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>> THE AVERAGE PUBLIC, ANYWAYS,

I DON'T THINK PROBABLY

UNDERSTANDS WHAT THIS MEANS FOR,

LIKE, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF

POKER PLAYERS, YOU KNOW.

THIS WAS MY LIVELIHOOD, AND IT

WASN'T JUST A GAME, YOU KNOW?

LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST A

BAD DREAM I'M GONNA WAKE UP

FROM.

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE IN

A PANIC.

THERE'S SOME PEOPLE ON THE POKER

FORUMS AND STUFF WHO HAD LIKE

95% OF THEIR NET WORTH WRAPPED

UP IN THESE ONLINE SITES, AND

RIGHT NOW IT'S IN LIMBO.

WE'RE ALL HOPING THAT WE'RE

GOING TO GET OUR MONEY BACK, AND

WE'D LIKE TO BE OPTIMISTIC, BUT

REALLY WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW.

>> WHEN I FOUND OUT SITTING

AROUND ON A COMPUTER PLAYING

CARDS FOR A LIVING WAS SOMETHING

YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO, I WAS

LIKE, "THAT'S IT!

THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WITH

MY LIFE."

>> IT'S A VERY INTERESTING GAME

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

LIKE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO

PREVENT ME FROM WINNING ALL YOUR

MONEY?

>> I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS

WOULD HAVE EVER EXPECTED TO GROW

UP AND BE A PROFESSIONAL ONLINE

POKER PLAYER.

I WOULD HAVE SAID IT WAS MORE

LIKELY THAT I WOULD GROW UP TO

BE AN ASTRONAUT.

>> I THINK POKER TEACHES YOU TO

EVALUATE ON THE FLY.

IT'S ALWAYS UP IN THE AIR.

YOU CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.

IT'S EPHEMERAL, AND YOU CAN'T

GRASP IT.

>> YOU'RE ALMOST OUTSIDE

YOURSELF A BIT IN A GOOD WAY

WHEN YOU'RE JUST MAKING THESE

COMPLEX DECISIONS WITHIN THE

STRUCTURE OF THIS GAME.

>> YOU'RE HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH YOUR

OPPONENT, AND IT'S WHOSE MENTAL

BRAIN POWER IS GOING TO, LIKE,

OUTWIT THE OTHER ONE.

>> YOU'RE KIND OF, LIKE, TRYING

TO GET INTO THEIR HEAD AND READ

THEIR MIND, AND THE BETTER YOU

CAN DO THAT, THE BETTER AT IT

YOU'RE GOING TO BE.

>> YOU TRY AND MAKE THE BEST

DECISION YOU CAN AND LEAVE

EVERYTHING ELSE UP TO FATE OR

DESTINY OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO

CALL IT.

AND SO EVERY DAY HAS A LITTLE

BIT OF MYSTERY GOING INTO IT.

>> I PLAY POKER BECAUSE I LOVE

POKER, BECAUSE I'M GOOD AT

POKER.

I WORKED MY WAY UP THROUGH THE

BOTTOM, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF

WHERE I, LIKE, HAVE ENDED UP.

POKER'S DEFINITELY GIVEN ME THE

OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE LIFE OUTSIDE

OF THE CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM.

IT'S GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO

ALLOW MYSELF TO BE HAPPY.

>> EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE IN MY

LIFE IS THE RESULT OF MY FIRST

$75 DEPOSIT IN AN ONLINE POKER

SITE.

>> POKER IS NOT JUST A GAME.

IT'S SO WRAPPED UP IN EVERY

OTHER ASPECT OF MY LIFE THAT

IT'S KIND OF BECOME A PART OF MY

IDENTITY.

>> POKER IS ONE OF THE THREE

REALLY QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN

GAMES.

IT CAME OVER HERE PROBABLY IN

THE 1810s AS THE FRENCH GAME

POQUE BUT REALLY BECAME

AMERICANIZED AND REALLY CAME TO

DEFINE HOW AMERICANS GAMBLE.

>> POKER IS A GAME THAT REALLY

EMBODIES WHAT THIS CULTURE IS

ALL ABOUT.

EVERYONE STARTS WITH THE

BACKGROUND THAT THEY'VE HAD, THE

EXPERIENCES THEY'VE HAD, THE

KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE, THE SKILLS

THEY HAVE, AND THEY SIT DOWN AND

PLAY A GAME.

>> AMERICA'S ALL ABOUT THE

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT.

JUST LISTEN TO ANY POLITICIAN.

ALL THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS

FREEDOM, YOU KNOW, AND

INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND CHOICES.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT POKER GIVES

YOU.

>> THERE IS SOME LUCK, BUT BY

AND LARGE, THOSE WHO HAVE THE

MOST SKILL, THE MOST KNOWLEDGE,

THE MOST EXPERIENCE, IN SOME

CASES, ARE THE ONES WHO ARE

GOING TO GO THE FURTHEST AND WIN

THE MOST.

THAT'S THE WAY IT IS IN POKER,

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS IN

LIFE.

[ MODEM CONNECTING ]

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT

PEOPLE WOULDN'T BE WILLING TO

PLAY POKER ONLINE BECAUSE

PLAYERS HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING

WHETHER THERE WAS COLLUSION

GOING ON OR WHETHER ANY OF IT

WAS REAL, YOU KNOW, AND THEY

SAID, "WELL, WHY WOULD PEOPLE DO

THAT?"

>> THE BIG QUESTION WITH A LOT

OF ONLINE OPERATORS AND

CERTAINLY THOSE IN THE INDUSTRY

WERE WOULD THIS THING LAST, IS

THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO

BE AROUND 5, 10 YEARS FROM NOW?

AND IF IT'S AROUND, HOW BIG WILL

IT BE?

CERTAINLY, CHRIS MONEYMAKER IN

2003 CHANGES EVERYTHING.

>> EVERYBODY'S DREAM IS TO WIN

THE BIG TOURNAMENT.

>> IT'S JUST THE PINNACLE OF

POKER, AND THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE

A YEAR.

>> HELLMUTH WINS THE

CHAMPIONSHIP!

>> THIS IS THE TOURNAMENT THAT

EVERYBODY WAITS AN ENTIRE YEAR

FOR.

>> WE DID IT, MAN!

>> DURING THE 1980s, THE

TOURNAMENT ACTUALLY HAD VERY

FLAT NUMBERS.

IT DIDN'T GROW.

THE 2003 WORLD SERIES OF POKER

MAIN EVENT, THAT'S THE BREAKING

POINT.

>> THE LIST OF ENTRANTS, 839

PLAYERS LONG, THE MOST EVER HERE

AT BINION'S, AND THEY'VE

ACTUALLY HAD TO EMPLOY A

DOWNSTAIRS POKER ROOM TO HOLD

THE OVERFLOW.

>> THEY HAD TABLES THAT WERE

ACTUALLY HALF INSIDE BINION'S

AND HALF OUTSIDE ON

FREMONT STREET.

THERE WAS JUST SO MANY PEOPLE

THERE, AND IT WAS LIKE, "OH, MY.

WHERE DID EVERYONE COME FROM?"

>> THIS HUGE INCREASE OF PLAYERS

WAS PRIMARILY A RESULT OF THE

EXPLOSION OF ONLINE SATELLITES.

>> ONE MORE MAN I HAVE TOLITES.

MENTION BEFORE WE GET UNDER WAY

AT OUR FEATURED TABLE -- HIS

NAME IS CHRIS MONEYMAKER.

>> HE WON HIS WAY INTO THIS

TOURNAMENT BY WINNING A

$40 ENTRY FEE INTERNET

TOURNAMENT.

>> HE WAS AN AMATEUR.

HE WAS AN ACCOUNTANT BY TRADE

AND PLAYED POKER RECREATIONALLY.

>> JUST A REGULAR GUY, AN

ACCOUNTANT FOR A RESTAURANT

CHAIN, HERE WITH THE BIG BOYS.

>> THAT WAS THE APPEAL FOR

SPECTATORS AT HOME, BECAUSE WE

COULD RELATE TO A GUY LIKE

CHRIS MONEYMAKER.

>> CHRIS MONEYMAKER KNOCKS

ANOTHER BIG PLAYER OUT OF THE

TOURNAMENT.

>> HE'S THE GUY THAT YOU WORK

WITH.

HE'S YOUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR.

HE'S YOUR COUSIN.

HE'S YOUR BROTHER.

>> NICE!

THE GAME IS ON NOW.

>> YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN?

YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN?

>> THE CHRIS MONEYMAKER,

SAM FARHA MATCHUP IS YOUR

CLASSIC DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH.

YOU HAVE YOUR UNDERDOG,

CHRIS MONEYMAKER, TAKING ON THE

PROVERBIAL LAS VEGAS SHARK.

>> SAMMY HAS THE EDGE.HARK.

HE'S A HIGH-ACTION EXPERIENCE

PLAYER, AND LET'S FACE IT.

THIS KID IS PLAYING FOR A BIG

PRIZE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS

LIFE.

IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF

PRESSURE.

THAT'S WHY YOU HEAR IN SPORTS,

WHEN YOU GO TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

GAME, THE FIRST TIME YOU GET

THERE, YOU USUALLY DON'T WIN.

>> OKAY, I GO ALL-IN. LET'S GO.

>> I CALL.

>> SAM FARHA GOES ALL-IN, AND

CHRIS MONEYMAKER IS GOING TO

CALL IT.

>> AND WITH TWO PAIR,

CHRIS MONEYMAKER, A STATISTICAL

IMPROBABILITY TO WIN THIS TITLE

AT THE OUTSET, IS NOW CLOSING IN

ON MAKING IT AN INCREDIBLE

REALITY.

>> WITH A FULL HOUSE,

CHRIS MONEYMAKER ELIMINATES

SAM FARHA, AND THE 27-YEAR-OLD

HAS STEPPED OUT OF THE VIRTUAL

POKER ROOM AND IN A VERY SWIFT

AND UNLIKELY MANNER IS ATOP THE

POKER WORLD.

>> WHEN PEOPLE SAW THAT, IT

BECAME SOMEWHAT OF AN AMERICAN

DREAM, WHERE, "WOW, THE GUY'S

NAME IS MONEYMAKER, HE JUST

TURNED 40 BUCKS INTO

$2.5 MILLION.

I WANT THAT TO BE ME."

>> SUDDENLY EVERYBODY IN THE

COUNTRY, WHETHER THEY LIVE CLOSE

TO A CASINO OR NOT, SAID, "HEY,

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW POKER WAS

AVAILABLE ONLINE."

>> ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS CAME

TOGETHER TO MAKE THE PERFECT

STORM, AND ONLINE POKER JUST

EXPLODED.

THAT WAS THE THING.

IN THE PAST, IF YOU WEREN'T

FROM, LIKE, VEGAS, L.A.,

ATLANTIC CITY, A COUPLE OTHER

SPOTS, YOU BASICALLY COULDN'T BE

A GREAT POKER PLAYER, AND THAT'S

REALLY THE REASON THAT ONLINE

POKER HAS DONE SO MUCH, BECAUSE

IT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE

ANYWHERE TO BECOME POTENTIALLY

THE GREATEST POKER PLAYER IN THE

WORLD.

>> THAT'S THE MONEYMAKER EFFECT.

[ BELL DINGING ]

>> NEW ULM IS A TOWN OF ABOUT

13,000 PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN

MINNESOTA.

IT'S A PRETTY TRADITIONAL,

CONSERVATIVE TOWN.

IT IS DEFINITELY NOT COMMON TO

BE A PROFESSIONAL POKER PLAYER

IN NEW ULM.

AS FAR AS I KNOW, I'M THE ONLY

ONE.

I DISCOVERED POKER THROUGH MY

HUSBAND, KORY.

HIM AND HIS BUDDIES WERE ALWAYS

PLAYING IN COLLEGE.

AND AT FIRST, I DIDN'T WANT TO

LEARN AT ALL, BECAUSE I DON'T

LIKE LEARNING NEW GAMES, BUT

EVENTUALLY I JOINED IN, AND I

JUST KIND OF HAD A NATURAL

TALENT FOR THE GAME, AND I JUST

STARTED WINNING ALL THE TIME.

>> SHE JUST GOT GOOD AT IT.

IT WAS PRETTY QUICK THAT SHE WAS

CERTAINLY ELEVATED TO THE TOP OF

OUR FRIENDLY LITTLE GAME THAT

WASN'T VERY COMPETITIVE.

>> BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST

ONE OF THESE FAD THINGS, YOU

KNOW, KIDS GO THROUGH.

BUT AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS STILL

IN COLLEGE, AND THEN ALL OF A

SUDDEN, I FIND AFTER THE FACT

THAT SHE TOOK A FEW SEMESTERS

OFF TO GAMBLE.

>> I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER KORY

AND I HAVING A CONVERSATION, AND

WE WERE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE

WE WERE THINKING THAT IT WAS

MAYBE A POSSIBILITY THAT I COULD

MAKE $100 EXTRA A MONTH, AND WE

WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT AN

IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE ON OUR

LIFE.

>> I WAS REALLY SURPRISED WHEN

SHE GOT HER LAPTOP OUT HERE ONE

DAY AND SHE WAS PLAYING AND SHE

HAD LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT GAMES

GOING AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THEN I THINK I REALIZED

THAT, "WOW, SHE'S GOT SOMETHING

GOING ON HERE."

>> I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS

IMAGINED THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE

TO GO AND PROGRESS TO WHERE IT

HAS NOW.

>> LOOK AT THIS!

IT'S A BOWL OF FRUITS.

IT'S A BOWL OF FRUIT.

IT IS.

>> OKAY, SO ARE THOSE GRAPES?

>> YEAH. AND THAT'S A BLUEBERRY.

>> OH, AND THIS MUST BE A

BANANA.

>> AND THAT'S AN APPLE.

>> WHAT'S THE GREEN THING?

>> UH, THAT'S A SPOON.

>> OH.

POKER ALLOWS ME FREEDOM THAT

OTHER PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE

THROUGH THEIR JOBS.

I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE TIED DOWN

TO NINE-TO-FIVE JOBS, AND THEY

HAVE TO MISS EVENTS IN THEIR

LIFE THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO

THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A JOB

THAT REQUIRES THEM TO BE THERE.

AND POKER ALLOWS ME TO BE MY OWN

BOSS, REALLY.

I DON'T HAVE TO MISS ANY OF

LIFE'S BIG EVENTS.

I'VE THUS FAR BEEN VERY, VERY

BLESSED, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO

BE THERE FOR ALL OF THEM, AND

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST HOLDS

A TON OF VALUE TO ME.

THE FREEDOM THAT POKER ALLOWS ME

TO HAVE IS JUST PRICELESS.

>> NICE CATCH, HUH, DAD?

OH, YOU'RE GOING TO EAT IT.

[ CHUCKLES ]

>> AH.

>> I'VE ALWAYS PRETTY MUCH HAD

SOME GAME THAT I'M PLAYING.

BEFORE I STARTED PLAYING POKER,

MY MAIN OBSESSION WAS

"StarCraft."

"StarCraft" IS REALLY, REALLY

FUN.

I'M FROM AUSTRALIA, SO I

REMEMBER WAKING UP AT LIKE 4:00

IN THE MORNING AND PLAY U.S.

PLAYERS ON DIAL-UP, WHICH WAS

PRETTY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE

EVERYONE HAD BROADBAND.

BUT I NOTICED IN THE "StarCraft"

COMMUNITY THERE WAS KIND OF A

LOT OF CHATTER ABOUT ONLINE

POKER, AND A LOT OF THE BETTER

PLAYERS AT "StarCraft" WERE KIND

OF FOOLING AROUND -- OR IT

SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE FOOLING

AROUND -- WITH POKER.

SOMEONE LIKE INTELLIMAN OR ElkY,

THEY WERE PLAYING THE HIGHEST

GAMES ON PokerStars, WHICH

SEEMED RIDICULOUS, BECAUSE THEY

HAD JUMPED INTO THIS WITH A YEAR

OF EXPERIENCE.

SO THAT KIND OF LED ME TO

INITIALLY PLAYING POKER.

AT FIRST, IT FELT KIND OF BORING

AND SLOW.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET DEALT HANDS.

IT'S NOT LIKE A REAL-TIME

STRATEGY GAME WHERE YOU'RE LIKE,

"NEH-LEH-LEH-LEH-LEH."

