NY Times article on Jamie Gold

[Sponger.]

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I bet his dad sees very little of it. That is one shady dude.

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I don't like him at all, but to speculate about something that goes on between his family is a pretty cheap shot.

[Lawman007]

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“People wanted to hurt me or put something in my food because I seemed to be the only thing in the way of other people winning,” he said.

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I'm not sure if this is just a really weird occurance or the guy is really that full of himself.

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Here's an excerpt from the Bluff Magazine interview he did--so full of himself that he admits to openly colluding throughout the tournament:

(Talking about far out-chipping his competitors, even relatively early on) So every day I'd come to the table and everyone would freak out, and there'd be this guy sitting next to me who was practically in tears because he knew [he] could never raise a hand. So I said, "No, listen, think about it like this: No one can raise you, because they're raising me after you. You're in a great spot, and here's the deal. In return for this protection, every time I tell you to lay down your hand, you lay down your hand. And they all said okay. So I would look at my cards before the guy to my right, and then I'd say, "OK, you're cool; proceed..." or "Nope. Lay it down."

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Are you serious?! WTF is that if it's not collusion?! They ought to take back all of his money and the title if he has admitted to doing that.

Unbelievable! Just when I think the guy couldn't be any more of a lowlife, I read something like this.

[maurile]

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I hope this article has finally put to rest all that BS about "oh, Gold's just trying to get everything worked out before he pays Leyser what he owes him, kind of like a lottery winner waiting before he claims his prize." He's trying to screw the guy, plain and simple, which was pretty clear to some of us all along.

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Right from the beginning, that was the only possibility.

[maurile]

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AS for Leyser, I don't know what their agreement was nor does anyone else. If i was Gold, I would tend to feel like 6 mil. is a bit much for getting a couple of very minor celebrities to where some bogdog clothing even if it did secure his buy in. How about 2 mil. Seems fair.

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It's not $6 million; it's $5 thousand. Quit being results-oriented.

[Los Feliz Slim]

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Outside of a sponsorship by a poker site and maybe a book deal, where's the big money?

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FTP offered a $10,000,000 contract over 10 years if you won the WSOP after qualifying through them, IIRC. I'd say thats almost like a starting point in negociations with another poker site.

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I don't believe that this is a realistic starting point in negotiations, no poker site wants to pay someone that much to be an endorser. FTP offered this as a gimmick to get people to come and play at their site, and offered so much money because the odds of someone qualifying through them and winning the WSOP are low.

[KingGeorgeC]

I think I'm going to pull my money out of Bodog and quit playing there. I really don't want to associate with a site that associates with Gold.

[Starfish]

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I think I'm going to pull my money out of Bodog and quit playing there. I really don't want to associate with a site that associates with Gold.

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If Gold really was a honest guy, he also wouldn't want to associate with a site that associates with guys like him. QED

[Riddick]

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I don't believe that this is a realistic starting point in negotiations, no poker site wants to pay someone that much to be an endorser. FTP offered this as a gimmick to get people to come and play at their site, and offered so much money because the odds of someone qualifying through them and winning the WSOP are low.


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True. They were probably even insured on it.

[DesertCat]

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[
I don't believe that this is a realistic starting point in negotiations, no poker site wants to pay someone that much to be an endorser. FTP offered this as a gimmick to get people to come and play at their site, and offered so much money because the odds of someone qualifying through them and winning the WSOP are low.

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I've heard 7 figures a year as the figure for a WSOP winner, and depending upon the winner, it seems reasonable. These sites are generating hundreds of millions a year in rake, so the prestige of having a well regarded champion could easily be worth $1m a year or more. Add in appearance fees, maybe a book deal and other stuff and $2M the first year doesn't seem unreasonable.

But will the gravy train last ten years? I don't know, so maybe I engaged in a bit of hyperbole in saying endorsements were worth more than $12M. But it's clear they are worth at least $2M, and probably much more. It's something Jamie and his lawyer should think about.

[Rick Nebiolo]

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“People wanted to hurt me or put something in my food because I seemed to be the only thing in the way of other people winning,” he said.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure if this is just a really weird occurance or the guy is really that full of himself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's an excerpt from the Bluff Magazine interview he did--so full of himself that he admits to openly colluding throughout the tournament:

(Talking about far out-chipping his competitors, even relatively early on) So every day I'd come to the table and everyone would freak out, and there'd be this guy sitting next to me who was practically in tears because he knew [he] could never raise a hand. So I said, "No, listen, think about it like this: No one can raise you, because they're raising me after you. You're in a great spot, and here's the deal. In return for this protection, every time I tell you to lay down your hand, you lay down your hand. And they all said okay. So I would look at my cards before the guy to my right, and then I'd say, "OK, you're cool; proceed..." or "Nope. Lay it down."

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you serious?! WTF is that if it's not collusion?! They ought to take back all of his money and the title if he has admitted to doing that.

Unbelievable! Just when I think the guy couldn't be any more of a lowlife, I read something like this.

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I couldn't find an online link to this month's issue but fortunately I had a hard copy (their web site appears to offer back issues online). The interview is bizarre, so much he says sounds unlikely (ex: "I got a perfect score on the SATs when I was in the 5th grade.").

But if he did this (along with some other questionable stuff) I agree with your assessment. Then again he plays in LA, and every day I see new lows in behavior and ethics at the tables.

~ Rick