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PokerStars

Confirmed: PokerStars Acquires Full Tilt Poker (UPDATED)

by Wicked Chops Entity on 4.25.2012 in Poker News | 5 comments

Hey Ray, can you waste 7 months negotiating with a company that doesn't really have the money to buy us, and then let the DoJ circumvent us to sell our company to our biggest competitor who we hate? Thanks.

We’ve been working various sources to independently confirm Poker Fuse’s initial report of PokerStars acquiring Full Tilt Poker.

According to those aforementioned sources, the deal is in fact done. PokerStars is acquiring Full Tilt Poker. The $750M price tag (which includes player balances and DoJ fines) initially reported on 2+2 and Poker Fuse is also accurate.

We’ve been told by people connected to the Groupe Bernard Tapie investment group that the French company is “shocked” about the development. As we’ve noted before, GBT’s ability to pull off the ISPT will be greatly hampered, if not completely sunk, without a stable online poker platform.

More details to come as we receive them…

UPDATE: We’re hearing the final terms of the deal should be signed by all parties within a week. The $750M price tag may also increase. The DoJ has a lot of leverage here and may be flexing their muscles now.

 

Tagged as: Full Tilt Poker, Groupe Bernard Tapie, Poker News, PokerStars

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Groupe Bernard Tapie Out of Full Tilt Poker Acquisition–PokerStars New Buyer?

by Wicked Chops Entity on 4.24.2012 in Poker News | 3 comments

Got money stuck on Full Tilt? You might not for long as PokerStars has reportedly stepped in and acquired the company.

Tapie tapped out. PokerStars jumped in.

In a rapidly developing story, it appears as if PokerStars has acquired Full Tilt Poker.

According to reports and sources, PokerStars will cover both U.S. player balances and globals player balances, as well as pay a Department of Justice fine.

As part of the deal, the DoJ will not block or oppose PokerStars from coming back to the U.S. upon regulation.

As we reported on Insider, GBT had no desire (or financial capital) to cover U.S. player balances. This move appears to be a DoJ-led effort to ensure U.S. players are paid back, get as big of a fine paid as possible, and in return, potentially let Isai Scheinberg/PokerStars walk from charges (our speculation).

UPDATE: GBT confirms they are out. Read at PokerStrategy here.

PokerStars issues a non-committal statement here.

Developing…big Insider analysis coming Thursday.

Tagged as: Black Friday, featured, Full Tilt Poker, Poker News, PokerStars

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Alyssa Miller Brings You Today’s Poker News Link Dump

by Wicked Chops Entity on 9.19.2011 in Poker News | no comments

Alyssa Miller is one of around 6 billion people who still can't play on Full Tilt Poker while wearing lingerie. It's a crying shame.

We’ve been light on content as we’re busy gearing up for the launch of Wicked Chops Insider next week. So let’s catch up with a poker news link dump.

:: Full Tilt Poker had their hearing with the AGCC today. So far, nothing to see here. [link]

:: In other FTP news, the Hendon Mob has severed their exclusive relationship with the company. [link]

:: In semi-related FTP news, PokerStars may be introducing their own rush poker. [link]

:: In semi-related Stars news, their Radio WCOOP has been crushing it. [link]

:: In totally unrelated Tilt or Stars news, Terrance Chan won a MMA fight. [link]

:: In related MMA news, get your MMA news and betting advice at MMA Fix. [link]

:: Will Failla continues his heater at the Partouche Poker Tour. [link]

:: And in other tournament news, the WPT brings in some record numbers at the Borgata Poker Open. [link]

More Alyssa Miller pics in the gallery.

Tagged as: Alyssa Miller, Full Tilt Poker, Poker News, PokerStars

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Top Poker Sites: Largest Rooms Post Black-Friday

by Wicked Chops Entity on 9.15.2011 in Poker News | no comments

Overlooked fall-out from Black Friday: no more Joanna Krupa on the NAPT.

Today is the five month mark since Why’s-It-Gotta-Be-Black Friday.

Crazy–just five months ago, even with a myriad of payment processing issues– Full Tilt Poker and UltimateBet were unbelievably profitable entities. Now, gone.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the top 10 poker sites (by active players) in the world today.

Stats via PokerScout:


Just outside the Top 10 are U.S.-facing sites Merge (12th – 1,080 active weekly average), Bodog (13th – 1,000 active weekly average), and Cake (18th – 730 active weekly average).

Looking back at the week that was 4/15–Merge was already experiencing a massive year-over-year surge (up 333%) as was 888 (58%).

Cake Poker (down 69% the week of 4/11 year-over-year) and PartyPoker (down 22%) were getting kicked in the nuts. But they’ve both seen obvious gains since 4/15 with the top losers being (obviously) Full Tilt (down 100%) and UB (down 97%).

Tagged as: Black Friday, Full Tilt Poker, Poker News, PokerStars, UltimateBet

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PokerStars Dumps Dennis Phillips, Other U.S. Sponsored Pros

by Wicked Chops Entity on 9.6.2011 in Poker News | no comments

4/15 claims yet another victim.

Some things in life are inevitable: death, taxes, no more blowjobs once you get married…

And in the poker word, it was inevitable post-4/15 that the major U.S.-facing sites were going to start trimming their U.S.-based rosters.

While Full Tilt more or less accomplished this by shutting down their site completely this summer, it appears PokerStars took a more measured approach.

Over the past week, Stars began trimming its U.S.-based Team Pro roster (view here), releasing two-time WSOP  Main Event champ and all-around good guy Dennis Phillips, as well as Tom McEvoy and Bill Chen.

Phillips as a two-time WSOP Main Event winner is the most high-profile of the group. An absolute fan favorite, Phillips was an underrated no limit hold’em tournament player as well as aspiring agent.

McEvoy was an actual WSOP Main Event champ back in 1982 and likely Poker Hall of Famer (potentially this year).

Bill Chen…he…well, he seems like a nice guy?

Expect the sponsorship belts to continue to tighten for all but the A-list U.S.-based pros in general over the next year, including a massive purging if Full Tilt ever does become operational again.

Tagged as: Dennis Phillips, featured, Poker News, PokerStars

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