The World Series of Poker

**V ideoY3K** · 07-29-2008, 06:33 AM

When you think about the World Series of Poker, you're thinking about some of the greatest moments in history. Annie Dude beating a bunch of men to win a tornament (first time I saw a woman do it). Actress Jennifer Tilly winning a women's tornament (no one thought she'd do it). Joe Hachem shouting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" when he won the Main Event in 2005. And just last year, Scotty Nguyen proved he can still be a contender, outlasting a staggering field of about 6,300 people just to finish 11th, and believe me, with a field that big, that's a statement run.As a matter of fact, I'm looking for Scotty Nguyen to have another deep run this year, and maybe winning it all. And the commentary was great too. Very entertaining all the way through.

I know you're just a bunch of gamers (no offence), but surely somebody here has to have known enough about the World Series to post some thoughts about what you believe will happen this year. Like for instance, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson will be playing tonight at 8:00 on ESPN. Do you think he'll win tonight? And who would you think will win the Main Event this year?

**Dudebro** · 07-29-2008, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V ideoY3K

When you think about the World Series of Poker, you're thinking about some of the greatest moments in history.

You mean in the history of Poker right? If not then we really need a laughing emote.

I think watching people play Poker is about as boring as it can get. It's annoying that stuff like this gets airtime. I wish they had World Series of Video Games. I'd watch that.

You know the worst part about World Series of Poker? The players. They're just a bunch of people with a gambling problem. They are good at thier addications though.

Sorry to be so negative about this. At least I'm adding to the discussion though right?

**sabby** · 07-29-2008, 08:33 AM

I'm sorry Video3k, but I rate this right up there with the Spelling Bee. I know there is a certain strategy to playing poker but I just can't get into it. It takes away coverage from actual sporting events. Yes, there is competition (which is why I think it is shown on ESPN) but I have zero interest as a sports fan on the WSOP.

However, I do realize it's popularity. While I was typing this, there was a commercial for the WSOP on ESPNRadio.

**Tails** · 07-29-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabby

I'm sorry Video3k, but I rate this right up there with the Spelling Bee. I know there is a certain strategy to playing poker but I just can't get into it. It takes away coverage from actual sporting events. Yes, there is competition (which is why I think it is shown on ESPN) but I have zero interest as a sports fan on the WSOP.

However, I do realize it's popularity. While I was typing this, there was a commercial for the WSOP on ESPNRadio.

I have to agree, I'm not a fan of card games nor am I a fan of just watching it.

**mignelli** · 07-29-2008, 09:23 AM

whu whu whu wait a minute. so there are people that actually watch poker?

**oasis** · 07-29-2008, 09:26 AM

Ugh you guys come on.

I would rather watch poker then baseball.

I can not stand baseball

Now I will state this I don’t know much about the players but it is entertaining to watch just because of the anticipation of what is the next card who will win.

@dudebro I would beg to differ about the gambling problem this is what these people do for a living and just because they are playing cards does not mean they are gambling or have a problem it’s a job just like baseball.

They make bank if they are really good
Over 180 million dollars is up for grabs in 55 events.

The top pay out for the top 9 players

1. $9.1 million
2. $5.8 million
3. $4.5 million
4. $3.7 million
5. $3.0 million
6. $2.4 million
7. $1.7 million
8. $1.2 million
9. $900k

So it’s a life style not a gambling problem the high rollers in Vegas have a problem ;D

07-29-2008, 10:11 AM

The house always wins.

That is all.

**oasis** · 07-29-2008, 10:55 AM

In the world series of poker there is no house.

so the house does not win in there case.

though they do host the turnaments at vegas casinos and that brings people in and then they make merchendising and money off the tourests but they do that anyways.

also in poker most of the time you dont play the house you play the other people at the tables so again the house does not win. because the house is not playing. just the players are playing.

**Kong** · 07-29-2008, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

Quote:

Originally Posted by V ideoY3K

When you think about the World Series of Poker, you're thinking about some of the greatest moments in history.

You mean in the history of Poker right?

I thought the same thing when I read that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oasis

I would rather watch poker then baseball.

