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WSOP 2019, interesting facts and a brief history
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We have all heard about poker tournaments and the excitement around them, but there is once particular series of tournaments that brings a peculiar feeling to worldwide poker players and that is the World Series of Poker, mostly known by its acronyms, WSOP.
Sources claim it dates back to the 70s, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament.
We have come a long way since Harrah’s signed an agreement with 888, to provide its online gaming services and in our current year, WSOP has reached the 50th Anniversary. The live tournament series has managed to smash record after record with a 9% increase in attendance year-on-year.
However, 2019 wasn’t the case for a new record, but we must mention that this year’s attendance of 8,569 figures represents the second-largest field size in the past 50-years and the fourth successive year that the attendance has increased. That has got to count for something.
While some figures go higher, we must mention that the age of the WSOP players is still going down. The age range in the total field demographic shows a dominance of players ranging between 26 to 40.
The average age of 2019 WSOP Main Event participants is 41.46 vs 42.27 recorded in 2018. For males, the average is 41.34 and for females, 44.30.
In whichever way you take it, it is a huge achievement considering the limited options available to the WSOP for online satellite qualification.
It is the year of second best, as the $80,548,600 prize pool is also the second-highest in 50-years and all Final Table Payouts are guaranteed to be of seven-figures with seven-figure pay jumps starting with four players remaining.
One thousand two hundred eighty-six players will receive a minimum of $15,000, which is really good news for everyone taking part in the tournament which is held this year between May 28 and 16 July.
As we have mentioned earlier, the Word Series of Poker has really grown into a global event and now attract players from 87 different countries to make up this year’s field.
Top Ten Countries Represented in 2019 are United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, China, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Russia and Austria.
But, it’s not all good news when it comes to this year’s tournament. Poker industry media outlets reported that in a strange turn of events, a player has been disqualified for stealing a player’s entire stack as he scooped in a won pot. Georgii Belianin, from Russia, had won a small pot and when reaching out to claim the chips he put his arm around the player to his left’s stack and collected that too. It was alleged by witnesses that he did this with a smile on his face, maybe insinuating that it was supposed to be a joke.
Belianin didn’t get a chance to see anybody laughing, because he shortly got escorted out of the tournament playing area by Jack Effel (World Series of Poker Vice President) and then handed over to security.
PokerCentral has also reported that the 1989 WSOP Main Event Champion, Phil Hellmuth, lasted just five hours in the tournament. It is now surprise after having spent the past days by doing an eight-hour hiking trip up to Machu Pichu, swimming with turtles and penguins, and having deep and meaningful conversations with some of the brightest business minds, such as Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Peter Guber, Hollywood star Rob Lowe, Los Angeles Dodgers CEO Lon Rosen, super-agent Todd Feldman of CAA, and Jason Sugarman.
But wait, we just arrived to another funny story of this year’s happenings at the WSOP so far (there are still a few days left, so there might be more). An unidentified man, wearing a t-shirt with numbers 55 on the back, has moved all-in and then proceeded to stand up as he waited for his opponent to make a decision. What happened next might be the strangest and most unbelievable thing you’ll ever see at a poker table and especially during a live tournament.
The presumably intoxicated man turned his back to the table and dropped his shorts, exposing his genitalia to everyone in the Pavilion room at the Rio and moments later, he took off his shoe and threw it directly at the dealer. You can find the video online just by searching for ‘WSOP, Man Exposes Himself at Table’.
At the time of writing this article, poker industry media outlets have reported that Preben Stokkan is the likely chip leader as the only player above two million, claiming 2,184,000 to his name.
Three former WSOP Main Event champions are still in the mix for a repeat victory in Chris Moneymaker, Qui Nguyen, and Johnny Chan.
The story will continue…
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: WSOP 2019, interesting facts and a brief history
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Allwyn commits to highest level of 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign
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– National Lottery ‘Add some play to Christmas’ campaign supported by enhanced protection measures –
– In a UK National Lottery first, Allwyn becomes a Level 3 Gift Responsibly supporter –
National Lottery operator Allwyn has unveiled its multi-channel ‘Add some play to Christmas’ campaign, which puts National Lottery Scratchcards at the heart – positioning them as a fun way to come together, no matter the occasion or the group.
As part of that, Allwyn has once again signed up to the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign – this year as a Level 3 sponsor, the highest possible level and a UK National Lottery first.
Founded in the early 2000s, the Gift Responsibly Campaign works to raise public awareness about the risks of youth gambling. Through partnerships with lotteries and other organisations, the campaign educates communities about the risks of buying lottery products for children.
As part of its commitments as a Level 3 supporter, Allwyn will carry a ’18+ Gift Responsibly’ mark across its National Lottery gifting-related festive advertising – to re-iterate the need for people to be 18 or older to buy, gift, receive and play.
