In this column, we deliver you the latest and most interesting news and gossip from our favourite poker people.
Phil Ivey set to make an appearance in Hustler Casino’s high stakes cash game
While everyone has been waiting for the legendary Phil Ivey to make a showing in the 52nd World Series of Poker games, it appears the long-time pro has a different path on his mind. Set to headline Hustler Casino’s high stakes cash game, poker fans can watch the ten-time bracelet winner take part in this Friday’s exciting round of $200/$400 No Limit Hold’em together with Los Angeles high stakes regular, Garrett Adelstein. The live-streamed games scheduled to play through on October 22nd and October 23rd at 5 p.m. PT, will feature a minimum buy-in of $100,000 with players like Ivey expected to buy-in for more.
Co-owner and commentator of Hustler Casino Live, Ryan Feldman told PokerNews that it was due to the involvement of Poker King Media which made it possible to get Ivey to appear on the show. Expecting the series to establish record slamming viewership, the Hustler Casino Live Youtube channel has already so far racked up 28.5K followers, having only debuted three months ago.
“Thanks to Poker King Media, Hustler Casino, and everyone else involved in making this happen,” Feldman said of the upcoming shows. “And we can’t wait for Friday. It’s going to be epic.“
BREAKING NEWS!!!
The legend Phil Ivey will play @HCLPokerShow next Friday & Saturday
Super high stakes $200/400 with @philivey & @GmanPoker
$100,000 minimum buyin
Full lineup will be announced at a later date
Get ready for the poker live streams that will break the internet! pic.twitter.com/fjmpNkxy6Q
— Hustler Casino Live (@HCLPokerShow) October 16, 2021
Dan Bilzerian vs Alec Gores $100M heads up challenge brewing
The King of Instagram has never shied out of the spotlight whether it be because of his extravagant and eccentric lifestyle or his long standing claims of winning upwards of $50 million from high stakes poker. In a recent revelation, Bilzerian made it publicly known that the majority of his winnings stemmed from the pockets of Israeli billionaire Alec Gores. While this could ultimately be true, the wealthy 68-year old businessman certainly did not appreciate the attention brought about by his million-dollar losses, leading him to challenge the Instagram icon to a hefty heads up match in response.
Bilzerian’s newly released autobiography, The Setup, paints a picture for its readers of the jaw-dropping stakes the duo used to play in Gores’ Bel-Air home. Playing for stakes as high as $10,000/$25,000, the swings for both players were valued at seven-figures for any given night. Bilzerian, for one, wrote in his book that he once walked away with $5.5 million in profits for one session even after losing a flip for apparently a $6.6 million pot. By the social media influencer’s account, Gores’ losses throughout the entirety of the games would total to about over $40 million.
Revealed in Logan Paul’s ‘Impaulsive’ podcast, the brewing match is said to be for $100,000,000 with each of the players shelling out $50 million for the game. The potentially biggest heads up challenge in poker history, is rumored to take place later in the year, held most likely in the entertainment capital of Las Vegas.
“That guy Alec [Gores], he saw my podcast and he text me, I said I beat him for like $40-$50 million, and he’s like, ‘oh, the number wasn’t that high, He’s like, ‘I wanna play you heads-up, let’s see who has the bigger balls for $25 million apiece.”, the GGPoker ambassador noted in the podcast.
“I (said to Alec) I’ll play you for $25 million at the Aria if you wanna wire money over,” the social media icon continued. “And then he was like, ‘I don’t wanna play you unless it’s for at least $50 million.’ I was like, ‘I’ll wire in $50 million to the Aria in 10 days if you wanna play, and we can televise it if you want. And so he’s challenged me twice, so I think we might play for $100 million.”, he further added.
WPN CEO says Hellmuth should be accountable for his behaviour and not praised
The 52nd WSOP events have been the highlight of poker news lately with the festival barely halfway through its 88-bracelet event schedule. While freshly minted champions circle the headlines, news of Phil Hellmuth’s final table outburst remain to be a concern for some individuals. Winning Poker Network’s CEO Phillip Nagy recently took to social media to express his disapproval and lack of accountability for what had happened. The Poker Brat, who is known not only for his 16 WSOP bracelets but also his tilt-induced outbursts, exploded in a profanity-laced rant last Monday in the final leg of the Stud Championship event after losing a bad beat to eventual champion Anthony Zinno.
This shows me that there is no accountability for your actions against humans in this life at least in poker, just math congrats Phil. I will CHOOSE to treat people with respect and not win. No response is expected. #posivity #Humanityfirst #Good4poker pic.twitter.com/VFF1kgdIKt
— Phillip Nagy (@WPN_CEO) October 18, 2021
Yea, that's the truth frustrates me repping positivity when it's convenient. I can't even watch Poker Go with my son, and I want to teach him. It makes me angrier than it should, I guess. Just trying to be better would be good enough.
— Phillip Nagy (@WPN_CEO) October 18, 2021
Four-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb however, did not appreciate Nagy’s negative feedback and was quick to call out the CEO in defense of what Hellmuth brings to the poker community as a whole.
Such a bullshit tweet from someone who makes most his $ off an online casino. Seeing hundreds of people with phones out video taping Phil’s acceptance speech should make you realize how good for poker he really is even with some flaws https://t.co/Na7ru06slC
— shaun deeb (@shaundeeb) October 19, 2021
Hellmuth has since issued an apology for the unacceptable behavior and has continued to wow his poker fans across the globe as he captured yet again another gold bracelet. Having extended his personal record, the most revered tournament player added $84,951 in WSOP winnings under his name for taking down last Sunday’s Event 31: $1,500 No-limit 2-7 Lowball Draw.
