someone bought Obama into the Main Event - Poker News

Incidentally, Mr. Sklar called me over just after I counted his chips.

"I've got some real good news for you," he said, "I'm the one who bought President Obama into the main event."

Indeed, it turns out that Mr. Sklar some days ago had the good fortune to meet the President, and handed him an entry ticket to the WSOP Main Event. He tells us that President Obama's exact words were, "I might take you up on that." Mr. Sklar showed us a photo on his phone of the President to prove this. Extraordinary.

Were that not cool enough, it seems that Mr. Sklar stands to make a lot of money if the President does indeed show up to claim his seat. He has $40 with Chris Ferguson at 25,000:1 and another $2 with Phil Gordon at 100,000:1 that the President will play a hand at this year's WSOP. So that's a cool $1.2 million for Mr. Sklar if the President plays a single hand at this year's Main Event. We at PokerNews are thoroughly hoping that Mr. Sklar wins his bets. Marvellous.

Does buddy get a refund when Obama doesn't show?

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06-29-2009 , 06:18 AM

DaExMan

veteran

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,161

Those bets can't be real

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06-29-2009 , 06:19 AM

technologic

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 5,049

wtf makes such a ridiculous bet to collect 40 bucks?

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06-29-2009 , 06:35 AM

thejem

old hand

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,532

yah nice line for sure

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06-29-2009 , 06:35 AM

pnazari

veteran

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 2,118

that would be a great idea for the PPA to do, except give the incentives to the kind of people who could actually make it happen.

the president playing is a great thing for all poker players around the world, and whatevermoney they collect would be well spent on that kind of initiative. not to mention that whoever is sponsoring the world series would benefit greatly from it happening - so they could reasonably pitch a lot of money at it.

the beauty of it is that the only pay if they get results.

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06-29-2009 , 06:40 AM

smicser

banned

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 295

Quote:

Originally Posted by technologic

wtf makes such a ridiculous bet to collect 40 bucks?

when it comes to Ferguson, he's in a win-win situation..

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06-29-2009 , 06:42 AM

isapistola

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,613

Quote:

Originally Posted by technologic

wtf makes such a ridiculous bet to collect 40 bucks?

Someone who has more riding on it than just the money involved in the bet (ie. someone who owns a poker site and would get a huge flood of new customers if the UIGEA was overturned).

Having the president playing poker is a commercial easily worth millions to poker sites.

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06-29-2009 , 06:48 AM

Kclclclclfhg

grinder

Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 670

Are there actually people in this thread who don't think that even the idea of him showing up is laughable?

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06-29-2009 , 06:49 AM

ICrushVBJ

adept

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 751

Agreed, I think Ferguson would pay $1 mil just to have the president play, regardless of bets.

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06-29-2009 , 06:54 AM

#10

PropPlayer

Sports Betting Mod

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 3,798

If Obama wears UB logos I quit poker forever.

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06-29-2009 , 06:59 AM

#11

jroc3fitty

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 129

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kclclclclfhg

Are there actually people in this thread who don't think that even the idea of him showing up is laughable?

I'd say the odds are under 25,000 to 1, not by much. So I guess that is laughable.

Only way it could conceivably happen is if Obama was promised 1/2 mill to a charity for turning up to play for 1/2 hour or something. That might bring it down to 10,000 - 1

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06-29-2009 , 06:59 AM

#12

J0hny

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 6,456

If Obama wears Intel Poker T-shirt i quit poker forever

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06-29-2009 , 07:21 AM

#13

lucky_scrote

Verified Mindset Coach

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 716

Quote:

Originally Posted by J0hny

If Obama wears Intel Poker T-shirt i play on stars forever

FYP

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06-29-2009 , 07:27 AM

#14

Montius

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,224

Obama v. McCain hu4rollz imo.

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06-29-2009 , 07:34 AM

#15

gj_Sha0l1n

centurion

Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 117

impossible

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06-29-2009 , 07:43 AM

#16

TheCptCool

veteran

Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2,049

There is absoultely no way that Obama will play. I would love it.

Seriously NVG. If Obama will play just one hand at the MainEvent I will get his picture holding aces tattooed with the subtitle "I cracked the Presidents Aces".

No joke. Will provide pictures.

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06-29-2009 , 07:51 AM

#17

Freudian

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 5,838

I think there is a bigger chance that Tiffany Michelle wins the ME and that Annie Duke says "It is a great day for women poker players" afterwards than Obama playing in the ME.

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06-29-2009 , 07:51 AM

#18

hard2tel

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 15,750

one time amirite

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06-29-2009 , 07:52 AM

#19

levin_money

centurion

Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 130

He would never play the main event, simply because his advisers would never let "President Spends 4th of July Gambling in Vegas" become a headline even in The Onion.

BUT a really smart person would have invited him to the Ante Up for Africa tourney or bought him in, because obviously Obama <3's both Africa and poker, and that event is not on the 4th of July.

Something to think about for next year if it can't happen in '09.

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06-29-2009 , 07:52 AM

#20

jtown1010

veteran

Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,830

seems like a tactical nightmare for secret service

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06-29-2009 , 08:07 AM

#21

blink20

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,164

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtown1010

seems like a tactical nightmare for secret service

I sort of agree but then again he hasn't really been shy about showing up in many places.

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06-29-2009 , 08:08 AM

#22

bluffcalls

old hand

Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,433

kind of funny when he would actually like to play ...

secret service would have to buy in some 20 agents ... they have to manipulate the drawing to have agents on his table and very close to him ...

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06-29-2009 , 08:11 AM

#23

frankie2

journeyman

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 376

Pretty sure that him taking that seat -- even if he doesn't play -- would violate the federal lobbying laws. It has value over $50 even if he doesn't play a hand.