BUT ONCE THOSE KIND OF

AESTHETICS FADE AWAY AND YOU

START DEALING WITH THE HUMAN

ELEMENT, THEN THE KIND OF

RICHNESS OF THE GAME BECOMES

APPARENT.

IT'S A KIND OF TRICKY PROCESS,

LEARNING SOMETHING THAT YOU

REALLY HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT, WITH

NO KIND OF SUPPORT GROUP HELPING

YOU LEARN.

YOU'RE JUST KIND OF LIKE

SWIMMING INTO THE TIDE, HOPING

THAT YOU'LL GET TO SOME ISLAND

EVENTUALLY AND JUST KIND OF

HAVING FAITH THAT YOU WILL.

SO IN MY SECOND YEAR OF

UNIVERSITY, POKER STARTED TO

TAKE OVER, AND AT SOME POINT,

SOMETHING HAD TO GIVE.

ONE DAY, I GUESS I JUST WOKE UP

AND IT WAS THE UNIVERSITY.

BY THE TIME I GOT TO GERMANY, I

REMEMBER DISTINCTLY SENDING MY

BROTHER AN E-MAIL SAYING LIKE,

YOU KNOW, "I'M THROUGH TAKING

THIS AS A KIND OF MIDDLE-RANGE

THING.

LIKE, I WANT TO PLAY THE BIGGEST

GAMES ALL DAY EVERY DAY."

AND FOR THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS,

PRETTY MUCH ALL MY AMBITIONS

WERE RELATED TO SUCCESS AT POKER

AND EVERYTHING ELSE FELL TO THE

SIDELINES, BECAME LESS

IMPORTANT.

>> I NEVER MIND BRINGING THE

JACKET IN JUST A DASH IN THE

BACK TO MAKE IT GIVE IT SORT OF

MORE OF THAT "V" SHAPE.

>> YEAH, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO

CLEAN UP THE BACK A LITTLE.

WE'RE GOING TO RAISE THE COLLAR

HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT

IN JUST A TAD, JUST GIVE YOU

MORE OF A SILHOUETTE.

>> A LITTLE IN THE BACK?

>> SURE.

>> THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS

DEFINITELY ATTRACTED TO THE BOND

OR G LIFESTYLE THAT I HAD SEEN

IN SO MANY MAGAZINES AND MOVIES,

AND I WANTED TO GROW UP AND LIVE

THAT LIFESTYLE, TO BE ABLE TO

TRAVEL THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, BE

DRESSED TO THE NINES AT ALL

TIMES, BE ABLE TO PICK UP GIRLS

WITH EASE, HAVE A BUNCH OF

REALLY COOL FRIENDS WHO WOULD

CONNECT ME TO STUFF GOING ON IN

WHATEVER CITY I WAS VISITING.

SO THAT WAS ALWAYS KIND OF --

THAT WAS THE DREAM FOR ME.

INSTEAD OF OWNING A BUNCH OF

THINGS, IT WAS HAVING A BUNCH OF

EXPERIENCES.

>> THIS IS AMAZING, MAN, WITH

THE BROWN SHOES.

I LOVE IT.

CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND MARK HIM,

ALEX?

>> WHEN I WAS 19, I WON A

PACKAGE ON PartyPoker WHILE

PLAYING IN MY DORM THAT GAVE ME

AN ENTRY AND TRIP AND HOTEL TO A

TOURNAMENT DOWN IN AUSTRALIA.

[ CORK POPS ]

>> OOH. THERE WE GO.

>> SO I WENT DOWN THERE FOR 10

DAYS, MADE SOME MONEY IN THE

TOURNAMENTS, FELL IN LOVE WITH

THE PLACE, DECIDED I WOULD GO

BACK FOR STUDY ABROAD.

SO SIX MONTHS LATER, I MOVED

BACK THERE.

I WOULD SAY IT WAS PROBABLY THE

HAPPIEST PERIOD OF MY LIFE.

IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, ONLINE

POKER EVERY DAY, HANGING OUT

WITH FRIENDS EVERY EVENING,

TAKING DAYS OFF TO GO GOLFING OR

PLAY TENNIS OR GO DRINKING WITH

MY FRIENDS.

SO I JUST KIND OF HAD LIKE A

VERY HAPPY, BALANCED LIFE WHERE

I WAS ABLE TO DO A LITTLE OF

EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED.

>> ALL RIGHT THAT'S SUIT NUMBER

ONE.

LET'S GO FOR SUIT NUMBER TWO.

>> AND IT WAS MY INTENTION TO

STAY DOWN THERE, BUT

UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ABLE TO

ACQUIRE PERMANENT RESIDENCY.

SO I NEEDED A NEW PLACE TO LIVE

IN THE U.S. ON VERY SHORT

NOTICE, WHICH IS WHY I NOW LIVE

IN A POOL HOUSE IN MY FRIEND'S

BACKYARD.

HEY, GUYS WHAT'S UP?

HOW YOU DOING? COME ON IN.

COME ON IN.

I'M LIVING HERE IN LAS VEGAS, IN

THE HOME OF MY FRIEND ANDREW

"LUCKYCHEWY" LICHTENBERGER.

HE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE AFTER HE

HAD A REALLY GOOD 2009 WORLD

SERIES OF POKER, AND I MOVED

INTO THE POOL HOUSE IN SPRING

2010.

THIS IS DAN SMITH, A.K.A.

KINGDAN.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

AND MIKE "MADDOG" WATSON.

GIVE 'EM A BARK.

>> [ BARKS ]

>> I'M LIVING IN A SORT OF

FRAT-HOUSE SCENARIO OF POKER

PLAYERS.

THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY RULES TO

THE HOUSE.

>> [ LAUGHS ]

>> IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF YOUNG

DUDES LIVING TOGETHER, BUT THIS

TIME THEY ACTUALLY HAVE SOME

MONEY.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

I LOVE LIVING HERE.

IF I HAD TO LEAVE MELBOURNE FOR

SOMEWHERE, I'M GLAD IT WAS A

NICE HOUSE IN LAS VEGAS WITH ALL

MY BUDDIES WHO ARE BETTER AT

POKER THAN I AM.

>> WHAT ARE WE AT?

>> YOU'RE UP $100, 'CAUSE I WON

THE FIRST GAME, AND THEN YOU WON

TWO IN A ROW.

YES, I'VE BEEN BETTING $100,

SO YOU'RE UP $100 ON ME.

>> I'M UP A HUNDO.

>> [ LAUGHS ]

>> OKAY, YODA.

>> THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE THAT

THE MONEY ONLINE POKER PROVIDED

ME IN LIFE WAS A REAL DIRECTION

FOR WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN MY

LIFE.

I WAS A THEATER MAJOR IN

COLLEGE, AND I DIDN'T REALLY

CARE ABOUT IT, AND I DIDN'T WANT

TO DO IT, AND I KNEW THAT I

WANTED SOMETHING THAT ALLOWED ME

A LARGE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY BUT

WOULD HOPEFULLY MAKE ME A FAIRLY

WEALTHY GUY, AND THAT WAS

EXACTLY ONLINE POKER.

PLUS, IT ALLOWED ME THE FREEDOM

TO BE WHATEVER KIND OF PERSON I

WANTED TO BE, AND HANG OUT WITH

WHOEVER I WANTED.

SO LONG AS YOU COULD GO HOME,

LOG ON, AND PLAY WELL ENOUGH TO

WIN, EVERYTHING ELSE YOU DID WAS

TO YOUR DISCRETION.

[ ALL SHOUTING ]

>> YEAH!

SORRY.

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

>> IF THERE ARE TWO STORMS OF

THE MODERN ERA IN POKER, THEY

ARE AS FOLLOWS --

CHRIS MONEYMAKER IN 2003 WINNING

THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER.

AND THE OTHER STORM --

MIKE SEXTON, PartyPoker, THE

WORLD POKER TOUR.

>> HI, EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD POKER TOUR.

WE ARE COMING TO YOU ABOARD

HOLLAND AMERICA'S ms RYNDAM,

HOME OF THE LARGEST FLOATING

POKER GAME IN HISTORY.

I'M MIKE SEXTON.

>> AND I'M VINCE VAN PATTEN, AND

THIS IS THE PartyPoker MILLION.

>> THE WPT WAS THE FIRST,

REALLY, TO TRY TO SELL POKER AS

LIKE A TOUR IN A SPORT.

>> THE RIVER IS A 7.

>> NOT GONNA DO IT.

>> GUS HANSEN HAS WON THIS

TOURNAMENT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S HYPERBOLE TO

SAY IT WAS A PHENOMENON.

PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE NEVER

THOUGHT TO WATCH POKER ON TV OR

REALLY EVEN PLAYED IT THAT MUCH

WERE JUST KIND OF CAPTIVATED BY

IT.

>> IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO

REALIZE SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED

HERE, SOMETHING GREAT.

IT WAS HITTING THE VIEWING

PUBLIC IN A WAY THAT IT REALLY

JUST ABSOLUTELY RESONATED.

>> OH! OH!

OH, WOW!

LOOK! VINCE, LOOK!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

>> NO ONE HAD SEEN ANYTHING LIKE

IT.

YOU GO TURN ON EVERY SINGLE WEEK

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, WATCH THIS

TOURNAMENT, WATCHING ALL THESE

EXCITING PEOPLE, AND ALL OF A

SUDDEN THERE IS A COMMERCIAL

BREAK.

"HEY, WAIT A MINUTE.

THAT'S THE HOST.

THAT'S MIKE SEXTON.

HE WAS TELLING US ABOUT THE

HAND, AND NOW HE'S LIKE --

WHAT'S THAT THING CALLED?

"PARTY" WHAT? PartyPoker?

WHAT'S THAT?

LET ME CHECK THAT OUT.

>> THE PartyPoker ADS MADE SURE

THAT WHEN PEOPLE OPENED THEIR

FIRST ONLINE POKER ACCOUNT, IT

WAS GOING TO BE WITH PartyPoker.

SO THE SITE DIDN'T JUST GROW.

IT EXPLODED.

>> WITHIN 30 DAYS, WE MULTIPLIED

OUR BUSINESS BY 10.

WE NEVER LOOKED BACK, BECAME THE

LARGEST SITE IN THE WORLD

BECAUSE OF TELEVISION.

>> '03 TO '06 WAS LIKE THE

PartyPoker ERA AND THE BIRTH OF

MODERN ONLINE POKER, AND THE

MONEY WAS JUST EASY.

>> I DO KNOW THAT WHILE I WAS

MAKING A LOT OF MONEY AT ONE

POINT IN TIME, I WAS LOOKING UP

HOW TO BUY AN ISLAND ON eBAY.

[ LAUGHTER ]

I DO KNOW THAT THAT WAS A REAL

THING.

I ACTUALLY TRIED TO FIGURE

OUT -- THERE ARE ISLANDS FOR

SALE ON eBAY, OR THERE WERE AT

THE TIME.

>> I MEAN IT WAS A GOLD MINE FOR

A WHILE.

THERE WAS JUST SO MANY GAMES

RUNNING AND JUST SO MANY

RECREATIONAL PLAYERS.

THERE WAS NO REASON FOR ANYBODY

TO EVEN SURVEY THE COMPETITION.

>> I WAS REALLY BAD BACK THEN,

AND I WAS MAKING SO MUCH MONEY,

'CAUSE PEOPLE WERE JUST

CLUELESS.

>> THERE WERE SO MANY GAMES.

YOU COULD PLAY SO MANY HANDS.

AND THE GAMES WERE JUST THAT

EASY.

>> I DON'T KNOW ANY POINT IN

HISTORY WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH

LITTLE TO NO EDUCATION COULD

LEARN SOMETHING SIMPLE ABOUT A

GAME AND THEN JUST PRINT MONEY

AT IT.

>> IT JUST BASICALLY PROVIDED A

LOT OF PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY

FOR LIFETIME FINANCIAL SECURITY

AT A VERY EARLY AGE WITH MINIMAL

SACRIFICE.

>> IT WAS SUCH A RELIEF WHEN I

STARTED MAKING GOOD MONEY IN

POKER.

I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED

MAKING A LOT OF MONEY AND I WAS

LIVING ON MY OWN IN COLLEGE, I

HAD THE MOST WELL-STOCKED

KITCHEN AND PANTRY YOU WOULD

EVER FIND IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE,

BECAUSE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,

GETTING GROCERIES WAS LIKE A

HUGE TREAT, AND HAVING THE

CUPBOARDS FULL WAS SOMETHING

THAT HAPPENED AT MY FRIEND'S

HOUSE.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AT MY HOUSE.

SO, THAT WAS LIKE KIND OF A

SIGNAL OF MY FINANCIAL SUCCESS,

WAS THAT I ALWAYS JUST HAD A TON

OF FOOD IN THE HOUSE.

AND GOING GROCERY SHOPPING, IT'S

STILL REALLY EXCITING TO ME.

>> WELL, WE HAD A SITUATION

WHERE BOTH KIDS -- WE HAD BOTH

OF THEM AT THAT TIME, AND WE

DIDN'T HAVE GAS.

THEY SHUT OUR GAS OFF.

SO WE'RE BORROWING SPACE HEATERS

SO WE COULD GET IT WARM ENOUGH

FOR THE KIDS IN THE HOUSE.

SO, YEAH, IT WAS BAD.

>> IT WAS STRESSFUL AS A KID,

KNOWING THAT YOUR PARENTS ARE

WORRIED ABOUT MONEY.

I ALWAYS FELT LIKE A SENSE OF

GUILT IF I NEEDED SOMETHING

'CAUSE I FELT LIKE IT WAS JUST

GOING TO BE AN ADDED BURDEN.

IT WAS DEFINITELY A WAY OF

GROWING UP THAT I ALWAYS KNEW I

DIDN'T WANT MY KIDS TO EVER HAVE

TO FEEL LIKE THAT.

>> WELL, DANI HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN

DOING SO WELL AT POKER THAT SHE

IS BUYING LORI A HORSE THAT

SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED.

SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED A HORSE ALL

HER LIFE.

>> SHE REALLY SET ME UP GOOD,

'CAUSE WE WENT TO LOOK AT THIS

HORSE.

ACTUALLY, I WENT TO WATCH HER

RIDE, AND ONE OF THE STABLE

PEOPLE ASKED ME IF I LIKED

HORSES, AND I SAID, "OH, YEAH.

I LOVE HORSES.

I'D HAVE 20 OF THEM IF I COULD."

AND DANI SAID, "WELL, HOW ABOUT

JUST ONE, MOM?"

AND THAT'S HOW SHE TOLD ME SHE

WAS BUYING ME A HORSE.

IT WAS REALLY SWEET.

IT WAS REALLY SWEET.

SO IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIGURE

OUT SHE WASN'T PULLING MY LEG,

[ CHUCKLES ]

'CAUSE SHE'S GOOD AT THAT.

>> MY MOM'S JUST KIND OF HAD

SOME ROUGH BREAKS IN LIFE.

SHE'S JUST KIND OF HAD SOME

STRUGGLES THAT SHE'S WORKED HARD

TO GET THROUGH.

>> ALL BETTER?

>> SHE'S AN AMAZING WOMAN, AND

SHE DESERVES THE BEST, SO GIVING

HER A HORSE IS JUST SOMETHING

THAT IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO HER

AND IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME.

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING

POKER ROYALTY.

THIS IS BRITTANY.

HOW MAY I DIRECT YOUR CALL?

>> MY NAME IS BRIAN BALSBAUGH,

AND I AM THE FOUNDER OF A POKER

TALENT AGENCY CALLED

POKER ROYALTY.

POKER ROYALTY IS AN AGENCY THAT

SPECIALIZES IN THE POKER

INDUSTRY.

SO WE REPRESENT THE BEST POKER

PLAYERS IN THE WORLD FOR

SPONSORSHIPS AND LICENSING AND

ENDORSEMENT DEALS AND PERSONAL

APPEARANCES AND THINGS LIKE

THAT -- BASICALLY, ANY WAY THEY

CAN MAKE MONEY AS CELEBRITIES

AWAY FROM THE POKER TABLE.

NO ONE KNEW ANYTHING, REALLY,

ABOUT POKER PLAYERS PRIOR TO

2003.

NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE

SEEING THESE GUYS WHO TRAVEL

AROUND THE WORLD, THEY LIVE THIS

KIND OF MAVERICK INDEPENDENT

LIFESTYLE, THEY'RE PLAYING POTS

FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF

DOLLARS, THEY'RE WINNING A

MILLION AND THE BACK STORIES

WERE SO INTERESTING AND

FANTASTIC THAT THEY WERE ALMOST

MADE-UP CHARACTERS, YOU KNOW,

PLAYING OUT IN REAL LIFE.

THE IDEA OF POKER ROYALTY CAME

TO ME ONE DAY WHILE I WAS

WATCHING POKER ON TELEVISION.

I WAS WATCHING ESPN, AND I SAW

SIX GUYS AROUND A POKER TABLE,

AND THE CAMERA COULDN'T GO

ANYWHERE BUT THEIR HATS, THEIR

SHIRTS.

NONE OF THEM HAD LOGOS ON, AND I

KNEW THAT TIME ON ESPN WAS

VALUABLE.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WOULD SPONSOR

THEM OR WHAT THE LOGOS COULD OR

SHOULD BE, BUT I KNEW THAT THERE

WAS VALUABLE INVENTORY THERE

THAT WAS NOT BEING UTILIZED.

AND THIS IS WHERE I GOT LUCKY

AND ALL POKER PLAYERS GOT LUCKY,

BECAUSE THE ONLINE POKER SITES

FILLED THE VOID.

THEY BECAME THE PRIMARY

SPONSORS, THE BIG SPONSORS,

THE COMPANIES THAT WERE FUNDING

POKER, AND FUNDING IT AT AN

UNBELIEVABLE RATE.

MY BASELINE WAS KIND OF THE PGA

TOUR.

IF A GUY GOES THROUGH PGA TOUR

QUALIFYING SCHOOL, GETS HIS

CARD, HE SHOULD EXPECT SOMEWHERE

BETWEEN $150,000 AND $200,000 A

YEAR TO WEAR A LOGO.

SO ORIGINALLY I STARTED ASKING

FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND WE

STARTED GETTING IT RIGHT AWAY.

SO I STARTED ASKING FOR A LITTLE

BIT MORE MONEY, AND A LITTLE BIT

MORE MONEY, AND LITTLE BIT MORE

MONEY, AND BEFORE YOU KNEW IT,

WE WERE DOING SEVEN-FIGURE

SPONSORSHIP DEALS, WHICH BLOW

AWAY THE NUMBERS THAT I WAS

DOING IN THE PGA TOUR, AND

AS THE BOOM HIT, SO DID MY

BUSINESS.

>> WELCOME BACK TO THE WORLD

POKER TOUR, AND DON'T CHANGE

THAT DIAL, FOLKS.

>> THE WPT CAME ON WHEN I WAS A

SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE

MOMENT I FOUND IT, THAT'S WHAT I

DID WITH MY WEDNESDAY NIGHTS.

IT WAS ON FOR TWO HOURS, FROM,

LIKE, 8:00 TO 10:00, I THINK,

AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS EVERY

WEDNESDAY FROM 8:00 TO 10:00.

IT WAS JUST A GREAT INTRODUCTION

TO POKER.

THEY EXPLAINED HOW THE GAME WAS

PLAYED.

THEY TRIED TO SET UP THE

PERSONALITIES OF THE GAME, AND I

LOOKED UP TO ALL OF THESE GUYS I

SAW ON TELEVISION AND THOUGHT

THEY JUST HAD THE MOST

GLAMOROUS, INTERESTING

LIFESTYLE AND THAT IF YOU MET

THEM, THEY WOULD BE THE MOST

FASCINATING, CHARMING, HILARIOUS

GUY POSSIBLE, AND THAT WAS WHAT

I ASPIRED TO AND LOOKED UP TO.

I WAS SUCH A BLATANT FANBOY

DURING THAT ERA, THAT I WAS

LOOKING FOR ANY WAY TO GET

INVOLVED, JUST ANYTHING TO GET

IN CONTACT WITH POKER AND BE

PART OF THAT WORLD.

>> SEAN GIBSON,

POKER NEWS DAILY, HERE WITH TWO

OF THE STALWARTS OF THE POKER

INDUSTRY, MIKE SEXTON,

VINCE VAN PATTEN.

YOU GUYS ARE HERE.

THIS IS LIKE I'M ON

"AMERICAN IDOL."

WE'RE HERE FOR "THE RAW DEAL."

WE'VE GOT PEOPLE JUST OFF THE

STREET, PEOPLE FLYING FROM ALL

OVER TRYING OUT FOR THIS NEW

SEGMENT.

THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR

JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHO LOVES

POKER.

>> WELL, IT REALLY IS, AND WE'RE

SEEING ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE TRY

OUT FOR THIS ROLE, HONESTLY.

>> WELCOME BACK TO

THE WORLD POKER TOUR.

THIS IS A BRAND-NEW SEGMENT WE

LIKE TO CALL "THE RAW DEAL."

>> SHIP IT PHIL!

JAM 'EM!

YOUR CHIPS SHOULD HAVE LEFT

SKID MARKS THERE.

>> ANDY, YOU PLAY LIKE A DONKEY!

HEE-HAW! AND YOU GET THE PRIZE!

>> WE ENGAGED IN AN EXTENSIVE

SEARCH.

WE HAD OPEN AUDITIONS.

WE HAD AUDITIONS ONLINE.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CHARACTER

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE OPPOSITE

OF US, WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO

SCREAM OUT THERE, "WHAT A MORON!

WHAT AN IDIOT!

HOW CAN THIS GUY EVER MAKE IT TO

THE FINAL TABLE?"

>> THIS WAS A VERY RISKY

DECISION.

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN, QUITE

FRANKLY, A DISASTER.

>> TELL US YOUR NAME AND WHERE

YOU'RE FROM.

>> MY NAME IS TONY DUNST.

I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN LAS VEGAS,

AND I PLAY POKER FOR A LIVING.

WHEN I SAW THE AUDITION FORM

FOR WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR,

I JUMPED AT THE IDEA BECAUSE I

WAS LIKE, "THAT'S ME.

THEY WANT A GUY TO ACT AS I

NATURALLY ACT."

IF I SEE ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL

POKER PLAYER ACTING LIKE THEY'RE

TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL, I HAVE NO

QUALMS ABOUT CALLING THEM OUT.

WHAT THEY DID FOR THE FIRST

AUDITION WAS SHOW YOU A CLIP

WHERE AT A FINAL TABLE AT THE

BAY 101, ANDY SETH AND

PHIL HELLMUTH GET IT IN

BLIND VERSUS BLIND WITH

ANDY SETH'S ACE-JACK VERSUS

PHIL HELLMUTH'S POCKET QUEENS.

ANDY HITS AN ACE ON THE RIVER.

[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]

PHIL WALKS OFF THE TABLE, AND

THEN HE, LIKE, CRUMPLES OVER

INTO THE FETAL POSITION AND IS

HAVING A PHIL MOMENT, WHATEVER

THE HELL THAT IS.

SO WHEN THEY DID THAT AUDITION,

THE LINE I CAME UP WITH WAS...

I LIKE TO THINK OF PHIL HELLMUTH

AS A CLOWN IN THE LITERAL SENSE,

IN THAT HE IS A MAN WHO WILL

BEHAVE WITHOUT DIGNITY FOR A SET

FEE, WHICH I SUPPOSE YOU COULD

ALSO CALL A [BLEEP] AND SEEING

AS THAT PHIL WAS ON HIS KNEES AT

THE TIME, I'LL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE

UP YOUR OWN MIND.

AND I FELT LIKE THAT WAS

PROBABLY THE LINE THAT STUCK OUT

A LITTLE BIT, THAT I WAS WILLING

TO TAKE SOME GAMBLES IN THE

INTERVIEW PROCESS AND SAY WHAT I

FELT LIKE WAS THE KIND OF

OUTLANDISH THINGS THEY WERE

LOOKING FOR.

SO THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED ME

WHILE I WAS IN THE AIRPORT, AND

SAID," WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER

YOU A JOB," SO HERE WE ARE.

I WOULD SAY MY POKER DREAM IS

TO, YOU KNOW, SOMEDAY OBTAIN A

SPONSORSHIP.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A MEANS

TO MAKE SOME INCOME WITHOUT

PHYSICALLY SITTING AT THE TABLE

AND PLAYING POKER.

AND I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE

COOL.

IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE -- IT'S

THE KID THAT GROWS UP AND WANTS

TO BE IN THE NBA.

IT WOULD BE COOL TO HAVE A TEAM

TO IDENTIFY WITH THAT.

THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I

THINK IT WOULD BE A NEAT

EXPERIENCE AND SOMETHING I WOULD

BE REALLY PROUD OF.

THE BEST WAY TO GET SPONSORED,

REALLY, IS TO WIN A BIG

TOURNAMENT AND GET SOME MEDIA

COVERAGE THAT WAY.

AND THIS YEAR I'VE DECIDED TO

PLAY MORE TOURNAMENTS IN THE

HOPES OF GETTING CLOSER TO THAT

SPONSORSHIP GOAL.

>> THE IDEA THAT DANI MIGHT BE

TRAVELING AROUND MORE AND

ATTEMPTING TO GET SPONSORSHIP

AND TO BE A PERSONALITY IN

POKER I THINK IS GREAT.

[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]

THE SECURITY THAT BEING

SPONSORED WOULD BRING, YOU KNOW,

I THINK IS PRETTY VALUABLE.

>> FOLKS IT'S TOUGH TO MAKE

THESE WPT FINAL TABLES.

PHIL IVEY HAS DONE IT EIGHT

TIMES, MORE THAN ANY OTHER

PLAYER IN THE WORLD.

>> I CALL.

>> AND HE MAKES THE CALL!

AND PHIL IVEY HAS DONE IT!

IT IS OVER!

PHIL IVEY IS OUR CHAMPION!

>> I THINK FULL TILT POKER WOULD

BE THE BEST SITE TO BE SPONSORED

BY.

I FEEL KIND OF LOYAL, BECAUSE

IT'S JUST WHERE I'VE PLAYED MOST

OF MY CAREER, AND I THINK IT

WOULD BE COOL TO BE ON THE SAME

TEAM, BE SPONSORED BY THE SAME

SITE AS, YOU KNOW, PHIL IVEY.

>> THE THING THEY DID HANDS DOWN

BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE AT THE

BEGINNING WAS MARKETING.

FULL TILT'S MARKETING CAMPAIGN

JUST LOOKED MADISON AVENUE.

>> THIS WAS, "PLAY WITH THE

PROS.

WE ARE THE BEST."

IT WAS TEAM FULL TILT.

THESE WERE THE BIG GUYS.

>> * FULL TILT

>> FULL TILT POKER WAS

ESSENTIALLY FOUNDED BY

HOWARD LEDERER AND

CHRIS "JESUS" FERGUSON.

JESUS WAS A WORLD CHAMPION AND

WON THE WORLD SERIES MAIN EVENT.

HOWARD LEDERER WAS A BRACELET

WINNER.

>> YOU KNOW, THESE AREN'T EASY

TO WIN.

>> THEY WERE PLAYERS' PLAYERS.

LIKE, EVERYONE KNEW WHO THEY

WERE.

>> THEY WERE DEFINITELY THE COOL

KIDS IN SCHOOL.

I MEAN, THEY BUILT A TEAM OF

PLAYERS THAT EVERYONE WANTED TO

KNOW ABOUT AND PLAY AGAINST AND

BE LIKE.

>> WHAT, YOU THINK BECAUSE YOU

DRESS LIKE ME, YOU CAN PLAY LIKE

ME?

>> WHEN FULL TILT STARTED, THEY

DEFINITELY RECOGNIZED THAT IVEY

WAS A REAL STAR.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

PHIL IVEY.

HE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN NUMBER

ONE, BUT HE QUICKLY BECAME THE

NUMBER-ONE PLAYER IN THE WORLD.

>> I'M JOINED BY A MAN WHO ONLY

NEEDS ONE NAME, IVEY.

>> THE BIGGER PHIL IVEY GOT, THE

BIGGER FULL TILT POKER GOT.

>> I FEEL VERY FLATTERED WHEN

PEOPLE SAY THAT I'M THE BEST

PLAYER.

>> THESE CELEBRITIES WEREN'T

JUST ENDORSING FULL TILT.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE PART OWNERS.

SO IF YOU WANTED TO PLAY ON THE

SITE, YOU FELT IT WAS SAFE

BECAUSE THIS WAS WHERE THE PROS

WERE PLAYING.

>> TO LEARN, CHAT, AND PLAY WITH

THE PROS, GO WHERE THEY LIVE,

fulltiltpoker.com.

>> THEY WERE MASSIVELY

SUCCESSFUL, AND I KNOW THAT THEY

BELIEVED IN THEIR BUSINESS

MODEL.

>> RAY BITAR, THE C.E.O. OF

fulltiltpoker.net.

>> ON BEHALF OF

fulltiltpoker.net, I'D LIKE TO

PRESENT THIS FIRST-PLACE CHECK.

>> NO ONE KNEW WHO RAY WAS

BEFORE HE GOT INTO POKER.

HE WAS JUST A DAY TRADER WHO WAS

LIVING IN L.A., AND HE JUST

HAPPENED TO BE SHARING THE SAME

SPACE AS CHRIS FERGUSON.

>> FULL TILT POKER WAS OWNED AND

OPERATED BY PROFESSIONAL POKER

PLAYERS WHO DIDN'T NECESSARILY

HAVE BUSINESS EXPERIENCE.

>> FROM 10 FEET AWAY, I CAN

THROW A PLAYING CARD THROUGH A

CARROT.

>> BUT ONCE AGAIN THEY WERE

MAKING MONEY.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

>> * COME ON AND DO IT

* DO IT, DO IT

* DO IT, DO IT

>> I'M VERY EXCITED.

ALWAYS THRILLED WHEN I CAN PLAY

POKER.

NOT ONLY THAT, PLAYING POKER FOR

A CHARITY FOR A GOOD CAUSE IS

FANTASTIC.

>> HOW HAVE YOU FELT SO FAR

ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE IN THE

WORLD POKER TOUR?

>> I FEEL GREAT ABOUT IT.

IT'S QUITE A SHOCK AND

EVERYTHING.

I MEAN IT ALL HAPPENED VERY,

VERY QUICKLY FOR ME.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BARELY BEEN

LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY THAT

LONG, AND THEY OFFERED ME A JOB.

>> SO WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY,

GIVEN THE STRUCTURE OF THE

FIELD, THE CRAZINESS?

>> MY INTENTION IS TO GET DRUNK

AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES ME.

YEAH.

>> I'M MIKE SEXTON.

ON BEHALF OF MYSELF,

VINCE VAN PATTEN,

KIMBERLY LANSING, TONY DUNST,

AND THE ROYAL FLUSH GIRLS, WE

WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE MOST

FUN EVENT ON THE WORLD POKER

TOUR, THE WPT INVITATIONAL.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> HELLO. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

DON, RIGHT?

TONY. NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> HEY, DON.

>> HEY, MAN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> IT'S PRETTY SURREAL TO BE

ATTENDING THIS EVENT, WORKING

FOR THE WPT, AND MINGLING WITH

SOME MAINSTREAM CELEBRITIES AS

WELL AS THESE POKER CELEBRITIES,

WHO MAYBE EVEN MONTHS EARLIER

HAD NO IDEA WHO I WAS, AND NOW

I'M VERY MUCH A PART OF THE

FABRIC OF THE POKER COMMUNITY.

THERE YOU GO, MAN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NO SWEAT.

IT'S JUST WEIRD.

WEIRD HOW IT WORKS OUT.

>> SO DO YOU GO TO ALL THE

TOURNAMENTS?

>> NO, NOT YET.

THEY'VE ONLY GOT ME CONTRACTED

FOR THE WEST COAST STUFF,

LAS VEGAS, AND THE EVENT IN

INDIANA.

WHETHER THAT IS EXTENDED IN THE

FOLLOWING YEARS AND THEY WANT ME

ALL OVER THE STATES, OVER TO

EUROPE, THINGS LIKE THAT -- YET

TO BE SEEN.

I GUESS IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON

HOW THIS SEASON GOES FOR THE

WPT, WHAT THE RECEPTION IS LIKE

FOR THE SEGMENT.

