PTP Q&A with Jay Lakin

Chris Grove

As co-owner of PokerSourceOnline, one of the largest poker communities on the internet, Jay Lakin has a unique perspective on not only the history of the industry, but also the future. Lakin has been a regular fixture on talk radio in recent weeks, discussing the flurry of legislative activity surrounding online poker. Jay was nice enough to take a few minutes out of his day to answer some of our questions about the health of poker, the way that players can make a difference on the political side of things, and the legacy of everyone’s favorite piece of legislation, the UIGEA.

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PTP Q&A with Sorel Mizzi

Staff

Sorel Mizzi is a well-known tournament player, both for his online and live success. While he was the subject of a little bit of controversy last year after confessing to finishing up a tournament on someone else’s account online, by all accounts it was a fairly isolated incident and Mizzi has worked hard to put it behind him. We let him off the hook on that issue, as he’s discussed it enough over the last year, and instead focused on what he’s up to now.

PTP:: How’s the Betfair sponsorship been working out for you so far? Has it changed anything dramatically about what / when you play?

SM: No, it hasn’t changed anything dramatically. I will probably end up playing more events with the Betfair contract then without it but it’s not that much of a change from what I was playing anyway.

PTP:: How did that sponsorship come about? What about Betfair attracted you?

SM: I had a few other offers at the time and after looking at each closely I felt that I would have the most opportunity by being sponsored by Betfair. What I really liked about Betfair was firstly that they were not interested in having a saturation of pro’s. They were interested in compiling a team of young guns who have proven themselves live and online to be top tier players. Also, Annette and I have always been pretty close friends and her being on the team was definitley something that attracted me to Betfair.

PTP:: How do you feel about sponsorship deals in general? Do you think the market has peaked or do you still see plenty of opportunities for your peers?

SM: Sponsorship deals are a great way to create a mutually beneficial situation for both the sponsor and the sponsored. I think there are still plenty of opportunities to get sponsored, especially if you stand out in a unique way (female pro’s, winning a huge or prestigious event, etc.)

PTP:: You haven’t done any extensive work with online poker training sites. What’s your thought on those services and the impact they’ve had on the game?

SM: Yes, I have had offers but have never really been interested in exposing my game to the world since it’s never really been worth it. The impact is huge, the online games are becoming noticeably a lot harder.

PTP:: Which is more profitable for you, online or live play?

SM: I definitley will have a higher ROI in live games then I would online. Just a matter of playing a lot more live tournaments.

PTP:: Which WSOP event are you looking forward to this year besides the main event?

SM: 10k Heads Up, 5k mixed limit/nl, any shootout

PTP:: When you were coming up in the online ranks, what players, if any, were really influential to you?

SM: Johnny Bax, since he was number 1 at the time and well liked / respected in the poker community.

PTP:: It’s a common belief that online poker has gotten tougher since the passage of the UIGEA. What’s your take on that belief and, if you agree, what would it take to get the games back to pre-UIGEA levels?

SM: I agree. What it would take to get the games back to pre-UIGEA levels would be either the US government abolishing the act or a constant influx of new players.. preferably who play high stakes

PTP:: What’s the single hardest thing about playing poker for a living?

SM: Downswings… they can effect your emotional well being in ways I never thought possible.. Will make you make worse decisions in poker and in life.

PTP:: If you stopped playing poker tomorrow, what would you do for a living?

SM: Either have my own business or real estate…. I’ve always been an entrepreneur and never liked the idea of working for someone else..

PTP:: How long do you see yourself continuing to play for a living?

SM: For a living , maybe 5-7 years.. playing for fun, my whole life.