Steve Ruddock
Before you start packing your bags for the World Series of Poker there is plenty of news to get caught up on from the world of UK poker, and we’ll try to get to as much of it as humanly possible in this column.
This week we’ll start off our look around the world of UK poker with a major signing by an online poker site, and no it’s not PokerStars, and no it’s not even a poker player – do I have your attention yet?
We’ll then move on to my pick for the UK breakout star of the 2014 World Series of Poker, who happens to be a player that didn’t even make UK PokerNews’ Top 10 Brits to watch list, before detailing the final table of the record-setting UKIPT Nottingham Main Event, and a whole lot more.
Luis Suarez joins 888
888 has a new poker ambassador as the site has signed Barclay’s Premier League (BPL) scoring leader Luis Suarez as an 888 Poker global ambassador.
The signing of Suarez comes just before the World Series of Poker gets underway and also just in time for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil, where Suarez will play for his native Ecuador.
The 2014 Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year is a polarizing figure in the football world, having some serious stains on his resume to go along with all of his major accomplishments, but he is among the most recognizable athletes in the world and should be a marketing boon for the site.
Suarez joins Shane Warne and UFC and MMA legend George St. Pierre as 888 Poker ambassadors, along with three poker players, 2013 WSOP Main Event November Niner JC Tran, and two recent additions in the form of Canadian poker pro Xuan Liu and former PKR Poker Pro Sofia Lovgren, both of whom are very skilled female poker players and very photogenic as well.
Whether Suarez will make the trek to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker is unknown, as his penchant for poker – does he even play?
It’s unknown whether Suarez will play at 888, but you can! Sign up today and you’ll get a free 888 Poker no deposit bankroll – valued at £12/$8.
The UK’s next breakout star… drum roll….
UK PokerNews listed their 10 Brits to watch at the World Series of Poker, but they left off the one man I think is poised to become the next breakout start from the UK: Tom “HitTheHole” Middleton.
Middleton is already considered one of the best players among his peers but similar to Chris Moorman during his first couple years playing live events, Middleton hasn’t turned his online success into live success at this point in his career.
It’s not that Middleton hasn’t broken through in live poker. He did win the 2013 EPT Barcelona Main Event ($1.2 million) as well as the 2012 Fallsview Poker Classic Main Event ($300k) and finished 3rd in a WSOP event back in 2011 ($300k), but compared to his online accomplishments these are just a drop in the bucket.
Back in April Middleton won the WCOOP Challenge Series Main Event for a cool $500k, and has over $5 million in career tournament winnings according to his PocketFives.com profile.
McClellan captures UKIPT title #2
Duncan McLellan won his second UKIPT title last week when he triumphed over the record-setting field at the UKIPT Nottingham Main Event, adding a second trophy to his 2013 UKIPT Isle of Man title.
McLellan and his heads-up opponent chopped up the prize-pool, with McLellan ending up with the biggest share, and he would go on to pocket the additional £34,000 the two men had set aside for the eventual winner.
- Duncan McLellan £202,372*
- Angelo Milioto £143,728*
- Trevor Pearson £89,900
- Willie Elliot £67,000
- Ryan Spittles £51,700
- Juan Benito £38,400
- Anthony Flynn £29,300
- Ramey Shaio £20,800
UK News Bites
WPT at DTD
Dusk Till Dawn is considered one of the best card rooms in Europe, and the DTD Casino now has a chance to add to its reputation as it is set to host a World Poker Tour Championship event in November.
Dusk Till Dawn broke the news on their blog, along with all the details of the tournament series (which has a $1 million guarantee) and the WPT National Series events being held at DTD.
The Coates family are officially billionaires
It’s official, the Coates family are the UK’s first gambling billionaires. The family owns Bet365 (as well as the Stoke City Football Club) and has been flirting with Billionaire status for the past year or so.
And if you think they’ll be content with a billion think again; Bet365 is already moving to an even larger headquarters and has plans of opening hundreds of new shops in the coming years.
If you’re a UK poker player who hasn’t tried Bet365 – why not do so today? New signups qualify to receive a €5 Bet365 Poker no deposit bankroll just for creating a new account.
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