PokerWorks

On Sunday night, May 17, the twelfth installment of the Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) came to an end. After 25 tournaments, the series had come to an end.

The numbers were not what Full Tilt or the online community expected, as many of the events did not reach enough players to surpass the guarantees. Factoring in the tough economy, the corresponding MiniFTOPS series with lower buy-ins, and the lurking of the 2009 World Series of Poker, the overall turnout was lower than anticipated. That said, there were still 46,312 players who entered the 25 tournaments, and $17,149,300 was distributed to them in prize money. Overlays were good for the players, and the end result was success, despite the original predictions.

And throughout the 25 events, there were some amazing successes. Full Tilt pro Gavin Smith claimed his first major online victory by winning Event 7 in the series. Veteran player Berry Johnston won a HEROS tournament with Event 14. Dutch Boyd, Jason Mercier, and Travis Rice also won events, making it a bit reminiscent of the 2008 WSOP that seemed to be dominated by recognizable names and solid pros.

The main event brought a total of 4,581 players to the online tables for the $500 + $35 NLHE main event, which was hosted by Team Full Tilt member Jennifer Harman. The $2.5 million guarantee was put into effect due to the fewer players than expected, which gave the crowd a nice $209,500 overlay for the tournament.

And when it came down to the final two players, Pocketownage420 was able to come back from a severe chip deficit to ultimately defeat azzabentonaces in the heads-up match. azzabentonaces was awarded $262,500 for second place, and Pocketownage420 took home $432,400 for the win, along with a gold FTOPS jersey, gold FTOPS avatar for use on Full Tilt, and the prestigious FTOPS XII main event title.

Overall, it is difficult to call anything that generates more than $17 million and draws massive crowds to online poker tournaments anything but a success. Full Tilt Poker has demonstrated since its very first FTOPS that it knows how to put on a tournament series and continues to prove itself with each subsequent installment.

The next FTOPS has not yet been announced but will likely take place in the early fall months of 2009. Are you ready?

If not, it’s simple to get started. Download Full Tilt Poker now to set up your first account, and by using the bonus code “POKERWORKS,” you’ll qualify for an extra 100% bonus on any deposit up to $600.

There are tournaments galore, as well as cash games. And right now, as the WSOP approaches, there are hundreds of seats left to be given away to various bracelet events up to and including the $10K main event. Full Tilt Poker has already awarded 444 seats, as of the typing of this article, to the 2009 WSOP. There are tournaments, satellites, and even freerolls to qualify for the remainder of the seats. The clock is ticking, and the WSOP awaits, courtesy of Full Tilt!