Bodog Poker Open
The Bodog Poker Open (BPO) is a collection of poker tournaments under the title sponsor Bodog Entertainment. As one of the youngest series of online poker tournaments, the Bodog Poker Open has only had two main events to date. While only in its first year of existence, the BPO has showed promise for growth. To learn more about the Bodog Poker Open and Bodog Poker in general, read on.
The history of the Bodog Poker Open
There were numerous satellite tournaments that led up to the Bodog Poker Open Main Event. Satellite events are tournaments that feature a smaller buy-in than the buy-in posted for the Main Event. The low buy-ins of satellite tournaments attract many entrants, because some of the satellite tournament winners win seats in the Main Event. Satellite events for the first BPO began on February 11 and continues up to the beginning of the BPO preliminary events. All in all, there were ten BPO Main Event Satellite tournaments. Here are the different tournament formats implemented for the BPO satellites:
* $40+4 buy-in
* $50+5 buy-in
* $69+6 buy-in
Aside from the satellite tournaments, there would also be five preliminary events before the Main Event. The first of these No Limit tournaments took place on the third of March 2008. Buy-in for the preliminary events was $250+20. Bodog also added $10,000 to the event prize pool. Aside from the prize money, entrants were also competing for a seat in the Bodog Poker Open Main Event.
The Main Event of the inaugural Bodog Poker Open took place at 4pm EST on March 9, 2008. Buy-in for the Main Event was $500. Bodog guaranteed an additional $25,000 to the prize pool. The winner of the Main Event was awarded with a share of the prize pool, as well as an engraved Omega Speedmaster watch worth over $4,000. A total of 596 players competed in the first Bodog Poker Open Main Event and, in the end, Shawn “phatcat” Luman prevailed, taking home over $76,000 in prize money.
By the end of the first ever Bodog Poker Open, 2,000 players had joined the tournaments. The total prize pool for the event almost reached $600,000, not to mention the $75,000 that Bodog added to the pots.
The second Bodog Poker Open, better known as BPO II, took place in September 2008. The Bodog Poker website name the second series “the biggest week in Bodog Poker history,” as they were expecting a bigger outcome and a larger pot prize. Bodog also promised a grand prize of $300,000 to the winner of the Main Event. In total, the BPO II tournament series had a guaranteed prize pot of $650,000. The Bodog Poker Open II was the largest and richest tournament in the history of Bodog.
The first event of the Bodog Poker Open II took place on September 28, 2008. Fourteen events took place over the eight day schedule of the BPO II. Like the format of the first Bodog Poker Open, all of the events were Texas Hold'em events. The differences between the tournaments were the limits, with some events following rules for No-Limit, Limit, and Pot Limit Hold'em. Of the 14 events, eight were titled “Championship Events,” while the other six events were called “Bounty Tournaments.”
Bounty Tournaments were introduced for the first time in BPO II. In Bounty Tournaments, BPO II players are pitted against the champions of BPO I. Different buy-in rates were pegged to each Bounty Tournament, ranging from $15 + $1.50 events to $100 + $9 events. Aside from the accumulated buy-ins, Bodog also promised to add between $5,000 and $15,000 to Bounty Tournament prize pots. Some of the returning champions who played as bountied players include “bigcatfish”, “PckAces”, and BPO I Main Event winner “phatcat”. Team Bodog Featured Players, such as “head2782” and “ari”, also had bounties on their heads. Players who are able to knock out out a bountied player will earn T$109 (Tournament dollars awarded by Bodog) to be used in any satellite of the BPO II Main Event.
The first Championship Event of the Bodog Poker Open II took place on September 28, 2008. The No Limit Hold'em event featured a $50 + $5 buy-in, with rebuys allowed. Bodog added $10,000 to raise the total prize pot for the event. Later that day, the second Championship Event took place. Bodog guaranteed a $30,000 prize pot for Championship Event #2. The No Limit Hold'em event had a buy-in of $200 + $15. On the 29th of September, the third Championship Event commenced. A total of $75,000 in prize money was guaranteed by Bodog, including the $250 + $20 buy-in for the No Limit Hold'em event.