BUT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE AT

BEING A PROFESSIONAL AT

ANYTHING.

I'VE SPENT EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT A

RESPONSIBILITY OR OBLIGATION IN

THE WORLD.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS I

APPRECIATE ALL THIS AND I LOVE

THE FACT THAT THEY ACTUALLY GAVE

ME A SHOT AT BEING A REAL PERSON

AGAIN, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M

DOING.

>> THE TOURNAMENT STARTS IN

10 MINUTES.

TOURNAMENT STARTS IN 10 MINUTES.

DEALERS, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE...

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

>> I'M AT COMMERCE CASINO.

I'M GOING TO PLAY THE LAPC AND

THE 10K MAIN EVENT.

I'M LATE RIGHT NOW.

I'M LIKE 20 MINUTES LATE, BUT

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

I LIKE SHOWING UP LATE ANYWAYS,

'CAUSE I DON'T LIKE SITTING AT

THE TABLE WHILE EVERYBODY WALKS

UP.

IT JUST MAKES ME NERVOUS.

>> THE BUTTON STARTS AT SEAT

NUMBER ONE.

THE BLINDS ARE $50 AND $100.

PLEASE SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL.

>> HI.

>> IS THAT YOUR NUMBER, THE ONE

YOU CALLED ME WITH?

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT WAS YOUR NAME, NOEL?

>> NOEL.

>> NICE TO MEET YOU.

I'M DANIELLE.

FULL TILT POKER HAS JUST GIVEN

ME A RAKEBACK DEAL, SO I JUST

GET SOME EXTRA RAKEBACK.

SO IT'S NOT A SPONSORSHIP, BUT

IT'S JUST MORE SO SOMETHING THAT

I THINK IT'S AT LEAST DEVELOPING

A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

AND HOPEFULLY IT CAN LEAD TO

SOMETHING MORE IN THE FUTURE,

THAT WOULD BE PRETTY SWEET,

SO...

MY WHOLE POKER CAREER, I'VE

PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS BEEN IN

SCHOOL.

SO I'VE NEVER REALLY FULLY GIVEN

POKER MY ATTENTION.

AND I THINK I JUST WANT TO KNOW

WHAT I CAN DO.

OBTAINING A SPONSORSHIP FOR ME

IS MORE OF LIKE A CONFIRMATION

OF MY ACHIEVEMENTS.

IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE, LIKE,

AFFIRMING THAT, YEAH, I'VE

PROVEN MYSELF AS A POKER PLAYER.

AND I THINK I LIKE THE IDEA OF

THAT.

>> I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN

INTERESTED IN THE SPONSORSHIP OF

POKER OR THE CELEBRITY OF POKER.

I MEAN, FOR ME IT'S ALL ABOUT

THE GAME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME LIKE, YOU

KNOW, "OH, ONLINE POKER --

THAT'S NOT REAL POKER.

HOW CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT

SOMEONE'S DOING IF YOU CAN'T SEE

THEM?"

AND THE EXAMPLE I ALWAYS GIVE IS

THAT IF THE SIX BEST POKER

PLAYERS WERE PLAYING LIVE POKER

WITH EACH OTHER, I MEAN, THESE

GUYS DON'T HAVE POKER FACE.

WELL, THEY'VE ALL GOT A REALLY

GOOD POKER FACE.

THEY'RE NOT GIVING AWAY TELLS

PHYSICALLY -- OR NOT MANY -- SO,

I MEAN, IF THESE GUYS WERE

PLAYING, WOULD THEY JUST BE

FLIPPING COINS WITH EACH OTHER?

OF COURSE NOT.

THEY'RE PLAYING SOME GAME, SO, I

MEAN, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT ONLINE

POKER IS.

IT'S JUST LIKE SIX GUYS WITH

REALLY GOOD POKER FACES PLAYING

POKER TOGETHER.

>> IT USED TO BE THAT POKER WAS

SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE PLAYED IN

PERSON, OVER THE TABLE.

THERE WAS NO RECORD OF WHAT

HAPPENED.

YOU ONLY GOT TO PLAY 20 OR 30

HANDS AN HOUR.

IT WAS A VERY SLOW-MOVING GAME.

IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET AN IDEA

OF WHO WAS WINNING AND WHO WAS

LOSING AND WHAT WAS WORKING AND

WHAT WASN'T.

>> BEFORE ONLINE POKER, EVERYONE

WAS TERRIBLE AT THE GAME.

IT'S SUCH A COMPLEX GAME.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE PLAYING

TICKTACKTOE WHEN THEY WERE

TRYING TO PLAY CHESS.

NOWADAYS WITH ONLINE POKER,

PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY SOFTWARE

PROGRAMS.

YOU CAN CALCULATE THE ODDS OF

ANY SITUATION YOU WANT.

YOU CAN DRAW COMPLEX TREES,

SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF THIS GUY

DOES THIS ON THE FLOP AND THIS

GUY DOES THIS ON CERTAIN TURN

CARDS, WHAT'S THE EQUITY WHEN

THIS RIVER CARD COMES?

>> BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO

PLAY SO MANY HANDS OF ONLINE

POKER IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,

ALL OF A SUDDEN, PEOPLE WERE

ABLE TO ACCESS PIECES OF

STATISTICAL INFORMATION THEY HAD

NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SAY LIKE,

YOU KNOW, "HOW DID I FARE WITH

POCKET ACES OVER THE LAST 20,000

HANDS?"

LIKE, 20,000 HANDS IS PROBABLY

MORE HANDS THAN MOST LIVE POKER

PLAYERS HAVE PLAYED IN THEIR

LIFETIME.

THAT'S A BIT OF AN EXAGGERATION,

BUT 20,000 HANDS IS A LOT OF

HANDS.

AND SO NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE

CAN PROVE THINGS STATISTICALLY

THAT ANYBODY THAT UNDERSTANDS

BASIC MATH CAN UNDERSTAND.

>> THE INTERNET REALLY CREATED

AN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN

SKILL.

NOT ONLY WERE YOU ABLE TO GET SO

MANY HANDS FASTER -- YOU KNOW,

YOU DON'T NEED A DEALER, YOU CAN

PLAY 10 TABLES AT A TIME, SO

MAYBE YOU'RE GETTING 20 TIMES AS

MANY HANDS -- BUT ALSO IT

CREATED A WEB, A SHARING NETWORK

WHERE PEOPLE WERE JUST ABLE TO

FEED IDEAS OFF OF EACH OTHER AND

LEARN SO QUICKLY.

I THINK WHAT PEOPLE HAVEN'T

REALIZED YET, THOUGH, IS POKER

IS STILL IN IT'S INFANCY.

AND I REALLY BELIEVE OVER THE

NEXT 10 YEARS, WE'LL FEEL THE

SAME WAY ABOUT OURSELVES AS WE

DO ABOUT THE LIVE PLAYERS

10 YEARS AGO.

THE PLAYERS 10 YEARS FROM NOW

ARE JUST GOING TO BE SO MUCH

BETTER THAN US.

>> IN ANY GIVEN HAND OF POKER,

THERE'S JUST A HUGE AMOUNT OF

DIFFERENT THINGS THAT FLUTTER

THROUGH YOUR MIND.

IT'S A GAME THAT NOT ONLY HAS

THIS KIND OF TECHNIQUE ELEMENT,

LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN THE MATH AND

THE STRATEGY OF THE GAME, LIKE

ANY GAME, LIKE CHESS OR

SOMETHING.

THERE'S ALSO A MASSIVE HUMAN

ELEMENT WHICH IS EQUALLY

COMPLEX.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE,

EVERY PLAYER PLAYS DIFFERENTLY,

AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO

UNDERSTAND WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS

THINKING ABOUT.

IT'S REALLY LIKE A MIND-READING

TRICK, AND THE CARDS ARE KIND OF

LIKE CLUES AS TO WHAT THE PERSON

IS THINKING ABOUT DURING A HAND.

AND THE BETTER YOU CAN KIND OF

READ THE CARDS, THE MORE YOU CAN

PULL OFF THE, LIKE, GYPSY

MIND-READING TRICK.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY

COMES DOWN TO.

>> SO I'M PLAYING $40/$80

NO-LIMIT HOLD 'EM HEADS-UP.

>> I HAD $35,000 IN FRONT OF ME.

>> EFFECTIVE STACKS ARE ABOUT

450 BIG BLINDS.

>> I'M ON THE BUTTON WITH POCKET

10s.

>> I RAISED 10s ON THE BUTTON

TO $240.

>> HE POTS IT TO $720.

>> HE WAS 3-BETTING SOMETHING

AROUND 22%.

>> DEFINITELY THE PLAY RIGHT

HERE IS TO CALL.

>> THE FLOP COMES OUT ACE-10-7,

ALL CLUBS.

>> WHEN THAT 10 COMES ON THE

FLOP, IT'S JUST A MONSTER FLOP

FOR YOU.

>> THERE'S ABOUT $1,400 IN THE

POT, AND HE BETS $800.

>> IT'S ON THE SMALLER SIDE.

>> ON THIS BOARD TEXTURE, IT'S A

LITTLE BIT SUSPICIOUS.

>> BECAUSE OF THAT, I DECIDE

TO CALL.

>> THE TURN IS THE 8 OF SPADES.

>> NOW MY OPPONENT CHECKS.

>> I TAKE THAT AS A SIGN OF HIM

GIVING UP.

>> IT COULD MEAN HE'S GIVING UP.

IT COULD MEAN HE'S TRAPPING US.

>> THE POT'S ABOUT $3,000, AND I

BET ABOUT $2,600.

>> AND HE CHECK-RAISES ME TO

$10,800.

>> HE COULD HAVE A WEAK ACE.

HE COULD HAVE ANY PAIR BETWEEN

10s AND ACES.

>> QUEEN-JACK WITH ONE CLUB.

>> I HAVE 10 CARDS THAT COULD

GIVE ME A FULL HOUSE, EVEN IF

I'M BEHIND.

>> 23% OF THE TIME WE'RE GOING

TO IMPROVE TO A HAND THAT HE

BASICALLY BEAT.

>> I CALL, AND THE RIVER COMES A

KING.

>> THE RIVER IS THE KING OF

SPADES.

>> AND HE SHOVES FOR BASICALLY

POT.

>> HE JAMS.

>> IT'S AN ABSURDLY BIG BET.

>> HE KNOWS THAT HE'S ONLY

REPRESENTING VERY STRONG HANDS.

>> KING-HIGH FLUSH, QUEEN-HIGH

FLUSH, OR A BLUFF.

>> THE MATH SAYS TO CALL HERE.

>> IF I'M NOT CALLING 30%,

40%...

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

>> SO I PROBABLY MAKE THE CALL

WITH POCKET 10s.

>> TODAY WE'RE AT THE COMMERCE,

WORKING ON "RAW DEAL" SEGMENTS.

USUALLY MY PRODUCERS JUST E-MAIL

ME SOME FILES, TAKE A LOOK AT

THOSE, AND THEN WRITE MY OWN

SEGMENTS.

>> HEY, EVERYONE.

I'M HERE WITH TONY DUNST, THE

NEW HOST OF "THE RAW DEAL."

PLEASE TELL US WHAT THAT

ENTAILS.

>> WELL, JULIO, WHAT'S GOING TO

HAPPEN IS I'M GOING TO POP UP

ONCE OR TWICE AN EPISODE AND

REALLY JUST GET A MOMENT TO

SPEAK ON WHATEVER I'D LIKE TO,

PROBABLY ABOUT THE STRATEGY OF A

HAND THAT WE JUST WITNESSED OR

PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING

ON IN THE EPISODE AS FAR AS

PLAYERS' CONDUCT, BEHAVIOR, AND

WHAT'S GOING ON IN POKER IN

GENERAL.

>> NOW, YOU HAVE A BLOG ON

CARD PLAYER.

YOU'RE KNOWN FOR TELLING IT LIKE

IT IS.

ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE SAME ON

THE SHOW?

>> I CERTAINLY HOPE SO, AND I'VE

BEEN ENCOURAGED TO DO PRECISELY

THAT.

THIS SEGMENT WILL BE ONE OF THE

FIRST TIMES IN TELEVISED POKER

THAT THE PUBLIC GETS TO SEE THE

PERSPECTIVE OF THE YOUNG ONLINE

GENERATION.

I FEEL A LITTLE PRESSURE BECAUSE

I WANT MY GENERATION OF PLAYERS

TO RESPECT WHAT I PUT OUT THERE,

AND I WANT TO MAKE US LOOK GOOD,

MAKE US LOOK LIKE WE'RE THE ONES

THAT REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON

WITH POKER.

SO I WANT TO BE AN APPROPRIATE

AMBASSADOR.

I WANT TO MAKE MY FRIENDS AND

THE GUYS WHO GREW UP TEACHING ME

POKER LOOK SMART.

>> RIGHT NOW I'M JUST GETTING A

LOT OF REALLY GOOD CARDS.

MY TABLE THINKS THAT I'M REALLY

CRAZY AGGRESSIVE.

ACTUALLY I'VE JUST HAD

LEGITIMATELY GOOD HANDS, SO IF I

CAN JUST KEEP PICKING UP POCKET

KINGS, THAT'D BE NICE.

I THINK I'M RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT

110-115K.

>> DANIELLE ANDERSON HERE ON DAY

THREE OF THE LAPC.

WE'RE AT 126 PLAYERS NOW.

YOU'RE ONE OF THEM BUT

EXTREMELY, WELL, SHORT-STACKED

RIGHT NOW.

>> I WAS EXTREMELY

SHORT-STACKED.

I JUST DOUBLED UP.

SO YEAH.

>> AND YOU SAID YOU GOT LUCKY.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, I WAS REAL SHORT, AND

IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE FIRST

SEMI-DECENT HAND I'VE HAD THAT

SOMEBODY HADN'T OPENED THE POT.

SO I HAD JACK-10, AND I SHOVED

AND GOT SNAP CALLED BY SOMEBODY.

I THOUGHT FOR SURE HE HAD A BIG

HAND.

HE HAD POCKET 8s.

SO WE WERE RACING.

I WAS PRETTY HAPPY WITH THAT.

AND I HIT A 10 ON THE RIVER.

SO NICE LITTLE DOUBLE UP FOR ME.

GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF

BREATHING ROOM.

I'M AT ABOUT 89K OR SOMETHING

LIKE THAT.

>> OKAY, GOOD.

>> LITTLE BIT OF ROOM.

>> THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, IT

WAS AT BORGATA.

OR THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME.

IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO.

BACK IN SEPTEMBER, AND YOU

REALLY FELT LIKE A NEWBIE.

WELL, YOU WERE.

AND NOW IT'S JUST -- IT'S SO

DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW EVERYONE, AND

IT'S JUST -- HOW DOES IT FEEL?

>> IT'S FUN.

I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A

NICE TRANSITION INTO THE

TOURNAMENT WORLD.

IT'S NICE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE

AND SEE FAMILIAR FACES.

AND I'VE KIND OF MADE SOME

FRIENDS.

SO EVEN WHEN I'M TRAVELING

ALONE, I HAVE PEOPLE TO TALK TO

AND HANG OUT WITH.

WELL, CONTINUE THE GOOD LUCK,

AND YOU'RE OKAY NOW.

>> YEAH, I'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE

BREATHING ROOM THAN I HAD, SO

I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD.

CHIP AND A CHAIR, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY, OR $89,000 AND A

CHAIR.

>> WHATEVER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS MUCH.

IT'S GOOD SEEING YOU.

>> YOU TOO.

>> COMING BACK FROM THIS WORLD

WHERE YOU HAVE NO

RESPONSIBILITIES, NO

OBLIGATIONS, NO TIMETABLES OR

DEADLINES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,

AND THEN TRYING TO PLUG YOU BACK

IN WHERE YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE

PEOPLE RELYING ON YOU BEING

PROMPT AND PUNCTUAL, THE

DIFFICULT PART HAS BEEN THE

RESPONSIBILITY.

I FUCKED UP AN INTERVIEW

YESTERDAY WHERE I MISSED IT.

MY FLIGHT WAS DELAYED.

I FORGOT TO MESSAGE MY

CORRESPONDENT AT THE WPT AND

INFORM HIM OF THIS.

