Amaya completes $4.9 billion PokerStars takeover
In today's Daily Rewind the PokerStars takeover is complete and find out why Viktor Blom missed the WSOP.
Shareholders approve PokerStars deal
The proposed $4.9 billion takeover of PokerStars by the Amaya Gaming Group has been completed after approval by Amaya shareholders.
The group has just confirmed:
"We are extremely pleased to have completed this Acquisition. Through PokerStars, Full Tilt and its multiple live poker tours and events, Rational's brands comprise the world's largest poker business, generating diversified and recurring revenues across the globe from its extremely loyal customer base."
"Rational's success is attributable to the company's core values of integrity, customer focus, and challenge. These values are ingrained in the DNA of the company's staff located across the globe, led by Rational's deep, experienced executive and leadership teams. We intend for Rational to maintain this culture and will support its initiatives to continue growing this world class business."
This comes as Amaya stock has risen 18% this week to an all time high, and the decision to purchase PokerStars is estimated to have added almost $2 billion to Amaya stock since the planned move was announced.
Sick hand alert
This week following the $1 million Bad Beat, more people seem to be sharing their biggest coolers. Check this one out from UK club Dusk Till Dawn, courtesy of the Blondepoker forum.
It was set over set over set on the flop, only for the turn and river to run out a straight on the board for a split pot.
Blom missed WSOP for the World Cup
Usually Viktor Blom is whereever the biggest action is taking place, but he was notably absent from the WSOP this year.
He told Swedish site Nutblocker he preferred staying in Sweden this year:
"I actually didn’t go to the WSOP this year because I prefer being in Sweden rather than Las Vegas during the summer. On top of that the World Cup has taken up a lot of my time and helped fill the gaps when there’s been a lack of cash game action."
It seems to have worked out in his favour, as the Swede was the second biggest winner of the month in July, up around $368,370.
Question of the Day
Daily Signoff
Tomorrow look out for a feature we are running on 'over celebrating' winning a hand, and this video just missed out on the cut:
 Barry Carter is the editor of PokerStrategy.com and the co-author of The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2. He has been working in the poker industry for nine years and in 2013 won the APAT Award for Best Poker Media Provider. You can learn more about his work here.
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