Latest news with #WorldSeriesofPoker
Business Wire
16-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Texas Card House Celebrates 10 Years of Poker and Second Season of Trailblazer
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Texas Card House first opened its doors 10 years ago in Austin, Texas. The private poker club became the first of its kind. Since then, the company has grown into a leading chain of entertainment venues, setting a new standard for the poker experience. The success of their inaugural proprietary tournament, Trailblazer, underscores the brand's expertise and commitment to delivering top-tier poker experiences. Share With six locations operating 24/7 across Texas, Texas Card House has built a strong reputation among players of all levels. Each venue offers unique features and promotions designed to appeal to everyone—from casual and beginner players to seasoned professionals. The Social locations in Austin and Las Colinas elevate the experience even further, offering full-service fine dining that enhances every visit. Private rooms and full-floor rental options make Texas Card House an exceptional choice for corporate events, bachelor parties, and group outings. The success of their inaugural proprietary tournament, Trailblazer, underscores the brand's expertise and commitment to delivering top-tier poker experiences. The tournament was a resounding success. The tournament tour made stops at all 6 locations giving out $7 million along the way. There were over 18,000 entries and high stakes games every day for the chance to win $1 million and a Chevy Trailblazer SUV at the final table. Texas Card House has just announced the second season of the Trailblazer Tournament tour along with the dates of each stop. There is already a lot of buzz and anticipation not only across Texas but around the world. The excitement is palpable as TCH ambassadors, including last season's winner Mallory Klaus, represented Texas Card House at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. As updates and information about the second season of the Trailblazer Tournament tour are released, Texas Card House will continue to captivate new audiences and further establish its reputation. For more information on events, promotions, and poker offerings, visit About Texas Card House: Texas Card Houses are the premier poker destinations of Texas. Featuring up to 70 poker tables, craft cocktails, an upscale atmosphere, and full-service restaurants at their Social locations. Texas card house provides an exceptional environment for all levels of players and invites you to experience a new level of excitement and entertainment
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Florida CFO is a seasoned poker player with nearly half a million in winnings
Florida's new Chief Financial Officer is used to handling money. Sometimes he's playing cards over it. Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped staunch ally Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, on July 16 to be his new CFO after the post was left vacant for months. Former CFO Jimmy Patronis left on April 1 for his new job as Northwest Florida's member of Congress. Ingoglia is a businessman who owns homebuilding company Hartland Homes and has a net worth at $28.3 million, according to his most recent financial disclosure. Some of that came from poker winnings: The new CFO is an internationally ranked poker player who has earned $469,668 in winnings since September 2005, according to although he hasn't played in over a year. "Everyone asks me what's the difference between poker and politics," he said on the Battleground Florida podcast in 2019, "and I tell them that there's a lot less lying going on in poker." Does Blaise Ingoglia play poker? Since 2005, Ingoglia has played in 27 poker events in the World Series of Poker, the Poker World Tour, and other games. His last recorded game was in June 2024. He favors Omaha, he said, but his best game is "probably no-limit Hold-Em." "Obviously I like to have my priorities straight," he told Battleground Florida host Christopher Heath. "My businesses, my family. And I take my job as state representative very seriously. So, I would only play poker when I have ability to." Ingoglia said he had gotten interested in the game after watching it on TV and happened to be vacationing in Las Vegas when the World Poker Tour was there. He bought in "not even knowing how to fully play the game." After that he was hooked, calling poker "one of the few things that actually relaxes me." "There are similarities between poker and politics and policy," Ingoglia said. "You always have to be thinking two, three, four steps ahead of your opponent, whether it's at the poker table or whether it's a political adversary or whether it's just trying to maneuver to get great legislation across the finish line." The new chief financial officer said that was one of the reasons he enjoyed poker and policy: "I'm pretty good at both.' What is the most Blaise Ingoglia has ever won at poker? In September 2006, Ingoglia stood up from the 2006 Borgata Open in the World Poker Tour with $261,901 on a $9,700 buy-in. Winner Mark Newhouse took the pot of $1,519,020. In March 2024, Ingoglia made it to the final table in a World Series of Poker Circuit event, finishing 8th out of 669 players and taking $22,565. The least amount Ingoglia has won, according to data, was $941 in the 2020 Pinktober Poker Open. Has Blaise Ingoglia introduced gambling bills? In 2024, Ingoglia sponsored a bill (SB 1054) that would have allowed existing gaming permit holders to move their operations to a different location within 30 miles, without dealing with local regulations that might have blocked it, as long as the new locations was not within 15 minutes of any Seminole Tribe-operated casinos. The bill died in committee. As a state representative in 2019, he sponsored a successful bill to exempt security information about the Florida Lottery and personal information about retailers and vendors from public records searches and requests. Mostly during his time in political office his bills have addressed criminal justice, firearms regulations, consumer protection, sewage conversions. His successes in the last Florida legislative session include: (co-introduced): Allows presidential libraires to be built in Florida without local government regulations or oversight. (co-introduced): Makes it a third-degree felony to abandon a dog restrained outside during a natural disaster. (co-introduced): Establishes a model process for local governments to divert mentally ill inmates from jail to treatment. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: New Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia is internationally-ranked poker player Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Controversial poker player William Kassouf banned from WSOP in wild scene: ‘I'll remember your faces'