THEN THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING

THE INTERVIEW TRIED TO CALL ME

WHILE I WAS JUST ABOUT TO TAKE

OFF, AND IT WAS A DISASTER, AND

I FELT LIKE A TOTAL ASSHOLE.

YOU KNOW, IT TURNED OUT I HAD

GONE SIX DAYS WITHOUT E-MAILING

MY CORRESPONDENT AT THE WPT.

I HAD NO IDEA.

I FEEL LIKE A DICK ABOUT IT, BUT

I JUST HAD NO IDEA THAT SIX DAYS

HAD PASSED.

THEY JUST SEEMED TO CLICK AWAY.

I DON'T WANT TO BE A BAD

EMPLOYEE, AND I DON'T HAVE THIS

ATTITUDE LIKE, "I DON'T HAVE TO

DO THIS SHIT.

I DON'T WANT TO DO THESE

THINGS."

I WANT TO DO THEM, BUT I AM

DEFINITELY CONCERNED THAT SIX

YEARS OF HABIT ARE GOING TO BE

VERY HARD TO BREAK, AND I'M

GOING TO CONTINUE MAKING THOSE

KIND OF MISTAKES EVEN THOUGH I

DO NOT INTEND TO.

I AM NOT...

I AM NOT SURE TO WHAT DEGREE OF

TROUBLE I AM IN CURRENTLY.

MY POSITION IS TENUOUS AND

TEMPORARY, AND IF THEY DECIDE

THAT I'M NOT WHAT THEY'RE

LOOKING FOR OR THE SEGMENTS

DIDN'T TURN OUT THAT WELL OR

I'M A HASSLE TO DEAL WITH, THEY

CAN JUST CUT ME.

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

>> CALL.

>> CALL.

FUCK MY LIFE.

I'M SO PISSED RIGHT NOW.

I KNEW THAT GUY WAS BLUFFING,

AND I WAS LETTING HIM BLUFF.

I HAD POCKET JACKS ON AN

ACE-HIGH BOARD.

I KNEW HE WAS -- [ SIGHS ]

I DON'T -- GOD, I ALMOST -- I

WAS JUST GOING TO LET HIM KEEP

BLUFFING AT ME 'CAUSE I KNEW HE

WAS JUST GOING TO KEEP FIRING AT

ME.

FUCK MY LIFE.

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

>> GIVE ME $1,000.

>> GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THE

LAST ONE.

>> FLOP.

UGH.

THAT'S A ROUGH FLOP.

GOOD GAME, GUYS.

>> GOOD LUCK.

>> THANK YOU.

NICE PLAYING WITH YOU GUYS.

JAY...

NO, IT'S ALL GOOD.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

I THINK I SHOULD HAVE CALLED.

WHAT'S THAT?

>> YOU CAN KEEP IT IF YOU NEED

IT.

>> I'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

I GOT STUFF IN MY HOTEL ROOM.

YEAH.

IF I HAD KNOWN THAT, I WOULD

HAVE CALLED THE LAST HAND.

>> I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER.

>> YEP. SEE YOU LATER, BOSS.

I'M OUT.

BOUGHT IN FOR $10,000, PLAYED

FOR THREE DAYS, AND I GO HOME

EMPTY-HANDED.

IT'S DEJECTING.

IT'S NOT FUN.

OF COURSE YOU WANT TO MAKE IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF KNOW

SOME OF THE WPT STAFF, AND I'VE

GOTTEN TO KNOW SOME OF THE

REGULAR PLAYERS.

AND SO, YEAH, I THINK EVERY

TOURNAMENT THAT I'M AT HELPS GET

ME CLOSER TO THAT, YOU KNOW,

GOAL OF THE SPONSORSHIP.

>> MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN

WASHINGTON, D.C., DON'T HAVE ANY

INTEREST IN GAMBLING WHATSOEVER.

GAMBLING IS A STATE ISSUE, NOT A

FEDERAL ISSUE.

THAT'S WHY YOU CAN HAVE UTAH AND

NEVADA SHARE A BORDER AND

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LAWS ON

GAMBLING.

BUT THE OPERATORS ARE IN OTHER

COUNTRIES, SO IT WAS UNCLEAR

WHETHER INTERNET POKER WAS

REALLY LEGAL OR ILLEGAL.

AND EVEN IF IT WAS ILLEGAL, WHO

COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HATED

INTERNET POKER, BUT THEY DID NOT

HAVE THE WEAPONS THEY NEED TO

CLOSE IT DOWN.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A DEFENDANT

WHO IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE

UNITED STATES, AND YOU NEED A

GOOD STATUTE THAT MAKES AN

ACTIVITY ILLEGAL.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE STATUTE,

THE BEST THEY COULD USE WAS THE

WIRE ACT, WHICH IS A STATUTE

PASSED IN 1961 DESIGNED TO GO

AFTER TELEGRAPH WIRES FOR HORSE

RACES.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE USING STONE

TOOLS TO DO BRAIN SURGERY -- IT

MIGHT WORK BUT IT'S EXTREMELY

MESSY.

SO THEY WANT A BILL PASSED THAT

WILL CLEARLY STATE THAT THE

WIRE ACT COVERS INTERNET POKER.

AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, REPUBLICANS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

KEEP INTRODUCING BILLS TO TRY TO

MAKE INTERNET GAMBLING EXPRESSLY

ILLEGAL.

>> THIS IS A SCOURGE ON OUR

SOCIETY.

>> AND THEY WOULD PASS ONE HOUSE

AND NOT ANOTHER, OR THEY'D PASS

OUT OF COMMITTEES BUT NOT PASS

THE HOUSE.

WHAT WE HAD IN 2006 WAS THE

MAJORITY LEADER OF THE US SENATE

IS BILL FRIST, REPUBLICAN FROM

TENNESSEE.

HE'S THE ONE WHO PUSHED THROUGH

THE ONLY BILL THAT EVER PASSED,

THE UNLAWFUL INTERNET GAMBLING

ENFORCEMENT ACT.

AND HOW THIS HAPPENED IS REALLY

AN INCREDIBLE STORY, AND REALLY

AN AFFRONT TO DEMOCRACY.

>> HOW Y'ALL DOIN?

I CAME TO SAY HELLO.

GOOD TO SEE YA.

YES, INDEED.

>> THE SPECULATION IS THAT

BILL FRIST WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE

A PRESIDENTIAL RUN, AND THAT

THIS WAS A WAY OF TRYING TO

SHORE UP HIS EVANGELICAL BASE.

>> ARE WE GOING TO LEAD, OR ARE

WE GOING TO FOLLOW?

AND THE REPUBLICANS, AS WE ALL

KNOW, HAVE A CLEAR-CUT VISION OF

WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS

COUNTRY.

>> AND HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT

INTERNET GAMBLING EITHER, BUT

JIM LEACH, WHO'S A VERY POWERFUL

REPUBLICAN FROM IOWA, DOES CARE.

HE WANTS TO OUTLAW INTERNET

GAMBLING.

>> INTERNET GAMBLING IS CRACK

COCAINE FOR GAMBLERS.

YOU JUST CLICK THE MOUSE AND

LOSE YOUR HOUSE.

>> IOWA, OF COURSE, IS THE STATE

WITH THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL

PRIMARIES.

SO BILL FRIST FIGURES, WELL, A

GOOD WAY TO WIN OVER JIM LEACH

AND ESTABLISH HIS BONA-FIDE

CREDENTIALS WITH THE EXTREME

RIGHT WING IS TO OUTLAW INTERNET

GAMBLING.

>> AS IT IS NOW, THIS INDUSTRY

THREATENS TO UNDERMINE THE

QUALITY OF LIFE OF MILLIONS OF

AMERICANS BY BRINGING AN

ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR RIGHT INTO

OUR LIVING ROOMS.

>> BUT THEY COULDN'T GET ENOUGH

VOTES FOR CONGRESS TO PASS A

BILL THAT WOULD PASS BOTH

HOUSES.

NOBODY CARED ABOUT THE ISSUE.

BILL FRIST SAW AN OPPORTUNITY BY

ATTACHING IT TO A MUST-PASS

PIECE OF LEGISLATION,

THE SAFE PORT ACT.

>> NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND

WAS GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THE

PORTS ACT, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY

A NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY.

>> THE SAFE PORT ACT HAD PASSED

BOTH THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE.

THEY GO TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

AT LIKE 1:00 IN THE MORNING ON

SATURDAY.

>> IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT AT

THE BEHEST OF SENATOR FRIST, THE

LANGUAGE FOR THE UIGEA WAS THEN

INSERTED INTO THE CONFERENCE

REPORT.

>> NO HEARINGS, NO DISCUSSION,

NO CHANCE TO EVEN READ THE BILL.

>> IT WAS ESSENTIALLY THRUST

DOWN AND, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT,

HIDDEN BY THOSE WHO PASS THE

LAW.

>> THE SAFE PORT ACT WILL MAKE

THIS NATION MORE PREPARED, MORE

PROSPEROUS, AND MORE SECURE.

>> THERE'S COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS

OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES SAYING, "THIS IS

NOT THE WAY LAWS ARE SUPPOSED TO

BE MADE.

>> WHAT DOES BANNING INTERNET

GAMING HAVE TO DO WITH PORT

SECURITY?

>> WHAT KIND OF SOCIAL,

CULTURAL AUTHORITARIANISM ARE

WE ADVOCATING HERE?

>> THIS SECTION WAS ADDED TO THE

BILL IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIRE UP

THE FAR RIGHT ANTI-GAMING

ELEMENT IN TIME FOR THIS YEAR'S

ELECTION.

>> THE REPUBLICANS SIMPLY RAMMED

IT THROUGH, AND THEY SAID, "IF

YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THEN VOTE

AGAINST THE SAFE PORT ACT, AND

WE WILL CAMPAIGN AGAINST YOU

THAT YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF

TERRORISM."

>> IT'S THAT KIND OF PROCESS

THAT WAS ENGAGED IN THAT REALLY

UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> THE SENATE CHANGES, THE

PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN THIS BODY

CHANGE, BUT WHAT DOESN'T CHANGE

IS THAT EVERY ONE OF US WHO

SERVES BELIEVES DEEPLY IN THE

GENIUS OF THE AMERICAN

DEMOCRACY.

MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE

FLOOR.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> THE UIGEA DOES ONLY TWO

THINGS -- MADE IT A CRIME TO

ACCEPT MONEY FOR ILLEGAL

GAMBLING, AND THEN IT WAS

SUPPOSED TO CREATE REGULATIONS

THAT WOULD PREVENT PAYMENT

PROCESSORS -- BANKS AND

OTHERS -- FROM SENDING MONEY

FROM THE U.S. TO OPERATORS.

>> THE PROCESSING FROM PLAYERS

TO OPERATORS AND THEN OPERATORS

BACK TO PLAYERS TO PAY THEIR

WINNINGS IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF

THE BUSINESS.

UIGEA WAS AN ATTEMPT TO SEVER

THAT.

>> IT BECAME HARDER AND HARDER

FOR AMERICANS TO SIMPLY GET

THEIR MONEY TO A SITE, SO THE

PAYMENT PROCESSORS, THE

MIDDLEMEN, THE E-WALLETS FILLED

THAT VOID.

>> THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY, IN

RESPONSE TO THE UIGEA, BECAME

MUCH RISKIER AND, AS A RESULT,

MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE AND MUCH

MORE CREATIVE IN TERMS OF HOW

THEY WOULD PROCESS TRANSACTIONS

FOR THE INTERNET POKER

OPERATORS.

>> WHEN THE UIGEA HIT, EVERY

ONLINE POKER SITE SERVING U.S.

CUSTOMERS HAD A BIG DECISION TO

MAKE.

WERE THEY GOING TO LEAVE THE

MARKET, OR WERE THEY GOING TO

PUSH THEIR LUCK AND STAY IN THE

MARKET?

PartyPoker, WHO WAS THE BIGGEST

SITE IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME,

CHOSE TO LEAVE THE MARKET, WHILE

PokerStars AND FULL TILT CHOSE

TO STAY.

>> KEEP IN MIND PartyPoker WAS

THE INDUSTRY LEADER.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST ONLINE POKER

SITE ESSENTIALLY SAYS, "WE ARE

LEAVING THE UNITED STATES

MARKET."

THAT'S A REMARKABLE THING.

>> PartyPoker WAS A PUBLICLY

TRADED COMPANY.

THEY HAVE TO ANSWER TO

SHAREHOLDERS.

THEY HAVE COMMERCE REGULATIONS

THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW.

PokerStars AND FULL TILT --

PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.

THEY JUST HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER

OR NOT PERSONALLY THEY WANT TO

TAKE THE RISK.

THERE WAS A RISK, BUT THERE WAS

ALSO A HUGE REWARD.

>> ONCE PartyPoker LEFT THE

MARKET, IT BECAME A WIDE-OPEN

RACE BETWEEN PokerStars AND

FULL TILT.

>> EVERY YEAR THAT PASSED AFTER

THE UIGEA, THEY GOT A LITTLE

MORE BOLD.

>> I'M ALL IN.

>> PokerStars AND FULL TILT

AGGRESSIVELY WENT AFTER

TELEVISION SHOWS.

FULL TILT CREATED

"POKER AFTER DARK."

PokerStars HAD "THE BIG GAME."

AND THE TWO WERE CONSTANTLY

BATTLING FOR ONLINE POKER

SUPREMACY.

>> THESE ARE THE TOP TWO TEAMS,

AND IT'S INEVITABLE THAT ONE

WANTS TO UP THE OTHER.

>> WE'RE VERY PROUD TODAY TO

ANNOUNCE TOM DWAN AS THE NEWEST

MEMBER OF TEAM FULL TILT.

>> THEY PAID ME ELEVENTY BILLION

DOLLARS.

AND I WAS HOLDING OUT FOR

TWELVEDY BILLION, BUT ALL I GOT

WAS ELEVENTY.

THERE WAS DEFINITELY DISCUSSION.

WHAT'S THE BETTER SITE?

BUT I THINK THAT, IN A SENSE,

HELPED BOTH.

KIND OF LIKE THE COKE-PEPSI

SITUATION WHERE THEY BECAME THE

TWO THAT ELEVATED EACH OTHER.

>> THE PARADE DOESN'T STOP.

THE PLAYERS CONTINUE TO PLAY.

THE MONEY KEEPS ROLLING IN.

AND WHATEVER PartyPoker WAS

MAKING IN 2004 AND 2005, IT'S

TRIPLED, DOUBLED, QUADRUPLED,

WHATEVER.

BY 2011, PokerStars IS BY FAR

THE WORLD'S LARGEST POKER ROOM,

OPERATING IN HUNDREDS OF

DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE

WORLD.

>> PokerStars AGGRESSIVELY WENT

AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET.

>> [ SPEAKING GERMAN ]

>> SO THEY'RE BRANCHING OUT ALL

OVER THE WORLD, WHEREAS

FULL TILT DECIDED, "HEY, WE'RE

JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON THE

AMERICAN MARKET."

>> IT'S A KING!

>> KING!

>> THAT'S UNREAL.

>> THE SUCCESS OF PokerStars

AFTER THEIR GLOBAL MARKETING

SHOWED THAT ONLINE POKER COULD

BE BIGGER THAN ANYONE EXPECTED.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS BIG WITH

PartyPoker, AND PokerStars TOOK

IT TO A NEW LEVEL.

>> WE ARE THE WORLD CHAMPION

RIGHT HERE.

>> WITH THE PASSING OF THE

UIGEA, THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE

SHIFT IN WHAT STARTED POPPING

UP ON YOUR ONLINE TABLES.

I MEAN, YOU STARTED FINDING THAT

RATHER THAN HAVING THREE OUT OF

SIX PLAYERS BE PROFESSIONAL

PLAYERS, MAYBE FIVE OUT SIX WERE

PROFESSIONALS AND THE SIXTH GUY

WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD.

I GUESS IT BECAME MORE DEFINED

HOW GOOD YOU COULD ACTUALLY BE.

LIKE, IT WASN'T JUST LIKE GOOD,

AVERAGE, BAD.

IT WAS LIKE GOOD, BETTER,

REALLY, REALLY GOOD, YOU KNOW.

IT GOT A BIT MORE SPECIFIC AS TO

HOW GOOD REALLY GOOD PLAYERS

WERE.

