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Online poker specialist Viktor ‘Isildur1’ Blom is preparing to once more face conqueror Isaac ‘philivey2694’ Haxton in the latest installment of the SuperStar Showdown high stakes game at PokerStars on Sunday.

Sensational Swede Blom will again play American Haxton – who in January added $380,730 to his ever-growing bankroll for finishing third in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) $25,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Eight-Max High Roller event on Paradise Island – over 2,500 hands of high stakes heads-up play at 17:00 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

The weekend clash will, however, see the stakes doubled from $50 and $100 to $100 and $200 as both players put up $300,000 to play over four tables of No-Limit Hold’em.

Winner Will be in Profit or Outlast Opponent

The victor will be the player in profit at the conclusion of the challenge – or the one who survives the longest before the other loses all of their $300,000 bankroll before the SuperStar Showdown ends.

Blom – who took down the PCA’s $100,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller event back in early January for an impressive $1,254,400 – has an enviable record in the SuperStar Showdown matches, having a 9-2 success rate following his first match-up loss to Haxton.

That inaugural challenge saw Las Vegas-based Haxton – who is nicknamed The Lizard King – win $41,701 back in December of 2010, although he was quick to point out that he had to battle hard just to stay ahead of his rival.

The Lizard King Expects Tough Challenge

Haxton – who was born in New York City but grew up in Syracuse – said of Blom: “No one has ever more consistently made me miserable when playing against them.

“I guess I’d put (Phil) Ivey in second for that, but it’s honestly not that close. Isildur’s brand of over-the-top, but carefully balanced, aggression is unlike anything I’ve played against and really takes me out of my comfort zone.”

Blom – who has lost just one more of the challenges, to Canadian superstar Daniel Negreanu, for $26,500 – will undoubtedly be gunning for revenge this weekend, so it is easy to see why Haxton is readying himself for another war of attrition.

In fact, just after that rare loss, Blom said: “I want to play this guy again, because I didn’t feel he was so good. I don’t think he deserved to win.”

Swede Has Wins Against Daniel Negreanu and Tony G

The Swede’s incredible run of success has also seen him beat out competition from Team PokerStars Pro Negreanu, Team PartyPoker Pro Tony G, Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates, Eugene Katchalov, Attila Gulcsik, Scott Palmer, ‘Mastermixus’, Rui Cao and Terje Augdal.

If you are interested in watching the challenge play out, get over to PokerStars on Sunday, select ‘Hold’em’, and then ‘No-Limit/Pot-Limit’ to locate the poker games listed under ‘Showdown’ tables.

Now, as well as being able to watch all the thrilling action, players can also take on Blom in a SuperStar Showdown. If you reckon you’ve got the skills – as well as the determination and stamina – then email [email][email protected][/email] and lay down the gauntlet. However, make sure you are serious about the challenge as only those offers that are considered sensible will receive a response from PokerStars.

If you are not already signed up to PokerStars – and maybe fancy a pop at Blom – then read our PokerStars review here or take a visit to the poker room right now to take advantage of their 100% first-deposit bonus of as much as $600 – or £400. Click here to visit PokerStars.

Previous SuperStar Showdown Match Results (9-2 to Blom)

1. Challenger: Isaac Haxton, Blinds: $50/$100, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isaac Haxton, Money Won: $41,701

2. Challenger: Tony G, Blinds: $50/$100, Games: No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $44,280

3. Challenger: Daniel Cates, Blinds: $50/$100, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $51,196

4. Challenger: Eugene Katchalov, Blinds: $50/$100, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $111,750

5. Challenger: Attila Gulcsik, Blinds: $5/$10, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $5

6. Challenger: Daniel Negreanu, Blinds: $50/$100, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $150,000

7. Challenger: Daniel Negreanu, Blinds: $50/$100, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Daniel Negreanu, Money Won: $26,500

8. Challenger: Scott Palmer, Blinds: $50/$100, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $61,362

9. Challenger: Mastermixus, Blinds: $5/$10, Game: No-Limit Hold’em, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $1,279

