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PowerShares is one of the world's largest and well-known ETF providers. Founded in the year 2003, PowerShares specializes in smart beta and actively managed ETF products, but was also a pioneer in. 18.1k Followers, 980 Following, 565 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from PokerShares (@pokershares). Managers of the extensive line of active and passively-managed PowerShares exchange-traded funds. Offers product information and tools.
The coronavirus outbreak shut down casinos in Macau in early February and now some poker players believe that the emerging pandemic is at risk of shutting down the 51st annual World Series of Poker this summer in Las Vegas.
As the number of cases worldwide escalates to, at the time of writing, more than 83,000 and spreads outside of mainland China into other regions of the world, there are some high-profile poker pros who are willing to take bets that the event will be canceled.
Wednesday evening, former high-stakes poker pro and three-time WSOP bracelet winner Doug Polk quote tweeted someone claiming that there needed to be a discussion about the viability of the event amid the outbreak. Polk said there “is a real chance of WSOP being canceled.”
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I think there is a real chance of WSOP being cancelled. There are just so many countries that fly in and with severe travel restrictions it might not be realistic. https://t.co/IkgVNFNrdI
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkPoker) February 27, 2020
True to his gambling form, Polk wanted to put his money where his mouth was and said that he would be taking bets from other people who believed that the event would go on as planned. He would take all action as long as he was being laid 20:1 on his bet.
Looking for more action, I want 20:1 that all Live Las Vegas WSOP events will be canceled this year.
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkPoker) February 27, 2020
At the time of Polk’s tweets, those in charge of the WSOP had no intention of canceling the event but said they were continuing to monitor the outbreak and could make changes if necessary.
“We’ve been monitoring the situation and will continue to lean on the experts in this field for guidance,” said Seth Palansky, Vice President of Corporate Communication for the WSOP. “At this time, all our events and schedules remain intact and are planned to go on without interruption. We would be prepared to expand measures to ensure the safety of our guests and employees, again leaning on the experts.”
We are monitoring COVID-19 developments and have no plans to cancel WSOP.
— WSOP (@WSOP) February 28, 2020
Polk wasn’t the only pro that wanted to take bets, however. Shortly after, high roller and PokerShares founder Mike McDonald tweeted that he would take slightly worse odds than Polk on the wager, provided his opposition is willing to risk at least $40,000.
I'll take 16:1 (2.5k vs 40k min)https://t.co/8DGWp7UnkJ
— Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) February 27, 2020
Dan O’Brien decided that if the price was good enough for McDonald, he would take action at 16:1 as well. Later in the day, McDonald dropped the price to 12:1, at which point O’Brien did the same.
I'll take 16:1 (2.5k vs 40k min)https://t.co/8DGWp7UnkJ
— Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) February 27, 2020
Not everybody was as pessimistic as those three, however, and at least a few notable pros took McDonald up on his offer. 12-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Josh Reichard tweeted at McDonald to work out the details of a prospective bet through a private message. His tweet alluded to the possibility of two-time WSOP bracelet winner David “ODB” Baker betting against McDonald as well.
I am interested in the same amount ODB booked if you are accepting more action. DM to work out the details
— Josh Reichard (@JReichard45) February 27, 2020
Doug Polk now installed as a -555 favorite in the upcoming heads-up challenge against Daniel Negreanu
A string of shaky results in warm-up matches hasn’t hurt Doug Polk’s odds against Daniel Negreanu in the eyes of PokerShares.
The poker betting platform shifted the odds even more in favor of Polk over the weekend. Bettors can now take the favored Polk at 1.18/-555 payout odds, or choose Negreanu at 5.20/+420 underdog odds. Those lines shifted Sunday from previous lines of Polk at 1.25/-400 and Negreanu at 4.10/+310.
PokerShares posted the updated lines on Twitter, in response to a tweet from Polk outlining his difficulties playing in warmup matches on the Winning Poker Network throughout August. Since agreeing to take on Negreanu in a heads-up challenge, Polk hit the online felt for the first time in more than a year, taking on selected challengers in heads-up cash games.
Not going to sugarcoat this, I have beaten almost none of the opponents I have played since I got back into playing HU. It has basically been a 30-35 buyin beatdown by people playing all kinds of styles including the following:
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) September 6, 2020
“Not going to sugarcoat this, I have beaten almost none of the opponents I have played since I got back into playing HU,” Polk said in the tweet. “It has basically been a 30-35 buyin beatdown by people playing all kinds of styles including the following:”
Polk then goes on to list some of those styles, including “Misclicking every 30 hands, 4 Betting me 20%, Streaming their session on Twitch,” as well as “Can’t figure out how to sit the table.”
Polk’s opponents in the heads-up matches have included Twitter followers that Polk agreed to play, along with top players like Landon Tice, ‘VeniVedi1993’, and Marty ‘forrestranfar’ Mathis.
“All in all, either my fanbase of small to mid stakes players are either some of the strongest hunl players on the planet, or there may be trouble in paradise,” Polk says in a later tweet.
In light of this new information we have raised out limits 1000% and drastically shifted our odds ➡️ https://t.co/EDEGw5jUG8https://t.co/zwpBuWHKKspic.twitter.com/p2zgCosGfg
Absolute Poker Free Play
— PokerShares (@pokershares) September 6, 2020
PokerShares still posts Polk as the heavy favorite
In response to Polk’s thread detailing the heads-up warm-up match woes, poker betting market PokerShares responded with an announcement that the odds have shifted even further in Polk’s favor, with betting limits increased on the Polk vs. Negreanu match.
“In light of this new information we have raised out limits 1000% and drastically shifted our odds,” PokerShares posted in a tweet.
The latest odds place Polk as more than a 5-to-1 favorite, with betting limits increased to €2,000. The line lists that bets are only valid if Polk and Negreanu agree to play between 10,000 and 25,000 hands.
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The listing posts the date of the match as September 30, but with a provision that further details of the match are TBA. Neither Negreanu nor Polk has announced an official date for the challenge.
Heads-up challenge brings Polk out of retirement
The rivalry between Polk and Negreanu spans most of the last half-decade, and the latest social media spar between two of poker’s most recognizable players led to Polk’s comeback to poker.
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In late July, Polk and Negreanu engaged in a Twitter exchange that spilled over into an entry on Negreanu’s Full Contact Poker blog. Poker.org coverage of the Polk vs. Negreanu challenge includes details and reactions to that social media back-and-forth, a direct message mix-up that almost sunk the challenge before it even began, and an op-ed by Jon Sofen that looks at the actions of both players across the years-long rivalry.
The date hasn’t been officially set yet, but at some point Polk and Negreanu will battle each other heads-up, giving the poker world a chance to see two of the top players and most influential personalities in the game settle the score on the felt.
Featured Image source: Twitter