We’re two weeks out from when news originally broke about PokerStars acquiring Full Tilt Poker. While no officially announcement has come from either PokerStars or Full Tilt regarding the progress of the deal...
Well this is interesting. While we can’t get any official word yet, we are hearing significant chatter among players and local Vegas gaming sources that the Palms casino may end up having to...
Part I of how Russ Hamilton masterminded the UltimateBet super-user scandal...
Editor’s Note: About a month ago, we received a list of names of people connected to the UltimateBet super-user cheating scandal. Much of that information can now be found on 2+2here.
Since then, we received substantial and substantive information that helped validate some of the data that appears in those documents, while disproving other data. We conducted a wide-range of interviews with well-informed sources connected to the investigation, high-level and connected industry figures, and high-stakes poker players that had varying degrees of knowledge (ranging from ”intimate” to “was directly cheated by Russ Hamilton”) about the scandal.
Eventually, a consistent story formed about who built the super-user cheating software, who else might have known about the cheating scam, and who exactly were the super-users.
Some of this information has, in some shape or form, been discussed through great investigative work by the likes of Nat Arem, Haley Hintze, and others. Some of it has not. What we are doing here is connecting the dots to tell the story of how Russ Hamilton pulled the strings to develop a super-user “tool” that cheated friends, associates, and UltimateBet customers out of millions of dollars.
Dropping names like our name was Phil Hellmuth although Phil Hellmuth isn't one of the names we'll be dropping...
We have obtained a list of names involving people who are in some form attached to the UltimateBet super-user cheating scandal.
These would actually be the real names of people–not just their screen names.
We are currently verifying the validity of names on the list (some are obviously not surprising, and many you’ve never heard of…) and will begin releasing when we believe proper due diligence on our end is done.
UPDATE: Developing…but in the meantime for some excellent sleuthing on the scandal in general, read Haley Hintze here.
After an intro featuring host of The Soup and star of CommunityJoel McHale (who is joined by a still wearing way too much clothing Laura Lane) ESPN’s Inside Deal welcomes Joe Sebok to its studio to talk about his signing with UltimateBet.
Embattled online poker site UltimateBet hopes Joe Sebok (above) will bolster its reputation among online players.
In what has to be the smartest move it’s made in a long time, UltimateBet has inked a multi-year sponsorship deal with poker pro Joe Sebok.
Sebok announced the signing on his blog. Go after the jump (click here) for a follow-up interview we did with him on the signing.
For many, the stench of the Russ Hamilton super-user scandal won’t leave UltimateBet for some time and for good reason. But in our view, signing Sebok is one of the best, if not the best, free-agent signing UB could’ve made.
Sebok is a Berkeley grad with an old dot-com and business pedigree, he has tons of respect among his peers and poker fans as president of PokerRoad.com and he has a massive following on Twitter (approaching 550,000 followers). If he is really going to be involved in the business operations of the company, he can add a lot more value to the brand than if UB signing some random Euro flavor of the week online superstar or the fourth place finisher at the WSOP Main Event.
We still think there are a few ugly names and deceptions that will pop up from the super-user scandal. If Sebok can bring them to light, UB may be able to gain back at least some of the credibility it has lost in the community.
Go after the jump for a full Q&A we did with Seebs on his signing. Definitely worth the read.
Whether or not UltimateBet has any staying power in sponsoring major MMA fighters/events after this month remains to be seen (we say "no,"), however, Bluff Magazineis reportingthat they did just finish a deal to patch up Chuck Liddell for UFC 97.
Liddell wore Poker Stars at the 2008 WSOP Main Event and is one of the few fighters not to have a big Full Tilt sticker on his ass during a fight in recent months.
Unlike Full Tilt Poker, who slapped patches on just about every fighter in the octagon, UltimateBet seems to be taking a cheaper more targeted approach.
Tilt may still end up as a UFC sponsor after this month though, as UB has nothing guaranteed past 97. And Bluff notes they are still carrying on promotions:
"Full Tilt has been running a series of freerolls for Canadian players that would see them travel by train with Howard Lederer, Erick Lindgren and Gavin Smith to see UFC 97. Given the relatively quick notice it is unlikely that Full Tilt would cancel their promotion."
Just getting Part II of our podcast up. No poker here. 100% discussing and debating The Walking Dead. We’re joined by an esteemed panel, including Jason Newitt, Dave “F-Train” Behr, Jeff Holsey, and Entities Chops and Colin. If you were a fan of the show, you’ll like the debate. We discuss problems with the show, [...]
We recorded a two-parter podcast yesterday. Part I is now live and discusses The Rise and Fall of Ray Bitar WCi feature with its author, Dave “F-Train” Behr. In it, F-Train details the interview process for the feature, as well some conclusions that could be drawn about the man who helped make Full Tilt Poker the [...]
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