FOR A WHILE ONLINE, THERE WAS

DEFINITELY THIS ONLINE CULTURE

OF PEOPLE KIND OF TESTING THEIR

METTLE AGAINST EACH OTHER THAT

ALMOST CAME TO THE POINT OF

HILARIOUSNESS, WHERE EVERYONE

WOULD PLAY ANYONE AT ANY MOMENT,

LIKE, "OH, I'VE MADE A FAIR BIT

OF MONEY PLAYING POKER.

LET'S SEE HOW GOOD I ACTUALLY AM

AT IT, EVEN IF IT COSTS ME A BIT

OF MONEY TO FIND OUT."

>> PEOPLE JUST WANT TO PLAY THE

BIGGEST STAKES THERE IS.

THEY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, AND

THEY'RE LIKE, "I WANT TO PLAY

THE BIGGEST STAKES POKER THERE

IS."

AND SOME AMOUNT OF THOSE PEOPLE

WANT TO PLAY BIGGER STAKES THAN

THERE HAS BEEN.

>> IT SORT OF HAPPENED

OVERNIGHT THAT FULL TILT POKER

BECAME THE EPICENTER FOR THE

BIGGEST CASH GAMES ONLINE.

THE NOSEBLEED GAMES, AS THEY

CALLED THEM, WERE JUST AMAZING.

YOU'D NEVER EVEN IMAGINE THAT

GAMES COULD BE THIS BIG ON THE

INTERNET.

>> FOR A WHILE, THERE WERE A

BUNCH OF $500,000 NO-LIMIT

HOLD 'EM RING GAMES, AND

MILLIONS CHANGED HANDS BETWEEN

THE BIGGEST WINNERS AND LOSERS.

>> NOBODY COULD BELIEVE THIS WAS

REAL MONEY.

THESE WERE BIGGER THAN MOST OF

THE BIG LIVE GAMES.

>> THE MOST I'VE EVER WON IN A

SESSION WAS $1.6-SOMETHING

MILLION.

IT'S TOUGH TO PLAY NOSEBLEEDS

EXCLUSIVELY FOR A LIVING

BECAUSE THE SWINGS ARE JUST

MASSIVE.

>> WHEN ONLINE POKER STARTED

HAVING GAMES SO HIGH STAKES THAT

YOU COULD LOSE $500,000 IN A

SINGLE SESSION, IT WAS JUST A

FAN'S WET DREAM.

>> IT SORT OF CREATED A

CIRCUS-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, WHERE

PEOPLE WANTED JUST TO LOG ON TO

FULL TILT JUST TO WATCH.

>> IT THINK IT MAKES SENSE, YOU

KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT AT

THEIR COMPUTER THE ABILITY TO

WATCH, YOU KNOW, $200,000 POTS

THAT ARE REAL.

>> I'VE PLAYED MY FAIR SHARE OF

NOSEBLEED STAKES.

I GUESS THE HIGHEST I'VE REALLY

PLAYED A LOT OF MILEAGE AT IS

$100/$200.

STRANGELY ENOUGH, IT DIDN'T

ACTUALLY REALLY FEEL THAT WEIRD

TO START PLAYING THESE STAKES.

I GUESS AFTER PLAYING FOR FIVE

YEARS AT THE TIME, YOUR

DESENSITIVITY TO SWINGS AND

MONEY, OR AT LEAST MINE, HAD

BECOME SO STRONG THAT ONCE YOU

STARTED PLAYING AND WINNING AND

LOSING $200,000 IN A DAY, IT

JUST KIND OF FELT NATURAL, WHICH

IS WHY, I GUESS AS AN OBSERVER,

EVEN ONE THAT PLAYS POKER,

WATCHING PEOPLE PLAY HIGHER THAN

THAT SEEMS INSANE, LIKE, WINNING

AND LOSING A MILLION DOLLARS,

BUT I GUESS THEY JUST HAD THAT

SAME FEELING ON A SCALE ABOVE ME

FOR BETTER OR WORSE.

>> AS MUCH AS I LOVE BEING A

POKER PLAYER, I THINK IT'S ONE

OF THE MOST EMOTIONALLY

CHALLENGING PROFESSIONS I CAN

THINK OF.

OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY HAS STRESS

AT WORK, BUT A POKER PLAYER CAN

ACTUALLY LOSE MONEY AT WORK AND

CAN LOSE MONEY AT WORK FOR

MONTHS AT A TIME, FOR A WHOLE

YEAR.

>> WELL, THE MAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL

CHALLENGE THAT A POKER PLAYER IS

FACED WITH IS JUST THAT A LOT

OF THE TIME JUST LOSE A LOT OF

MONEY, AND YOU LOSE CONSTANTLY.

LIKE, THERE IS NO PROFESSIONAL

POKER PLAYER WHO HASN'T HAD AT

LEAST ONE OR MAYBE TWO JUST

DEMORALIZING LONG LOSING

STRETCHES WHERE THE CARDS AREN'T

RUNNING WELL FOR YOU, AND THEN

YOU LOSE YOUR CONFIDENCE, AND

THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT

WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE PLAYING

WELL.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH POKER IS

THAT A LOT OF TIMES YOUR RESULTS

DON'T ACTUALLY CORRELATE WITH

YOUR SKILL OVER LIKE A GIVEN

MONTH, LET'S SAY.

>> SO YOU CAN BE PLAYING REALLY,

REALLY WELL AND LOSING MONEY,

AND IT'S NOT AS IF YOU KNOW

YOU'RE PLAYING REALLY WELL,

BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH

UNCERTAINTY, YOU KNOW.

>> WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A

DOWNSWING AS A POKER PLAYER, THE

DIFFICULT PART IS NOT THE MONEY

YOU LOST.

THE DIFFICULT PART IS THAT IT

MAKES YOU QUESTION YOUR ABILITY

TO MAKE MONEY IN THE FUTURE.

SO IF I GO ON AN $800,000

DOWNSWING, WHAT'S TOUGH IS NOT

THE $800,000 I LOST.

I MEAN, IT'S TOUGH.

WHAT'S TOUGH IS...

WHAT IF I CAN'T BEAT THIS GAME

ANYMORE?

WHAT IF I CAN'T BEAT IT FOR AS

MUCH AS I COULD HAVE?

AND NOW MY, OVER THE NEXT

10 YEARS, EXPECTATION OF MAKING

$20 MILLION, OR WHATEVER IT IS,

I LOST THAT.

>> EVEN WHEN IT'S OBVIOUS, EVEN

WHEN IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS THAT

YOU JUST GOT UNLUCKY, IT DOESN'T

MATTER.

EVERYONE WILL QUESTION

THEMSELVES.

THEY'LL SAY, "MAYBE I'M JUST NOT

THAT GOOD.

MAYBE THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE

JUST BEEN, YOU KNOW, A FLUKE.

MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOSING

ALL THIS TIME AND I JUST GOT

LUCKY AND NOW THE REALITY IS

JUST SETTING IN.

AND IT CAN BE VERY HARD TO BREAK

AWAY FROM THAT AND REMAIN

OBJECTIVE.

YOU'RE ALWAYS BEING TESTED.

ALWAYS.

>> FOR MOST PEOPLE, ONLINE POKER

AND POKER IN GENERAL TENDS TO

BE BETTER SUITED FOR PART-TIME

PLAYERS, NOT PROFESSIONALS.

BECAUSE THE ADDED STRESS OF

HAVING A FAMILY LIFE OR HAVING

CHILDREN CAN OFTEN BE THE

TIPPING POINT FOR PEOPLE TO

REALLY STRUGGLE MENTALLY WITH

SOME OF THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF

THE GAME.

>> RIGHT BEFORE UIGEA, I WAS ON

A REALLY BIG DOWNSWING IN POKER,

AND I WAS KIND OF AT AN ALL-TIME

LOW.

I HATED PLAYING.

I HATED EVERY SINGLE TIME I SAT

DOWN AT THAT COMPUTER TO PUT IN

A SESSION.

THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT

THINGS WERE JUST GOING TO GO

TERRIBLE AND THAT I WAS GOING

TO END UP FEELING LIKE I WANTED

TO CURL UP INTO A BALL AND DIE.

>> AT THAT POINT, MY THOUGHT WAS

THAT IT WASN'T WORTH ALL OF THE

EMOTION THAT WAS GOING ON, YOU

KNOW.

IT WAS LIKE POKER ALMOST

CONTROLLED WHO SHE WAS, KIND OF,

AT THAT TIME.

YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A GOOD DAY

IN POKER, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A

GOOD DAY AT OUR HOUSE.

IF IT WAS A BAD DAY AT POKER, IT

WAS A BAD DAY AT OUR HOUSE.

>> I WOULD SAY AT THAT POINT I

WAS BORDERING ON DEPRESSION.

JUST WITH EVERY SINGLE LOSING

SESSION, EVERY SINGLE LOSS,

EVERY SINGLE BAD BEAT, EVERY

SINGLE DOWNSWING, IT JUST STUCK

WITH ME, AND I COULDN'T GO ABOUT

MY DAILY ACTIVITIES WITHOUT IT

HANGING OVER MY HEAD AND JUST

BRINGING ME DOWN.

>> I WAS HEAVY INTO GAMBLING.

I CAN GIVE YOU A STORY.

AFTER WORK ONE DAY -- AND I

DIDN'T MAKE MUCH MONEY BACK

THEN.

NEITHER ONE OF US DID, REALLY.

AND I STOPPED AT A BAR WITH MY

SISTER, AND I CASHED MY CHECK.

I HAD SPENT ALL THAT IN

PULL-TABS AND THEN TURNED AROUND

AND BORROWED MY SISTER'S CHECK.

SO BOTH CHECKS ARE JUST ABOUT

GONE.

BUT THE PEOPLE THERE KNEW ME

WELL ENOUGH, THEY LET ME BUY THE

BOX OUT, AND I LOST ABOUT $100.

WELL, I FELT LIKE I JUST WON,

BECAUSE AT LEAST I HAD ENOUGH TO

PAY MY SISTER BACK AND STILL

COME HOME TO LORI WITH MONEY.

OTHERWISE, TWO PAYCHECKS WOULD

HAVE BEEN GONE.

>> SEEING WHAT HE WENT THROUGH

WITH HIS PROBLEM GAMBLING

DEFINITELY MADE ME MORE AWARE OF

MY OWN HABITS WITH POKER.

I KIND OF WORRY A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT, LIKE, MAYBE I GENETICALLY

HAVE THAT IN ME AND I JUST

HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, GIVEN IT THE

OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE, KIND OF.

>> SO WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS

GOING INTO PROFESSIONAL

GAMBLING, I MEAN, IT SCARED THE

HELL OUT OF ME.

'CAUSE I KNOW WHAT WE COULD HAVE

HAD IN LIFE AND WE DIDN'T GET IN

LIFE BECAUSE OF ME.

>> PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST

THINGS THAT CHANGED WAS MORE

WHEN DANI GOT PREGNANT WITH

EASTON IS WHEN SHE MADE A BIG

COMMITMENT TO CONTROLLING HER

EMOTIONS.

>> HI!

>> HI!

>> I MISSED YOU TODAY!

HOW ARE YOU?

WHEN I GOT PREGNANT WITH EASTON,

THAT WAS A HUGE TURNING POINT IN

MY POKER CAREER.

IT JUST GAVE ME SO MUCH MORE

DRIVE AND DEVOTION TO, YOU KNOW,

TO BEING RESPONSIBLE.

>> IT WAS DIFFERENT WHEN SHE WAS

PREGNANT, BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T

HAVE THAT CHOICE TO BE ABLE TO

REACT EMOTIONALLY BECAUSE SHE

KNEW THAT IT AFFECTED OUR

FAMILY AND THAT IT WOULD AFFECT

EASTON.

NOW I CAN, YOU KNOW, SIT HERE

AND BE DOING SOMETHING ACROSS

THE ROOM AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL ASK

HER HOW HER SESSION WENT, AND

"MEH, I LOST $5,000," OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW,

AND I DIDN'T NOTICE.

>> EVERYTHING WAS GOING GREAT,

BUT I KIND OF FELT LIKE I JUST

WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD A

BACKUP PLAN AND THAT I HAD

SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON.

SO I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO

SCHOOL.

>> ONCE SHE GOT THE RN, THEN I

RELAXED.

BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE, "ALL RIGHT,

YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL POKER

PLAYER, BUT YOU ALSO DON'T RELY

ON THAT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK

ON."

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

NOW I JUST HAVE ALL THE

CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD OF HER.

>> ALL RIGHT, JEREMY, YOU CAN

EITHER HANG OUT AND WATCH THE

TOURNAMENT OR YOU CAN PAY ME

BACK.

WELL, WHEN CAN YOU PAY ME BACK

IF I LEND YOU?

>> DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH.

>> WHAT'S THAT?

OKAY, THAT'S FINE.

UH, WE ARE GOING TO WATCH THE

PREMIERE OF "THE RAW DEAL" ON

THE WORLD POKER TOUR AND JUST

KIND OF HANG OUT, PLAY A LITTLE

BLIND MAN'S BLUFF POKER, AND, I

DON'T KNOW, JUST RELAX, ENJOY.

>> IZZY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

>> THIS IS A HANDICAP.

THIS IS NOT FAIR.

I'VE GOT A DOG'S ASS IN MY FACE.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> YEAH, I THINK MY FRIENDS WILL

TELL ME IF THEY THINK IT SUCKS.

>> IT IS NO-LIMIT.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT I'M

NERVOUS, BUT I AM EXCITED TO SEE

HOW IT TURNS OUT.

BECAUSE IT TOOK A COUPLE OF GOES

TO GET THIS RIGHT, AND, YEAH,

I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW IT WILL

TURN OUT AND WHAT PEOPLE'S

REACTION WILL BE.

>> GOOD FOLD.

>> YEAH!

I GOT THE ACE OUT, THOUGH.

>> THAT WAS A GOOD SPOT.

>> YOU'VE GOT TOO MANY CHIPS..

YOU JUST GOT TO KEEP HIM HONEST.

>> THIS SEASON ON THE WPT, WE

HAVE A NEW FEATURE, WHICH BRINGS

YOU IN-DEPTH COMMENTARY FROM ONE

OF THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG MINDS IN

THE GAME IN A SEGMENT WE CALL

"THE RAW DEAL."

>> I THINK THIS MAY BE IT.

HI.

I'M TONY DUNST, KNOWN ONLINE

AS BOND18.

LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT

LAST HAND.

>> LOOK AT THAT HANDSOME

GENTLEMAN.

>> ...SIMPLY BECAUSE HE HAS THE

BALLS TO TRY AND BLUFF

PHIL IVEY.

HOWEVER THE RIVER BLUFF IS A

CLEAR MISTAKE, AND HERE'S WHY.

FIRST, HIS ASSIGNED PRICE OF

NEARLY 4-TO-1 TO MAKE A CALL

WITH ANYTHING IN HIS RANGE THAT

HAS SHOWDOWN VALUE.

SECOND, I THINK JOHN IS FAILING

TO THINK ABOUT...

POKER HAS NOT JUST PROVIDED A

FEW THINGS TO MY LIFE.

IT HAS GIVEN ME MY LIFE.

ONE DAY, I WAS ON MY COUCH,

WATCHING THIS SHOW, AND THESE

PEOPLE WHO BACK THEN I ALL

THOUGHT WERE SUPERSTARS OF

POKER AND AMAZING AT THE GAME

AND, YOU KNOW, PERSONALITIES I

WOULD NEVER HAVE A CHANCE TO

MEET, AND NOW I'M THE GUY WHO

CRAFTS PETTY INSULTS AT THEM.

AND IT'S SO ABSURD.

>> THIS IS DIXIE.

>> DIXIE.

HI, BABY. HI.

HELLO, SWEETHEART. HOW ARE YOU?

YEAH. WHAT DO YOU THINK? HMM?

IT'S JUST SURREAL TO ME THAT

DANI IS BUYING ME THIS HORSE,

BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I

NEVER THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN.

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE ABLE TO

HAVE A HORSE AGAIN, AND IF IT

WASN'T FOR DANI AND FOR HER

POKER PLAYING, IT NEVER WOULD

HAVE HAPPENED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

DO WE LOOK ALIKE?

HUH?

