Crown Aussie Million's Poker $250,000 World First, by Greg Tingle - 28th January 2011
G'day punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales, gambling millionaires and billionaires, poker sharks, entertainment and arts news junkies, media tycoons, politicians, insiders, outsiders, legal eagles... one and all. You know who you are. Australia continues to have Aussie Millions fever, and the poker world continues to stay clued to the action from the felt. We're got huge news from Crown Casino and also from its parent company, Crown Limited, including the one and only 'Our James' (James Packer) and friends. Media Man and Gambling911 with another exciting report...
Australia Leading The Way In High Stakes Poker Thanks To Packer's Aussie Millions!...
It's the world's richest poker tournament in history. Way to go Aussies.
How would you fancy entering the "Super High Roller" event costs $250,000 just to buy in. That's what happened folks.
We saw 20 players take a seat at the table. Some are also rumoured to have "side bets' with other players, agents and industry wheeler dealers.
The casino executive manager of table games, Sean McCreery, advised the amount of entrants took him by surprise.
"We were confident for eight but 20 players is quite unexpected. It’s exactly where we want to take the Aussie Millions in making it more attractive for the high-end players."
In a win - win - win scenario, the winner of the high-stakes event will take home $2.5 million with the 2nd and 3rd place players taking $1.5 and $1 million respectively.
Celeb poker players in yesterday's celebrity games included Shane "Warnie" Warne, known for often playing "poker her" with a certain Liz.
McCreery is wrapt with the way things have worked us thus far. "You couldn’t ask for a better table. The people who are at the table right now are a who’s who of world poker."
The quarter-of-a-million dollar price tag is the highest buy-in price ever offered with the previous record being shared between the Aussie Millions and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure’s $100,000 challenge.
McCreery said the idea behind the high-stakes game is part of a plan by the casino to make Australia one of the foremost poker destinations in the world. "If you think about it some of these players have to fly 40 hours just to be in the tournament. We try to create a whole experience for them here at Crown. Some of the players have told me this is their favourite event of the season."
At approx 5pm EST the tourney leader was Sam Trickett, with $1.17 million in chips. Organisers were expecting the tournament to run as late as 4am. Stay tuned.
Eric Seidel Wins Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller Game; Sam Trickett Comes In 2nd...
Seidel might just be the world's most famous poker player as we go to press, and Sam Trickett isn't far behind.
The winner is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada with 8 World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. He is also a member of the Poker Hall of Fame. A bit of history...Seidel was born in New York City. Originally a tournament backgammon player for eight years, he eventually started playing the stock market, and then moved on to poker. He was one of the group of now famous players from the Mayfair Club, including Howard Lederer and Dan Harrington. In his first major tournament, Seidel was runner-up in the 1988 World Series of Poker main event to Johnny Chan. This final hand was featured in the movie Rounders. Seidel made the WSOP main event final table again in 1999, finishing in 4th place in the event won by Noel Furlong. He won his first WSOP bracelet in 1992 and won his eighth and most recent bracelet in 2007. Seidel has won bracelets in five different games, including Hold'em, Omaha, and Deuce to Seven Draw. Only four players in the history of the WSOP, world champions Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Johnny Moss, have won more bracelets than Seidel. During the sixth season of the World Poker Tour, Seidel won the 2008 WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic, earning $992,890. In January 2008, Seidel finished in second place in the Aussie Millions $10k main event and won $1,000,000(AUD). In March 2010, Seidel finished in second place in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship and collected $250,000 after a 1-2 loss to Annie 'The Hunt' Duke in the final. His total live tournament winnings exceed $13,700,000, plus add on the 2011 Aussie Millions winning to this total. $4,352,051 has been won at the WSOP. His 60 WSOP cashes put him in 4th for all time, tied with Berry Johnston. What an ace.
Sam Trickett...
Tricket has already won just under $3 million in tournament earnings this month which puts him up to $4.5 million career earnings overall, just behind Devilfish and Roland De Wolfe on the England all-time money list.
Aussie Millions Poker Trivia...
A number of Australia's have previously won the Aussie Millions. Interestingly, the last 2 champions were both Aussies and both ending up securing sponsorship with PartyGaming's PartyPoker.com We're talking about 2010 Champion Tyron Krost and 2009 Champion Stewart Scott.
Poker pro Van Marcus, currently in Melbourne for Aussie Millions, is the chap who has his red rare Ferrari nicked from the Crown valet parking last year, in a story that generated massive international headlines. In the past days Marcus has been seeing driving around Melbourne in what looks to be the same card, but this time reportedly with a hot blonde or brunette in the passenger seat. Hows the ride girls?
Next year, Network Ten Australia is interested to have the entire or a very comprehensive showing of the Aussie Millions tournament broadcast on one or both of their TV channels. The network currently has Network Ten and Eleven. James Packer, big wig at Crown Limited and major shareholder at Network Ten and his army is keen to see Aussie Millions generate substantial TV coverage, and some at the network and casino think it may also lend itself to a reality TV show and or interactive gambling content, and we mean more than just satellite qualified steering only players from PartyPoker or Doyle's to Aussie Millions, if you follow our lead. Sounds like great business movies fellas.
Marketing and gaming advisers to James Packer have leaked that they see merit in having an Aussie Millions branded online slot game. They saw the popularity of Cleopatra and Sinatra in an online environment, and well as PartyGaming's World Poker Tour slot in land based casinos. They have not confirmed a Kerry Packer themed slot game, with some concerns it may be a uncomfortable proposal for one or two of the Packer family, however many punters and insiders think that Kerry would have loved the idea, and further would have loved the concept that a slot game will his likeness via tribute slot would actually make Crown Limited money. PartyGaming, WMS and IGT are keen to talk turkey with Crown Limited with their online plans, which may also compliment what's in store for the further development of Packer 50% owned Betfair. Who is tipped to the the contract? We think PartyGaming, based on their strong US land based casino deals, ink still drying over the last few days, but you will just have to keep watching the space.
The first Aussie Millions was held in 1998 with a $1,000 buy-in and $74k prize pool and 10 international participants mainly from New Zealand. Since then, the tournament has grown year on year, to now be a major event if not the major event (Aussies think so) on the international poker tournament circuit, and a 'must do' for any serious poker player.
Crown Limited and Network Nine powers that be - your throw of the dice. No bluff!
Online Casinos, Online Poker and Sports Betting...
Ok readers, we hear you... you also want to know some of the best places to play online (that accept Aussies) if your in or around the Asia Pacific - Australia (including Tassie) and New Zealand, so here it is...
PartyCasino.com
Captain Cooks Casino
Betfair (sports betting only)
PKR.com (poker, slots including Marvel slot games and sports betting)
PartyPoker.com (online poker at one of the world's most respected poker rooms and gaming brands)
Profiles
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Media Man and Gambling911 remind our readers to keep the following in mind:
Take the time to research and learn games before placing down money
Media Man, Casino News Media and Gambling911 are website portals. Not casinos as such, however are recognised as world leading websites that cover the sector and act as central points to games, news, reviews and more.
Readers... er, punters, how did you like our report? Tell us in the forum.
If you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen sectors covered
*the writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Ten Network Holdings
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