$100 Million Gimmick Obscures Legitimate Poker Tournament

Online poker room, Noble Poker, recently announced a massive $100 million poker tournament, hyped as the richest poker tournament of all time. In fact, in a recent press release, it was said that the “Noble Poker $100,000,000 Mega Tournament” “…could make a World Series of Poker bracelet seem worthless.”

Of course, if one reads the details of the tournament, the $100 million is not, in fact, guaranteed at all. Rather, it is a jackpot bonus for any final table participant who hits a Royal Flush of spades using both his hole cards. Other bonuses are available, too, ranging from $1 million down to $250,000, for other Royal Flushes, Straight Flushes, and Four of Kind Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, and Tens. Thus, it’s not really a $100 million tournament. It’s a poker tournament with a potentially wonderful gimmick.

That said, the apparent marketing ploy that may cause some to scoff at Noble, shouldn’t obscure what could actually become quite a good tournament. Noble Poker estimates the total prize pool will reach $2 million, making a healthy payday for the nine final table players. Even though Noble is an online poker room, the tournament itself will be played live in Las Vegas from April 7 through April 9. Former World Series of Poker Tournament Director, Matt Savage, has even been hired to preside over the televised competition.

To gain entry into the event, players can pony up the $10,000 entry fee or qualify online at Noble Poker. Eight online heats will be held, each with a $500 buy-in and $30 fee, starting November 27. One seat to the live event will be awarded for every 25 registrants. The first heat will be a $125,000 guaranteed tournament, with ten entries guaranteed. Additionally, those who do not win seats can still win money, as part of the prize pool will be distributed to the runners-up.

Noble is also offering satellites with buy-ins starting as low as $2.50 to allow people to win their $500 + $30 seats on the cheap.

All in all, the “Mega Tournament” should very well turn out to be a major poker event. Don’t let the gimmick fool you.

For more information about the tournament details, visit NoblePoker.com.

Originally published October 19, 2005