10. Challenger: Rui Cao, Blinds: $5/$10, Games: No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $150,000

11. Challenger: Terje Augdal, Blinds: $5/$10, Games: No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, Winner: Isildur1, Money Won: $150,000

The Black Diamond Poker Open continues to crown winners! Here are the latest updates from the field. Russell W won Contender Series Event #5, a $2,000 Guaranteed Pot Limit Omaha Event that featured a buy-in of just $10+1. He claimed $695.21 for the win and was soon joined by Frank O, who added $721.52 to his bankroll for winning Contender Event #6. Frank used a $3+.30 buy-in to win the $2,000 Guaranteed Turbo Rebuy event.

Contender Event #7, the $3,000 Guaranteed Shootout 6-Max event featured just a $20+2 buy-in, but that's all it took for Edward B to claim victory and $910. Daniel H. earned $524.60 for his victory in Contender Event #8, the $1,000 guaranteed turbo event.

There are still plenty of events coming for online poker players that want to get in on the action! With two series of events (Contender and Championship) offering tournaments aimed at every player, satellites that start at just $1 and guaranteed prize pools of up to $250,000, the Black Diamond Poker Open offers something for every player!

Visit Bovada's Black Diamond Poker Open page to get more details and download their software so you can get started right away! In addition to events like the BDPO, new online poker players at Bovada can also get a bonus of up to $1,000 with their first deposit while enjoying the best player support in the business!

Even as several organizations, individuals, and gambling companies across the US are pressing for federal legalization and regulation of the online poker industry, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has come up with arguments against federal legalization. The NCSL has informed Congress leaders that legalization of online poker should be left to individual states. Two major law makers have written on behalf of the NCSL, in which they have cited the US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) ruling of December, stating that the 1961 Federal Wire Act does not apply to online poker, but only to betting on sports. This ruling gives the states the power to legalize and regulate its online gambling industry, they feel. Carol Fukunaga, the senate of Hawaii state, and Greg Wren, the representative for Alabama, both co-chairs of NCSL Communications, Financial Services, and Interstate Commerce Committee, wrote, “The NCSL believes the federal government should respect the Justice Department ruling and would oppose any efforts by Congress to preempt state authority over Internet gaming.” They have addressed their letter to Republican as well as Democratic leaders in the Senate as well as the House. A copy has also reached Harry Reid, the majority leader in Senate.

Citing the fact that the NCSL has long been opposed “to unwarranted federal pre-emption of state authority,” the lawmakers have requested Congress leaders to leave it to individual states to decide whether or not they must legalize and regulated the online poker industry within their respective territories.

The letter states, “We ask Congress to respect the sovereignty of states and to not consider any legislation that would overturn the Department of Justices ruling or to consider any legislation that would regulate gambling at the federal level. States have long been able to choose whether or not other forms of gambling should be legal and have been very successful in its regulation. We also ask that the federal government respect the rights of states that choose to prohibit Internet gaming.”

Besides the NCSL, officials of states that run lotteries are also not enthusiastic about federal legalization and regulation of the online poker industry and want this authority to belong to individual states.

Simultaneously, federal legalization of the online poker industry also has strong support. A large number of top land-based casino companies, including the American Gaming Association (AGA), which is based in Washington DC, are in support of federal laws for online poker gaming.

Source: NCSL Opposes Federal Legalization of Online Poker

Reports that the most important people in the poker industry over the past year hail from Canada. Canadian Jim Ryan, co-CEO of bwin.Party – the company behind Party Poker – came in second on the 2012 “Power 20” list published by Bluff Magazine this month. And despite all the troubles faced by Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, and other online poker companies in 2011, PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg, also a Canadian citizen, came in first on the list. Canadian Mitch Garber, CEO of Caesars Interactive Entertainment and Party Gaming CEO before Jim Ryan, came in fourth, no doubt in part thanks to the groundbreaking deal between Caesars and 888 Holdings, the company behind 888 Poker. Daniel Negreanu, the famed pro poker player from Toronto, was the sole player to make the list at all.

