In a recent tweet, gaming icon Ninja, known for his prowess in the world of esports and streaming, hinted at a possible return to the poker scene after a year-long hiatus. With an invitation to tag favorite poker players and creators, he hinted at the possibility of organizing a cash game in Las Vegas.
As soon as the mail was sent, a shower of (card) sharks seized the opportunity to grab one of the seats at the table. Doug Polk, Vanessa Kade and always controversial Martin Kabrhel were just three of the big names who threw their hat into the ring.
Even streamer Ludwig, who was the victim of a $100,000 gambling scam, also responded to Ninja: ask the question“What if we got back together for one last job?”
Review of the Insane Influencer Cash Game
In addition to a variety of professionals who want to receive an invitation, there are also establishments such as Hustler Casino Live And Bally Live Poker offered their services to run the game. HCL might struggle to host because it’s located in Los Angeles, but it could be a final shout-out to Las Vegas casino Tropicana, which has announced its expected closing date as the Oakland A’s prepare to move to Sin City .
In May 2022, HCL hosted one of the most-watched cash game live streams of all time, peaking at over 100,000 concurrent viewers. Professionals like Tom Dwan, Phil HellmuthAnd Alan Keating took on the titans of Twitch and YouTube, including the aforementioned Ninja and Ludwig MrBeast.
What followed was eight hours of pure poker chaos. Keating dropped over a million dollars while Hellmuth lost almost six figures and was even accused of hiring one of the influencers.
Chess superstar Alexandra’s baptism was the biggest gainer of the session, finishing in the green with almost half a million.
| player | Loss of profit |
|---|---|
| Alexandra’s baptism | $456,900 |
| MrBeast | $438,900 |
| Ludwig | $404,700 |
| Ninja | $144,300 |
| Tom Dwan | $26,500 |
| Phil Hellmuth | -$96,400 |
| xQc | -$99,500 |
| mucus | -$142,700 |
| Alan Keating | -$1,132,700 |
Ninja vs. Hellmuth II?
One of the highlights of Ninja’s foray into the poker sphere was a hand against Hellmuth.
The duo was all-in before the flop The Poker Brat with pocket jacks in front and Ninja’s pocket sevens were destroyed. Ninja was about to take a swipe in front of the river before saying he would perform fellatio if a tenner landed on the felt. Lo and behold, the river brought Broadway to the stage, and the spoils were shared, much to Hellmuth’s dismay.
Did “Poker Brat” Phil Hellmuth do an angle shoot against Slime on Hustler Casino Live?
Who would you like to see at the table?
If Ninja’s game takes off, poker will have a new opportunity to draw more attention to the product. So who in the game would be best placed to attract new players to the table?
Keating should be a lock if he was interested. He’s a fan favorite and isn’t afraid to spend some money and do something. Will Hellmuth get another chance at redemption? Or were his previous antics enough for his chair to go to someone else?
Should it be streamed, another appearance from MrBeast would undoubtedly be a big draw and help attract more viewers.
Be sure to let us know who you think would be best at the table.
Calum Grant
Editor and live reporter
Calum joined the PokerNews team in September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.