>> I THINK MY MOM ALREADY LOVES

THE HORSE, AND I'M GUESSING

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE HAVING

PURCHASED A NEW HORSE.

I'M PRETTY EXCITED FOR HER TO

HAVE A HORSE TO JUST...

I DON'T KNOW, MAKE HER HAPPY.

I PLAY POKER BECAUSE I LOVE

POKER, BECAUSE I'M GOOD AT

POKER.

I WORKED MY WAY UP THROUGH THE

BOTTOM, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF

WHERE I HAVE ENDED UP.

>> WHEN I FOUND OUT SITTING

AROUND ON A COMPUTER PLAYING

CARDS FOR A LIVING WAS SOMETHING

YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO, I WAS

LIKE, "THAT'S IT!

THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WITH

MY LIFE."

>> POKER'S DEFINITELY GIVEN ME

THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE LIFE

OUTSIDE OF THE CONVENTIONAL

SYSTEM.

IT'S GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO

ALLOW MYSELF TO BE HAPPY.

>> POKER'S NOT JUST A GAME.

IT'S SO WRAPPED UP IN EVERY

OTHER ASPECT OF MY LIFE, THAT

IT'S KIND OF BECOME PART OF MY

IDENTITY.

>> IT'S A MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR

INDUSTRY WITH MILLIONS OF

PARTICIPANTS, AND ON FRIDAY IT

WAS SHUT DOWN BY FEDERAL

AGENTS.

THE FBI SEIZED THE DOMAIN NAMES

OF PokerStars, FULL TILT POKER,

AND ABSOLUTE POKER, AND

PROSECUTORS CHARGED 11 PEOPLE

WITH FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING,

AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING.

>> WE'D HEARD RUMORS OF THE SKY

IS FALLING PLENTY OF TIMES, BUT

THIS TIME IT REALLY FELT LIKE IT

WAS.

THE SITES WERE SHUT DOWN,

PEOPLE'S FUNDS WERE FROZEN, THE

D.O.J. AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

ISSUED STATEMENTS SAYING, YOU

KNOW, BASICALLY, IT'S OVER,

GUYS.

>> NOW, WITH CHARGES OF BANK

FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING, IT'S

CLEAR THAT THE FOCUS OF THE

PROSECUTOR'S CASE IS ON

PAYMENTS.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

ALLEGES THAT INDIVIDUALS LIED TO

U.S. BANKS BY SETTING UP FALSE

BUSINESSES TO ACT AS CONDUITS

FOR INTERNET GAMING PAYMENTS

BEING DISGUISED AS SOMETHING

ELSE, MISCODING TRANSACTIONS.

>> THE SITES TO GET MONEY FROM

THE PLAYERS IN THE UNITED STATES

TO THEM AND VICE VERSA HAD TO BE

LYING TO THE BANKS.

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THAT WAS

GOING ON.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SEIZED

MONEY ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND

THEY FROZE THE ACCOUNTS OF ALL

THE PLAYERS.

>> FOR PLAYERS THAT RELIED ON

ONLINE POKER AS THEIR MAIN

SOURCE OF INCOME, ALL OF A

SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THE TAP IS

GONE.

>> THERE'S ESSENTIALLY PANIC.

IT'S LIKE 1929, A RUN ON THE

BANK.

PEOPLE ARE LIKE, "GET MY MONEY!

I NEED TO GET MY $500!

I NEED TO GET MY $5,000!

I MEAN, THERE'S REALLY A RUN ON

THE BANK AND A PANIC, AND THE

ENTIRE POKER WORLD ESSENTIALLY

BLOWS UP.

>> THIS IS A DECLARATION OF WAR

BY THE UNITED STATES AGAINST

THESE COMPANIES.

>> THE SITES WERE STAMPED WITH

THE OFFICIAL SEALS OF THE FBI

AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

I MEAN, THAT'S INTIMIDATING

SHIT.

>> YOU KNOW, ONE DAY YOU'RE AN

ONLINE POKER PLAYER, AND THE

NEXT DAY YOU'RE AN OUTLAW.

>> PEOPLE WERE WONDERING IF THEY

WOULD EVER GET THEIR MONEY BACK,

AND NOBODY KNEW THESE ANSWERS.

>> THEIR MONEY WAS GONE.

THEIR JOBS WERE GONE.

EVERYONE WAS LOST.

>> THE ENTIRE POKER WORLD WILL

REMEMBER APRIL 15, 2011.

>> THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WAS THE BIGGEST MARKET.

IT WAS THE MOST LUCRATIVE

MARKET, AND IT WAS THE ONE THAT

ALL OF THE SITES WANTED TO

TARGET.

IT'S GONE NOW.

IT'S COMPLETELY GONE.

AND ALL THE MONEY THAT THEY WERE

SPENDING, YOU KNOW, IN MY

ESTIMATION, $300 MILLION TO

$400 MILLION A YEAR IN ORDER TO

GET NEW AMERICAN CUSTOMERS, IS

GONE.

>> IT WAS A HUGE BLOW TO THE

ONLINE POKER COMMUNITY WHEN THEY

REALIZED, OKAY, THIS IS

LEGITIMATELY THE END OF ONLINE

POKER AS WE KNOW IT.

BECAUSE THERE WERE NO SITES

READY TO STEP IN.

THERE WAS NO NEXT STEP.

>> I WOULD ADVISE EVERYONE NOT

TO WAIT IT OUT IN ANY WAY.

I THINK ONLINE POKER IS GONE

FROM AMERICA, PROBABLY FOREVER.

>> [ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]

>> AT FIRST, I WAS JUST KIND OF

LIKE "OH, PEOPLE MIGHT BE

OVERREACTING A LITTLE BIT," YOU

KNOW.

AND THEN AS I READ MORE AND AS

I REALIZED THAT THEY WERE, LIKE,

ARRESTING THESE PEOPLE AND SOME

VERY REPUTABLE PEOPLE IN THE

POKER WORLD WERE SAYING THAT,

YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE THE

APOCALYPSE OF POKER, LIKE, THIS

IS IT.

LIKE, AS OF RIGHT NOW, I DON'T

HAVE A JOB, AND I HAVE, YOU

KNOW, A DECENT AMOUNT OF MY

PERSONAL ASSETS ARE ONLINE RIGHT

NOW, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE

STATE IS WITH THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL GET THAT

BACK OR NOT.

SO I JUST KIND OF JUST PANICKED

AND I CALLED MY MOM AND WAS KIND

OF TRYING TO TELL HER WHAT WAS

GOING ON.

AND I JUST STARTED BAWLING, AND

THEN I KIND OF SAT HERE AND JUST

ALL DAY WAS KIND OF GLUED TO THE

COMPUTER, READING UPDATES, AND I

CRIED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL.

[ CHUCKLES ]

THE AVERAGE PUBLIC, ANYWAYS, I

DON'T THINK PROBABLY UNDERSTANDS

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR, LIKE,

THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF POKER

PLAYERS, YOU KNOW?

THERE'S SOME PEOPLE ON THE POKER

FORUMS AND STUFF WHO HAD LIKE

95% OF THEIR NET WORTH WRAPPED

UP IN THESE ONLINE SITES, AND

RIGHT NOW IT'S IN LIMBO.

LIKE, WE'RE ALL HOPING THAT

WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR MONEY

BACK, AND WE'D LIKE TO BE

OPTIMISTIC, BUT REALLY WE DON'T

KNOW, YOU KNOW.

I THINK, LIKE, THE HARDEST PART

OF THIS IS THAT, LIKE, MY GOALS

ARE GONE.

LIKE, I'M NOT GONNA GET THE

CHANCE TO EVEN, LIKE -- I DON'T

GET THE CHANCE TO ACCOMPLISH

MY GOALS, YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE A LOT OF MY LIFE GOALS

WERE JUST TIED UP IN POKER, AND

POKER IS WHAT I WAS BEST AT,

YOU KNOW?

IT'S LIKE, I DERIVE A LOT OF MY,

LIKE, PRIDE AND A LOT OF MY...

I DON'T KNOW.

I GUESS SOME, LIKE, CONFIDENCE

JUST FROM POKER 'CAUSE I WAS

GOOD AT SOMETHING.

IT'S JUST REALLY HARD TO THINK

THAT, LIKE, I'M NOT EVEN GOING

TO GET THE CHANCE, YOU KNOW?

>> * YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE

* MY ONLY SUNSHINE

* YOU MAKE ME HAPPY

* WHEN SKIES ARE GRAY

* YOU'LL NEVER KNOW, MOMMY

* HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU

* PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY SUNSHINE

AWAY *

>> I WOULD DESCRIBE THE MOOD IN

THE POKER COMMUNITY POST BLACK

FRIDAY AS A COMBINATION OF

PANIC, OUTRAGE, AND

BEFUDDLEMENT.

YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO

PROBABLY ANTICIPATED THAT THEY

WERE GOING TO HAVE AN INCOME FOR

A LONG TIME.

NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE THEIR

FUNDS FROZEN, BUT ANYTHING THEY

WERE PLANNING ON DOING WITH LIKE

FUTURE MONEY YET TO BE

GENERATED, THAT'S ALL GONE.

THEN YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE WHO

HAD JOBS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

THAT WERE PRINCIPALLY FUNDED BY

THE SITES -- THEY'RE FUCKED.

YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE IN MY

POSITION, WHO THOUGHT THEY HAD

MONEY, BUT NOW AREN'T REALLY

SURE IF THEY HAVE MONEY AND

MIGHT GET TAXED ON MONEY THAT'S

ESSENTIALLY BEEN MADE IMAGINARY

TO THEM, BUT IS NOT IMAGINARY TO

THE IRS.

AND THAT'S REALLY FUCKED UP.

TO THINK THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT'S

GONNA BOTH TAKE AWAY YOUR SOURCE

OF INCOME, BUT THEN TAX YOU ON

THE INCOME THAT YOU SORT OF KIND

OF MADE BY MEANS THEY

ESSENTIALLY DEEMED ILLEGAL.

I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?

IF GOING BACK TO AUSTRALIA WAS

TRULY A VIABLE POSSIBILITY FOR

ME, THEN OF COURSE I WOULD

CONSIDER IT, BUT RIGHT NOW I'VE

GOT A VERY GOOD THING GOING ON

WITH THE WORLD POKER TOUR.

I LOVE MY JOB, BUT IF THAT

DIDN'T EXIST, I PROBABLY WOULD

BE LOOKING FOR SOME WAY OUT OF

THIS COUNTRY, BE IT EUROPE,

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND,

SOMETHING TO GET OUT FROM UNDER

THIS BULLSHIT.

[ BEEPING ]

>> AS A CANADIAN LIVING IN

MONTRéAL, BLACK FRIDAY DIDN'T

ORIGINALLY HAVE A LARGE IMPACT

ON MY DAY TO DAY LIFE.

YOU KNOW I WOKE UP IN THE

MORNING AND PLAYED THE SAME

GAMES I WAS ALWAYS PLAYING.

IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY NOT TO SEE

SOME OF THE FACES I HAD ALWAYS

SEEN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE GAMES WERE

ACTUALLY -- I FOUND THEM A LOT

MORE FUN AT FIRST, 'CAUSE THEY

WERE ALL EUROPEAN PLAYERS I WAS

PLAYING WITH, AND THERE TENDS TO

BE A KIND OF...SUBTLE DIFFERENCE

IN HOW PEOPLE PLAY THE GAME

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME

THAT THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THE

HIT SONG "YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN

TO HOLD 'EM, KNOW WHEN TO FOLD

'EM" WOULD BAN ONLINE POKER.

LIKE, IT'S JUST A VERY AMERICAN

GAME, AND IT TIES IN POSITIVELY,

I THINK, WITH A LOT OF THE

THINGS THAT AMERICANS

CONSIDER -- LIKE A LOT OF THE

IDEOLOGY THAT AMERICANS CONSIDER

IMPORTANT, LIKE THE IDEA THAT

ANYONE HAS A SHOT GIVEN THAT

THEY WORK HARD AND THEY HAVE THE

APTITUDE TO GET WHERE THEY WANT

TO GO, THAT LIFE IS A

MERITOCRACY.

POKER IS KIND OF LIKE A GREAT

FORM WHERE THOSE KIND OF

IDEOLOGIES ARE EXPRESSED.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD

BASICALLY WRITTEN OFF THEIR

MONEY.

THERE'S JUST THIS REAL KIND OF

MISANTHROPIC KIND OF POKER

MIND-SET [ CHUCKLES ] TOWARDS IT

WHERE PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T THINK

THEY WERE GETTING PAID BACK, AND

THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK OF THE

SKY IS FALLING AND SUCH.

>> THE BIG NEWS OF THE WEEK WE

GOT TO GET TO RIGHT AWAY.

PokerStars AND FULL TILT POKER

BOTH SIGNED DEALS, ADAM, WITH

THE D.O.J. FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE

OF ALLOWING U.S. PLAYERS TO CASH

OUT THEIR BALANCES.

>> I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT

PokerStars WILL BE PROCESSING

CASH-OUTS VERY, VERY SOON.

THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS

TUESDAY.

>> A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER

BLACK FRIDAY, PokerStars

ACTUALLY PAID BACK ALL THE

PLAYERS, SO I THINK PEOPLE WERE

PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT EVEN IF

THERE WAS SOME ANXIETY ABOUT,

YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY AS A

WHOLE.

THERE'S DEFINITELY A, SORT OF,

TREND OF ANXIETY RUNNING THROUGH

THE POKER COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW

ABOUT WHAT FULL TILT IS PLANNING

TO DO.

I MEAN, THEY HAVEN'T RELEASED

ANY STATEMENTS.

THEY HAVEN'T RELEASED ANY PLAYER

FUNDS.

>> WHERE IS THE MONEY FULL TILT?

WHERE IS IT?

>> I FULLY EXPECTED FULL TILT TO

HAVE PAID OUT BY NOW.

>> AS MUCH AS IT'S SHOCKING AT

THIS POINT THAT THEY HAVEN'T

PAID OUT, CAN YOU IMAGINE A

SCENARIO WHERE THEY DON'T?

>> AT THIS POINT, I WOULD SAY

THE CHANCES OF GETTING PAID BACK

SEEM PRETTY HIGH JUST BECAUSE,

YOU KNOW, FULL TILT'S REVENUES

ARE KIND OF NOT HIDDEN.

I HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY ON

THERE THAT I WOULD KIND OF LIKE

TO GET BACK.

>> AFTER BLACK FRIDAY HAPPENED,

I FELT LIKE PEOPLE WEREN'T

ACTUALLY GETTING THE STORY, AND

I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF

IMPORTANT STUFF THAT WAS

HAPPENING.

YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS

OF DOLLARS WERE AT STAKE, AND

PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS WERE AT

STAKE, AND NOBODY KNEW WHAT WAS

GOING ON.

SO I STARTED AN INDEPENDENT

POKER NEWS SITE TO DO THAT

RIGHT, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A

REAL TRIP, [chuckling] A LOT

DIFFERENT THAN I EXPECTED.

REALLY ALL ANYONE CARED ABOUT

FOR THE NINE OR SO MONTHS THAT

SUBJECT: POKER EXISTED WAS

FULL TILT, AND THAT'S REALLY ALL

WE CARED ABOUT, TOO.

EVERYTHING ELSE WAS JUST

TANGENTIAL.

I JOKED ABOUT BEING A SPY

CONSTANTLY.

[ CHUCKLES ]

LIKE, WE WERE TALKING TO A LOT

OF ANONYMOUS SOURCES, AND WE

WERE LOOKING THROUGH CORPORATE

DOCUMENTS WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO

HAVE, AND WE WERE GETTING ALL

THIS INSIDER INFORMATION.

WE WERE BREAKING ALL THESE

STORIES.

IT JUST GOT REALLY, REALLY

INTENSE, BECAUSE FULL TILT HAD

$300 MILLION OF PLAYERS' MONEY

LOCKED UP.

AND THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL,

AND IT WAS SORT OF PERPETUALLY

SINKING IN HOW BIG OF A DEAL

THAT WAS.

FULL TILT LOST MONEY IN A LOT OF

DUMB WAYS.

THERE WAS THE $128 MILLION

SHORTFALL, WHICH WAS QUITE

REMARKABLE.

AND THE D.O.J. DID, IN FACT,

SEIZE ABOUT $159 MILLION FROM

THE COMPANY.