“Caesars’ CEO being on the list is no surprise”

“Caesars’ CEO being on the list is no surprise,” said G-poker spokesman Jeremy Taylor. “Caesars just made a deal with 888 Holdings, who operates 888 Poker, which could really pave the way for a change in North American online poker. 888 were already one of the most influential companies in online poker worldwide, but since the shutdown-related events surrounding Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker in April last year, 888 filled the gap and quickly became the definite leader of online poker in Canada.” Read more here: Unique Treats and Free Cash at 888 Poker

“Party Poker was always big in Canada,” added Taylor. “While Party doesn’t employ many pro players, they do invest in Kara Scott thanks to her widespread appeal in Canada. She’ll be the face of the Montreal Party Poker Classic charity event later this month, in fact.” For more details: Party Poker Are Practically Giving Cash Away.

“It’s easy to see why these men have had so much positive influence on poker,” concluded Taylor. “There is clearly a shift away from the American market while the government sorts out new laws regarding online gaming. It’s companies with international appeal, especially in the Canadian market, that are filling in the gaps.”

More information on the leading online poker sites: Google

The 2012 PaddyPowerPoker-com Student Masters kicks off today at 2 p.m. in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin. The €100 + €10 buy-in, student-only event sold out last year and so it was moved to the Burlington Hotel for this year’s installment.

The event features an estimated €20,000 in prize money, plus the winner gets a seat worth €3,500 into the upcoming Irish Open. Play will be paused when nine players remain and the final table will recommence on the eve of the Irish Open, Apr. 5, at 6 p.m.. Once a winner is found, he/she will go on to represent poker-playing students all over Ireland in the longest running no-limit hold’em tournament in the world (aside from the World Series of Poker).

Today, players sit down to a starting stack of 10,000 and blinds of 45 minutes, kicking off at 25-50. There will be a 15-minute break after every three levels, with a 45-minute break after level 6. Last year Jamie Flynn took home €3,000 from a €12,000 prize pool and received an Irish Open main event seat for topping a field of 127.

Aside from the Student Masters, PaddyPowerPoker-com is hosting a €150 + €15 buy-in no-limit hold’em Irish Open satellite with three Irish Open main event seats worth €3,500 each guaranteed.

The live satellite, which kicks off at 6 p.m. this evening at the Burlington Hotel, will allow for two rebuys or one rebuy and one add on.

Source: Student Poker Masters 2012 Kicks Off - European Poker News

Holdem Indicator, an advanced online poker odds calculator, has added support for Sky Poker. If you've never heard of Sky Poker before, chances are you're not from the United Kingdom, as Sky Poker is primarily focused on that area of Europe. According to PokerScout-com, there will be plenty of players affected, as Sky Poker has a seven-day running average of 400 real money ring game players.

Holdem Indicator is a member of the PokerSoftware Recommended Program and is one of our most popular pieces of software on the site. It automatically attaches itself to your online poker table and reads your cards to boot. Holdem Indicator will run itself in the background while you concentrate on when to hold and when to fold.

Holdem Indicator also displays a variety of stats on each of your opponents, including the number of hands logged, VPIP, PFR, 3bet, Steal, Aggression Factor, Cbet, and WSD. These appear in a colorful, easy-to-read Heads-Up Display that you'll be able to reference at any point during your session.

As Holdem Manager's staff put it, you'll obtain "indicators" of your opponents' play, which will in turn enable you to determine your optimal course of action.

Sky Poker isn't the only room that Holdem Indicator has been partnering with. Holdem Indicator and Omaha Indicator will soon become the official odds and stats calculators for the Merge Gaming Network site Carbon Poker. A representative of Holdem Indicator told PokerSoftware, "We're working now to make a customized version for the Carbon Poker site. It will be totally free for all Carbon players." Along those lines, Holdem Indicator has been aligned with Paddy Power Poker for several years. The Irish-centric online poker room bills Holdem Indicator as a "Free Poker Calculator" that automatically attaches to your table, instantly computes stats so you don't have to skip a beat, can operate in mini mode, and provides a wealth of opponent statistics. Both Holdem Indicator on Paddy Power and the Paddy Power software itself are completely free. PokerStars also has Holdem Indicator on its white list.

