PokerWorks

In case you missed them in our daily News Flash, here's the rewind for your reading pleasure:

Spoofing a Gambling Study

It seems that every month another gambling study is released. This one is a bit different, as the Onion spoofs the very idea, as the supposed research being done by the University of Nevada at Las Vegas gets out of hand. The researchers cannot stop looking for more data and that one big breakthrough. “We’re due for a big payout,” said one researcher. “That’s the way it is in this business of high-stakes research. One big winning test group can make your whole study.”

Beth Shak Stepping Out

Beth Shak plays poker in the occasional live tournament as well as online as a Full Tilt Poker red pro, though her results have been sparse since her deep run in a 2007 WSOP preliminary event. With sights set on Hollywood and a new dating life since her divorce, though, she will soon pursue both on the Bravo television network. “The Millionaire Matchmaker” is a show that pairs wealthy men with beautiful and intelligent women, and Shak will be one of those featured women on Season 3 of the show.

Home Game Robbers Beware

Robberies of home poker games are becoming more frequent, but the thieves who get caught pay a hefty price. Stanley Smith robbed a home game in Cleveland and escaped with $11,000, but he was eventually caught, prosecuted, and now sentenced. The armed robbery got Stanley a guilty finding on 20 counts of robbery, which resulted in 10 years in jail. Another man who helped with the robbery is already serving an 18-year sentence.

PokerStars Italian Poker Tour

The success that PokerStars found with ventures like the European Poker Tour have been historic, though some of its smaller tours produced more modest successes. But the Italian Poker Tour has surprised many, especially with its most current stop in Venice, the second location of Season 2 of the IPT. An record-breaking 782 players turned out for the tournament, creating a prize pool of nearly €1 million. The winner this week will take home €235,000.