The fourth Championship Event of the BPO II took place on the 30th of September. A total of $60,000 was guaranteed in total prize money. The Six-handed No Limit Hold'em tournament had a $300 + $25 buy-in. Championship Event #5 took place on the first of October, 2008. An amount of $30,000 was guaranteed by Bodog in the $200 + $15 Pot Limit Hold'em event. The sixth Championship Event had a guaranteed prize pot of $75,000. The No Limit Hold'em event with rebuys had a buy-in of $100 + $10. The final Championship Event before the Main Event was scheduled to begin on the third of October. With $20,000 guaranteed, the Fixed Limit Hold'em tournament had a $150 + $12 buy-in.
The final Championship Event was the BPO II Main Event. Bodog promised a $300,000 prize pot, which is the largest prize pot that the site has ever guaranteed. The winner of the BPO II Main Event was “zubs1aa”, with a grand prize of $75,000. “ElRubio” was the runner-up, with $45,000 in winnings. As the BPO II came to a close, the numbers reported in with a total of 3,539 entrants and over $700,000 in prize money.
Bodog Entertainment and the Bodog Poker Open
The title sponsor of the Bodog Poker Open is Bodog Entertainment. Founded in 1994, Bodog Entertainment developed into a music, entertainment, and online gambling company. With their headquarters in Antigua, Bodog Entertainment is also licensed in Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Kahnawake, the United Kingdom, and San Jose. The Bodog Poker Open is part of the Bodog online poker room. Aside from the poker room, they also offer an online casino, racebook, and sportsbook. The founder of Bodog Entertainment is Calvin Ayre. As part of Bodog Poker, Bodog Entertainment also maintains Team Bodog, which is their team of professional poker players.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act was passed by the US Government in October 2006. According to the act, banks are not allowed to entertain clients from the online gambling sector. Bodog Entertainment continued their online gambling sites, despite the fact that numerous online gambling sites had stopped endorsing the US market. Still, the Bodog Poker Open grew between the first set of tournaments in March 2008 and the second set in October 2008. Bodog Entertainment shows their support and campaign for growth through the large guaranteed pots that they offer. In terms of poker player population, the Bodog Poker Open is ranked as one of the most popular poker gambling sites not only in the US but also around the world.
The history of the Bodog Poker Open
There were numerous satellite tournaments that led up to the Bodog Poker Open Main Event. Satellite events are tournaments that feature a smaller buy-in than the buy-in posted for the Main Event. The low buy-ins of satellite tournaments attract many entrants, because some of the satellite tournament winners win seats in the Main Event. Satellite events for the first BPO began on February 11 and continues up to the beginning of the BPO preliminary events. All in all, there were ten BPO Main Event Satellite tournaments. Here are the different tournament formats implemented for the BPO satellites:
* $40+4 buy-in
* $50+5 buy-in
* $69+6 buy-in
Aside from the satellite tournaments, there would also be five preliminary events before the Main Event. The first of these No Limit tournaments took place on the third of March 2008. Buy-in for the preliminary events was $250+20. Bodog also added $10,000 to the event prize pool. Aside from the prize money, entrants were also competing for a seat in the Bodog Poker Open Main Event.
The Main Event of the inaugural Bodog Poker Open took place at 4pm EST on March 9, 2008. Buy-in for the Main Event was $500. Bodog guaranteed an additional $25,000 to the prize pool. The winner of the Main Event was awarded with a share of the prize pool, as well as an engraved Omega Speedmaster watch worth over $4,000. A total of 596 players competed in the first Bodog Poker Open Main Event and, in the end, Shawn “phatcat” Luman prevailed, taking home over $76,000 in prize money.
By the end of the first ever Bodog Poker Open, 2,000 players had joined the tournaments. The total prize pool for the event almost reached $600,000, not to mention the $75,000 that Bodog added to the pots.
The second Bodog Poker Open, better known as BPO II, took place in September 2008. The Bodog Poker website name the second series “the biggest week in Bodog Poker history,” as they were expecting a bigger outcome and a larger pot prize. Bodog also promised a grand prize of $300,000 to the winner of the Main Event. In total, the BPO II tournament series had a guaranteed prize pot of $650,000. The Bodog Poker Open II was the largest and richest tournament in the history of Bodog.