When you fire up Holdem Manager, you can launch up to 20 instances of the program at once. Each of the Holdem Manager windows will work independently, so, once again, there is nothing you need to focus on besides playing. As if you needed any more time-saving functionality, text found on Holdem Indicator's website explains, "You can click 'Tools' > 'Settings' on your Holdem Indicator. Select the option 'Find New Game Tables Automatically.' After that, Holdem Indicator will open a new instance automatically if there's a new game table available."

One of the most attractive features of Holdem Indicator, in our opinion, is the program's Win Odds. To learn what that term means, we'll turn to our review of Holdem Indicator here on PokerSoftware: "Holdem Indicator includes a feature called Win Odds, which will not always be perfectly accurate, but does a much better job than any other odds calculator we have seen. It doesn't just look at how strong your hand is; it looks at how many players are in the hand and how likely they are to have various ranges. The algorithm is very effective at the lower limits."

Novice players are advised to check out Holdem Indicator, which runs $89.95. If that price is a little much for your bankroll to stomach, you can get Holdem Indicator free through PokerSoftware. Just sign up and deposit on a brand new online poker room and complete the play-through requirements to get a free piece of software. We've had hundreds of PokerSoftware readers do so. Visit our Free Software landing page for more details.


Source: Holdem Indicator Adds Sky Poker Support

Bally Interactive Vice President of Business Development John Connelly said he didn't expect federal legalization of online poker anytime this year, despite assurances by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that he'll try to get it through.

"An election year makes things a little more complicated," Connelly said.

Reid's efforts haven't produced any publicly circulated drafts of a bill or any proposals since late 2010. Caesars Entertainment Corp. and other casino companies have lobbied for federal legislation to regulate online poker and to allow states to opt out if they choose. Connelly said the gridlock in Congress would be an "obstacle moving forward."

He said legalizing online gaming is moving forward on a state-by-state basis. Nevada was the first state to adopt rules allowing companies to apply for licenses to operate poker websites in the state.

According to the regulations, companies with Nevada licenses would have the new title attached to their licenses; companies new to Nevada would be vetted with full licensing investigations, which usually take months.

Licensed gaming companies seeking online poker license will have to prove that their technology will be able to limit play to state residents of legal age. Online poker sites are also required to establish procedures to detect money laundering, fraud or other criminal activities, and to establish a cushy reserve to complement money deposited by customers in their accounts.

"We hope to see the first licenses by June in Nevada," Connelly said.

He said California, Iowa and Mississippi were just a few of the states with legislation legalizing online poker. Connelly said a state-by-state approach raises challenges for online poker, especially in terms of liquidity.

He said intrastate gaming is available to players in one time zone, instead of three.

"Also, the cost to maintain these players is increasing," Connelly told casino executives, government regulators and others during a panel discussion about the future of online gaming at iGaming North America.

The conference addressing all aspects of Internet gaming was held March 4 to 6 at Planet Hollywood Resort. Panels assessed the economic impact of a regulated online gaming market, effective strategies for social media and an overview of the industry.

Connelly said hand-held and mobile devices are other distribution channels to generate online gaming revenue. He said 400,000 iPhones and 850,000 Android smartphones were being sold each day worldwide.

"The evolution of (Internet) gaming is with handheld and mobile devices, not personal computers," Connelly said.

Sue Schneider, principal with eGamingBrokerage-com, reminded attendees during a panel discussion titled Interactive Gaming -- The View from 30,000 feet, that there is legal Internet gambling in the United States already -- horse racing.

"It doesn't have big numbers, but it has been around for a while," Schneider said.

Mark Balestra, director of BolaVerde Media Group, said online wagering of horse races has been hampered by the restriction on moving money online for payment.

