Gossip Column: Phil Hellmuth Puts Las Vegas Home For Sale & More

The most winningest poker player in the world, Phil Hellmuth, has recently put his 1,672-square-foot Las Vegas home for sale. If you have about $430,000 handy, you can claim a part of poker history for yourself by purchasing the home of the 15-time WSOP bracelet winner.

It seems like cheating in online poker has become quite rampant with the help of advanced technology. The latest news reveals that real-time artificial intelligence (AI) software was allegedly used by a player who profited $500,000.

Phil Hellmuth Lists Las Vegas Home For Sale

Do you want a piece of poker history all to yourself? Well, you’re in luck because 15-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth has put his Las Vegas home up for sale! However, you have to be able to shell out $430,000 to buy it.

On June 30, the ‘Poker Brat’ made the announcement on Twitter.

I’m selling my house in Las Vegas, it’s in the Las Vegas Country Club: 2909 Bel Air Drive. I’m having an old friend, @KarinaJett, sell it for me. Before we list it on MLS, I thought I would give social media a shot. Reach out to Karina if you’re interested: $430,000 #POSITIVITY pic.twitter.com/fiBLoOKXRQ

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) June 30, 2020

It did get quite a lot of reaction from the poker Twitterati.

Why so expensive? pic.twitter.com/R9cILOFKda

— AndyJ (@Melb_Paramedic) June 30, 2020

I’ll give $215k

— ryan zenner (@R_K_Zenn) June 30, 2020

1980 called, they want their kitchen back!

— Brian Malkamaki (@BMalkamaki) June 30, 2020

Is this the infamous balcony where you were shirtless for the @WSOP promo? You’re selling history my friend!

— Derek Naylor (@djnayls) June 30, 2020

Damn @Joeingram1 can we get a pod on this!? Mind boggling how he can afford these large entry poker tournaments, yet can’t pay the mortgage on his own home! What happened to the best poker player that has ever lived!?!? ?

— Chris (@ChapMoney31) June 30, 2020

The house is located within the Las Vegas County Club gated community and comprises of three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a pool, and a two-car garage. But perhaps the most exciting part of this 1,672-square-foot property is the infamous balcony, where a shirtless Hellmuth stood during an ESPN piece on his daily routine that included shirtless meditation on his balcony overlooking the Las Vegas Blvd in the distance.

You can check out the clip right here.

This @phil_hellmuth clip has been trending & I think it’s some of the greatest poker content of all time.

Highlights

-the toilet paper bedside & included in the shot
-the tooth brushing scene is a fucking classic scene w/ multiple photos of PH on mirror
-the shirtless ending pic.twitter.com/EEZwLgkJK8

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) April 23, 2019

All of this could be yours for $430,000. So, if you want to possess a part of Hellmuthian poker history, now is your chance.

Real-Time AI Assists in Online Poker Cheating

Days after Vice journalist Hayden Vernon had written about turning £1 into £220 by using a bot to play online poker, news hit the airwaves of another player allegedly cheating by making a $500,000 profit with suspected assisted play.

Andy Wilson tweeted about the issue.

Russian community member TylerRM has accused a recent twitch streamer ‘littlepoker’ (https://t.co/noVUgXdf76) of being assisted in the 500 ABI games on GG/Party and, via his own screenshot the group of usernames under which he plays seem to have accrued half a million in profit. pic.twitter.com/L9FUUDrGXS

— Andy Wilson (@BowieEffect) June 17, 2020

Patrick Leonard has also gone public with a video showing real-time poker software being used to give ‘GTO solutions’ during play on GGPoker. Leonard describes it as ‘the biggest threat to online poker’.

https://t.co/402i7M00M4

This is biggest threat to online poker. @GGPokerOfficial he shows his screen name cheating here, linking account and finding out real name and all sites working together and shutting this down collectively is crucial. Confiscate full account balances

— Patrick Leonard (@padspoker) June 16, 2020

The shocking news was first aired on the 2plus2 forum, ‘TylerRM’ posting results from his investigation into possible bot use/help on 888poker.

“Today, I have found a group of players, that uses similar/identical AI (artificial intelligence) for decision making in schedule tournaments on 888 poker site. While recently 888 has banned many players with “Using AI” ban reason, I want to help 888 and clean tournaments from cheaters”’ he had said.

‘TylerRM’ also shared screenshots of the win rates, playing stats and dozens of names of alleged cheats, with many more suspected of using AI to enhance their play.

There is some confusion regarding whether the cheaters are using real-time solving software, or using pre-solved data in real-time. Nevertheless, the ultimate result of either is quite detrimental for both regular and recreational players.

One of the major issues raised was whether many sites making Hand Histories generally unavailable was actually helping the cheats rather than helping the playing community at large.

Reacting to the unfolding issue, Matt Berkey tweeted multiple times on the dangers of the ever-increasing ability of software to aid players.

This is a waaaaaaaaaaaaay bigger deal than people realize, which is unfortunate, as online teeters between rising in popularity & collapsing under the weight of unchecked technological advances. https://t.co/X5b4YuxJyc

— Matt Berkey (@berkey11) June 16, 2020

The poker sites themselves have attempted to keep up with the pace and ingenuity of cheats and ne’er-do-wells, though at differing rates and with different success rates.

888Poker responded in the forum to the main allegations saying, “We appreciate the research done by OP and are taking this case very seriously as we do in regards to any suspected use of AI. The information you have provided has been escalated, and these accounts are being thoroughly reviewed.”

“While we do not share results of our investigations in relation to specific accounts publicly, we can assure you that upon findings, appropriate action will be taken,” they further added.

However, given the current focus on online poker and major tournaments like the 2020 WSOP Online Series on the anvil, sites may have to work harder than ever to ensure fair play!