a lot of people are getting into poker content now, and even though it already looks big, I think it's just the start."

Negreanu: "I mean, there's a lot of cool people doing a lot of cool things. So, it's another way in which you can promote the game. And for a lot of people these days, it's a way to brand themselves that they didn't have, you know, they don't have any anymore like it used to be, get on TV, ESPN. And that's how you make a name for yourself today; you make great content. People love it."

Martin: The industry is booming. There's a lot of money in this industry. Views are very valuable to companies and series. There's just a massive market for it, and everybody is so excited about the game right now. It's just like this big mix of energy. I'm so excited about the poker industry right now."

How do you see it evolving?

Botez: "The next step for poker content that I want to focus on is making it more accessible so that it's not just, you know, the grinders who are watching it, but casual players can enjoy it as well."

Negreanu: "I think with Game of Gold, the show, I think we're gonna have a lot more people think creatively about ways in which we can promote the game that aren't the same cookie cutter methods, right? I mean, I think we'll see a lot more cool reality slash poker stuff in the future."

Martin: "Better storytelling, more characters, not just the strategy of the hands, but like, what does this person mean at this table? What does the money mean? What's their story? And just like, really, that storytelling aspect is just gonna get better and better, and people are realizing that."

Who are some of your favorite poker content creators, and why?

Botez: "I've watched a lot of poker content creators. I really love the way Rampage explains his thought process. I like Daniel's beginner beginner videos. I think they're really accessible. I love what Wolfgang Poker is doing with shorts, and the list goes on.

Negreanu: "We have to be honest here, right? Really nobody except I do sometimes have Fedor Holz's videos come up my feed and, I, I think he's really good at explaining concepts, and I even pick up things every once in a while. I just listen to his stuff. I love Fedor's stuff."

Martin: "Oh man, DNegs is hammering out vlogs. I love the blue-collar poker story. There's a lot of kids trying to spin it up, like Next Gen Poker, I like Frankie Cucchiara all these young kids that are really getting into the game and being creative. There's just like so many people doing good work"

Wolfgang Poker's journey from a passionate poker player to a one-million-subscriber empire builder exemplifies the potential trajectory for poker vlogging in the coming years. As the poker content space continues to expand and evolve, it's anticipated that more creators will follow in Wolfgang Poker's footsteps, leveraging the power of vlogging to not only showcase their poker prowess but also to build engaged and loyal communities.

As Wolfgang Poker's subscriber count continues to climb, the monetization potential of poker vlogging becomes increasingly evident. With one million subscribers, creators like Wolfgang Poker can explore various revenue streams, including sponsorships, partnerships, and merchandise. This opens up new opportunities for collaboration between poker vloggers and the industry, creating mutually beneficial relationships that contribute to the growth of both creators and the poker community.

Poker vlogging, through creators like Wolfgang Poker, is helping reshape the public perception of poker. It's no longer confined to the serious, stoic atmosphere. Instead, it's presented as a dynamic and engaging activity, rich with strategic depth yet accessible to a broader audience. This shift in perception has the potential to bring in the next generation and redefine the way poker is experienced and enjoyed.

In a groundbreaking move for the poker community, major casinos, including ARIA Resort and Casino, Bellagio, and other properties under MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas, have introduced a supportive policy for poker vloggers. This progressive initiative, announced by MGM Resorts Director of Poker Strategy Sean McCormack, signals a shift in the industry's approach towards content creators and their role in showcasing the excitement of poker and casino gaming.

Under the new policy, poker vloggers are permitted to film cash game sessions and tournament runs, as well as other casino activities such as table games and slots. To do so, content creators must undergo an approval process and adhere to specific guidelines.

Before this policy, the absence of clear-cut rules led to uncertainty for poker vloggers seeking to capture content within casino environments. Approval was often at the discretion of individual poker rooms and managers. Now, with established guidelines and approval processes in place, the poker vlogging community has a standardized approach to collaborating with major casinos.

While currently applicable only to MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, McCormack envisions the policy expanding to include other locations. He foresees potential partnerships between casinos and content creators, creating a win-win scenario. McCormack stated, "There's a road to where we monetize this for the content creators... a double win-win for the content creators and then a win for the casino."

In embracing poker vloggers, casinos are not just opening their doors to content creators but are also laying the foundation for a collaborative and innovative future where both parties stand to benefit.

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum's proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.

