By
Jerry Smith
Staff Writer Updated: 08/13/2019
Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.
Horseshoe Casino’s Southern Poker Open to a Resounding Success, Photo by Sean Davis on flickr, licensed under (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Matt Stroud clinched the top prize at the first-ever Southern Poker Open held at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana. To kick things off, the poker room put up $200,000 in prize money, receiving a total of 1,138 contestants between 8th and 11th August.
With each player contributing $420 for the buy-in, the final award totaled to more than double the guaranteed amount at the inaugural event. Stroud surged ahead of the other entrants who lined up over five starting flights to take home a total of $47,737.
Earlier, with only 11 players in the game, Stroud was close to losing his position, but Lady Luck smiled on him. After he jammed for three million, Huey Hulin folded pocket queens face-up. With pocket tens, Stroud hung on to send Richard Morris packing from the game. Had Hulin not folded, both players would’ve lost to him.
Stroud had this to say:
I just jammed all in automatically thinking I was good. I did not expect him to make that fold.
Confident that he had made the right decision, he continued:
I felt like I played it right in that moment, so I wouldn’t have cared either way.
The higher turnout of entrants proves that poker is growing in value and becoming increasingly popular. Being an inaugural event, any number of players would have established a record, but drawing in over 1,000 competitors is an accomplished feat for any new tournament.
Currently, live poker is going through an upsurge because regardless of the buy-in amount, contestants are turning up in large numbers. This year, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has enjoyed one of its most successful runs yet.
Apart from the WSOP, in London, the high stakes £1.05 million/$1.27 million buy-in Triton High Roller welcomed 54 contestants vying for the top position. Besides the usual turnout of Americans and Europeans, there was a good mix of Asians as well. And after the chips were down, Aaron Zang from China clinched the title and over $16 million in prize money. In addition to re-exploring the possibilities of payouts and stakes, this tournament undoubtedly proved that the interest in poker is accelerating.
Elsewhere, The Goliath is a colossal poker tournament held at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry every year. Constituting a plethora of smaller events, the tournament includes Grosvenor Casinos’ main event with a £125 buy-in and a massive prize pool. With retired boxing legend David Haye in the mix, this annual extravaganza attracted a staggering 9,300 competitors, which allowed it to hang on to its title of the largest live tournament outside of Sin City.
Though the field in the Southern Poker Open didn’t boast the most well-known names in the industry, the action was still very entertaining. In addition to being a very successful venture for the Horseshoe Casino, the tournament is also considered a huge win for the poker industry as well.
Proving that a well-timed event in combination with added value can be successful for any venue, this inaugural event is the quintessential example of how local tournaments can draw in large numbers of players. So, other casino operators should also be encouraged to up their ante too. As a result, this upswing that poker is currently enjoying will offer more value not just for all levels across the board but for players in the global arena as well.
Jane ShawMay 18, 2024Read More
Jane ShawMay 15, 2024Read More
Jane ShawMay 13, 2024Read More
Jane ShawMay 11, 2024Read More