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Friday, November 27, 2015

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Watch TheManM win $126,000 as Brazil stakes its claim to the MicroMillions

This month's MicroMillions festival was another huge success with 1,420,306 entrants getting a shot at $8,823,501 in prizes. That's no surprise, but something that did raise an eyebrow at PokerStars Blog HQ was quite how well the Brazilians performed.

The FIFA World Cup is coming up next summer and perhaps inspired by that Brazilians showed great creativity and flair to notch up eight MicroMillions titles. Only Russia, which by far and away puts forward the most players for this micro stakes series, managed to score more titles (12). Brazil's haul of eight wins makes up a third of the 24 they've won across all six MicroMillions festivals. If their dominance on the football pitch is anything to go by then we've all got something to worry about. I, for one, welcome our new Brazilian MicroMillions overlords.

Events won by country (top ten)
Russia 12
Brazil 8
Germany 8
Canada 7
United Kingdom 6
Australia 5
Austria 4
Portugal 4
Romania 4
Sweden 4

Click here to see all the MicroMillions stats.

Top of the pile sits Clovis "TheManM" Vulczak, a 48-year-old Brazilian who won the MicroMillions Main Event for $126,000 (following a three-way deal). Watch the MicroMillions final table below and how he turned $22 into $126,000.

Watch $22 turn into $126,000

We caught up with Vulczak to find out a little more about the new MicroMillions champ. Vulczak lives in Blumenau, a city in Santa Catarina which was founded by a bunch of German immigrants headed up by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau in the middle of the 19th Century Brazil. Brazilian flair combined with the German work ethic? No wonder Brazil's starting to pick up some big wins.

The business owner, who's been married for 27 years and has four sons, told us, "It was an amazing feeling, I and my family are very happy. I'll leave it until the holidays year-end and then think about how to spend it."

The huge tournament had 65,397 runners, which is an enormous field to get through but there was one hand in particular which stood out. One hand that changed a great payout to an astronomical one (it's hand 8 which starts at 6:30).

"When I saw the AA and 99 I was sure that I would be out of the tournament at the end of the hand, but with the flop giving a flush draw I felt it was my time and I started screaming for a club. She came and the celebration was similar to last hand of the tournament," he said.

Thumbnail image for MM6_Ev98_FT.jpg

The big money final table

Rick Dacey is a staff writer for PokerStars Blog. Follow the @PokerStarsBlog Twitter account.

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Battle of the Planets: ssv1978 locks up a $12K win in February

This month's edition of the $50,000 Battle of the Planets triple shootout freeroll was about perseverance. TRICKI1 would be knocked down to a chip count early on that most poker players would toss in thinking their tournament time was over and move on to the next one. Instead, TRICKI1 went from earning $1,700.00 in seventh place to $4,500.00 in third place after finally being knocked out by the eventual champion from the Ukraine ssv1978. Read below for the story of how they claimed that cash.

The first round and money bubble would come down to VIP SilverStar salamon10 and green6label out on Table 77. The winner would lock up $195.00 and still have a shot at the $12,000.00 at the final table. With the blinds at 150/300 ante 25 green6label holding a sizable 7,360 to 1,640 chip lead, would keep the pressure on with a shove from the button. salamon10 looking to swim upstream called immediately with pocket jacks [Jc][Js]. green6label's [8c][3h] looked very modest until a pair of eights and a trey hit the [8h] [Td] [3d] [9s] [8d] board and busted salamon10 harshly on the bubble.

At the start of the second round a very familiar name in the tournament realm popped up almost as quickly as salamon10's exit. If there's a tournament at PokerStars, Calvin "cal42688" Anderson has likely won it. Sunday Warm-Up? Check. WCOOP? Check. SCOOP? Check. Main Event Passport? Check. Unfortunately, Mr. Anderson would not add a Battle of the Planets victory to his trophy case today, busting right after winning his first table in 81st place ($195.00).

scorpchess would be the first to claim a final table seat tonight. The Russian player has made waves at big final tables before after chopping up the Sunday Warm-Up in April last year for $80,500.00. Two fellow countrypersons would join scorpchess as Shmotka and clausdorf4 claimed the second and third seat at the table. Shmotka is looking to improve on a 9th place finish in this freeroll back in August last year.

Down to the last seat carpanizle sat with a 3,926 to 9,574 chip deficit and blinds at 150/300 ante 25 against Sickofitall5 and decided to test luck with a shove holding pocket fives [5h][5c]. Sickofitall5 responded with a call while showing [Ts][Kc] and was immediately given more outs on the [8d][Jh][9c] flop. The [6c] turn did not change anything but the [Qs] river gave Sickofitall5 a straight and locking up $775.00 for making the final table.

Seat 1: Reiarturo (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: clausdorf4 (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: scorpchess (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: TRICKI1 (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: Caber89 (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: kiltedmich (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: Sickofitall5 (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: Shmotka (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ssv1978 (1500 in chips)

The first blind level would be sprinkled with nine-way chop talks between half of the table while the other half seemed to ignore the possibility of locking up nearly four thousand dollars.

