His cheering part had good reason to celebrate their hero’s $10 million win: out of 6,683 players who began the WSOP, Swede Martin Jacobson was final standing.
Martin Jacobson is the 2014 World number of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion, which, if you didn’t know by now, our apologies that are sincere the spoiler. Before this season’s $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Championship, few had heard about the 27-year-old from Stockholm, Sweden.
Some 6,683 players from 87 countries entered poker’s tournament that is biggest, however in the conclusion, it was the Swede holding the gold bracelet and using the ten dollars million award.
So how did the man using the second-shortest stack entering the November Nine make such a amazing run? While oddsmakers labeled him a long shot, Jacobson perhaps shouldn’t have already been. He had more career WSOP earnings than any other player at the table, and while he had never won a real time event, he was indeed close.
Improbable Feat?
When you start in the position that is eighth of nine, winning can be a far-fetched concept, but Jacobson’s resume suggests otherwise. The now-champ discovered poker at 18 after viewing it on television, and quickly began using friends and online. After realizing he had a knack for success with satellite qualifiers in 2008, he focused their attention on playing cheaper events that are live.
Throughout the next six years, Martin became a globetrotter, as he traveled to EPT and WSOP events, collecting $5.5 million in the process. Before winning on Tuesday, he ranked second all-time on Sweden’s cash list, behind only Chris Bjorin. This past year during the Big One Drop $111,111 buy-in, Jacobson scored their payout that is largest for finishing 6th with $807,427. With energy on his side, he somehow managed to largely fly under the radar going into poker’s signature competition.
WSOP Principal Event
Although he is a seasoned pro when it comes to World Series of Poker tournaments, 2014 marked the Swede’s first entry into the Main Event. The $10,000 buy-in is something you work up to, and his game was without question ready to go. He took part in the Day 1A action, where he ended the session as the chip leader. He remained in command throughout the July play until the table that is final where he finished 8th heading into the break.
Fast-forward to and Dutchman Jorryt van Hoof was dominating the field november. Jacobson was never really in contention to overtake the leaders until late night when he eliminated both Billy Pappas and William Tonking monday. Going to Tuesday, just three players stayed, all Europeans: van Hoof, Jacobson, and Norway’s Felix Stephensen.
With slightly below 90 million chips, van Hoof had nearly 25 million more than Martin, but he seemed to lose their swagger and leaked arms one after another. Following a few losses, Jacobson eliminated the first choice for the past two days and moved to head-to-head play with Stephensen. Regarding the 328th hand of this final table, Jacobson took play quick hits slot machine online the name with pocket tens and another ten on the flop to offer him a set plus the hand that is winning.
Cool, Calm, Collected
While van Hoof attempted to away scare his opponents from the dining table, and Stephensen attempted to cover any clues by sporting sunglasses and a hoody, Jacobson did neither. He folded quickly, called swiftly, and overall seemed 100 percent relaxed. At times van Hoof could be seen sweating and even shaking. Stephensen was visually frustrated in some instances. Jacobson seemed refreshed, and in total control, which, obviously, he was.
Amaya and Playtech Named for Possible bwin.party Takeover
Bwin.party says it offers entered into ‘preliminary discussions’ more than a takeover that is possible. Amaya Gaming is rumored to be a likely contender, with Playtech additionally called. (Image: stoiximaonline.com)
Bwin.party is the belle for the ball this week, as rumors swirl that online monster Amaya Gaming is planning a $1.2 billion takeover. But there are simultaneous whispers of a Playtech bwin.party acquisition, keeping the online gaming community on pins and needles till the matter is put to bed.
Amaya’s name was initially mentioned on Wednesday by analysts on the Markets real time real-time information that is financial on the London Financial Times website.
FT Alphaville Editor Paul Murphy and Bryce Elder from the FT‘s London markets team dropped the bombshell, stating that market chatter was suggesting that the deal ended up being ‘all but wrapped up,’ according to ‘usually reliable sources.’
‘We now think it’s real sufficient,’ said Murphy. ‘[There have been] lots of rumors of an approach, as repeated a few times in the paper’s influential Bowler Hat column. Though we didn’t have a name. Amaya’s a good name.’
However, it must be noted that the announcement was flagged being a ‘Raw Alert,’ which means, based on the accompanying FT boilerplate, that the information that ‘has not been formally tested through conventional journalistic networks (PRs, etc).’
The plot thickened with a report in London’s night Standard on Wednesday naming market-leading software company Playtech as a buyer that is potential.
