WSOP Collusion (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Martino]

I imagine the WSOP doesn't want the image/value of their bracelets tarnished with chops/deals. Perhaps in the future they could entertain tournament-managed monetary chops, but still require players to compete for the bracelet.

But probably not. They film/stream a lot of these events and it's a better look for their brand that people are competing on the stage, trying to win that coveted bracelet, rather than 8 players whipping out an ICM calculator and ending it early.

It's their series and their rules, if you choose to break those rules, be prepared for the potential consequences. Will be interesting if they decide to make an example of these two players.

Can you imagine these guys are high-fiving one another, thinking they just pulled off the trick of the century and are about to split $3.4 million in prize money and they get nothing?

If the WSOP declares that neither of them gets any prize money or bracelet, does WPT then turn around and say "well, the WSOP said you didn't win the event, so by our rules you aren't eligible for the $1 million bonus"

Although the WPT might use that as an opportunity to still award the million and try to make themselves look like "the good guys" and paint the WSOP in a negative light.

 

[upNdown]

I imagine the WSOP doesn't want the image/value of their bracelets tarnished with chops/deals. Perhaps in the future they could entertain tournament-managed monetary chops, but still require players to compete for the bracelet.

But probably not. They film/stream a lot of these events and it's a better look for their brand that people are competing on the stage, trying to win that coveted bracelet, rather than 8 players whipping out an ICM calculator and ending it early.

It's their series and their rules, if you choose to break those rules, be prepared for the potential consequences. Will be interesting if they decide to make an example of these two players.

Can you imagine these guys are high-fiving one another, thinking they just pulled off the trick of the century and are about to split $3.4 million in prize money and they get nothing?

If the WSOP declares that neither of them gets any prize money or bracelet, does WPT then turn around and say "well, the WSOP said you didn't win the event, so by our rules you aren't eligible for the $1 million bonus"

Although the WPT might use that as an opportunity to still award the million and try to make themselves look like "the good guys" and paint the WSOP in a negative light.

I don't want to sound too naive, but I think it's tough to "prove" collusion when it's heads up. Heads up is hard; seems like the cards matter a lot less.

 

[Tonysquander]

 

[Deucekies]

Just to say, I've played in table games tournaments where we were warned we'd be disqualified just for discussing a deal.

 

[dpeks13]

View attachment 1527082

This is amazing

 

[bergs]

Would’ve been easy to get away. Have the guy that is gonna dump just start HAMMERING back drinks. Anything is possible in stupendous intoxication.

 

[alexandersly77]

Right. WSOP should be mad at WPTGold. Tournament players are used to being able to divide up that money any way they want. I realize the WSOP doesn't allow deals, But when the total prize pool of $2.2 million can be increased to $3.2 simply by making a deal, is there any doubt what will happen? And by the way, when they make first place $1.2 million and second place $1 million, they kinda take the steam out of final two.

This is a good take. Seems like an insane promo for WPTGold as well lol

 

[Santa123]

I am here for the chips.

 

[Anthony Martino]

I don't want to sound too naive, but I think it's tough to "prove" collusion when it's heads up. Heads up is hard; seems like the cards matter a lot less.

The WSOP has a LOT of leeway according to their rules which has a ton of "sole discretion" clauses where they determine if something is detrimental or not in the spirit of their games

 

[BGinGA]

#Can'tBelieveI'mSayingThis

Just play cash.

 

[Kam]

The WSOP has a LOT of leeway according to their rules which has a ton of "sole discretion" clauses where they determine if something is detrimental or not in the spirit of their games

View attachment 1527157View attachment 1527158

Yep, but then the Tamayo ‘24 sham would fall exactly within that interpretation in terms of ‘spirit of the game’ - that was the biggest event at the final table and yet, they did nothing. They can’t police everyone with all the events would be their excuse, however that was just blatant and cost folk millions.

Agree with others, they’ll pay out discretely, and adjust rules for next year. Don’t know how you effectively regulate it though.

 

[Anthony Martino]

Yep, but then the Tamayo ‘24 sham would fall exactly within that interpretation in terms of ‘spirit of the game’ - that was the biggest event at the final table and yet, they did nothing. They can’t police everyone with all the events would be their excuse, however that was just blatant and cost folk millions.

Agree with others, they’ll pay out discretely, and adjust rules for next year. Don’t know how you effectively regulate it though.

Perhaps, if they determine in their investigation that the two only worked together when they were finally heads-up.

If they discover something suspect when there were other players still at that final table, it'll be interesting to see.

 

[Deucekies]

Agree with others, they’ll pay out discretely, and adjust rules for next year. Don’t know how you effectively regulate it though.

You start by putting a stop to promotions like this one. Think of a way to give away the money that doesn't break the game.

 

[Kam]

Perhaps, if they determine in their investigation that the two only worked together when they were finally heads-up.

If they discover something suspect when there were other players still at that final table, it'll be interesting to see.

