As the Final of the 2009 WSOP draws ever closer, attention lately has been on some of the action taking place on the sideline to the Main Event. The finalists, or November Nine as they are known, will all have their sights set on the title and $8.5 million first prize, but for one of the contestants the stakes are higher still.
Phil Ivey is unquestionably the most skilled player at the table and despite sitting in 7th place has still been given the most favourable betting odds to win at 4-1. Although the $8.5 million would be a sizable amount for Ivey to win, not least as it would reflect well on his live tournament winnings which at this point is in excess of $12 million, it is his prop bets which have brought him some staggering rewards.
Ivey, who already in 2009 has 2 WSOP bracelets and around $400,000 in cashes, is rumoured to have won between 2 to 12 million dollars in prop bets as a result of those wins. If he realises his WSOP dream he could be in line for more incredible sums, which may include the $10 million Full Tilt Poker said it would pay to any FTP WSOP qualifier who went on to win the tournament.
Other side action includes Tom Dwan paying Ivey $1 million if he wins and Andy Bloch laying $20,000 against Ivey at 99 to 1 while there were still 2,400 players left in the tournament, the result being Andy losing $2 million should Ivey succeed. There is also Phil Gordon who, despite not giving a specific figure did say regarding the bet “My wife was upset with me… We’re quaking in our boots,”
The outcome of all this is that in the event of a first place finish, Ivey could not only pocket an extra $33 million but the flood of endorsements and promotional offers that would ensue would likely confirm him as the richest poker earner in the history of the game and further cement his legendary status.