One of the most annoying players in poker has been banned from the game's biggest stage. William Kassouf, a controversial figure known for his excessive stalling and table chatter, was banned from World Series of Poker events for the rest of 2025 after he was eliminated from the No-limit Hold'Em World Championship Saturday in Las Vegas. Tournament director Dennis Jones informed Kassouf that he had been banned, and the 43-year-old was escorted from the Horseshoe Events Center by security. Kassouf, who is from England, drew the ire of his opponents, plus officials, dealers and just about everyone else in attendance for the WSOP Main Event, which runs through Wednesday. Throughout the tournament, Kassouf had the clock called on him, because he would try to take as much time as possible before his moves in a tactical effort. Eventually, on Day 6 of the Main Event, the officials put a 10-second shot clock on Kassouf for each decision, which greatly angered the London native. 3 William Kassouf getting escorted out of the World Series of Poker Main Event Saturday night. @pokerorg/X Then, on Day 7, Kassouf erupted in frustration when he was called for a shot clock violation on the first hand, arguing that the officials hadn't given him enough time to make a decision. That incident led to a one-round penalty for verbal abuse of an opponent, and Kassouf was threatened to be banned from the tournament if he didn't get his act together. He did not. 3 William Kassouf arguing with an official at the World Series of Poker Main Event over the weekend. WSOP/Pokergo Kassouf continued to clash with Jack Effel, the senior vice president of poker operations and WSOP for Caesars Entertainment, and with other players at the table. After he was eliminated, Kassouf told the table: 'Disgrace. You're all pathetic. I'll see you next year. All of you, I'll remember your faces. I'll see each one of you next year. I'm going to bang you all up.' He was banned shortly thereafter. 3 William Kassouf is one of poker's most controversial players. WSOP/Pokergo Kassouf, who is also a lawyer, did emerge from the event with $300,000 in winnings. 'I'm here to play my game my way. If everyone wants to sit there in silence, say nothing, headphones, hoodies, sunglasses on, that's their prerogative. I have no issue with that,' Kassouf told PokerGO. 'I've not called a clock on anyone in the whole tournament when they've been tanking for like three minutes preflop, four minutes postflop. I gave them respect, let them play their game. They want to call a clock on me after 10 seconds, five seconds, whatever, 20 seconds.'
The Hill
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Senate GOP blocks push to restore gambling losses deduction
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked an effort by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) to restore the 100 percent tax deduction for gambling losses after it was cut down to 90 percent in President Trump's massive tax and spending package that became law last week. Cortez Masto attempted to restore the full deduction via unanimous consent on the floor, arguing that the provision, which many Senate Republicans were unaware of until the entire bill became law, would harm her state immensely. Las Vegas is known as the 'gambling capital of the world.' 'It will do irreparable harm to our nation's gaming industry if it takes effect — especially in Nevada,' she said on the floor, adding that it will 'disincentivize' gamblers, pointing to those competing at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas this week. 'It will move major events that drive our economy offshore and push wagering into illegal markets, and it could punish tourists who come to Vegas to win big,' she added. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) objected to her effort, but also sought to amend it before passing it once again. Young noted that he is actually supportive of Cortez Masto's bill to restore the full deduction, but said that he wanted a carveout from the endowment tax for religious institutions. The provision was initially stricken from the 'big, beautiful bill' by the Senate parliamentarian. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) eventually objected to the amended proposal. 'The Republican bill is full of special carveouts for some groups, new taxes on others,' he said. 'The fact is when you rush a process like this this way and cram in all of these policies that you haven't really thought about, you risk some consequences for people back home, and that is what is going on here and this attempt by our colleague to pass this special tax carveout for just one institution.' The University of Notre Dame is part of Indiana, which Young represents. 'It is a shame we cannot pass this common sense fix because Republicans want to weigh it down with unrelated measures that they voted to support,' Cortez Masto said, adding that she still hopes to get the revision across the finish line eventually.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Phil Hellmuth crashes out of WSOP with gut-wrenching bad beat
Phil Hellmuth has been around card tables long enough to suffer a bad beat or two. His latest might be one he struggles to forget. On Day 3 of the World Series of Poker, the 17-time bracelet-winner went all-in before the flop with ace-king off suit. Across the table, Michael Zulker held pocket queens and, understandably, took his time before deciding to call Hellmuth. The only two left in the hand were dealt a 3-4-jack flop. Zulker had a 72 percent chance to win — until the dealer turned over a king on the turn. Now Zulker only had one out left. He needed a queen to win. Incredibly, he got it. After the turn, Hellmuth had a 95 percent chance to win. If only he could live in that moment a bit longer. You can't fault Hellmuth for being aggressive with ace-king and you surely can't fault Zulker for matching that aggression with pocket queens. This wasn't someone getting psyched out or a veteran player muscling out the competition. Hellmuth got lucky. Then he got an immediate dose of karma. There are bad beats and then there's a five percent chance of your tournament getting blown up only to watch it come true. Congrats to Zulker. Better luck next time, Phil.
