Poker News Daily has learned that PokerRoad President Joe Sebok is on the brink of signing with a major online poker site. When the signing will occur and with what room is not yet known.
Sebok’s agent, 11Management President and CEO Matt Palmer, told Poker News Daily, “There are always conversations going on. We maintain open communication lines with all of the sites continuously assessing the best fit for Joe. Joe is always looking at his options and he is excited about potential scenarios. We’re pleased that Joe has reached a point where he is considered a valuable asset to sponsors and their brand objectives.”
Sebok recorded three in the money finishes at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), while at the same time performing his duties for PokerRoad. He made a deep run and finished 56th in the $10,000 buy-in Main Event, which played down to its final nine last night. He claimed 104th in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament for $3,300 and took 36th in a $1,500 buy-in Pot Limit Hold’em event for $4,800. Sebok’s top WSOP finish came as a result of taking fifth in a $5,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em event in 2005, a tournament ultimately won by Dan Schmiech.
Sebok has bubbled two televised final tables on the World Poker Tour (WPT). Sebok took seventh place in the Season VI Legends of Poker. Nevertheless, he banked $114,000 in the process from the Los Angeles tournament. Sebok also took seventh in the Season V Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament, a high-stakes bounty event in San Jose, California. All told, Sebok has nearly $600,000 in WPT earnings to his name. His 12 in the money finishes are good for the 16th most in WPT history. He has entered 52 WPT tournaments overall, good for the 60th highest tally.
The PokerRoad empire is primarily known for its radio arm. Sebok, Gavin Smith, and Joe Stapleton are just a few of the hosts that call PokerRoad home. Recent guests have included ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad, Krystal Seiling, Soheil Shamseddin, WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, and top online poker player Shaun Deeb. At the 2009 WSOP, PokerRoad set up its broadcast booth in the hallway of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, attracting fans and curious onlookers alike while shows were in progress. PocketFivesLive.com Tournament Reporter Court Harrington, Jimmy “gobboboy” Fricke, and Bryan “badbeatninja” Devonshire hosted the B Team show on weekends throughout the festivities in Las Vegas.
Last night, PokerRoad correspondent and Full Tilt Poker pro Phil Ivey became a member of the 2009 installment of the WSOP November Nine. The “Tiger Woods of Poker” is typically reserved around the media despite his groundbreaking success. However, Ivey holds recurring call-in segments with PokerRoad and has permitted the company’s cameras to catch a glimpse of the “Life of Ivey.” The Full Tilt Poker pro holds seven WSOP bracelets, two of which came in tournaments leading up to this year’s Main Event. Now, he will seek an eighth to add to his collection when the action resumes on November 7th.
In a Joe Sebok interview with Poker News Daily prior to the 2009 WSOP, he explained how he has developed such a loyal following: “When I got started in poker, I jumped into the media circle really quickly. The younger players know me from playing with me or dealing with me in a media sense. I like to think my reputation is similar to Barry’s: What you see is what you get.” The “Barry” in question is Sebok’s stepfather, Barry Greenstein, one of the game’s top minds. The pair affectionately call each other “Bear” and “Cub,” a play on Greenstein’s first name.
We’ll have full details on Sebok signing with an online poker site when it occurs right here on Poker News Daily.
