Kick-Off to the 40th Annual WSOP: Team Bodog WSOP

by Bodog Poker | Jul 3 2009

Most of the preliminary events are all wrapped up and Harrah's is preparing for the 2009 version of the World Series of Poker Main Event. Somewhere in the vicinity of seven thousand players will attempt to become the new poker household name by becoming the main event champion. This year's WSOP has been a big success and the main event promises to deliver lots of poker drama, as it always does.

Team Bodog members will soon get their chance to become poker immortals while they have the time of their lives enjoying what the next couple of weeks have to offer. The lucky main event satellite qualifiers and the Pro Team members will be wined and dined all week by Bodog's WSOP promotion. The qualifier's social at the Palms on July 2 was a big success and didn't wrap up until close to 1:30 am. For Pro Team members they only get a short rest from a long month of play as they gear up for the main event that starts day 1A today.

Pro Team members have represented Bodog well over the last month, especially David Williams and Justin Bonomo. Williams managed to record two cashes this year worth a tidy sum of $85K. He finished 16th in the $10K Pot Limit Omaha World Championships on June 20 for $34K and then had a fourth-place finish in the $1500 Limit Holdem Shootout for another $51K in profits.

Justin Bonomo has had a stellar 2009 WSOP and has recorded four cashes for over $420K in winnings. His fifth-place finish in the $40K anniversary event was the big payday at $413K. The other three cashes were under $5K each, but Bonomo displayed the diversity in his overall game by cashing in a seven card stud hi/lo tournament as well as in the limit holdem variation.

Jean-Robert Bellande has not been having the year that he had at the 2008 WSOP. Last year Jean had three cashes worth over $210K, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the $1500 Limit Holdem Shootout. So far he only has only one cash in '09, which was a 32nd-place finish in the $1500 Limit Holdem Shootout for $4,356. Maybe Jean-Robert is saving it all for a big main event cash in a couple of weeks.

All three of these players are capable of going deep into the main event. And let's not forget Bodog Pro team member Evelyn Ng. She doesn't have a cash in this year's WSOP and is long overdue to go deep in a tournament. She could surprise everyone and end up going deeper in the main event than Bonomo, Bellande, or Williams.

All their results can be followed through Tweets or on Bodog.com. As well as the pros' updates, you'll be able to get reports on any Bodog qualifiers who go deep into the later stages of the tournament.