Off Topic: Daniel Negreanu offering more WSOP bracelet bets; Players contemplating quitting poker; Phil Helmuth selling his Vegas house; “Mike Matusow has lost it”

In this column we deliver you the latest and most interesting news and gossip from our favourite poker people.

Daniel Negreanu offering more WSOP bracelet bets

Daniel Negreanu has added to his WSOP bets, looking for even more action.

A few weeks ago he took it to Twitter, offering bets on him winning a bracelet in the year 2020. He made clear that this meant the online offerings on WSOP.com and GGPoker but also live WSOP events should these go forward later this year.

Now he added a 1-on-1 bracelet bet, where anyone can bet that they will win a bracelet and Daniel will not. Daniel put on a cap of $100k per player.

Now accepting bracelet bets on either WSOP or @GGPokerOfficial

Max bet $100k per player.

It’s a yes/no bet

If one of us wins any number of bracelets and the other doesn’t, it’s a win.

If both win at least one, or neither do, it’s a push.

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) June 30, 2020

Apparently the take-up on the first bet had not been as overwhelming as Daniel had hoped. It looks like people do believe Daniel is more than capable of binking himself a bracelet this year. The 1-on-1 bet however already got some early takers. SCOOP 2020 phenomenon Conor Drinan is in for both legs of the online series, Patrick ‘plenopads’ Leonard took the bet for the GGPoker leg only as he will not be traveling to the U.S. for the WSOP.com part of the series.

On the “DAT Poker Podcast” Daniel clarified that he is not doing this to motivate himself as he is already highly motivated to do well. He’s rather doing it for fun and entertainment for himself and the poker community.

Players contemplating quitting poker

Las Vegas poker pro Danielle ‘dmoongirl’ Andersen tweeted about her thoughts on quitting poker, looking for other ventures in her life and many other poker players joined the conversation.

I’ve always loved poker but this extended break + craziness of the world has me reevaluating if it’s really what I want to do forever. For the first time ever I find myself daydreaming of walking away & doing something else. Not sure what though? Anyone else feeling this way? 🧐

— Danielle Andersen (@dmoongirl) June 30, 2020

Joey Ingram agreed with Danielle. He has been very open on social media about his research on other topics, looking for different content, not just for his YouTube channel, but also for his life in general.

100% have been feeling the same way

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) June 30, 2020

Todd Brunson, son of the legendary Doyle Brunson, has had poker in his life since he was born, replied in a humorous way, but uncomfortably accurate for some people:

I am now a busboy/dishwasher/cashier. Please come back poker!!!!!!!!!!!

— Todd Brunson (@ToddBrunson) June 30, 2020

Matt Glantz added to the conversation that poker is not a focus in his life anymore:

Did it six weeks ago. Had the same exact feeling. Poker is no longer any kind of focus in my life.

— Matt Glantz (@MattGlantz) June 30, 2020

In the end it all comes down to balance. Many poker players have gone through this in the past, trying to find “a way out”, but what they were really looking for was a way to mix it up and just lessen the focus on poker a bit.

Phil Helmuth selling his Vegas house

The ‘Poker Brat’ Phil Helmuth has posted about selling his house on Twitter.

I’m selling my house in Las Vegas, it’s in the Las Vegas Country Club: 2909 Bel Air Drive. I’m having an old friend, @KarinaJett, sell it for me. Before we list it on MLS, I thought I would give social media a shot. Reach out to Karina if you’re interested: $430,000 #POSITIVITY pic.twitter.com/fiBLoOKXRQ

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) June 30, 2020

The Las Vegas Country Club property at 2909 Bel Air Drive has been known to the poker community since this legendary #POSITIVITY video.

This @phil_hellmuth clip has been trending & I think it’s some of the greatest poker content of all time.

Highlights

-the toilet paper bedside & included in the shot
-the tooth brushing scene is a fucking classic scene w/ multiple photos of PH on mirror
-the shirtless ending pic.twitter.com/EEZwLgkJK8

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) April 23, 2019

A Twitter user posted a screenshot of the property information, stating that it is in pre-foreclosure. This would mean that mortgage payments had not been made, and so poker Twitter started discussing if Helmuth was broke. If any of this is true, however, was not confirmed and could be a rumour.

“Mike Matusow has lost it”

Poker pro Allen Kessler posted screenshots and quotes on social media by Mike ‘The Mouth’ Matusow with the caption “Mike Matusow has lost it”.

Amongst other disturbing posts Matusow has been comparing wearing face masks to abortion and it does beg the question if Kessler is right. Has Mike Matusow lost it?

Wow @themouthmatusow has lost it! pic.twitter.com/gZaOK7003S

— Allen Kessler (@AllenKessler) June 26, 2020

The strange politicisation in the U.S. of wearing face masks has been one of the main topics Matusow has been going on about on Twitter, “What’s funny is all the sheep who go crazy if we don’t wear a mask yet 3 months ago cdc and who said mask are bad! Now ask yourself why did it change if you want the answer I’ll be first to tell all you sheep by you won’t listen”.

Lost it or not, Matusow did tweet recently that he will not post any more political opinions on social media going forward, though his tweet itself shows that this promise is probably not going to last very long:

Ive decided to know longer tweet anything political unless other poker players put up fake lies that I will prove are lies! It’s an election yr & everyone is already going crazy! If you don’t want me posting truth then quit making up lies & go back to playing poker! #hypocrites

— Mike Matusow (@themouthmatusow) June 27, 2020