My WSOP Experience

As some of you know, this was my first time attending the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada.  I have been wanting to go for many years now, and this year I finally got to do it.

Thanks to Ultimate Bet, Absolute Poker, and the Cereus Network I was able to go to Vegas, stay for a week at the Rio Hotel and Casino, and play in my first World Series of Poker event.  I played in event number 54 which was a $1000 buy-in.

However, to get to play in the event, I had to do a "prop" bet with my friend Gregg "Maniac Magee" Mardirosian.  This was a promotional contest that UB was running.  Well, we won and our bet was that whoever busted out of the tournament first had to get their losing hand with the UB logo tattooed on their body.  Also, to top it off the loser had to meet and marry a girl in Vegas before they could come home to FL.

Thank god I outlasted Gregg in the tournament.  He busted out with pocket aces.

As you can see, he ended up getting the tattoo on his thigh.  You have to give him credit for doing it.

As for the wedding...We came close.  He met a girl, who was probably to good for him, and he purposed to her at the Ultimate Bet Party that was help in the Mandarin Bar on the 23rd floor of the Mandarin Oriental in the new city center.

I have great video of that which I will post later.  Anyway, she said yes, but Vegas law states that you cannot get a marriage license after 2 am anymore.  I believe that law was just passed 2 weeks prior.  Had that not been in place I really think that Gregg would have gotten married.  It was wild, we had poker pros Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Mark "poker ho" Kroon, Trishelle Cannatella, Tiffany Michelle, Maria Ho, Anthrax's Scott Ian and even actor/comedian David Alan Grier cheering on the proposal.  It was a blast!

Anyway the wedding didn't happen and Gregg eventually went home to FL.  So he is still in debt to me for not finishing the bet.  We probably will be continuing this at the Florida Poker Championships. (see other post)

All in all I had the time of my life.  Other highlights of my trip besides mingling with all of the big name poker pros and celebrities in the private Phil Hellmuth suite everyday, were attending the BLUFF magazine party at Sapphire.  They are great people and know how to throw a great party.  Renting a Corvette and driving to Hoover Dam (even though it was about 110°).  Of course getting to play in the WSOP, attending "The situation's" birthday party. Just kidding, I really did, but it was on accident while meeting my cousin at Vanity night club inside the Hard Rock Hotel.  And last but not least meeting Chumlee from Pawn Stars.  LOL.  I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you.

I can definitely say it is something you have to experience if you are into poker and have never been.  Granted I got the "red carpet" treatment and was VIP everywhere, but it still has an amazing vibe and sense of excitement that I have never experienced before.  It was just amazing to see the utter size of the poker rooms where the tournaments are played.  If you are as much into poker as I am, it was a breathtaking view, as you can see here.---------------------->

It was magical when the room was full of poker players all with one thing in mind, winning a bracelet.
The shuffle of the cards and clinking of the chips was music to my ears.  I am thinking of recording that and playing it when I go to sleep at night.

All in all I can't wait to go back next year and maybe win a bracelet of my own.  That would be amazing.  And in case you are wondering, I did play very well.  There were over 3700 entrants in my event and I busted out inside the top 20%.  It was out of the money, but to best over 3200 hundred people for my first World series with the pressure of  the prop bet hanging over my head, I am quite proud of myself.

Look out WSOP 2011!