Phil Ivey Receives Royal Treatment For Gambling Prowess

When MGM Mirage opened their CityCenter casino resort in Las vegas, it was supposed to change the fortunes for the city. Over the past couple of years, Las Vegas casinos have been dealing with the tough economy, and CityCenter was looked at as a way to rejuvenate the Strip.

Now, after several months in which the CityCenter has not reached expectations, MGM is making a change. Phil Ivey is considered by many to be the top poker player in the world, and he is being rewarded for his card playing skills.

MGM announced late this past week that the Arian Resort & Casino will be opening a high stakes poker room named after Ivey. There will only be one poker table in the room, and it will cater to only the most serious card players in the world.

The room will open The Ivey Room with celebrities battling in a tournament on Saturday. The winner of the event will win $250,000, and the player that takes Ivey out of the tournament will receive $100,000. In addition, the winner will gain a chance to make another $250,000 by playing Ivey in a heads-up poker match.

The opening of The Ivey Room coincides with the beginning of the World Series of Poker this week. The WSOP will be held at the Rio, but players make their way around the Las Vegas Strip in between tournaments they have entered. Cash games are played at many of the other casinos throughout the month the WSOP is taking place.

Phil Ivey made the best run of any pro in last year's WSOP Main Event. Ivey made it to the final table, although he busted out shortly after the final table resumed in November. The poker pro won $1.4 million in the event.

May 22, 2010
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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