July 16 2012, PokerNews Staff

While at the 2012 World Series of Poker, you may have noticed the Onnit Labs booth in the hallway of the Rio Convention Center. Among the mixed martial artists and other athletes on the Onnit Honor Roll, are two poker players – Sorel Mizzi and Matt Vengrin. We know what you’re thinking, poker players aren’t overly active, so what can these supplements do for them? We decided to speak with Onnit CEO Aubrey Marcus to find out.

Tell us a little bit about how Onnit began?

Onnit started after I realized how bad I was at taking the dozen or so supplements that I knew would have a positive effect on me each day. I had a whole vitamin cabinet full of products, that were all good, but I hardly ever got around to taking them because I never carved out the time. I knew that there could be a better way, and by combining supplements together in unique ways and around specific purposes we could create powerful and efficacious formulas that people would actually take.

Break down for us the ideal way to integrate Onnit products in one’s everyday life?

Our products can either be taken for a specific purpose, such as Alpha Brain for cognitive enhancement, New Mood for mood and relaxation, etc. Or optimally they can be taken as part of a regimen to raise all of your major health and wellness markers. Sometime in Q4 we expect to launch our vitamin packs, combining proprietary formulas with essential nutrients to make the whole process even easier.

How did you guys come up with the idea for Alpha Brain, and why do you think it’s so effective?

The key to Alpha Brain is raising levels of your major neurotransmitters in balance. Most formulas just focus on one thing, raising your acetylcholine. This will make you sharper and more focused, but also has a tendency to create irritability. However when you raise other neurotransmitter levels to match, as well as provide powerful anti-stress herbs, you can boost acetylcholine levels even higher, getting stronger positive effects, without having any of the negatives.

The key to the formula is how well everything works together, and also the potency of our ingredients. Alpha Brain is one of the most expensive natural supplements per pill that has been formulated, and we are fortunate to be able to sell the product direct to consumers so that we can keep the price reasonable.

Obviously you guys are tied heavily to mixed martial arts, working with Joe Rogan, but what inspired you to get involved in poker?

Of all the sports that depend on mental acuity, poker is the game with the highest stakes. It was just a great natural fit, and we are excited to be so well accepted by the poker community.

Have you played poker yourself?

I am a player myself, however finding the time to carve out and dig into a good game has been hard this past year. The last tournament I entered was a $40 no-limit hold’em tournament in old Vegas at the Fitz and I ended up winning the tourney so I am riding that one out for now!

What can a poker player expect from taking Alpha Brain, and why is it so effective?

A player can expect increased focus, less distraction, better memory, and a reservoir of mental energy and stamina without the jitters of a stimulant like Adderall. It really makes you feel like you have an edge, in life, and on the felt.

You guys have signed a few pros like Sorel Mizzi, and Matt Vengrin – can you tell me a bit about those signings, and how they fit into the Onnit Brand?

We only like working with people who first and foremost love the products they are taking. Matt and Sorel fit in that category, and have been great ambassadors for us thus far.

Do you see Onnit continuing to focus on poker players? And what can we expect in the near future?

Poker is one of the best games/sports in the world, and we believe Alpha Brain is one of the best nutritional supplements. The two are a natural fit, and we look forward to a long synergistic relationship between Onnit and Poker!

Find out more about Onnit Labs, it’s “Honor Roll,” that includes poker players Sorel Mizzi and Matt Vengrin, as well as Joe Rogan and others; and all the supplements offered, at Onnit.com.

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June 28 2012, Brett Collson

Players are gearing up for the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop at the World Series of Poker. Some are even selling pieces of themselves to anyone looking for a sweat. We’re covering that story, plus Pamela Anderson’s return to online poker, in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

A final table was reached in the World Series of Poker $50,000 Poker Players Championship. Who made the final eight? Find out in the WSOP Day 32 recap.

Can Michael Mizrachi win his third WSOP bracelet on Thursday? We take a look at that story and more in the PokerNews WSOP What to Watch For.

Looking for a fun, behind-the-scenes perspective of life at the WSOP? All Mucked Up has daily stories from inside the Rio, so check it out!