I agree. You can't get much worse than watching baseball. Except for golf.

@oasis. I might be wrong but I think the prize money is put up by the players. You have to pay to play and the winner takes the pot. Most people in the WSOP will lose money. 10 people will make money.

@oasis. Most of the time in poker the house takes a rake. Which means they get a portion of every pot. So they do win most of the time.

Texas Hold'em which is what they play in WSOP is more of a skill game than your typical casino game. That is why the same people usually finish in the top.

A couple years ago I thought about making a poker web site. I had a friend that bought a bunch (filled his garage) of poker chip sets from China. He got them cheap and his plan was to sell them on ebay and places like that for a profit. Problem was he was not the only person with this idea. The market was flooded and he couldn't sell them. Online poker sites give you $75 for every person you can sign up and he wanted to sell them for $50. So our plan was I would make a news/tutorial/review site for poker and give people a set of poker chips if they signed up to play online and the online casino would pay us for the chips. I never got around to doing it and shortly after the USA banned using US billing addresses to play online poker. So you could not use your Visa card to pay so probably best that I never followed through. During that time period though I watched some WSOP and played some - online and at friends. It is better than watching baseball.

There was a World Series of Video Games but it was canceled.

07-29-2008, 11:28 AM

I'm not sure and I should probably research it, but I would guess that the host casino for the WSOP uses around a 60/40 ratio on what they take to what they pay out. That's best case scenario though. It's probably more like 75/25. If somebody wants to do the math feel free to do so.

So, the house and the local economy actually win big whenever the WSOP comes to town.

@ Oasis: I understand your comparison between on how playing poker to make a living and playing professional baseball could both be considered jobs. However, I would not call it just like baseball. For every person you see making money playing poker there are probably at least 20 out there who have ruined their lives because of their inability to control their gambling. I know of no documented cases of somebody becoming addicted to playing baseball and going bankrupt.

**oasis** · 07-29-2008, 11:36 AM

@kong thanks for the info I did not know that..

@billy sorry the house does win ;D

at your comment about the jobs. I agree with you people do go bankrupt over gambling there is no doubt about that that it is a problem. But that is with people at the casinos gambling. Not the WSOP I dont see the WSOP gambling they are playing each other in a turnament to win money so you could compare it to a golf turnament.

If those same people after the turnament went inside the casino and sat down at a table then it changes to gambling.

**V ideoY3K** · 07-29-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

I might be wrong but I think the prize money is put up by the players. You have to pay to play and the winner takes the pot. Most people in the WSOP will lose money. 10 people will make money.

I watched last years World Series of Poker's Main Event, Kong, and in last years about 6,300 played, and (I think) 632 players made the money.
It's just that 9 people will make the final table, and in this years, only 8 people will be guaranteed over a million dollars according to oasis' earlier post.

Quote:

I agree with you people do go bankrupt over gambling there is no doubt about that that it is a problem. But that is with people at the casinos gambling. Not the WSOP I dont see the WSOP gambling they are playing each other in a turnament to win money so you could compare it to a golf turnament.

If those same people after the turnament went inside the casino and sat down at a table then it changes to gambling.

That's why when I heard Charles Barkley was competing in this year's WSOP, I wasn't angry at him for making that choice, even if the sports reporters did.

I would think it'll get hard for a person to get interrested in televised poker these days. I think it's because superstar players (like Chris Ferguson & Scotty Nguyen) don't ever too much see a final table anymore. As a matter of fact, there hasn't been a repeat winner since the early 1980s. The fields in every event would reach an unpresidented number and most of them are either amater players & internet pros. In the last 6 years the WSOP Main Event was won by an amater. And in the WPT, the unknowns seemed to rule the entire scene. And in last week WSOP Bracelet Event, a unknown won that one too.

That was why I was rooting for Scotty Nguyen to win the Main Event last year. He was in the zone through most of the tournament and he seemed untouchable. I thought he'd restore order to the WSOP. It's just that last field was too large & he ended up finishing 11th which was praise worthy considering the size of the field.

I too find poker events boring. But the way ESPN covered it, you'd think you're watching a reality show on top of watching a poker tournament. After watching last year's, I was left wanting more, and I've been watching televised events (boring or not) every since while waiting for the next World Series.