There are a number of horse racing betting sites in the United States, including TVG, Twinspires-com and Xpressbet-com.

Mike Tobin, CEO of Continent 8 Technologies, said to look at online poker as a gambling business was the wrong approach.

"These are Internet businesses or Internet commerce sites," he said.

Tobin said people with technology and marketing backgrounds created online gambling sites in Europe, not executives with gambling experience. As the regulatory environment changes, he said Nevada will find itself as the top brand for regulations.

Tobin didn't think federal legislation regulating online poker was possible.

But with the rapid growth of Internet gaming in Europe and a recent U.S. Department of Justice memo acknowledging that only sports wagering is illegal under the federal Wire Act of 1961, large commercial casino companies are lobbying for federal regulation of the industry.

Caesars Entertainment Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Halkyard said there is a growing consensus among law enforcement, consumer safety and child advocates, and the casino industry about the need for reform of federal Internet gaming laws and strict regulation of online poker.

"The status quo was unacceptable before last December's (Justice Department) opinion," Halkyard said. "It's even more unacceptable today."

Halkyard told attendees of his keynote address at the iGaming North America conference that the company's change in position on online poker has "mirrored that of the American Gaming Association."

The Washington D.C.-based trade association in March 2011 called on Congress to enact legislation that would allow states to license and regulate online poker and ensure that players aren't being cheated.

He said that "certain regulatory safeguards must be put in place" before online poker can be legal. Halkyard said the games must be fair, offer secure payment, deal with problem gambling and be restricted to adult players.

He said Caesars Entertainment had always advocated for a federal solution.

Halkyard said a regulated online poker industry would "increase overall industry revenue and profits, not cannibalize them."

Source: Las Vegas Business Press :: News : Federally legislated Net poker not expected soon

After just three weeks on the table, an online gaming proposal in Mississippi is now in the muck.

The Mississippi Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2012 died in committee this past Tuesday.

The measure, which was in response to the recent Department of Justice flip-flop, would have allowed existing gaming licensees to offer Internet wagering.

Before an online site could operate, the Mississippi Gaming Commission would have adopted rules for the industry.

The state, which first legalized gambling in 1990, has about 160 poker tables from its 30 casino licensees.

Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts have casino interests in Mississippi. All three entities will likely be involved in Nevada online poker.

With a Mississippi bill on the rail, other states are still pushing for a licensed and regulated intrastate industry.

Iowa has legislation in the works, but nearly 70 percent of its residents are against making the activity permissible. A local lawmaker recently said the plan won’t pass.

Both California and New Jersey have active plans, despite failing in previous years. Nevada, after a minor blunder in letting the District of Columbia legalize online poker first, sits miles ahead of its competition in seeing the first real-money site. D.C. made the activity legal in 2010, only to repeal the measure under a cloud of controversy and political drama.

With federal legislation falling deeper into the abyss on Capitol Hill, the Silver State is wielding a big stack in the states race.

Regulators have already adopted rules for the intrastate industry, and subsequently some of the biggest Internet poker companies in the world are seeking approval to do business. Last week, Card Player had the exclusive on PartyPoker submitting an application.

Despite the progress, there is still zero indication of when exactly Nevada could have a real-money site.

Source: Mississippi Online Poker Bill Hits The Muck

Andrew Kim from the USA has won the PokerStars Asia Pacific Poker Tour Seoul main event taking down the top prize of KRW145,000,000 (£129,688) for topping the 268-strong field in the Korean capital.

Kim beat runner-up and fellow countryman Vincent Rubianes after striking a deal fourhanded. At the start of heads up play Kim had just over 3 million in chips while his opponent had 2.1 milllion and he picked his spots carefully, gradually wearing down Rubianes until the final pre-flop showdown saw all the chips go into the middle with Kim holding ASpade Suit KDiamond Suit and TDiamond Suit TClub Suit. He hit an ace on the flop and never looked back.

