WSOP 2011 – November Nine Betting Preview

2011 WSOP by Dan on August 9, 2011

We’re down to the final nine players of the 42nd Annual World Series of Poker Main Event! But who’s who in the game of games?

Nine is the magic number

The final table was decided in the early hours of Wednesday 27th July and already bookies are quoting odds on the players. Hailing from the Emerald Isle is Ireland`s Eoghan O`Dea. Who is no stranger to cards as he’s the son and heir of poker legend Donnacha “The Don” O`Dea. Pappy O’Dea must be beaming with pride as his little boy is tied for joint-favorite to win the most prestigious of bracelets at odds of 9/2. It ;looks like we’ve got a top pair at the table already as Junior O’Dea shares co-favorite spot with the man with more chips than Ronald McDonald, that’s chip leader Martin Staszko who is also at 9/2. If you like your horses dark check out this Czech, as he’s a relative unknown on the scene. What is certainly known is that he’s sitting on a stack of over 40million and that alone gives him a great chance to win the first prize, of $8.7 million (real) dollars.

Next up is Ben Lamb offered up at 11/2 to win his second bracelet of the series. Ben has had a stormingly good WSOP this year, he managed a second place finish in the $3,000 PLO, a twelfth place in $10,000 NL/Six Handed Championship, eighth in the $50,000 Poker Player`s Championship and rounded it off with a first place in the $10,000 PLO Championship. He’s definitely a player to watch, both by poker fans and the eighth he shares the table with. Can you hear it coming in the air tonight? Lamb shares 11/2 with Phil Collins, a Las Vegas local with a weighty online poker reputation, who is now turning to the live poker arena.

The third and final US player at the table is Matt Giannetti, who’s third in chips with 24.7 million. Giannetti is mostly a cash game player and is well respected in poker circles, yet an unknown quantity to Joe-public, he’s quoted at best odds of 15/2.There seems to be a baby at the table as Day 7’s chip leader (possibly worth an outside bet) is 21 year old Ukrainian Anton Makievskyi if he wins he will be the fifth player from the Ukraine to win a bracelet this year, but is out at 9/1 to do it.

There’s also a first at the table as Pius Heinz has become the first German to ever make the November Nine. It looks like turning up will have to do for Herr Heinz as he’s at 11/1 to win it, not surprising as he’s sitting down with just $16.4 million chips. Even worse off is Britain`s Sam Holden he’s the shortest stack at the table and is left out in the cold with odds of 12/1 to turn it around and beat the best, and travel back to the U.K with a bracelet.

Last (and possibly) least we have the oldest player at the poker table and longest in the odds that’s Badih Bounahra. He is still one to watch as he’s the only amateur in the final nine players (possibly an unreadable quantity) and he’s the first player from the Belize to ever make the final table of any WSOP event. He is available at best odds of 14/1 to win the WSOP 2011 Main Event.

Whatever happens it’ll certainly be worth watching come November.