**TrakMastaTom** · 07-29-2008, 01:30 PM

I like watching poker when it is 3 AM so there is nothing else on and I am doing other things while watching poker. I would never sit and actually pay attention to poker with no distractions like I would with a football game or a movie.

**V ideoY3K** · 07-29-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

I like watching poker when it is 3 AM so there is nothing else on and I am doing other things while watching poker. I would never sit and actually pay attention to poker with no distractions like I would with a football game or a movie.

I can see why, TrakMasterTom. I would guess that not alot of people would watch poker tournaments to watch poker, but to see who wins the events. That tornament I saw tonight for example, no one anyone can reconise was at the final table. As a matter of fact, no one there has ever saw a final table before. The only superstar player who played in that event was Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. He hadn't won a WSOP bracelet in 5 years with and the huge fields we see nowadays, it was no wonder. But he did make the final table. He played his way through 3,900 people to get there. But in the end, he finished 3rd. 3rd out of 3,900. That was praise worthy.

The final table wasn't a good one, and you can tell it by how the way the players played. But when it got down to 5 people, it became interesting. Ferguson & a bunch of unknowns playing each other, beating each other, eliminating each other. But when the smoke cleared, amatuer
Grant Hickle won the thing winning his first ever WSOP bracelet and a good sum of money. Not a bad days work, but another example why not many people would watch the televised tournaments. As a matter of fact, if Chris Ferguson wasn't there, I would never had watch it.

**ZedIsDead** · 07-30-2008, 12:17 AM

So, people just watch poker because of the players? That makes sense, I can't imagine anyone watching poker for the game itself. In that regard, it's much like NASCAR. I don't understand the appeal of watching cars go in circles. It's all about the drivers. I say screw 'em both. I will just continue to watch the Mariners play what I think is supposed to be baseball. Hard to tell though, they're that awful.

**Tails** · 07-30-2008, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjatiamat

So, people just watch poker because of the players? That makes sense, I can't imagine anyone watching poker for the game itself. In that regard, it's much like NASCAR. I don't understand the appeal of watching cars go in circles. It's all about the drivers. I say screw 'em both. I will just continue to watch the Mariners play what I think is supposed to be baseball. Hard to tell though, they're that awful.

At least you got the Seahawks.

**count100** · 07-30-2008, 01:51 AM

sorry i am late to the party here but i have to throw out my top 2 picks that i would like to see win the final table is either Craig Marquis or Scott Montgomery...

**V ideoY3K** · 08-05-2008, 09:52 PM

I just saw a great final table tonight. It was a tough one too with Eric Lindgren, Roland DeWolf, and Howard Lederer along with (I believe he a) journeyman player, Bernie Williams and five other playing for a WSOP bracelet & $350,000 (USD). But when the smoke cleared, Eric Lindgren won it all, including his first ever bracelet. Mark my words, Erick Lindgren along with Daniel Negreanu and Patrick Antonius are the poker pro players of the future. There are no limits to what they can accomplish.

**count100** · 08-06-2008, 01:52 AM

i would have to agree with you there they very well can be unstoppable if they want to be lol

**V ideoY3K** · 08-07-2008, 10:52 PM

I'm thinking about turning this thread into a blog. It maybe a stupid thought, but I wonder if Kong will let me double-post here if needed.
I may edit or change this post later.

**Kong** · 08-07-2008, 11:03 PM

Double posts are merged into one single post.

I have personally never had a problem with double posting and don't understand why others hate them so much. Posts are good are bad on their own merit. Who posted before doesn't change that. Needless bumping is a different story though.

**V ideoY3K** · 08-07-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

I have personally never had a problem with double posting and don't understand why others hate them so much. Posts are good are bad on their own merit. Who posted before doesn't change that. Needless bumping is a different story though.

I used to go to & post on other forum sites, and most every one I've been in have a rule against double posting. The others here must be used to following that rule & thought it should be a rule here. I personally don't mind people double posting same as you. I guess I'll do what you say & merge as many post as I can into one post as needed. Thanks, Kong.