Negreanu Bets $1M: Ivey to Beat Moon in WSOP 2009 Final

The final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker main event will resume today at noon Las Vegas time. While fans are disappointed by the lack of live television coverage, professional players are busy making various bets. Daniel Negreanu has proposed a $1 million bet that Phil Ivey will win against Darwin Moon.

Negreanu's bet involves Doyle Brunson, who is taking Darwin Moon with 58,930,000 chips, while Negreanu is backing Phil Ivey with 9,765,000 chips. If either Ivey or Moon wins, the opposing bettor will pay $1 million. If someone else wins, the bet is a wash.

Some forum posters on 2+2 consider the bet fair, despite Moon's larger stack. Christian Harder notes that while Moon is the favorite to make the final four, he is likely to finish second or third. Ivey, if he makes the top three, becomes the favorite due to his short-stack skills. Morphine agrees, stating that Ivey's chances of winning are significantly higher than Moon's. Negreanu himself has tweeted that he regretted not taking back his bet after watching Moon's play. Justin Bonomo is willing to take Moon against Ivey with a minimum bet of $500, and is also open to bets involving other players. Pinnacle's odds favor Moon, with a $211 bet winning $100, while a $100 bet on Ivey wins $185.