‘Online gambling pc software manufacturer Playtech today announced it was raising a $315 million war chest, via a convertible bond issue, for acquisitions and ‘organic opportunities,’ ‘ it claimed. ‘a youthful edition of the Evening Standard reported down-on-its luck online gaming peer Bwin could be a takeover, and just a few hours later it confirmed it was ‘early’ speaks with a number of potential suitors that could cause the business offered.’
Reader Beware
‘The story might be complete rubbish,’ continues the FT disclaimer, ‘but if we believe there is some substance to it we will say so. In either case, Reader Beware.’
While bwin.party, along side Borgata, is industry leader within the New Jersey online gaming space, it’s struggled in other areas recently.
The product of a merger between online sports betting giant bwin and the once-mighty partypoker, (which in 2005 had been worth over $12 billion, before UIGEA sent it retreating from the US market), bwin.party has received to fend down rumors of a sale of part or every one of its assets since as far back as last June. However, following the new speculation in the press this week, the business confirmed that the sale is indeed on the cards.
Bwin.party Statement
‘Further to recent media speculation regarding a bid that is possible bwin.party, the Board of bwin.party confirms that it has entered into preliminary conversations with a range interested parties regarding a variety of potential business combinations with a view to creating value that is additional bwin.party shareholders,’ it said. ‘Such discussions may or may perhaps not cause an offer being made for the Company. Nevertheless, as all such discussions stay at a stage that is preliminary there may be no certainty as to if they will result in any form of transaction with any party.’
Stocks in bwiin.party, that have seen a steady rise throughout November, shot up by 13 percent in the aftermath of this company’s statement on Wednesday.
Should rumors show to be true, Amaya would increase its monopoly on the online that is global market and pull further away from its nearest competitors 888.com together with iPoker Network. PokerStars, which ended up being acquired by Amaya this for $4.9 billion, currently has eight times the traffic of 888.com year.
Legendary Gambler Archie Karas Sentenced as Blackjack Cheat
Archie Karas, whom proceeded the most famous gambling winning and losing streak of all of the time, turning $50 into $40 million after which blowing the lot, was granted probation for cheating at blackjack. (Image: ESPN)
Archie Karas, the gambler and poker player whom in the 1990s went on perhaps the most famous streak that is winning of time, has been sentenced to 36 months’ probation, having been found guilty of cheating at blackjack.
Karas, real name Anargyros Karabourniotis, 63, ended up being spotted by surveillance digital cameras marking cards at a blackjack table at the Barona Casino in north park County in 2013. A search warrant executed on his home later revealed hollowed out chips, which prosecutors think was used to conceal ink.
The court heard that Karas had been arrested by Nevada Gaming Control Board four times since 1988 on suspicion of cheating by marking cards, secretly exchanging cards with a partner and pressing bets.
Karas won $8,000 at the Barona on 16, 2013, and was ordered by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein to pay $6,800 in restitution to the casino, which was determined to be his profit from the session where the cards were being marked july. He initially invested 73 days in jail before hitting theaters on bail.
The Run
‘This defendant’s luck ran out thanks to cooperation that is extraordinary various police force agencies whom worked together to investigate and prosecute this case,’ said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
Karas’ renowned winning streak, now merely known as ‘The Run,’ kicked off sometime in early 1993, when he found its way to Las Vegas with $50 in his pocket. He instantly began wining at the poker tables, and soon convinced an acquaintance to lend him $10,000 so that he could play greater. Karas promptly won $30,000 playing $200/$400 limit Razz and returned $20,000 to his friend.
He took his winnings to a pool that is local where he began playing a ‘wealthy pool and poker player,’ who Karas has always refused to name. Over a period of a couple of months, the two males played pool for increasing stakes, until Karas had beaten his adversary for $1.2 million. They then played poker together and he won $3 million.
As news distribute that Karas now had millions burning a hole in his pocket and was prepared to play anybody for any stakes, the benefits formed an orderly queue. Stu Ungar, Chip Reece, and Doyle Brunson; all were sent. The player that is only beat Karas during his winning streak was Johnny Chan, whom fundamentally overcome him for $900,000. However, by the time the poker dried up, he was up $17 million.
The Downfall
Undeterred by the lack of action, he turned to the pit games at Binions Horseshoe, playing craps for $100,000 a roll. Two and a half years after he turned up in Vegas with $50 in his pocket, Karas had amassed a$40 million gambling fortune.
Then again, in a turn of activities as unbelievable as how he racked up the fortune in the first place, Karas lost most of the money, some $30 million of it, in roughly three days. Then a break was taken by him, visited Greece, came ultimately back and lost the rest.
‘Money means nothing to me, I do not value it,’ he once told Cigar Aficionado magazine. ‘I’ve had all the product things i could want ever. Everything. The things I want cash can’t buy: health, freedom, love, happiness.’