Gossip Column: Galfond €174K Ahead of ‘ActionFreak’ at Half-Way Mark, Former Arsenal Striker Admits to Losing £6 Million in Poker

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  • Namita Ghosh May 15, 2020
  • 3 Minutes Read

Playing true to expectations, the high stakes PLO challenge issued by Run It Once (RIO) Poker founder Phil Galfond has brought a lot of thrills for poker fans around the world. After vanquishing the formidable ‘Venividi1993’ in the first challenge, Galfond presently has his sights trained on the online phenom Ioannis ActionFreak’ Kontonatsios and the duo are over half-way through their 15,000 hands challenge.

Like the last one, here too, the scorecard has mostly reflected a one-sided advantage, the only difference being that this time it’s Galfond who has been enjoying the lead. The PLO legend has pulled ahead by over €434K before a strong rally by ‘ActionFreak’ on Monday ate into that lead significantly. The last two sessions have mostly been a washout with Galfond gaining €19,003.35 only to see ‘ActionFreak’ bouncing back with a €23,363.64 comeback on May 14. The scorecard shows Galfond in the lead for €173,888.98 after 8,054 hands, but like the first challenge, the end result could easily swing in either direction!

The other story that got the gossip mills churning involves the former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner who is a well-known poker enthusiast. Bendtner, who has been spotted at the high stakes poker tables on numerous occasions in London, recently made a very shocking admission of having lost £6 Million in the game over time.

Galfond Commands €174K Lead Over Ioannis ‘ActionFreak’ Kontonatsios as Challenge Crosses Half-Way Mark

It was a rough start to the week for Run It Once (RIO) Poker founder Phil Galfond in his ongoing 15,000-hand heads-up PLO challenge against Ioannis ‘ActionFreak’ Kontonatsios. The duo is playing €150/€300 HU PLO on partypoker and Galfond had pulled ahead to take a commanding €174K lead over his opponent before a crushing Monday session saw ‘ActionFreak’ picking off €256,044 from the challenger over 721 hands to cut the lead almost in half.

Phil Galfond
Phil Galfond

 

The last two sessions have mostly been a washout. Galfond won €19,003.35 on Day 10 that saw the duo playing 776 hands on May 12.

RIO Poker tweeted announcing Galfond’s winning session.

The tables were turned on Day 11. The two traded chips early on, and even though Galfond surged ahead, ‘ActionFreak’ ended the 784-hand session in the green for €23,363.64.

Over the last two sessions, the duo has played 1,560 hands, taking the Galfond vs. ‘ActionFreak’ challenge well past the half-way mark with 8,054 hands now done and dusted.

For now, Galfond has held onto the lead with a profit of €173,888.98, but ‘ActionFreak’ is closing in quite dangerously. If the first challenge has taught us anything, its that high stakes PLO heads-up matches are never over till the last hand is dealt!

Former Arsenal Striker Nicklas Bendtner Admits to Losing £6 Million in Poker

Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner made a sensational revelation this week. The 32-year-old soccer pro who hosts a reality TV show in Denmark with his girlfriend, Philine Roepstorff, admitted that he has lost close to £6 Million in poker!

Nicklas Bendtner
Nicklas Bendtner

 

“I have lost lots of money – a totally unrealistic amount,” Bendtner said on the show, recalling that he started playing poker at the age of 19, and regularly played high-stakes poker games when he lived in London.

Though he has enjoyed a dominating presence in soccer, Bendtner has also earned infamy over numerous controversies in the past. In 2018, he was handed out a 50-day prison sentence in Denmark after the court found him guilty of assaulting a cab driver.

During a 2012 Euro group game against Portugal, Bendtner scored a crucial goal and celebrated it on the grounds by exposing his underwear that bore the logo and name of sports betting operator, Paddy Power. The publicity stunt drew a lot of flak!

As for his passion for poker, Bendtner admitted that the turning point for him came during one particular high-stakes session in London when he was on the verge of losing a lot of money. Eventually, he didn’t, but going on the brink made Bendtner decide to play at more conservative stakes. He confessed that he still plays poker quite regularly with friends, but his high-stakes binges are now a thing of the past!

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