Weekly Roundup July 17 2015
Bwin.Party Sold to 888 for $1.4 Billion
888 announced on Friday that it would acquire bwin.party for £898 million, equivalent to $1.4 billion. The deal includes cash and equity. Amaya Gaming, parent company of PokerStars, also bid on bwin.party but lost out to 888. The acquisition gives 888 a near 100 percent market share in the U.S. regulated market. Party Poker and 888 are the only operators in New Jersey. 888 operates the monopoly Delaware Lottery network. It also powers WSOP.com in Nevada.
Real Gaming, operated by South Point in Las Vegas, is the only other regulated U.S. poker site. It barely holds a one percent share in Nevada.
Bluff Magazine Folds
In January, Bluff Magazine went out of print. Employees announced this week that the entire company would cease operations. The Churchill Downs-owned online poker news site told employees this week that the site would discontinue operations in August. The slow progress of regulated online poker in the U.S. is thought to be a major factor in the demise of Bluff.
World Series of Poker November Nine Set
The World Series of Poker played down to nine players this week. The final table will consist of the following players and chip counts:
- Seat 1: Zvi Stern — 29,800,000
- Seat 2: Pierre Neuville — 21,075,000
- Seat 3: Joshua Beckley — 11,800,000
- Seat 4: Max Steinberg — 20,200,000
- Seat 5: Thomas Cannuli — 12,250,000
- Seat 6: Joe McKeehen — 63,100,000
- Seat 7: Patrick Chan — 6,225,000
- Seat 8: Federico Butteroni — 6,200,000
- Seat 9: Neil Blumenfield — 22,000,000
The poker community hoped that Daniel Negreanu would make the November Nine. Negreanu went out in 11th place. The final table will begin November 10.