World Series of Poker Champ Gets Half a Prize

When former Hollywood agent Jamie Gold emerged as the big winner at the 37th annual World Series of Poker, onlookers could never have guessed that a month later half of his $12 million prize would remain frozen on location at the Rio Casino Hotel in Las Vegas. Lawyers involved in the dispute between Gold and his reported partner in finding celebrities to wear Bodog Poker gear, Crispin Leyser, have decided to hold half the prize and release the other half to Gold, who is denying a deal Leyser says was made prior to the Main Event. If courts decide that a deal was in existence, Gold would be left with only half of the biggest prize in poker history, leaving last year's winner Joe Hachem with the richest net payout at $7.5 million.