Free Poker Money

As will be the case with most, if not all, online poker rooms this year, UB.com is running satellites for its players to win $12,000 prize packages for the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event. Unlike other rooms, however, UB.com is giving its winners more than just the seat and travel expenses. It is giving away free money, as well.

Anyone who wins a Main Event seat at UB.com and actually plays in the Main Event this summer while wearing UB gear will be rewarded with at least $1,000 in free money. The exact amount will depend on both how many qualifiers UB sends to the event and how many are skilled enough to cash.

Here's how it works. UB will add money to an overall bonus prize pool for every player who represents UB in the WSOP Main Event. As more players join the group, the dollar amount added per player goes up. At a minimum, $1,500 will be added to the bonus prize pool for every player up to 15. If there are 16 through 20 players, $1,750 will be added for each player (not just the 16th through 20th players). The dollar amounts increase all the way up to $5,000, which will be hit if more than 50 players play in the Main Event wearing UB logos. 75 percent of the total bonus pool will be divided equally amongst all the UB Main Event players. The other 25 percent will be divided equally amongst those who cash. If nobody cashes, all of the players split the entire pool. The minimum amount of  free money that will be paid to each player is $1,000.

For example, as it stands right now, 31 players have qualified for the Main Event at UB.com. Should they all play, the bonus prize pool will be $93,000 (31 players times $3,000 per player – see UB.com for the entire payout listing). Each player will automatically get $2,250, which is equal to 75 percent of $93,000 divided by the 31 players. If, say, five players cash, they will each get an additional $4,650, which is equal to 25 percent of the $93,000 divided by five.

UB.com has a number of ways to qualify for the 2010 WSOP Main Event, including multi-table tournaments and Sit-and-Go Steps tournaments.