This week’s poker news gets us an update for the situation in Michigan. Before we get there, though, let’s take a look back at a couple of big winners during the European Poker Tour Online set of events, hosted by PokerStars this past week.
Parssinen Wins 2020 European Poker Tour Event
Eelis Parsinnen, otherwise known as EEE27 with his online login, was able to win the 2020 European Poker Tour Online $25,000 Buy-in no-limit hold’em super high roller event this past week. The event had picked up a total of 81 entries to split out the $2,000,000 guaranteed prize. Parssinen was able to walk away with the bulk of that poker prize money, bringing home $539,819. The final nine players in this event also finished in the money.
Taking a look at the rest of the top three at this event, Christian Rudolph finished in second place and won $404,324. In third place was Benjamin Rolle, who ended up collecting $302,837 for his efforts.
2020 European Poker Tour Online High Roller Event Comes To A Close
It was a great day for Mikita Badziakouski, who was able to take home the top prize in the 2020 European Poker Tour Online $1,000,000 guaranteed $10,300 buy-in no-limit hold’em high roller event. Badziakouski was able to defeat a total of 109 other entries on the way to his first-place finish. He got to the final two and made a deal with Matthias Eibinger to share the money but ensure himself the title.
This wasn’t Badziakouski’s first rodeo, though, as he now has 15 recorded tournament titles. This brings his career earnings to an incredible $30.3 million, putting him just outside the top ten on poker’s all-time money list. Steve O’Dwyer currently owns the 10th spot on the list and he is just under a million over Badziakouski.
With Eibinger striking a deal with Badziakouski, he was able to collect the second-place prize which was $221,564. That’s basically just about one thousand less than Baziakouski but the two essentially wanted to call it a day and share the spoils.
Michigan Online Poker Delayed Until 2021
Although there was early optimism, it doesn’t seem very likely that online poker will be legalized in Michigan in 2020. Despite the reports that online poker – as well as all forms of online gaming – would be launched in November of 2020 in Michigan, the Michigan Gaming Control Board is now aiming for 2021 with a target day of the Super Bowl. Executive Director Richard Kalm pointed out that there isn’t enough time in the current legislative session in order to guarantee the launch in 2020.
This is a little bit disappointing as this bill covers poker, online gambling and sports betting, and many had been under the impression it would clear the final hurdles this year. COVID-19 has mostly been the main culprit for things being pushed back.
Casinos had been reopened at a reduced capacity earlier in the year in order to regain some revenue after the COVID-19 pandemic hit their industries hard. Due to the revenue still being far below what they are used to, they had hoped to expedite the legalization of online gaming. It didn’t work out just yet but when it does, they’ll be expecting about $650 million in annual revenue to the state of Michigan.