Originally posted here:

Top Stories of 2023, #4: New Era of Poker Content is Booming - PokerNews.com

Since its inception in December 2012, Run It Once has been a cornerstone in the world of poker training, providing poker enthusiasts with unparalleled insights and strategies to hone their skills at the tables. Over the years, the commitment to excellence has fueled a prolific release schedule, delivering two videos a day, every day, for over a decade.

The journey has been marked by a diverse lineup of over 160 coaches, each contributing a unique perspective to the art and science of poker. These coaches have not only shared their expertise but have also played a pivotal role in creating a community of dedicated learners and passionate players. The wealth of knowledge exchanged on the platform has empowered countless individuals to elevate their game and navigate the complex world of poker with confidence.

In the relentless pursuit of excellence, Run It Once has recently announced a substantial upgrade to the coaching roster with the additions of high-stakes crushers Justin Bonomo, Dan Smith, Jeremy Ausmus, Ryan Leng, and Jason Koon. These players bring a wealth of experience, fresh perspectives, and proven success at the highest levels of the game. It's not just about learning poker; it's about learning from the very best.

As Run It Once reflects on its past accomplishments, it remains steadfast in its commitment to providing top-tier poker education in a format that's accessible and engaging. The platform is more than just a training ground; it's a dynamic community where players of all levels can come together to share their passion for the game.

Looking ahead, the future of Run It Once is bright. With an ever-expanding roster of top-tier coaches, they are poised to continue setting the standard for poker training. The goal is to empower players to not only understand the game but to thrive in it, armed with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the intricacies of modern poker.

Prices for the new Run It Once Elite plan increase on January 6th, but you still have the opportunity to lock in a lower price. Sign up or renew your membership before January 6th, and youll be able to keep your membership at the lower price for as long as you maintain your Elite membership. Learn more about the new Elite plan and lock in the lowest prices possible by heading to Run It Once.

In the meantime, why not feast your eyes on this free Run It Once video, where Jason Koon explores how having a passion for poker is key to a player's longevity in the game?

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Run It Once Poker Training: A Legacy of Excellence and a Bright Future Ahead - PokerNews.com

It has been a long time since we last had a super user scandal in online poker, which is why the announcement from GGPoker came about as quite a shock to the community.

Namely, in its official release, the operator acknowledged that a player had managed to take advantage of a software vulnerability, which gave them access to the information they should not have access to.

According to the report from GGPokers investigation team, the player, going under the alias Moneytaker69, discovered and took advantage of this security loophole. This individual accumulated winnings totaling thousands of dollars, including winning the GGMasters tournament for nearly $50,000, before being identified and subsequently banned from the platform.

While the operator has fixed the vulnerability and announced plans to reimburse all players they identified as affected by Moneytaker69s activities, the story created quite a stir in the poker world, shaking the foundations of trust between players and the operator, which is an essential element of online poker.

GGPoker was quite transparent with the explanation of how it all went down, which indicates the software leak is now patched, so this particular vulnerability no longer represents a risk.

In the past, super user scandals were mostly generated from the server side of things, where a certain player would be given administrator privileges, allowing them access to other players hole card information. However, the most recent case originated on the client side.

According to the official report, the player in question was able to tamper with the GGPoker client, taking advantage of a vulnerability connected to the software Thumbs Up/Down Table Reaction feature. On the Windows client, this particular feature utilizes the Adobe Air framework, which includes certain attack vectors that Moneytaker69 was able to identify and take advantage of.

This exploit did not give them access to other players hole cards, but it allowed them to see all in equities on flops and turns, giving them a massive unfair edge over other players.

GGPoker engineers identified and closed the vulnerability on December 16 and issued a patch that was meant to put a stop to the exploit. However, Moneytaker69 was already in possession of the altered client and, by blocking automatic updates, was able to continue taking advantage of the exploit.

Soon after, a security patch was issued, preventing any further data leakage inside the software, permanently closing the exploit, and also preventing users from tampering with the client in the future to make any similar changes.

By the time the exploit was identified and finally shut down, the player was able to unfairly win thousands of dollars from other players. According to GGPoker, the offending player has since been banned, and all affected players have been identified and will be reimbursed with nearly $30,000 in full within the next 24 hours. Tournament players who were affected by 'Moneytaker69s actions will also be reimbursed accordingly, within the same time frame.

The operator also issued an apology to the entire poker community, realizing that an incident like this can deeply shake the trust in online poker. Following the incident, the operator has reportedly proceeded down the path of doubling their security team and hiring some of the best security professionals.

Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800 GAMBLER.

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GGPoker's Shocking Security Breach Allowed a User to Gain Massive Advantage - Pokerfuse