Winter is coming. And that means big decisions for poker players around the world. Bracelets in The Bahamas? WPT’s World Championship in Vegas? Or snow with the EPT in Prague? In this daily series, we’ll find out what the players are up to and, more importantly, why.
While December is a big month for the WPT, WSOP, and EPT holiday events, the man who put the ‘boom’ in poker is planning to head down to his own Moneymaker Poker Tour for the Orange City Racing and Card Club events in Florida, which launch tomorrow, December 4. But then where?
Where are you playing in December after the Moneymaker Poker Tour?
I'm going to jump to the WSOP to play the $25K Super Main Event in the Bahamas. If I have to, I’ll fire four bullets, as the $50M guarantee is enough to entice me.
What is your take on the WPT, WSOP, and EPT clashes?
First of all, I didn't even know about the EPT event. Obviously, I know about the WSOP and the WPT series this December. Competition is a good thing, but we will end up having massive overlays, and overlays are not good for poker. They're good for a specific event for players, but overlays are not good for poker overall.
If you have overlays, it will make companies not want to push the envelope and try for bigger things. I guess the WSOP and the WPT are both fine with overlays at the moment. But for the long term, and the longevity of the game, someone will have to pay for it if we keep having overlays. It's going to end up being the players.
The Moneymaker Tour Orange City is up against this packed schedule – how will that work out?
It’s true. We are running about the same time as the WSOP Paradise. But we don't feel like we're a big competitor for the WSOP. I think the smallest buy-in for the Bahamas WSOP is $2,000, and our biggest is $1,600. It's two different player pools.
The Moneymaker Poker Tour enjoyed a huge 2024, including stops in Las Vegas and the Caribbean. Will you be playing the $500K WSOP buy-in?
I thought about playing the $500K. I know half the field is going to be soft. But it doesn't matter. You could lose a flip. There are so many bad things that can happen. It seems silly to play one tournament for that much money.
So just the $25K Super Main Event then?
I've got a lot of stuff going on at home. I've got a lot of things going on up at the Moneymaker Social Club in Louisville. Then my tour is going on. December is a busy month.
What do you think of the WPT $5M freeroll?
That's life-changing for a lot of people. I'm all for that in poker. That's kind of my whole story: rags to riches. That $5 million passport will potentially change several people's lives.
It's kind of crazy that companies have that much money to give away for freerolls and promotions, but that's a great thing.
What does the Moneymaker family do for Christmas?
Right now, we just had ten puppies get born. We found a dog on the side of the road, and that happened. We have 21 animals in the house right now. I look forward to giving away puppies to loving families over the next two weeks.
We will probably do what we did for Thanksgiving: get a big meal and hunker down. After traveling for my tour and the Bahamas, Christmas will be a low-key thing, with just my wife, me, and the three kids. This is the first year my son, my youngest, is transitioning into the adulthood of Christmas.
He doesn't believe in Santa Claus anymore. It takes some of the joy out of Christmas for my wife and me. I don't want to say it messes up the Christmas spirit, but it's more special when your kids believe in Santa.
We loved the whole cookie and milk thing, tracking Santa on NORAD. I even tried once to get in costume as the fat man. That’s the fun part. Now it'll be just a nice meal and the trading of gifts. I am sure it will be a wonderful Christmas anyway.
