Aussie Millions Online Sats

[nickkaka]

I truly hope that we get 1000+ runners for this thing.....

[grunter]

Originally Posted by Chambers

i wouldn't worry about numbers. Tim is right and I think you'll find that a shitload of the full tilt pros will come down for the event anyway- because they love australia and its a holiday for them down here.

I think the micro gaming network (whatever redkings poker is on) are running satellites as of now aswell. There will be a boatload of european sites running satellites aswell. Titan and tony G will run them (ipoker) too.

Furthermore, alot of international players will be coming simply because of the APPT in sydney a week or two earlier- they'll kill two birds with one stone playing in 2 high buy in events in 2 of the best cities in the world, run by 2 of the best tournament directors in the world.

If there is a drop i still reckon there will be at least 600 players for the main event and i think they would still guarantee a 1 million dollar first prize.

But, as nikkaka makes obvious- it's really tilting not being to satellite in on any sites other than pacific which barely gets any feeder satellites- spending $500 USD a week on a single satellite can get expensive- so the exposure of available satellites up to this point has been pretty weak, admin just said they'd generate a list very soon which is really handy.

Also, on top of kenna rounding up iconic players, i reckon joe hachem will be doing his best to get all the pokerstars pros to come to the Aussie millions after the APPT especially since it's now not affiliated with full tilt, and how much he loves this event and his relationship with crown.

they've gtd 2 mil for 1st.

Do the math. They will get a heap of players

[FlopNutsOnYou]

Originally Posted by grunter

they've gtd 2 mil for 1st.

Do the math. They will get a heap of players

Maths is overrated, all about gut feeling

[Duff85]

Originally Posted by grunter

they've gtd 2 mil for 1st.

Do the math. They will get a heap of players

I was going to get on here and flame Duckworth for being a fool.

But when you put it like that I think your most likely going to be correct. I've always thought that at least half of the field of the Aussie Millions was made up of internet related players etc... be it through the Full Tilt sponsorship or the extensive online qualifiers. I suppose that the prize money on offer is going to contribute in no small part to the number of players that show up. Where does the 2 mill guaranteed for 1st sit the Aussie Millions in terms of tourneys worldwide - It'd be ahead of nearly all the WPT events?

[luckyshades]

I hate disagreeing with Grunter, just because he is so damm SXC and is pretty good at the pokerz aswell ... but ...

I don't necessarily think that them having a $2m first prize means everything is ok.

The PokerNews Cup guaranteed first prize of $250,000 but in order to meet the first prize they had to skim money from all the other final table placings because they over-estimated the number of runners they would get.

First was $250,000 and 2nd was less than half that at only $120,000.

Compare that to Vic Champs where first got $200,000 and 2nd got $135,000
- a much more standard payout structure.

Having $2m guaranteed for first is good, but not if it screws up the payouts for the other places like we saw at PokerNews Cup.

Aussie Millions will continue to be the premier Australian poker event - but losing Full Tilt is a huge setback imo and I think the odds are very long that we will get the same number of runners as we have seen in the last 2 years.

[Brian McDonald]

I really think most people are erring on the side of optimism.

Sure we've all heard the pro's saying that they love coming down here for the Aussie Millions, but that's because they get paid to come for a holiday in their winter and around christmas time.

They get their airfare paid, their tickets arranged, their accomodation in a 5 star hotel arranged for them.

They get boat rides on a toxic river and tickets to the tennis, all complimentary. Not to mention a $10,000 entry into a tournament that was fast becoming a must-play for the serious pros.

There are tournaments for qualifiers with bounties on the pro's heads, big bux cash games with locals dressed up as carnivourous species who may or may not embarass themselves by insulting world class superstars.

There are lots of online players who have won an entry, airfare and accomodation to an exotic location over the Xmas period.

In addition there are a large quantity of European players and professionals from other online sites such as Poker Stars not to mention the European sites who like to promote their own businesses.

However, unless the tournament is either sponsored by Full Tilt or Poker Stars there is a very real likelihood that it will revert to days of yore where it was a great idea but far too far away and too much trouble to arrange travel, accomodation and time off work without the guarantee of a large field to get the imagination going for a good payday.

My prediction is that there will only be a handful of overseas pro's take the trouble to come for the AM.

So we will lose the name players who create the buzz before the events. We lose 150+ players that Full Tilt flew down last year.

There is every chance that only a bare minimum of Poker Stars pros will play. Perhaps Joe Hachem will talk some into playing but without the presence of the world's best players, a great number from Europe will drop off also.

If we take last years number of 750+ and take away most of Full Tilt's entourage of pros and qualifiers. Take away Poker Stars smaller contingent and the european qualifiers, it would not be too difficult to subtract at least 200 from that number.

In addition you have to include Aussies & Kiwi's who qualified online or who don't live near a major casino and you have a further 100 players.

I hope I'm wrong but if there are over 500 players in 2009 it will be a major achievement.

Either way, whatever happens in 2009 and certainly the financial situation can't be helping, every effort should be made EARLY to make sure 2010 is not a repeat.

A major sponsor should be found many months beforehand which will give some confidence to players worldwide to know they have an appointment in January in Australia for many years ahead to look forward to.

[luckyshades]

Brian, whilst I agree with your general sentiments, I think it's naive to think that Crown didn't actively pursue a major sponsor for the Aussie Millions.

I'm fairly certain that they would have been scouting out the big sites, but unfortunately most of the sites already have their own premier tournament series around the World.

I'm sure Stars would LOOOOOOOVE to pick up the Aussie Millions, but not if you put it in direct competition with their hugely popular PCA tournament or the APPT events in Australia and South East Asia.

Maybe in future years participants in the Aussie Millions will be able to enjoy the Spring Racing Carnival or the AFL Grandfinal instead of the Australian Open Tennis ???????

[grunter]

If there is not 650+ runners it would be the single greatest surprise that I have come across in the pokerz this year.

[TheSharkBoy]

Jonno has not been successfully running Crown's poker room for nothing... he knows what he's doing.

I would safely assume that he is aware of ALL the recent issues that might have an effect on the AM, and is taking steps to make sure it is still a great series.

So ppls. Chillax. If you qualify 9 weeks before the ME, or 2 decades before the ME, it doesn't matter, you can still qualify.

[thkcduckworth]

Originally Posted by nickkaka

Don't get all personal mate

Sorry if it came out that way, but that wasn't my intention - i was just trying to state the facts


The numbers full tilt brought to our shores over the past two years will definitely be a big loss, but like i said at least 80% will return plus you'll find a bunch of new pros being recruited by the Crown staff

Originally Posted by nickkaka

It seems like a joke on numbers - meaning that I would expect a considerable drop from the 780 we had in 2008. Some have set the over/under line at 500

I will put everything i own on the overs, and also be willing to put a chunk of it on a line of 750 - i'm that confident (touch wood, fingers crossed it doesn't come back to bite me on the ass!!!)

Originally Posted by nickkaka

FTP, Stars - who would I choose - fair point, however iPoker is not running any as yet, only 888 and Ongame (as far as I know) - the lucrative US market is being left out

Not having a bunch of satellites running into the states is obviously a massive problem, but with FTP out and stars with other interests 888 etc are the only options for the 2009 A.M.

Crown is putting alot of effort into their live satellites, which will provide a bunch of entrants like each year (hopefully including myself again!!!)