Selling Shares

The $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop is just days away, and some high-profile players are working on finalizing their finances to buy into the event. This week, we saw Andrew Robl, Antonio Esfandiari and Daniel Negreanu show off their registration tickets. Other pros intend to buy in on Thursday and Friday, but not before selling off action to any interested buyers.

Ben Lamb, Jason Mercier and Phil Hellmuth announced via Twitter Wednesday that they are still selling off pieces for the Big One. Mercier is the only one of the three actually confirmed by the WSOP to be playing the event, but it seems Lamb and Hellmuth have spots secured.

As of Thursday afternoon, 42 players were confirmed for the Big One for One Drop. We expect to have a confirmed final list of participants by Saturday. The event kicks off Sunday at 1:11 PM PST in the Amazon Room of the Rio Convention Center.

Be sure to follow the PokerNews Live Reporting page for up-to-the-minute updates on the richest event in poker history!

Poker With a Playmate

Former Baywatch star and Playboy model Pamela Anderson is the new face of an online poker site.

Anderson will serve as the ambassador of BamPoker, a new virtual gambling site available through social media giant Facebook. According to a press release, Bam Poker will be “the only place online where member can play Texas Hold’em poker with Pamela Anderson herself.”

The new site offers play-money no-limit Texas hold’em tournaments around the clock. Anderson will also be an active member of the BamPoker community, keeping up with a fan page, playing on the site and periodically chatting with members via the BamPoker App.

“There is nothing like BamPoker out there today, and I am excited to be a part of such an innovative platform!” said Anderson.

This isn’t the first time Anderson has ventured into the realm of online poker. You may recall that Anderson’s poker room, called Pamela Poker, was affiliated with Doyle’s Room. However, Pamela Poker was shut down after President Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) into law in 2006.

Read more at BamPoker.com.

Denmark Blacklists Gambling Sites

The Danish Gambling Authority has blacklisted 12 websites that were offering services to residents in Denmark without an online gaming license.

Internet service provider Hi3G was ordered by a Danish court to block a dozen sites that had not complied with Denmark’s law regarding local gaming licenses. Hi3G has 14 days to comply with the court order.

The following sites have been blacklisted:

• amazingvideopoker.com
• bet-at-home.com
• casinodelrio.com
• casinobellini.com
• casinomel.com
• casinoredvegas.com
• casinotropez.com
• casino-alhambra.com
• coolhandpoker.com
• europacasino.com
• titanpoker.com
• winner.com

The move by Denmark follows a similar decision by Belgium, which blacklisted 30 non-licensed sites including Bwin, Betsson, Betfair, William Hill and 888 last month. Under the Belgian Gambling Act, players are only allowed to play on licensed sites, and the nation’s four largest Internet service providers are in the process of barring unauthorized domains.

Denmark’s new regulatory framework went into effect on Jan. 1. Among the 38 operators awarded licenses were PokerStars, Betfair, 888, bwin.party, PKR and Unibet.

For more, check out the official statement by the Danish Gambling Authority at skat.dk.

Skrill’s Big Purchase

Online payment company Skrill made a major acquisition on Thursday, paying “140m for complete ownership of paysafecard.com, an Austria-based provider of prepaid vouchers that enable consumers to shop online. The deal is the biggest in Skrill’s history.

By acquiring paysafecard, Skrill combines its digital wallet and online payments services with paysafecard’s extensive offline distribution network in 31 countries across Europe, North and South America. The combined group will have over 27 million end-users, almost 130,000 merchant customers and over 100 payment options in more than 40 currencies, according to a press release.

“The paysafecard acquisition establishes Skrill as a complete alternative payments platform, addressing both on- and off-line channels, and offering merchants and end-users much greater flexibility in making and receiving payments,” said Hazem Ben-Gacem, nonexecutive chairman of Skrill. “The two companies’ combined functionality will allow millions of people who are under-banked to benefit from Skrill’s payment services, and therefore enjoy the many advantages of online shopping.”

Don’t forget, you have less than a week to become a Skrill VIP through PokerNews. Find out more at PokerNews.com.

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Read more about Social Slots here at PokerNews.com.

$50K Hand Controversy

An unusual hand took place during the $50,000 Poker Players Championship in Las Vegas this week. Kristy Arnett spoke with some of the key players involved to get their take on the controversy.

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