By now you’ve little doubt heard in regards to the World Poker Tour (WPT) and their upcoming WPT Voyage, which can happen from March 31-April 6, 2024 as they take over a whole Virgin Voyages cruise ship – the 1,400-cabin Valiant Girl – for a six-day poker competition that options $1.5 million in ensures, together with a $5,000 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD WPT Important Occasion.
Main as much as the WPT Voyage, PokerNews can be profiling a number of workers members of the WPT at Sea Poker Room in our “Trade Insiders” sequence. For people who don’t know, the WPT at Sea is the precise poker site aboard Virgin Voyages (at present on the Scarlet Girl cruise ship however quickly to increase to others).
Listed here are a number of the profiles we have executed prior to now:
Are Your Prepared for Poker’s Spring Break? Adam Pliska Talks WPT Voyage Cruise
Get to Know Jason Gargac
Jason Gargac is a 38-year-old military veteran from St. Louis who has been married for 17 years. He labored as a bounty hunter till the pandemic sidelined that profession path.
“I went from making actually good cash to going as much as a month with out bringing in a greenback,” he defined. For 2 years he supported his household by promoting books on Amazon earlier than rekindling the thought of dealing poker. “I went to an area poker group right here in Kansas Metropolis known as Money Cows Poker which is run by Eric White – one other WPT at Sea Supervisor and WSOP ground supervisor – and requested him about changing into a poker supplier.”
A product of the Moneymaker Growth, Gargac cited each him and Jamie Gold as influences.
“I had the whole lot come full circle for me this yr as I’ve had the chance to deal each of them this summer season, Jamie Gold at WSOP and Chris Moneymaker in Tunica,” mentioned Gargac. “I had thought of changing into a poker supplier most likely 9 or so years in the past once I was transitioning out of the army in 2014. I had heard again then that you simply wanted to begin on desk video games to get an opportunity to deal poker in a poker site, and I had ZERO curiosity in dealing different desk video games so I simply did not pursue it. After COVID, I talked to Eric about changing into a poker supplier and he gave me some recommendation shortly after I noticed an advert on Fb about WSOP hiring for sellers.”
Gargac noticed this as a chance and started working towards his pitch on his personal at residence, dealing out boards, and studying fingers. He would go on to attend supplier college in Might 2022, and after passing was on to work his first WSOP!
“No one believed me once I was telling them it was my first time dealing there and showered me with compliments.”
“I used to be extremely nervous, however I performed within the Worker Occasion and noticed how nervous these sellers had been and it made me notice that I wasn’t the one one freaking out which made me relax. No one believed me once I was telling them it was my first time dealing there and showered me with compliments.”
In that first summer season, he went from by no means dealing earlier than to dealing WSOP and getting requested to do high-roller occasions with the restart crew. Since then he has dealt for the likes of the WPT, MSPT, and RunGood Poker Sequence (RGPS), simply to call a couple of.
“Once I first thought of entering into dealing poker I had heard about sellers engaged on cruise ships within the non permanent rooms. In early 2023 as I used to be dealing different stops and making ready plans to deal WSOP in Vegas once more I stumbled upon a Fb publish by Emily Delaine that was the job posting for WPT at Sea. I instantly despatched her a message and was hit with a reasonably fast dilemma. They wanted sellers ASAP, however I had already dedicated to WSOP, and the stops I used to be dealing did not go away me a lot time to do cruises with WPT at Sea.”
Gargac proceeded to work a busy schedule to do each touring supplier gigs he had dedicated to but additionally WPT at Sea stints.
“It was extremely anxious for me, however I am so glad I pushed by and did it! I severely love the whole lot about WPT at Sea … My spouse bought so jealous of my dealing and posting footage on Fb and sending her footage that she went to supplier college and bought to return onboard with me in September! Now we’re each able to sail with WPT at Sea as typically as we are able to!”
He added: “Total, I like exploring new locations, so getting off the ship and experiencing new locations is a blast for me no matter the place we’re. At the same time as I have been to most of the ports a number of instances, I attempt to expertise one thing completely different every time. Radio Seaside at Bimini has some completely unimaginable views, one of the vital stunning seashores we go to.”
WPT Voyage vs. WPT at Sea – What is the Distinction? Here is All the things You Must Know
What’s WPT at Sea?
To not be confused with WPT Voyage, WPT at Sea is an precise poker site on the Scarlet Girl ship (and soon-to-be different Virgin Voyages). That poker site is working on the excessive seas proper now as you learn this.
“After witnessing the magic of cruise-line poker with Virgin Voyages final season, we immediately sought to determine a everlasting fixture,” mentioned WPT CEO Adam Pliska. “Scarlet Girl supplies the proper residence for WPT at Sea, which can carry the WPT poker expertise to the excessive seas.”
The room options eight customized poker tables staffed with skilled sellers. For money video games, the rake is an inexpensive 10% as much as $10, which is way decrease than different cruises. As for tournaments, buy-ins on a typical crusing vary from $80-$320.
Not too long ago, WPT at Sea has held a $240 buy-in Important Occasion, which awards a WPT prize bundle to a future crusing.
The room caters to gamers of all expertise ranges, from absolute newbie to seasoned professional. For the previous, the workers holds newbie coaching programs on every crusing, and sellers additionally supply their companies if 1:1 instruction is desired.
WPT at Sea goes wherever the ship does, which means those that go for the poker may also get to expertise new and thrilling locations. The room is closed when the ship is docked so sailors are incentivized to get off the ship and test issues out. However concern not, when everyone seems to be again on board it doesn’t take lengthy for playing cards to get again within the air.
Listed here are another issues to find out about WPT at Sea:
- The WPT at Sea poker site doesn’t settle for money. Sailors deal with all transactions by way of their wearable units (all sailors have a bracelet they put on that permits them to be scanned at varied shops throughout the ship), which means buy-ins can merely be charged to your account. Likewise, match winnings are credited to the account as effectively (you possibly can money out both on the on line casino cage or on the finish of the cruise).
- Non-public and meet-up video games are allowed at WPT at Sea.
- There’s a on line casino space subsequent door that options all kinds of slot machines, roulette, craps, Blackjack, and different desk video games.
- The WPT at Sea poker site has home windows, so you may get a view of the ocean exterior.
- The poker site has its personal set of personal bogs.
- Not solely is there a bar positioned within the on line casino simply exterior the poker site, however drink serves are fast to serve the poker-playing sailors.
- WPT at Sea affords as much as 25% off and as much as $600 in free drinks relying on the cruise, so make sure you inquire while you e-book.
- WPT at Sea could be very energetic on Instagram, which you’ll observe by clicking right here.
WPT at Sea is taking reservations by the top of 2024. To be taught extra or e-book your cruise,go to wptatsea.com.
Try the WPT at Sea Poker Room evaluate right here on PokerNews!
Govt Editor U.S.
Govt Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.