The company has also created three brand new bespoke creative assets promoting responsible play that it will use:
- across its @TNLUK and @AllwynUK social media channels
- on in-store National Lottery media screens
- as part of a digital campaign
Allwyn already carries out extensive training with its 43,500 retail partners to prevent underage and excessive play, as well as running a rigorous ‘Operation Guardian’ programme for mystery shopping and knowledge checks with National Lottery retailers to ensure compliance.
The company’s advanced NCPG participation will also see it prompting its tens of thousands of retail partners to remind their customers to gift National Lottery products responsibly this festive season, through direct communications and trade advertising.
Jordana Jackson, Head of Participant Protection at Allwyn, commented: “Since becoming National Lottery operator early last year, we’ve made great progress on our participant protection plans. We’re proud to once again be supporting the NCPG’s Gift Responsibly Campaign and, for the first time in the UK National Lottery’s history, commit to Level 3 sponsorship – the highest level of support possible. This commitment includes a range of activity to remind everyone that, while National Lottery Scratchcards can add festive fun and help raise over £30m a week for Good Causes, they’re strictly for adults.”
The post Allwyn commits to highest level of 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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LeoVegas Group signs partnership deal with Valletta FC and boosts local footprint in Malta
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LeoVegas Group has entered into a two-year partnership agreement with Malta Premier League club Valletta Football Club. As Exclusive Online Gaming Partner, the LeoVegas Group corporate brand will feature on the men’s squad’s match kits, at training grounds, and prominently across the club’s digital channels. The partnership will enhance the Group’s brand visibility and commitment to the local community, while further strengthening its position as an employer of choice in igaming.
LeoVegas Group and Valletta Football Club, one of the most successful clubs in Malta’s history, today announced a new partnership that will see LeoVegas Group’s corporate brand become the club’s Exclusive Online Gaming Partner during the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons. The agreement includes match kit sleeve branding for the men’s squad, visibility across all club facilities, including the Rabat Football Ground and Dangli Football Ground and the matchday fanzone, as well as branding on the squad’s training bags. The club’s digital channels, which have tens of thousands passionate followers on social media such as Instagram and Facebook, will regularly feature the LeoVegas Group logo in their content.
As partners, LeoVegas Group and Valletta Football Club will also collaborate to create exciting branded experiences across the Maltese capital for both fans and employees. Group employees can look forward to exclusive matchday opportunities and VIP experiences. The partnership enables LeoVegas Group to further strengthen corporate brand awareness across the Maltese islands and continue positioning the Group as an employer of choice for talent seeking careers in the growing igaming industry.
Additionally, the partnership includes branding on the youth team’s kit. This shirt sponsorship opportunity will be donated by LeoVegas Group to a local non-governmental organization (NGO), which will be selected through a popular vote by club members during a club meeting.
Stefan Nelson, LeoVegas Group CFO and Malta Managing Director, said “We are very proud to partner with Valletta FC, one of the most successful and popular clubs in Malta. Our Group has considered itself a partly Maltese company almost since its inception, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the capital’s club to create exciting opportunities for fans, employees, and future talent alike. When two strong lions join forces, great things can happen!”.
Claudio Grech, Valletta Football Club President, said “This partnership brings together two brands that share Malta’s global reputation for excellence in gaming, entertainment, and sport. LeoVegas Group has become a world leader in mobile gaming while Valletta FC stands as Malta’s largest football club. Both of us thrive on delivering excitement and engagement — whether through live football or immersive digital experiences. We also share a forward-looking vision that embraces technology and online communities to connect with our audiences. As LeoVegas Group continues to expand internationally, Valletta FC is equally determined to evolve into a regional football powerhouse, making this collaboration a natural and powerful alignment of ambition, innovation, and Maltese pride”.
The post LeoVegas Group signs partnership deal with Valletta FC and boosts local footprint in Malta appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Gamblers Connect Named Finalist in Three Categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026
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Gamblers Connect has been officially shortlisted in three categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026, one of the most respected global recognitions within the gaming and iGaming sectors.
This announcement marks an important milestone for the company, reflecting its continued growth, consistent industry presence and long-term commitment to responsible and high-quality affiliate operations.
Gamblers Connect has been shortlisted in three distinct categories: Affiliate (Company) of the Year, recognising its public-facing affiliate excellence; the Great Place to Work Award (Operator), highlighting the strength of its internal culture; and the Safer Gambling Award, which reflects the company’s commitment to responsibility standards across its operations.
The 19th annual International Gaming Awards will be held on 18th January during ICE Barcelona. It is regarded as one of the leading global recognitions for excellence across the gaming industry. Each year, the IGA highlights companies that show innovation, quality, responsibility and meaningful contribution to the sector.
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “Being shortlisted across three very different categories shows our strength on multiple levels. It recognises our public-facing work, the culture behind it and the responsibility standards that guide everything we do.”
The post Gamblers Connect Named Finalist in Three Categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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