The first event of the Bodog Poker Open II took place on September 28, 2008. Fourteen events took place over the eight day schedule of the BPO II. Like the format of the first Bodog Poker Open, all of the events were Texas Hold'em events. The differences between the tournaments were the limits, with some events following rules for No-Limit, Limit, and Pot Limit Hold'em. Of the 14 events, eight were titled “Championship Events,” while the other six events were called “Bounty Tournaments.”
Bounty Tournaments were introduced for the first time in BPO II. In Bounty Tournaments, BPO II players are pitted against the champions of BPO I. Different buy-in rates were pegged to each Bounty Tournament, ranging from $15 + $1.50 events to $100 + $9 events. Aside from the accumulated buy-ins, Bodog also promised to add between $5,000 and $15,000 to Bounty Tournament prize pots. Some of the returning champions who played as bountied players include “bigcatfish”, “PckAces”, and BPO I Main Event winner “phatcat”. Team Bodog Featured Players, such as “head2782” and “ari”, also had bounties on their heads. Players who are able to knock out out a bountied player will earn T$109 (Tournament dollars awarded by Bodog) to be used in any satellite of the BPO II Main Event.
The first Championship Event of the Bodog Poker Open II took place on September 28, 2008. The No Limit Hold'em event featured a $50 + $5 buy-in, with rebuys allowed. Bodog added $10,000 to raise the total prize pot for the event. Later that day, the second Championship Event took place. Bodog guaranteed a $30,000 prize pot for Championship Event #2. The No Limit Hold'em event had a buy-in of $200 + $15. On the 29th of September, the third Championship Event commenced. A total of $75,000 in prize money was guaranteed by Bodog, including the $250 + $20 buy-in for the No Limit Hold'em event.
The fourth Championship Event of the BPO II took place on the 30th of September. A total of $60,000 was guaranteed in total prize money. The Six-handed No Limit Hold'em tournament had a $300 + $25 buy-in. Championship Event #5 took place on the first of October, 2008. An amount of $30,000 was guaranteed by Bodog in the $200 + $15 Pot Limit Hold'em event. The sixth Championship Event had a guaranteed prize pot of $75,000. The No Limit Hold'em event with rebuys had a buy-in of $100 + $10. The final Championship Event before the Main Event was scheduled to begin on the third of October. With $20,000 guaranteed, the Fixed Limit Hold'em tournament had a $150 + $12 buy-in.
The final Championship Event was the BPO II Main Event. Bodog promised a $300,000 prize pot, which is the largest prize pot that the site has ever guaranteed. The winner of the BPO II Main Event was “zubs1aa”, with a grand prize of $75,000. “ElRubio” was the runner-up, with $45,000 in winnings. As the BPO II came to a close, the numbers reported in with a total of 3,539 entrants and over $700,000 in prize money.
Bodog Entertainment and the Bodog Poker Open
The title sponsor of the Bodog Poker Open is Bodog Entertainment. Founded in 1994, Bodog Entertainment developed into a music, entertainment, and online gambling company. With their headquarters in Antigua, Bodog Entertainment is also licensed in Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Kahnawake, the United Kingdom, and San Jose. The Bodog Poker Open is part of the Bodog online poker room. Aside from the poker room, they also offer an online casino, racebook, and sportsbook. The founder of Bodog Entertainment is Calvin Ayre. As part of Bodog Poker, Bodog Entertainment also maintains Team Bodog, which is their team of professional poker players.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act was passed by the US Government in October 2006. According to the act, banks are not allowed to entertain clients from the online gambling sector. Bodog Entertainment continued their online gambling sites, despite the fact that numerous online gambling sites had stopped endorsing the US market. Still, the Bodog Poker Open grew between the first set of tournaments in March 2008 and the second set in October 2008. Bodog Entertainment shows their support and campaign for growth through the large guaranteed pots that they offer. In terms of poker player population, the Bodog Poker Open is ranked as one of the most popular poker gambling sites not only in the US but also around the world.