Early exit for Reiarturo

A call it a semi-bluff gone really wrong. Early in the 15/30 blind level ssv1978 would raise to 70 from the small blind as Reiarturo three-bet to 210. ssv1978 called to see an all-diamond flop [9d][4d][7d] and checked immediately. Reiarturo led out for 225 as ssv1978 popped out the hole to check-raise to 450. Holding big slick and the second biggest diamond [Kd][Ac] Reiarturo shoved for 1,160 chips. Unfortunately for Reiarturo, ssv1978 held the biggest diamond along with the trey [Ad][3d] for the nut flush and reducing Reiarturo chances of winning to zero. Left with 45 chips Reiarturo would donate them to Caber89 on the next hand to finish in ninth place ($775.00).

Nearly a double

The 25/50 and 50/100 blind levels would pass easily enough as kiltedmuch continued to try and round the troops for an eight way chop. Instead as the blinds moved up to 75/150 a three-way hand would knock one player out and cripple another. Watch below for the action:

RSS readers please click through to view video

TRICKI1 tried to grab the pot with the flopped top pair [Jd][6d] and a re-draw to a straight after everyone checked the flop [Jh] [4c] [3s] [5c] but that backfired when scorpchess shoved with the turned wheel [Ad][2c]. clausdorf4 [As][8c] would be the odd person out after the [Js] river earning $1,200.00 in eighth place.

Shorty gains money

Knocked down to under 200 chips, TRICKI1 would survive long enough to move up the pay scale as the blinds moved up to 100/200 kiltedmuch would shove from the cutoff for 1,972 chips holding pocket threes [3s][3c]. Folded to ssv1978 in the big blind who covered and made the call with [Ah][Jd]. Good race and good day to kiltedmuch as an ace hit the door [As] [Tc] [7s] [2h] [5c] and UK player took $1,700.00 in seventh place.

Possible chip and a chair story in the making
TRICKI1 would continue the ascent to a possible five figure payday as yet another player would be relieved of their chip stack. With the blinds holding at 100/200 it would be TRICKI1's turn to become the executioner as short-stacked Sickofitall5 with just 612 chips would shove from the hijack seat and TRICKI1 made the call in the big blind with a couple of hearts [Jh][3h]. Strangely, Sickofitall5 held only a couple of wheel cards [2h][5d] that missed the [Qh] [Qc] [7h] [3d] [6c] board completely shipping $2,200.00 to Sickofitall5 in sixth place.

Caber tosses Shmotka

While the caber toss is a traditional Scottish event Caber89 used a couple of virtual cards instead of a long wooden pole to knock out Shmotka. Four hands after Sickofitall5 left, Caber89 would min-raise from the cutoff as Shmotka shoved for 1,957 on the button with pocket jacks [Jh][Js]. Caber89's aces [As][Ac] made the call an easy one as the [8d] [8h] [2s] [6d] [9h] board showed zero face cards as Shmotka picked up $2,735.00 in fifth place.

It's Tricky!

With the blinds moving up to 125/250 ante 25 TRICKI1 holding just three chips more than scorpchess would call the Russian's shove from the small blind holding [Ac][7s]. It was a good call as scorpchess flipped up [Js][9s]. Despite picking up a straight draw on the flop, scorpchess found nothing [7d] [Qc] [8d] [5c] [3h] on the board to help out as scorpchess took home $3,350.00 in fourth place.

Almost made it

A good story always has a conclusion and TRICKI1's conclusion would come in third place. With the blinds moving up to 150/300 ante 25 TRICKI1 would shove from the button for 2,637 chips as ssv1978 waiting a few moments before calling with pocket nines [9h][9s]. One overcard for TRICKI1's [Ks][8c] to hit and it did not as the [5h] [6d] [Qd] [7h] [Tc] board favored ssv1978 ending a great comeback tale for TRICKI1 in third place ($4,500.00).

YEAH! Turns into OMG NO! (or the other way around)

Watch below for the final hand of the tournament as Caber89 holding pocket tens [Ts][Th] is all-in preflop against ssv1978's big slick [Kh][Ah] for a 10,924 chip pot:

RSS readers please click through to view video

ssv1978 would flop top pair [Kd][5c][Td] but Caber89's set of tens was way out in front. Needing a runner-runner ssv1978 got one on the turn [Ks] and the $12,000.00 ace on the river [Ad] to win the February edition of the Battle of the Planets triple shootout!

