Betfair Poker WSOPE main event qualifier scandal?
Yesterday Betfair Poker hosted their last super satellite to WSOPE guaranteeing 10 packages worth $20.000 each. Shortly before the tournament was about to commence the already qualified players were looking at a nice overlay of up to $100.000. This overlay was somewhat expected by all regular Betfair poker players.
From 197 to 305
Within a few minutes the player count went from 197 to 305 and the last 108 players all seemed to be from Denmark.
The forum poster “karell” states in his post at Betfair poker forum:
“It was something very strange 5 minutes before starting today wsope super satellite. 5 minutes before start was about 200 people registered few seconds later was 300. I couldnt believed it how it was possible. I check all those nicknames. All of them from 197 to 305 was written in alfabetical order!! Not as usually in registering order. All of them are from Denmark!! On my table are 6 Danish people. Can somebody explain me that? Now satellite which I thought should be very valuable, really after that fact isn’t. Can somebody from Betfair’s staff make some investigation and explain all of regular Betfair player’s who is playing that satellite what really happen? Sorry for my English I am not an Englishman.”
Investigating the situation
After investigating the situation Bonus Riders found that on a very well respected Danish poker forum, a forum poster was able to give away $510 dollar free seats to all new Betfair players signing up an account.
Using a guaranteed tournament with overlay to sign up new players and this way reduce the overlay is unheard in the poker industry. The situation will create a lot of bad will to Betfair Poker from the regular players who qualified and paid their way in to this tournament.
Reducing the overlay value by approximately 50% for the “real money players” by giving away a lot of free promotion seats will certainly generate a stream of angry emails to Betfair poker during the night and in the morning when more players discover the news.
Leaving status as is will create an enormous heat against the poker product and some of Betfair Pokers most loyal players will continuously ask for fair and rightful explanations.
Bonus Riders expect to see Betfair solve the blunder in a fair way and compensate true qualifiers very soon, if further action is not taken by Betfair, bonusirders.com will have to take measures to protect its players from unfair practices. We have never in the past had any problems with Betfair and we highly recommended our players to the particular network. This is a very strange story and we expect Betfair to solve this ASAP.