News: Column: The ISPT vs the Millionaire Maker

Barry Carter looks at the two big events this weekend that both guarantee a million to the winner, and asks which one will be the biggest success?

This weekend will see one of the most unlikely head-to-heads in poker, as two tournaments on opposite sides of the Atlantic will both guarantee a seven-figure first prize for a relatively small buy-in.

In Vegas, the WSOP will be hosting the Millionaire Maker - a $1,500 re-entry event which will guarantee $1,000,000 to the champion.

Meanwhile, London plays host to the infamous International Stadiums Poker Tour at Wembley Stadium. UK card room Dusk Till Dawn have guaranteed €1,000,000 to the champion.

The ISPT is also a re-entry event and has been hosting multiple Day 1s with a buy-in of €300 for several weeks. Day 2, however, starts at Wembley and can be bought into directly for €3,000.

So will both events meet the guarantee? And which event will emerge as the winner?

It's all about the bracelets, baby

I don't think Caesars will have much to worry about this weekend. The fact that the Millionaire Maker has a bracelet at the end of it would bring poker players in their thousands even without the $1 million guarantee - especially with the re-entry format.

It's much easier for people to play in this event in general, too. There are affordable hotels aplenty within earshot of the Rio, and thousands of gamblers are in town anyway because it is Vegas after all.

The ISPT by comparision is more awkward to get to, and it's more expensive to spend a week in hotels near to the stadium.

I can't see Caesars paying much, or any, overlay in this event and it could easily become the most well-attended tournament outside of the Main Event ever.

The drama of the ISPT

The very fact that the International Stadiums Poker Tour is actually happening is a story in itself. It was without doubt the most ridiculed concept in poker history in its original formation (this writer was more critical than most) and it was an event very few people ever thought would happen.

But then iconic UK card room Dusk Till Dawn stepped in and added a much-needed credibility boost by guaranteeing the first prize of €1 million. After all the drama, it really is about to happen today in London.

The real question now is how many players will we see on the two Day 2s which start today? Around 550 players have already confirmed their attendance; can it see upwards of 1,000 in total (which would break the record for a poker event in London)?

It was never a question of whether or not DTD would pay an overlay, more a question of how much? Even if 1,500 players in total attend the event they would pay an overlay of around €190,000.

The online qualifiers brought disappointing numbers for the ISPT, but they are also the big saving grace when it comes to direct buy-ins. With many of the 550 registered players having qualified for around €30, this event arguably is the softest tournament with a €1 million first prize ever. Any pro who plays EPT level events on this side of the pond must surely view this as the best value tournament of the year?

Who is the real winner?

Even though they appear similar on the surface, we can't compare the ISPT to the Millionaire Maker on the same terms because they really are like comparing apples to oranges.

The Millionaire Maker will probably not incur an overlay and produce the biggest field outside of the Main Event in poker history.

If the ISPT can get anywhere near 1,000 Day 2 runners in total, I think that can be considered a success in itself. When you look back at the starting point that Dusk Till Dawn had when they took on an event that had the universal condemnation of the poker community, the fact that it became a plausible legitimate event is an achievement no matter what.

The one thing I will say is that no matter what happens, the ISPT is the event the poker community will be talking about for the next week. In any other year the Millionaire Maker would have been the One Drop of the year, the big talking point outside the Main Event.

This year, by going up against possibly the most controversial and crazy event in poker history, it may have to take second billing in the headlines - even if it is a landslide victory in Vegas.

By Barry Carter