Phil Hellmuth, Jamie Gold and others help keep the annual event lively
This year’s annual pre-Super Bowl party hosted by Leigh Steinberg featured a celebrity poker event for the first time in its 37-year history. The star-studded turbo tournament was emceed by 2006 WSOP Main Event champion Jamie Gold and all-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.
A few dozen of the hundreds of stars enjoying complimentary cocktails at the event at the Ahern Hotel registered for the poker tournament, which took place tucked in a nook near the elevators of the lavish hotel, including former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
Poker Hall of Famers Erik Seidel and Jack McClelland, as well as other top pros like Maria Ho, Nick Vertucci, Joey Ingram, Ryan Feldman, Chad Holloway and PokerNews’ Yori Epskamp, also attended.
Comedian Rob Riggle and reality TV star Princess Love attended the premier tournament as well. Love probably hasn’t even had time to enjoy the bottle of LOUIS XIII cognac she won after winning the Celebrity Poker Tour Invitational II a few days ago.
Love’s husband, singer Ray J, also played in the event but isn’t as skilled a poker player as his wife. “I’ve been trying to teach him; he will not listen,” says Love. “I’m like, why are you calling $40,000 bets with four-five offsuit? And it’s like, he doesn’t know how to fold; once he has a hand and he already has so much invested in it, he just bluffs it away. I’m like, now half your stack is gone. What I tell him literally goes in one ear and out the other. So there’s only so much I can do.”
Riggle, one of the founders of the Big Slick charity poker tournament with other celebrities like Jason Sudeikis and Paul Rudd, says he’s not a regular at the tables and doesn’t play poker “very much” but still enjoys the game.