Yeah - I wonder if they’ll be a Joey Ingram-esque postle crotch god investigation.

Would be interesting to see how they got down to heads up, was there soft play by others at the final table to help him get there? Did others take non-standard actions to bubble themselves out to float him so they could get a cut of the $1m WPT?

 

[Kam]

You start by putting a stop to promotions like this one. Think of a way to give away the money that doesn't break the game.

Yeah but WPT is another business entity, they might be incentivized to actually disrupt WSOP to an extent.

DraftKings or any other company could run proxy bets/ promos etc based on your WSOP finish - not sure the legality around ‘match fixing’ in poker vs other sports.

It gets complicated fast in how you regulate, what if a third party has bought action from most of the final table and that may influence the outcome based on their horse? I think that’s why they have the generic and consciously ambiguous ‘spirit of the game’ so they are free to interpret it how they want.

 

[LeLe]

Been reading the Reddit and general consensus is People don’t care

It basically a loophole for 2 persons to get extra money from an online casino, 1 million to WPT is just some small marketing expenses

 

[Anthony Martino]

Been reading the Reddit and general consensus is People don’t care

It basically a loophole for 2 persons to get extra money from an online casino, 1 million to WPT is just some small marketing expenses

Reddit is a hive of scum and villainy though

 

[Kain8]

#Can'tBelieveI'mSayingThis

Just play cash.

 

[dpeks13]

Reddit is a hive of scum and villainy though

Yeah, we're the sophisticated ones!

 

[Deucekies]

Yeah but WPT is another business entity, they might be incentivized to actually disrupt WSOP to an extent.

DraftKings or any other company could run proxy bets/ promos etc based on your WSOP finish - not sure the legality around ‘match fixing’ in poker vs other sports.

Does WSOP have any say in those promotions? Can they give them a C&D order from saying "World Series of Poker" or "WSOP" on their website?

 

[Kam]

Does WSOP have any say in those promotions? Can they give them a C&D order from saying "World Series of Poker" or "WSOP" on their website?

Unless it’s against the Nevada Gaming commission or some type of legal issue, I don’t think there’s much they could do.

The other perspective is another company is fronting / overlaying a large prize incentive for their event (and driving a ton of free promos). So it might end up with more players buying into WSOP events without any cost to WSOP for advertising and payout, they still get their buy in rake.

So they probably decided to just let it run out, no harm, no foul. Until 1 player in a 11,766 field wins and is part of ClubWPT…

 

[upNdown]

Unless it’s against the Nevada Gaming commission or some type of legal issue, I don’t think there’s much they could do.

The other perspective is another company is fronting / overlaying a large prize incentive for their event (and driving a ton of free promos). So it might end up with more players buying into WSOP events without any cost to WSOP for advertising and payout, they still get their buy in rake.

So they probably decided to just let it run out, no harm, no foul. Until 1 player in a 11,766 field wins and is part of ClubWPT…

I bet they could if they wanted to. WPT is a competitor of WSOP, right? If they can prove that the WPT promotion is damaging their product, that sounds like tortious business interference to me. I'm not sure they could prove that WPT intended this outcome, but on the other hand, it should have been foreseeable.
Just spitballing.

 

[timinater]

I think it's more likely they get paid from WSOP than WPT. Most times these million dollar promos are actually provided by a 3rd party insurance company. I would think the insurance company would some questions about the legitimacy of the win.

If the WPT is paying this promo out straight cash out of pocket, well then they probably don't care as much and way more likely they pay it out.

If it's up to me entirely, they both get 2nd place cash/finish, bracelet goes into the smelter. There need to be some consequences for blatant chip dumping. WSOP can do that and put WPT in the blender for good measure by not having a "winner".

 

[BKisback]

I just read WPT is going to pay the bonus regardless of the wsop ruling, fwiw.

 

[BKisback]

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2025/06/clubwpt-gold-decision-on-poker-scandal-48976.htm

 

[TheOffalo]

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2025/06/wsop-hands-out-punishment-48978.htm

https://twitter.com/x/status/1939886890829979834

 

[Kam]

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2025/06/wsop-hands-out-punishment-48978.htm

https://twitter.com/x/status/1939886890829979834

ok, I was wrong and pleasantly surprised by that.

Does it say anywhere what happened with the $1.2m / $1m payouts?

 

[TheOffalo]

ok, I was wrong and pleasantly surprised by that.

Does it say anywhere what happened with the $1.2m / $1m payouts?

Final Two will evenly split the remaining money, so I guess $1.1m each.

 

[bergs]

So $>bracelets then, per the WSOP.

Fuck then, if you think they colluded, withhold everything and make them sue you and the gaming commission to get it back.

This is a cowardly move by the WSOP.

 

[TheOffalo]

I dunno, presuming collusion didn't occur until heads up and did not affect other players, should they forfeit the entire remaining prize pool? Seems a relatively balanced choice.