Deal or no deal?

It was the biggest sporting prize in history. The 37th World Series of Poker Main Event created a huge $82.5m prize pool, which saw some $39m split between the final 10 players. But since the last card was turned in front of the cameras on August 10 the police, district judges and even Tony Soprano have all been dragged into the spotlight as scandal erupted across the felt.

Main Event winner Jamie Gold is being sued for half his record $12m winnings by a television producer with whom he allegedly made a pre-WSOP deal on winnings.

The telephone message, according to the Leyser affidavit:
‘I wanted to let you know about the money. You’re obviously very well protected. Everything will be fine but nothing’s going to happen today, that’s for sure. I have the best tax attorneys and the best minds in the business working for me from New York and LA and what we’re probably going to do is set up a Nevada Corporation and it’s going to… I have to pay out of the corporation. I can’t just pay out personally because I could get nailed. So it might take a few days, so please be patient. I promise you, you can keep this recording on my word – there’s no possible way you’re not going to get you’re half… after taxes. So please just be with me. I can’t imagine you’re going to have a problem with it.’

All that glitters…

Hollywood agent Gold has so far been able to collect only half of his $12m first place winnings after TV producer Bruce Crispin Leyser filed a legal claim to half of the booty. According to Leyser, Gold made a verbal agreement with him that they would split any winnings 50-50. The argument was strong enough for a district court judge to issue a restraining order on the money which, at the time of the magazine going to press, continues to sit gathering dust in the Rio casino’s money cage.

Gold beat the biggest field ever – some 8,773 players paying $10,000 apiece – after being entered by American sports betting and poker site Bodog. com. Gold had his buy-in covered in return for getting two celeb players – actors Matthew Lillard (Scooby Doo) and Dax Shepherd (from MTV show Punk’d) – to wear Bodog-branded clothes. Leyser was instrumental in getting the two actors involved, which is why the supposed 50 percent deal was struck.

Gold has reportedly said that he’s ‘disappointed’ by Leyser’s actions. Although he left messages on Leyser’s phone during the Main Event stating that he wouldn’t be able to pay out immediately (see right), Gold has yet to publicly acknowledge that any such deal took place.

Since the scandal broke, Gold’s reputation has been under fire with many websites questioning his integrity and even claiming his Hollywood agent credentials had been fabricated. James Gandolfini’s current agent has since seemingly vindicated him of this lesser crime, but the rumours and counter-rumours continue.

We’ll keep you abreast of the facts as and when they happen.

Curse of the final table

Perhaps more dramatically, sixth-place finisher Richard Lee is being investigated by police in San Antonio, Texas, after officers raided his home under the belief that he is the head of illegal betting website www.betbsbnow.com. The site claimed to be operating out of Costa Rica but undercover police have revealed that the site is based domestically and therefore operating illegally, within the US. There have been no arrests so far, but police have seized a large amount of cash, along with several cars, TVs, phones and firearms.