In Las Vegas, money usually does all the talking, but at the WSOP final table this week, it will be Gold that dominates the party! Unheralded talent agent Jamie Gold has racked up a staggering $25.7 million and if he can dispose of 4-time event winner Allen Cunningham ($17.8 million) he may well star in his own flick down the road.
The amazing part of this event is the emergence of several poker players who have honed their skills on the Internet. Douglas Kim, a 22-year-old who graduated in May with an economics degree from Duke University, spent $3,000 buying into online satellite tournaments before winning the last one available. Now that's online gambling at its best. He'll start work at a financial consulting firm in New York in September.
Dan Nassif, a 33-year-old newspaper ad salesman from St. Louis, qualified for his second World Series main event in two years online. Last year, he busted out in five hours. This year, he's guaranteed to go home a millionaire.
In an era where sports dominates our society with NFL football betting, MLB baseball betting, NBA basketball betting, PGA golf betting and World Cup Soccer to name just a few, it is simply amazing what is transpiring in the desert of Nevada.
You may bet on all the above sports, but you will never have the opportunity to sit down and declare yourself the World Champion like you can in poker. Who needs sports betting anyway?
If Gold goes on to win the championship, his take will be $12 million before the government gets their hands on their share and Lord only knows how many more millions he will earn in other endeavors down the road.
My advice is to open up an account online and start practicing for next year's bonanza!
Bob Acton is an experienced sports writer and handicapper, who has written for the sports industry for over 10 years. His years of writing for Sports Scene, sports consulting on 33 Made for Television and Major Motion Pictures and his work as an instructor at Pro Teach Baseball Academy, have made Bob a trusted and respected source in the sports world.