February Battle of the Planets $50,000 triple shootout results (02-24-13):

Players entered: 496
Places paid: 81
Buy-in: Ticket (freeroll)
First place: $12,000.00

1. ssv1978 (Ukraine) $12,00.00
2. Caber89 (Germany) $7,500.00
3. TRICKI1 (Canada) $4,500.00
4. scorpchess (Russia) $3,350.00
5. Shmotka (Russia) $2,735.00
6. Sickofitall5 (Germany) $2,200.00
7. kiltedmich (United Kingdom) $1,700.00
8. clausdorf4 (Russia) $1,200.00
9. Reiarturo (Brazil) $775.00

David Aydt is a freelance contributor

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Thursday, November 26, 2015

Added Depositing Method Reviews

Online Casino Laws - Every country has different laws when it comes to gambling on the Internet. Some countries even have no laws, which makes things even more confusing. It would be impossible to go through every country and explain which countries allow their citizens to gamble online, which countries don't, and which countries are ambiguous when it comes to playing at online casinos.

The United States can be described in those same terms. There is no federal law that restricts citizens from playing online and every state in America has different laws, or lack of laws, regarding casino gaming on the web.

It is imperative for all citizens, no matter what country you reside in, no matter what state you reside in, to check the laws of your land before beginning to play at an online casino for real money. No matter where you reside, however, you can download any and/or all of the casinos featured on our site and play them for free for as long as you like.

Online Casino Regulations - Each gambling site you can find across the web is licensed by the country in which it resides. There are currently few online casinos that are not licensed legally somewhere.

Regulation, however is a different story. There are many countries, like the United Kingdom, that regulate the industry, but they only regulate the companies that are located within their physical borders.

The real regulation of online casino sites comes from sites like ours. The web portals across the world only promote reputable brands. If they promote corrupt brands then they ruin their own reputation. It is in the best interest of all casino portals to only promote legitimately run companies and it is in the best interest of online casinos to run their operation legitimately.

Online Casino Bonuses - If you don't follow the guidelines we are about to give you, do not accept or fall for any casino offering you sign up bonus offers. Online casinos offer players bonuses when they sign up for the first time, when they haven't been playing for a while, when they play a lot, and sometimes for no reason at all. There is a reason they give away so much free money... they want you to keep playing.

Now, this may sound like a trick but it's really not. The problem is players don't know what they are getting into when they accept these bonuses. In order to be fair (so you aren't just able to withdraw every bonus a casino gives you), the casinos put wagering requirements that must be met before being able to cash out. This is very important to understand.

The trick that you must play on the casino in order to truly take advantage of these online casino bonuses is to play slowly and with low wagers. This may sound ironic, you are trying to meet wagering requirements, yet we tell you to bet low. The key is to make your money last so that you can play over and over again. Our players that we have hired explain that they can make $10 last longer than most people can make $100 last.

Playing with low bets does not meet not playing the max bets. The trick is to play slots at a low money denomination, say $.01, but play it at max, which is typically $.90. Playing max can help you to win medium and big sized jackpots, but it's low enough that your money will last for a long time and by the time you are ready to cash out you will have met your wagering requirements.

Online Casino Scams - In the old days of online casino gambling, way back in the early 21st century, there really were a ridiculous amount of scams run by a very corrupt online gambling industry. These scams have greatly reduced through the years as casino operators realized that they will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

It is now a truly real statement to say that this is one of the best industries for customer support and player satisfaction (we can only vouch for the sites we have reviewed), because if they cheat their players, if they steal from their players, if they do anything that creates even the slightest bit of untrust in players, they lose them. Remember, it is an online casino's goal to keep you as their player for life. That is why they consistently come out with new games, that is why they consistently offer you new casino bonuses, that is why they have the best customer support.

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PokerStars Spin & Go Anniversary makes fifth millionaire

This time last year, PokerStars announced the new quick three-player Spin & Go events. The conceit was simple: you buy in for a normal event, but the prize pool could spin up to crazy amounts. In some rare cases, those jackpots would turn into million-dollar first prizes.

Between then and October 20 of this year, those $1,200,000 prize pools had appeared five times. That seemed like a lot. Five times over the course of the year, somebody bought in for a relatively piddly amount and turned into a millionaire. It was, in a word, neat.

So, this week has been weird. PokerStars announced the Spin & Go Anniversary celebration, and everything went haywire.

Now, as of late last night, there have been five $1.2 million jackpots, not in a year, but in a week. One week, five new millionaires.

Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

Here are the details of the first four:

Samara Lúcio spends $5, wins a million

wrawras gets another $1 million for Brazil

prophethicks turns $5 into $1 million

barrakuuda4 becomes fourth Spin & Go instant millionaire

Last night, Germany's "handbt1" became the fifth after entering a $5 Spin & Go. When the wheels stopped at $1.2 million, "handbt1" went on to dominate the event, beating the Channel Islands' "egg1981" and Ukraine's "Lyuda1975." Both of the other players picked up $100,000 apiece.

The actual Spin & Go Anniversary celebration will run until this weekend, but we're told the $1.2 million jackpots could continue on well into November. So, watch this space. Heck, we could have another one before the end of the day.

Need to know more? Here are all the details on the Spin & Go Anniversary party.

Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

Brad Willis is the PokerStars Head of Blogging.

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