PokerStars to deal ten-billionth hand

It's like the lottery, only better.

PokerStars is getting ready to deal its 10 billionth hand, and its giving away $1,000,000 to mark the occasion. To put the number in perspective, the earth's population is 6.5 billion.

Just last summer, PokerStars celebrated dealing its five-billionth hand., And they're going to double that mark in less than 12 months.. I know what you're thinking, that's a lot of rake money. Luckily, PokerStars has decided to give some of it back.

The winner of the 10-billionth hand will receive $100,000 and every player at the celebratory table will receive $10,000. PokerStars will announce when the winning hand is about to be dealt. I imagine the winning hand will be chaos, with multiple all-ins. But just like the guy who's willing to play 7-2 off suit out of position for all his money because he has "a feeling," I'm willing to bet someone will miss the point of the hand and fold away their chance to win the big money. I'm offering 2-1 -- any takers?

In addition to the big prize, PokerStars is handing out prizes for every millionth hand dealt from 9.9 billion forward. The prize level depends on what stakes your playing, so if you've always wanted to be a high roller, this is your chance. There is one stipulation - winners must be playing in cash-ring games during one of the milestone hands. Tournament players need not apply.

With an average of 8-10,000 real-money-ring-game players online at PokerStars at any one given time, b, your chances of winning the $100,000 final-hand prize are much greater than winning the Powerball, dating a super model or getting struck by lightning.

Bottom-line: There's some serious money to be won if you're lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

To honor the site that is honoring the achievement, we here at Casino City have come up with a few schemes to take home the big prize.

1.) Aaron Todd – Casino City Reporter
Always the traditionalist, Todd plans to play his normal micro-limit game during the final countdown (he's a serious player at 1-2 cent No-Limit Hold'em -- his ROI is astronomical). But given the potential windfall, Todd plans to play MULTIPLE TABLES, a serious break from his normal routine of tight-aggressive full concentration poker.

2.) Vin Narayanan – Casino City Managing Editor
Vin also plans to play multiple hands, but he wants to do it in true editor style. His plan – find a friend with "several" plasma screen televisions and force one of his reporters to play as many hands as will fit on the beautiful monitors. Then, the reporter will have to write a story about his experience, which Vin will rip apart with his merciless Microsoft Word "track changes" editing feature. Damn those red lines!

3.) Steven Corfman – Casino City (He has like 50 titles)
Always trying to beat the system (odd for a "fair-gaming advocate"), Steven plans to enlist an army of bots -- minions who will tie up all the micro-limit tables and fold endlessly, minimizing losses and maximizing the chance of winning. Additionally, Steven plans to program these bots to only play when the milestone hand approaches, sure to enrage the ever vigilant poker protection crowd at twoplustwo.com.

4.) Me – Casino City Reporter
My plan is to spread the wealth and do as little work as possible. Violently allergic to micro-limit cash games (or cash games in general), I'm going to front money to a sea of degenerates, creating a poker army of my very own, similar to Steven's robotic idea. By enlisting these players, I will increase my chances of hitting the jackpot, even if it's only for a percentage of the money. It's still likely to be more money than my meager wages. It's really no different than when friends combine cash to buy a stake in the lottery, except that I'm handing money to a bunch of losers who are probably all bots or will never pay me anyways.

The 10 billionth PokerStars hand should be dealt sometime within the next week. If you have devised your own scheme to take down the big money (these are fake scenarios for those who are sarcastically challenged), email me at ryanmclane@casinocity.com .And if you win the $100,000, shoot me some mail and I'll make you famous.