Online Poker Taking Down Pros

It is interesting to note that I am on record as not being the biggest fan of online poker. I will still play today in freerolls and try to accumulate free money when I have the time. For the most part however, I will not invest any of my own money online anymore.

Part of my original concern was that it was a program. It was something that I have absolutely no control over. The other aspect of it is that poker has a large trust element involved. I have to trust that everything that is happening is genuine. I have to believe that there is no questionable practices involved. Sometimes with what I have seen, it gets difficult to maintain that trust level.

When online poker became huge with the boom of the past six or seven years, it didn't take long before "celebrity" endorsements became the norm. Now, you can't turn on a tournament or some kind of poker event without it being either sponsored by some online company or without seeing tons of promotion for online sites. Most of this is perpetuated by some of the more popular pro players that are regular fixtures at these events.

Consequently, I was under the belief that in all likelihood these guys don't play online with their own money. I was of the opinion that much of the cash they are playing with online, is provide for by the site they are playing at. After all, their regular appearances on the site make for good promo.

That being said, an interesting trend has developed and has become "news" in the poker world. One of the Full Tilt pros has been having some trouble as of late. Apparently, Patrick Antonius is in the hole online for over a million. To most people walking around, including those trying to grind it out in the beginnings of their poker careers, a million is a sizable chunk of change. However, I would imagine that although nobody likes to lose, it isn't necessarily that devastating to Antonio.

It is also online. It may very well just be credit numbers. He is obviously involved in some kind of endorsement deal with the site. I wonder if it is even his own money? Or even if it is money at all? I know that sounds strange but what is even stranger is that one of the endorsed pros on the site is starting to look like one of their biggest online losers. Apparently, there are only a few players in the hole for more.

This is all kind of odd. I don't imagine it is considered the best promotion for the site when one of its pros is hurting that bad. After all, if Antonius can't win online, what chances do most other players have. Why would a pro stick around and keep tossing off stacks of his hard earned coin online when he could save it for more optimum circumstances? It is strange.

Then again, it may just be brilliant marketing. The news of Patrick's struggles may attract more eyes and in turn result in new player accounts. Perhaps people who didn't know about that particular website are now considering trying it out. Anything is possible. It is peculiar and will be interesting to see if as time passes, more pros fall into the same kind of online disarray.