Men Lie, Women Lie, Numbers Don't

Facts and figures. They make the world go around and, more often than not, tell a story without letting opinions or biases get in the way. Which numbers from this past week tell that story and what quick opinions do we have?

$1,093,204.63 – It’s not every week that the biggest tournament score comes from the virtual felt but it’s also not every week that an online tournament has a $10 million guaranteed prize pool. The 11^th Anniversary Sunday Million on PokerStars had just that though, while also guaranteeing $1,000,000 for the eventual winner. In total, 55,835 players put up $215 for a chance at online poker glory and in the end, Panama’s Xavi666 claimed the win and a life-changing score.

HK$8,460,830 – The biggest live tournament score fell right below that Sunday Million haul and was contested between two of the best high stakes players in the world. Steve O’Dwyer faced Fedor Holz for the PokerStars Championship Macau HK$400K Super High Roller title and after a deal, O’Dwyer and his lucky mango booked the win and a nearly $1,090,000 score. Holz, who is technically retired, picked up a modest $870,000 score for his runner-up efforts.

1,556 – The World Poker Tour has been setting records and producing massive prize pools throughout the last few months and that trend continued this week in Florida. The opening $3,500 event drew a record field of 1,207 and then the $10K Finale drew another 349 players, was another record field. Those two events won’t conclude until Wednesday and then the WPT Tournament of Champions kicks off on Friday.

100 – Going into that Florida-based series, three players had a shot at WPT Player of the Year. Benjamin Zamani had a slight lead and he extended his lead to 100 points, after recording a cash in the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. He now sits on 2,550 points, with two-time WPT Season XV winner Sam Panzica sitting on 2,450. Mike Sexton is still alive with 2,100 points but it looks like it will be a two-horse race heading into the $10,000 Finale, with both Zamani and Panzica in the field.

56 – There are 56 players competing in this summer’s Super High Roller Bowl and we are also 56 days away from the start of the year’s biggest event. On May 28^th, $16.8 million will be up for grabs and the eventual Super High Roller Bowl champion will earn $6,000,000. The Super High Roller Bowl also marks the start of a partnership between Poker Central and the NBC Sports Group, with more information about that agreement here.