Poker News Digest 6/2/2009 – 6/5/2009

• Ultimate Bet is rewarding anyone who wears the online poker room’s gear while winning the Main Event of the 2009 World Series of a poker a $10 million endorsement deal. And when we say anyone, we mean anyone. All you have to do to register for the promotion is go to the Bellagio in Las Vegas, ask to be connected to Phil Hellmuth (no, you won’t really reach Phil Hellmuth), and you will be escorted to Ultimate Bet’s suite to signup and pick up your gear. You do not have to win a seat on Ultimate Bet to participate. The $10 million endorsement will be split up into $1 million dollar installments paid over 10 years. In addition, those who register will be invited to Ultimate Bet’s WSOP party on June 29th at Studio 54 at MGM Grand. Ultimate Bet’s pros, such as Hellmuth, Annie Duke, and Tiffany Michelle will be in attendance, and an $8,500 Aruba Poker Classic package will be given away.

• Instead of holding its regularly scheduled $250,000 guaranteed tournament on Sunday, June 14th, the iPoker network’s William Hill will hold a $535 buy-in tournament in which 40 seats to the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event will be guaranteed to be awarded. For every additional $13,000 over the $520,000 total guaranteed value of the prizes, an additional seat will be awarded, so the number of seats could easily eclipse 40, depending on the number of players. The seats will be part of a $13,000 prize package given to each winner, which consist of the $10,000 spot in the Main Event, $1,900 for travel and expenses, $850 for seven nights accommodation at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, which is where the WSOP is being held, and $250 for registration fees. Satellites are currently available for those wishing to participate in the tournament for less than $535.

• The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) feature a new made-for-TV special tournament called the Caesars Cup, which will pit eight American poker players versus eight European poker players to see who rules the felt. Daniel Negreanu will captain the American team while the inaugural WSOPE champ, Annette Obrestad will captain the European team. No-Limit Hold’em will be the game played in all matches, which will consist of both heads-up competitions and partner matches. With each victory, players will earn points for their teams. The captains will choose all but one player for their teams. The final European player will qualify on Betfair Poker. Harrah’s has not said how the final American will qualify.