BUT BY FAR, THE LARGEST WAY THAT

MONEY FLOWED OUT OF FULL TILT

WAS BY DISTRIBUTIONS.

THEY GAVE THEMSELVES MASSIVE

DISTRIBUTIONS.

THEY PAID THEMSELVES $10 MILLION

A MONTH.

MAYBE AT THE PEAK OF THEIR

PROFITABILITY, WHICH WAS

PROBABLY ALL THE WAY BACK IN

2007, THEY WERE MAKING THAT

MUCH.

BUT THEY WERE A LOSING COMPANY

IN 2010, EARLY 2011, AND THEY

WERE STILL PAYING THEMSELVES

$10 MILLION A MONTH.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO

HIRED A HUGE STABLE OF SPONSORED

PLAYERS.

A LOT OF THEM WERE PAID $100,000

A YEAR, AND SOME OF THEM WERE

PAID $500,000, $1 MILLION A YEAR

JUST TO WEAR THIS LITTLE PIECE

OF FELT.

THEY PAID THEIR GAMBLING

PARTNERS AND THEIR FRIENDS

ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY, AND

WHEN PLAYERS ARE SENDING E-MAILS

INTO SUPPORT AND SAYING, "HEY,

HOW DO YOU KEEP PLAYER FUNDS?"

THEY ALWAYS GOT THE SAME ANSWER,

"PLAYER FUNDS ARE SAFE AND

SECURE.

WE KEEP THEM SEGREGATED," AND

THAT WAS JUST A BLATANT LIE.

AT SOME POINT, THEY STOPPED

SPLITTING UP PLAYER FUNDS FROM

THEIR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.

THEY STARTED TO SIMPLY SPEND

MONEY, HAVE THEIR MARKETING

BUDGET, PAY THEIR OWN SALARIES,

PAY THEIR OWN DIVIDENDS FROM

PLAYERS' FUNDS.

HOWARD LEDERER, RAY BITAR --

THOSE GUYS SAID SPECIFICALLY,

"TELL PLAYERS THAT FUNDS ARE

SEGREGATED."

BUT THE FUNDS WERE NOT.

THE POOL THAT THEY WERE MEANT TO

BE HOLDING FOR PLAYERS, THAT

THEY SAID THEY WERE HOLDING FOR

PLAYERS -- THAT MONEY IS GONE.

>> AS AN OWNER OF

FULL TILT POKER, I TOOK AND I

TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR

WHAT HAPPENED.

AND WHAT HAPPENED WASN'T RIGHT,

AND IT CAUSED A LOT OF PAIN, A

LOT OF SUFFERING, AND, IN SOME

CASES, JUST INCONVENIENCE FOR

THREE MILLION CUSTOMERS.

AND THAT -- THAT WASN'T RIGHT.

FOR THAT I AM TRULY SORRY.

>> A BIG PART OF WHAT MADE POKER

REALLY APPEALING BACK IN, LIKE,

2003, WHEN THIS BIG BOOM

STARTED, WERE THESE CELEBRITIES.

THESE CELEBRITIES HAD THIS

AWESOME APPEAL OF BEING SORT OF

OLD-SCHOOL GAMBLERS AND SORT OF

HAVING ALL THE COLOR AND SORT

OF, ALMOST, COWBOY-ISHNESS THAT

GOES WITH THAT.

ALSO, THE APPEAL OF BEING SORT

OF REMARKABLY HONORABLE -- THE

SORT OF HONORABLE GAMBLER, EVEN

THOUGH IT'S SORT OF OBVIOUS IN

HINDSIGHT.

LIKE, HERE ARE THESE GUYS WHO

HAD THESE PASTS THAT WERE SORT

OF VERY SHADY, COMING IN AND

HOLDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF

DOLLARS FOR US.

FROM AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE,

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY

SKETCHY SITUATION, BUT WHEN

YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN IT -- WHEN WE

WERE ACTUALLY IN IT, WE WERE

REALLY FOOLED.

>> AS A RESULT OF BLACK FRIDAY,

ALL OF THE BOYS THAT WERE LIVING

HERE REALIZED THAT WITHOUT

ONLINE POKER AVAILABLE TO THEM,

THERE WASN'T MUCH POINT IN BEING

HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO THEY ALL MOVED ABROAD, MOSTLY

TO CANADA.

THAT'S WHERE CHEWY, AARON, AND

DAN ENDED UP -- ALL IN TORONTO.

AND AS A RESULT, THE HOUSE HAS

BEEN EMPTY SINCE.

IT'S ODD, BECAUSE IT IS SO

LARGE, AND I DON'T ACTUALLY LIVE

IN THE PHYSICAL HOUSE ITSELF.

I LIVE OUT THE BACK.

SO EVERYDAY, I WALK INTO THIS

JUST EMPTY, SILENT HOUSE THAT'S

NOT EVEN QUITE MINE.

MY MONEY ON FULL TILT IS

ESSENTIALLY IN A STATE OF LIMBO.

I TRY AND STAY WELL-READ ON THE

ISSUE TO SEE WHAT'S GONNA

HAPPEN, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH

HEARSAY.

IT STILL, NOW, IS JUST SO HARD

TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING THAT

HAD BEEN AROUND FOR ALMOST A

DECADE AND IT HAD, TO OUR

KNOWLEDGE, NO FINANCIAL TROUBLE

SUDDENLY IMPLODED OVERNIGHT.

I'VE HEARD MORE STORIES THAN I

CAN COUNT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE

WHAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE

LIFE-CHANGING MONEY LOCKED UP IN

THEIR FULL TILT ACCOUNT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST KEPT MOST

OF WHAT THEY HAD ON WHATEVER

SITE THEY PLAYED THE MOST AT.

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH FIVE OR

SIX FIGURES THAT WOULD, YOU

KNOW, COMPLETELY MAKE OR BREAK

THEIR LIFE, AND THEN THERE ARE

SOME GUYS WHO WERE HIGH-STAKES

CASH PLAYERS OR HAD A HUGE

TOURNAMENT SCORE WHO HAD SEVEN

FIGURES LOCKED UP ON THERE.

SO, IT'S BEEN REALLY BAD FOR

SOME PEOPLE.

SO DURING THE PERIOD IN WHICH

THE HOUSE HAS BEEN EMPTY, I'VE

MOSTLY BEEN OCCUPYING MYSELF

READING.

I DO THAT IN HERE.

FOR A LONG TIME, I HAD TWO

PILES -- THE MUST-READ PILE AND

THE HAVE-READ PILE.

USUALLY I JUST GRAB SOMETHING

OFF THE MUST-READ PILE, POST UP

ON MY COUCH, AND, WITH A

HIGHLIGHTER, SIT THERE FOR HOURS

ON END.

AFTER BLACK FRIDAY, I REALIZED I

WAS GOING TO HAVE TO STAY IN THE

UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF MY JOB

WITH THE WPT, SO I STARTED

WORKING ON MY FIRST ORIGINAL

BOOK.

I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CALL THIS

BOOK A MEMOIR, BUT IT IS A

PRETTY CLEAR LOOK OF WHAT IT'S

LIKE TO PLAY ONLINE POKER OR

POKER FOR A LIVING AS A YOUNG

ADULT.

AND A LOT OF THE THINGS I WAS

ABLE TO DO OVER THE COURSE OF MY

LIFE AND THEN WRITE UPON IN THIS

BOOK ARE A RESULT OF THE FREEDOM

AND RESOURCES THAT PLAYING POKER

FOR A LIVING ALLOWED ME.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT RIDE, WHAT CAN

YOU SAY?

[ CHUCKLES ]

LIKE, IT WAS AN AWFUL LOT OF

FUN, AND I STILL THINK THERE IS

SOME MONEY TO BE MADE IN POKER,

BUT THE POKER OF MY MEMORIES AND

YOUNG ADULTHOOD, BEST I CAN

TELL, IS OVER.

>> HERE WE GO GUYS.

LET ME GRAB YOU SOME MORE ICED

TEA HERE.

ANYTHING ELSE I CAN GET FOR YOU

RIGHT AWAY?

OKAY, ENJOY.

SINCE BLACK FRIDAY, I STARTED

WORKING AT ROUNDERS, WHICH IS,

LIKE, A BAR-AND-GRILL

RESTAURANT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING THERE FOR A

COUPLE MONTHS NOW.

CAN I GET YOU SOMETHING TO

DRINK?

>> I WILL HAVE WATER.

>> FULL TILT POKER HASN'T

RELEASED ANY MONEY TO U.S.

PLAYERS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I

HAD ABOUT 95% OF MY FUNDS IN

FULL TILT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE IT IN

ME TO START FROM GROUND ZERO

AGAIN.

IT'S JUST SUCH A GRIND, AND IT'S

SO HARD, AND I JUST DON'T KNOW

THAT I HAVE IT IN ME TO DO THAT

ANYMORE.

FOR SO LONG, A LOT OF OUR LIFE

PLANS AND GOALS WERE WRAPPED UP

IN THAT, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO

JUST, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE,

CHANGE EVERYTHING AND ALTER YOUR

PATH.

>> NOW THAT IT'S SETTLED IN A

LITTLE BIT SINCE BLACK FRIDAY, I

THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT

HURTS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, THE

DREAM IS KIND OF GONE AND THE

PROGRESS OF WHAT SHE WAS WORKING

TOWARDS AND REALLY, REALLY GOOD

AT.

IT'S NOT THAT SHE FAILED AT IT.

SOMEBODY JUST TOOK IT AWAY AND

SAID, "IT'S DONE."

THAT'S HARD FOR ME, YOU KNOW, AS

THE HUSBAND -- TO SIT THERE AND

I-I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, YOU

KNOW?

I CAN'T -- THERE'S NOTHING I CAN

DO TO MAKE IT BETTER.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT HURTS THE

MOST.

>> ALL RIGHT, THREE, TWO, ONE.

WELCOME TO THE

TWO PLUS TWO POKERCAST FOR THE

WEEK OF JULY 31, 2012.

MIKE JOHNSON HERE, ALONG WITH

ADAM SCHWARTZ.

IT IS A GREAT DAY FOR ONLINE

POKER PLAYERS.

>> IT IS MIKE.

WHO SAYS THERE'S NO FAIRYTALE

ENDINGS IN REAL LIFE?

>> UH, YEAH.

DUST OFF THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES.

HERE'S THE STORY -- A

$700 MILLION DEAL HAS BEEN

STRUCK WITH THE D.O.J. THAT WILL

SETTLE ALL CIVIL CHARGES BETWEEN

ONLINE POKER GIANTS PokerStars

AND FULL TILT POKER.

AND ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

THE TWIST IN THIS -- PokerStars

WILL ACQUIRE THE ASSETS OF THEIR

FORMER RIVAL, FULL TILT POKER,

FROM THE D.O.J. WITH THE PLAN TO

RE-LAUNCH THE DISGRACED

FULL TILT POKER ROOM LATER THIS

YEAR.

THIS IS MASSIVE.

>> IT REALLY IS.

THE BEST NEWS OF ALL IS THAT THE

PLAYERS WHO HAVE HAD MONEY STUCK

ONLINE, STUCK AT FULL TILT POKER

SINCE APRIL OF 2011 -- THEY'RE

GOING TO GET THAT BACK.

>> 300 MILLION BUCKS.

>> OVER $300 MILLION.

>> "THE RAW DEAL" WAS

WELL-RECEIVED IN SEASON 9.

THEY BROUGHT ME BACK FOR

SEASON 10.

NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT OF

NEGOTIATING FOR THE FUTURE.

I'M SURPRISED, BUT I ACTUALLY

LIKE HAVING A JOB, AND, YOU

KNOW, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ME TO

DO ANYTHING THAT'S UNNATURAL.

FOR THE MOST PART, I SHOW UP AND

I MEET PEOPLE AND I TALK ABOUT

POKER AND I WEAR A SUIT AND

SMILE, AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW,

TERRIBLY HARD, SO WHAT'S NOT TO

LIKE?

>> AT THE MOMENT I'M PLAYING IN

A BAND CALLED ALEXEI MARTOV.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BLUES,

PSYCHEDELIC-ROCK THREE-PIECE

THAT I SING, PLAY GUITAR, PLAY

PIANO IN.

I MEAN, IN THE FUTURE WITH

POKER, I DEFINITELY PLAN TO KEEP

PLAYING.

I MEAN, I LOVE THE GAME.

IT'S REALLY GIVEN ME THE

OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SIT DOWN

AND DECIDE WHAT I WANT AND THEN

FORMULATE A PLAN TO ACHIEVE

THAT.

IT'S JUST, AT THIS POINT, I

THINK THAT MUSIC IS GOING TO BE

THE MAJOR PRIORITY THAT I WORK

ON.

>> SINCE BLACK FRIDAY, I'VE BEEN

TRAVELLING BACK AND FORTH TO

L.A.

I GO TO THE COMMERCE CASINO TO

PLAY LIVE POKER.

USUALLY I'M HOME FOR LIKE SIX

WEEKS, AND THEN I GO OUT THERE

FOR ABOUT 7 TO 10 DAYS, AND THEN

I COME HOME AND DO THE SAME

THING, SO...

ALL RIGHT. I'LL BE HOME SOON.

OKAY?

>> OKAY, MOMMY.

>> OKAY. I LOVE YOU.

ONE MORE HUG.

I REALLY REALIZED HOW MUCH POKER

MEANS TO ME AND HOW MUCH I DO

LOVE PLAYING POKER, AND I NOW

KNOW THAT PLAYING POKER FOR A

LIVING IS SOMETHING THAT I

DEFINITELY WANT TO CONTINUE

DOING FOR AS LONG AS I CAN.

AND I GUESS IF THAT MEANS I HAVE

TO CONTINUE FLYING ACROSS THE

COUNTRY TO PLAY LIVE POKER,

THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.

BYE, BUDDY!

>> BYE, MOMMY!

>> I THINK ONLINE POKER IS IN A

SHORT-TERM DARK PERIOD HERE IN

AMERICA, BUT AT THE END OF THE

DAY, THE ECONOMICS ARE JUST TOO

OBVIOUS.

NOBODY'S GOING TO SIT BACK AND

LET THESE SITES IN EUROPE OR IN

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD MAKE

BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR WHEN

THEY KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE

EQUALLY AS POPULAR HERE IN

AMERICA.

>> WILL ONLINE POKER EVENTUALLY

BECOME LEGALIZED?

WILL IT BE REGULATED?

WILL THIS CREATE AN IMPETUS TO

CHANGE AND TO QUIT IGNORING THIS

ACTION AS THOUGH IT DOESN'T

EXIST?

IT DOES EXIST.

IT WILL ALWAYS EXIST.

GAMBLING AND POKER PLAYING WILL

ALWAYS BE A PART OF SOCIETY AND

OUR CULTURE.

>> POKER HAS A FUTURE.

ONLINE POKER HAS A FUTURE.

DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH

WHAT CAME BEFORE?

PROBABLY NOT.

IT'S GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT,

AND IT ALWAYS DOES.

>> 20 YEARS AGO, NOBODY EVER

WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU'D HAVE

PEOPLE PLAYING POKER ONLINE,

PERIOD.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY

SURPRISING THE WAY IT DEVELOPS.

>> I MEAN THE GAME IS GOING TO

BE BIG.

THE GAME IS GOING TO GROW.

BUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WHO'S

PLAYING IT, WHO'S WINNING, WHO'S

LOSING -- ALL THAT'S A MYSTERY,

WHICH IS WHAT POKER IS.

IT'S A MYSTERY.

YOU PICK UP YOUR CARDS, YOU BET

YOUR CHIPS, AND YOU DON'T REALLY

KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN

UNTIL THE FINAL CARD IS DEALT.

THE FINAL CARD HASN'T BEEN

DEALT.

IN FACT, WE HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN

THE FLOP YET.

>> ultimatepoker.com IS PLEASED

TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE WAIT IS

OVER.

WE ARE NOW LIVE AND DEALING

ONLINE POKER IN THE STATE OF

NEVADA.

>> ULTIMATE POKER IS PROUD OF

THIS HISTORIC MOMENT, AS THE

FIRST TRUSTED AND LEGAL ONLINE

POKER COMPANY TO HAVE REAL-MONEY

POKER IN THE UNITED STATES.