Poker : Big Money At Pokerstars Wcoop

WCOOP is creating some wealthy online players

The PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker has been doling out large sums of winning prize money this week, with one player scoring a massive $600 000 by winning the second event.

Player 'CrabMaki' pulled in the giant prize when he won the $10 300 buy-in NLHE High Roller event to take home the biggest paycheck yet in the current edition of WCOOP.

The second placing was none too shabby either, with Finnish online poker star Ville Wahlbeck claiming a runner up prize worth$453,850 in the match, and third placed 'bmwmcoupe' will be closer to his automotive dream after collecting the third place reward of $344,300.

Huge entry fields have characterised this year's event, with Event 1 a good example. This $215 buy-in NLHE Six Max competition pulled in 9,001 entries, generating a prize pool that flew past the guarantee to reach $1.8 million. 1,140 entrants cashed in the event and the ultimate winner 'AlexKP' took home $257 000 despite a two-way chop with runner up ‘Tutanhoman1'.

Event 3 also produced a massive turnout. 12,066 players registered to create a $2.4 million prize pool. The big money was much in evidence when 'joao bauer' picked up $316 000 from the cashier after dominating the $215 buy-in NLHE event....again despite chopping with second placed 'cmpjo', whose payday was worth $260,000.

In another $215 buy-in NLHE - this one a Turbo with Re-buys - 'Xaston' collected a winner's check for $214,000 in an event that shot past its guaranteed prize pool numbers after 1,667 players signed up to create a pool worth $1.3 million.

WCOOP has thus far been a strong indicator that online poker is alive and well, generating plenty of action and player interest.

Poker Maximus comes to Lock Poker - 2.9.2012 : Kicking off on Sunday March 4th there will be a minimum of 3 events every single day finally wrapping up on the March 25th with a $200,000 Guaranteed Main event.

New game a football betting first claims company - 02/09/2012 : The UK Football League's exclusive data distributor, SIS, has in collaboration with Contagious Sports launched a new pool-based game which will for the first time allow bettors to bet into an in-running pool on live football matches to win jackpots.

VERNONS LAUNCHES UK MEDIA CAMPAIGN - 02/09/2012 : Vernon's recently launched British-facing online casino and poker room Vernons is launching an extensive television and social media campaign to capture a bigger slice of the market by creating brand awareness.

SECOND HEARING FOR UK ONLINE GAMBLING REFORM BILL - 02/09/2012 : A bill covering the taxation of offshore bookmakers introduced by Conservative MP Matthew Hancock was heard in the House of Commons earlier this week and has been given a second reading scheduled for March 30, 2012.

BETCLIC FILES COMPETITION COMPLAINT AGAINST PMU - 02/09/2012 : Online gaming company Betclic has filed a claim of unfair competition against Pari Mutuel Urbaine with the French Competition Authority, according to French journal Les Echos.