Third player reportedly involved in a chip-dump scheme at the World Series of Poker, according to Negreanu's assertions.
In the recent WSOP Millionaire Maker event, a controversy arose due to allegations of chip dumping among the final players. The centre of the storm was a separate incentive offered by ClubWPT Gold, a rival operator, which promised a $1 million bonus to the winner if they clinched the tournament [1][3][5].
Daniel Negreanu, an ambassador for GGPoker, which now owns the WSOP brand, criticised this promotion, labelling it the "sleaziest promo" he's heard of in 30 years [1]. He suggested that the final two players, Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll, may have had a financial incentive to eliminate the third-place finisher, Josh Reichard [2].
Negreanu did not place blame on the players, stating they were put in a difficult position by the ClubWPT Gold promotion [1]. He revealed that the third-place finisher was indeed approached for a potential deal but declined [1].
The controversy reached a climax when Yaginuma made a comeback from a significant chip deficit heads-up, eventually winning the tournament. However, many observers noticed suspicious play by Carroll, who appeared to be helping Yaginuma [2][3][4].
The WSOP launched an investigation into these allegations, resulting in no official winner, no gold bracelet, and a chopped prize for Yaginuma and Carroll [1][3][4]. Reports suggest that one or both players might have received bans from future WSOP events, but this has not been officially confirmed by WSOP organizers [1][3][4].
Negreanu expressed his disapproval, stating that the ClubWPT Gold promotion gave "a black eye to poker" and that ESPN wrote a piece about cheating at the WSOP [1]. He declared that there were no winners in the WSOP Millionaire Maker controversy, which tarnished the reputation of poker [1].
Despite the controversy, Negreanu stated that both players will receive their prize money [1]. He discussed the incident on his daily WSOP vlog on Wednesday [1]. This incident serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities in tournament integrity when external bonuses influence player behavior [1].
[1] - PokerNews [2] - Poker Central [3] - PokerGO [4] - Cardplayer Lifestyle [5] - Bluff Europe
- The controversy surrounding the WSOP Millionaire Maker event sparked discussions about the influence of casino-culture and casino-games, as external bonuses offered by ClubWPT Gold potentially influenced player behavior, leading to allegations of chip dumping.
- Amid the investigations into chip dumping in the WSOP Millionaire Maker event, Daniel Negreanu, a casino-personality and ambassador for GGPoker, criticized the ClubWPT Gold promotion, asserting that it gave a black eye to poker and tarnished the reputation of casino-and-gambling culture.