The final table payouts were:

1: Andrew Kim — KRW145,000,000 (US$129,668)
2: Vincent Rubianes — KRW90,500,000 (US$80,943)
3: Rafael Rodrigo — KRW94,500,000 (US$84,520)
4: Moritz Ortmann — KRW106,000,000 ($94,806)
5: Sasa Zorc — KRW43,000,000 (US$38,459)
6: Jose Severino — KRW34,000,000 (US$30,409)
7: Taewook Kwon — KRW27,000,000 (US$24,148)
8: Daisuke Endo — KRW21,400,000 (US$19,140)
9: Kenneth Wong — KRW15,889,600 (US$14,211)

Source: Andrew Kim Lifts Asia Pacific Poker Tour Title - Poker News

The latest edition of Card Player Magazine is now available online and features Chris Moorman, poker’s best all-around player in 2011. The Southend, U.K. native finished in the top ten for both the Player of the Year and Online Player of the Year race.

“Before 2011, I had a lot of close calls,” said Moorman. “I’d build up big stacks in events and lose it all on a coin flip or bad beat. This year, the variance finally started to go my way. Instead of busting on the final table bubble, I was now going into final tables with the chip lead. I also kept telling myself that I didn’t need to win every pot. I’ve definitely become more patient.”

Other features in this issue include player interviews with Vanessa Selbst, Andrew Lichtenberger, Bryan Paris and Grant Hinkle, as well as strategy columns from the likes of Matt Lessinger, Matt Glantz, Matt Hilger, Ed Miller, Gavin Griffin, Andrew Brokos and Michael Cappelletti.

Right now, you can test device a digital subscription by viewing one of the free articles that includes a Poker Life with David Bach and strategic analysis from Bart Hanson and Matt Matros.

The magazine, as well as an archive of more than 500 issues, is available to be viewed in rich media flash versions or mobile-friendly HTML formats. All you need to view each issue is a digital subscription.

All current print magazine subscribers get free digital magazine access by logging into their Card Player account and verifying their subscription.

Source: Latest Edition of Card Player Magazine Now Available Online - Poker News

This past weekend saw six events and six winners in the Black Diamond Poker Open, so let's just cut to the chase! Contender Series Event #9 was a $1,000 guaranteed stud poker tournament and Edward B took the top spot, winning $360.00 for his $15 buy in. Contender Series Event #10 featured a $2,000 guaranteed hyper-turbo no limit hold 'em tournament and $593.40 went to Justin M. Scott S won Contender Series Event #11, a $2,000 guaranteed no limit hold 'em tournament, pocketing $594.13.

Contender Series event #12 was a $5,000 guaranteed no limit hold 'em tournament and Robert C got a very tidy $1,338.54 for his excellent play at a competitive final table. That could only be beaten by Andrew K's performance in the Contender Series Event #13, a $15,000 Guaranteed Knock-Out tournament, where he earned $3,075.00. Event #14 was a $5,000 guaranteed turbo no limit hold 'em tournament won by Larry R, who got $1234.25.

There are still plenty of events coming for online poker players that want to get in on the action! With two tournament series (Contender and Championship) offering events aimed at every online poker player and satellites that start at just $1, it’s easy to get started. Adding in the fact that there are guaranteed prize pools of up to $250,000, it’s easy to see why the Black Diamond Poker Open is the best event going right now!

Visit Bovada's Black Diamond Poker Open page to get more details and download their software so you can get started right away! In addition to events like the BDPO, new online poker players at Bovada can also get a bonus of up to $1,000 with their first deposit while enjoying the best player support in the business!


Source: Six Winners Crowned In Black Diamond Poker Open | Gambling Beat News

An expert on the New Jersey Constitution told an Assembly committee in Trenton Monday that the legislature could pass a bill legalizing online poker without the need for a ballot question in November.

Sounds like good news for those backing the legalization of online poker (including a lot of new Twitter followers, I notice), right?

That part, yes, because a prominent law professor and husband of a state Supreme Court Justice dismissing the key concern of Governor Christie helps tip the scale in favor of an expedited process.

But Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester, perhaps that body’s chief leader on gaming issues and a member of today’s committee, told me that the group needed time to “digest” this testimony as well as last week’s comments by Washington, D.C.-based attorney Behnam Dayanim, who spoke about how online poker technology works in practice.

Source: Expert says no referendum needed for NJ to add online poker | Meadowlands Matters | NorthJersey-com

Fantastico !

Iowa would be one of the first states in the nation to allow Internet poker under a bill approved Tuesday night by the Senate.

No legislators spoke against the overall bill, which passed in a bipartisan 29 to 20 vote.

Advocates said the bill would help resolve a leakage of Iowa gambling money flowing overseas that by some estimates could be as much as $30 million a year.

Read more: Iowa Senate says yes to online poker | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

While Todd Brunson and other poker pros debate Snooki's outer beauty, we're here to bring you the biggest news around the poker world. In this edition of the Nightly Turbo, we're covering Daniel Negreanu's victory at the WPT charity event, the death of Mississippi's online gambling bill, and more.

In Case You Missed It

Paul Jones won the 2012 PokerStars WBCOOP Best Blogger award. Jones sat down with Chad Holloway to discuss his win and what he did to catch the eye of readers.


Read more: The Nightly Turbo: Negreanu Wins WPT Charity Event, Mississippi Bill Dies, and More | PokerNews

DES MOINES — Backers of a bill to legalize online poker and bring it under state regulation were dealt a winning hand in the Iowa Senate Tuesday, but they may still have to fold if Republicans who control the House choose not to deal with the issue this session.

Read more: Senate passes online poker bill

An expert on the New Jersey Constitution told an Assembly committee in Trenton Monday that the legislature could pass a bill legalizing online poker without the need for a ballot question in November.

Read More: Expert says no referendum needed for NJ to add online poker | Meadowlands Matters | NorthJersey-com

After a slow start on Day 1A with only 63 runners, Day 1B saw the number of entries go up to 151 and a further 13 re-entries on the second starting day boosted the entries to 227. The prize pool of £133,920 was distributed amongst the top 36 players and especially the excellent structure of this deepstack event with 77,000 starting stack and blind levels that last 77 minutes each attracted some of the best British poker players.


Read More: English Victory at the Mega Poker Series Main Event 2012 in Nottingham - MarketWatch

Every week, Bovada hosts thousands of online poker tournaments, ranging from single table events to their massive $100,000 guaranteed events, and that's on top of events like the Black Diamond Poker Open! There's really no way we can cover all of them, but we do want to make sure you keep up with who won the biggest of the big games so you know how hot the action is there.

So, who took the top spot in this past Sunday's $100,000 guaranteed online poker tournament? Robert P came in first this week, earning $20,000 for their victory. He was followed by Shawn C ($13,500) and Scott T, who rounded out the top trifecta while pocketing $10,000. Here's how the rest of the final table fared: Beau T($7,500); Matthew K ($5,260); Philip J ($4,000); Bryan T ($3,000); Christian K ($2,000) and Diane B ($1,350).

In addition to show-stopping Sunday events, Bovada hosts a series of regularly-scheduled big-money online poker tournaments for players, and here are the winners for last week!

• March 05 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: Hoang D
• March 06 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: Jason T
• March 07 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: Sherry K
• March 08 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: Joseph H
• March 09 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: John F
• March 10 — $10k Guaranteed Turbo Double-Stack: Andrew W
• March 11 — $15k Guaranteed Turbo Double-Stack: Patrick C
• March 11 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: Andrew W
• March 11 — $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: James M

Bovada's guaranteed tournaments mean that there's always a big cash pool and with more players getting in on the action every week, that means there's more to be won! Play poker online at Bovada and get your share today!

DES MOINES, Iowa — A measure that allows existing gambling operations in Iowa to offer Internet poker passed the Senate on Tuesday night.

Supporters said residents already gamble online and the proposed bill would create oversight through new regulations. It also would bring in additional state tax revenue.

The Senate approved the measure on a 29 to 20 vote.

Read More: Iowa Senate approves Internet poker measure - CBS News