POKER WORLD SERIES MANIA! As the big kick off for the $100,000,000 World Series of Poker 2006 edges ever closer it’s worth reflecting on the non-professional status of the last three mega million winners of the biggest prize in poker. Joe Hachem, last year’s $7,500,000 winner, was a chiropractor from Melbourne at the time of his monster win, enabling him to escape Australian taxes altogether and allowing him to straighten his own spine out after wheeling the cash away in the traditional Las Vegas wheelbarrow. Greg Raymer, $5,400,000 winner of the 2004 WSOP, had not yet fully committed himself to poker for a living at the time of his victory so he too was a non-professional. Likewise, runner up in 2005, Steve Dannenmann was still a full time accountant when he landed his monster windfall. Now that was a career which must’ve come in handy when deciding how to invest the $4,250,000 he trousered for being right on Hachem’s heels to the not so bitter end.
YOUR TURN NEXT All of this should serve as immense encouragement to all online players who have managed to win a free entry through their favourite online site. With over 8,000 runners expected to battle it out for a seat at the final table the elite professionals know the odds are against them yet again this year. It’s worth recalling that just by reaching the final table you’re guaranteed wild riches.
THINGS TO REMEMBER If you’ve decided to try and qualify for the World Series of Poker it’s important figure out what kind of a budget you can afford to invest in your campaign. Come to grips with the fact that most of the qualifiers for the WSOP are organised on American time zones so you will almost certainly find yourself playing at night and a reliable supply of strong coffee will be required. Be aware that if you make it through to the main event, which is every rookie’s ambition, you’ll need to be able to get the time off work required to compete in the flesh in Las Vegas. A positive gesture would be to attempt to book your holiday with your boss from the 28th July to August 10th just in case you make it all the way to the final table. Promise him 1% of your winnings if you make it. Or better yet offer him 40% of any winnings to bankroll your whole mission if he knows you’ve got some talent. Think about it like this: Your chances of winning millions at the Lottery are millions to one. If you happen to be a poker player entering the World Series of Poker your chances of winning millions are probably a lot better than 8,000 to 1. That’s the difference between being an ordinary Joe or Joanne in the street who isn’t interested in cards and being a poker player. You have a massive edge!
