Three poker pros are coming together to enter the Texas poker industry by investing in the Lodge Poker Club in Austin. The poker room is one of the most popular in the country and the largest in Central Texas. It also goes by Lodge Mahal.
Texas is a unique state in regards to laws about poker. For example, taking rakes on pots is illegal. Therefore, a poker room has to operate as a club that charges players monthly membership fees daily or hourly seat fees.
Doug Polk is a legendary poker player, while Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme are vloggers.
A New and Thrilling Adventure
Polk, who retires and returns to poker from time to time, hinted at starting a poker room in Texas through a YouTube video. The upswing poker founder explained that he did not know poker was prominent in Texas. The poker pro moved from Las Vegas to Texas in 2021, realizing how huge poker was in the state. This prompted him to think of launching his own room.
However, it would have taken him at least 18 months to build a room from the ground up. Thus, Polk opted to buy a stake in an already established poker room. Owen noted that he and the team were not buying the whole company. He said the previous owner still had the most shares, followed by Doug and Andrew.
Doug, Owen, and Andrew are not the only poker pros to enter the Texas Poker market. Johnny Chan was also in the industry but had to sell his 88 Social Poker Club in Houston after a disagreement with his co-owner and financial problems.
The Trio Has Big Future Plans
Owen and Neeme are the most popular vloggers who host meet-up games across the country. The two are teaming up with Polk to take the poker industry further. Speaking on the new partnership, Owen noted that he and Neeme had thought about owning a poker club in Texas for years.
However, since the two were not based in the state, possessing a poker room in Texas would be difficult. Luckily, Doug approached Owen and Neeme making the vloggers’ idea doable. Neeme resides in Las Vegas but grew up in Michigan. The vloggers confirmed they will fly between Nevada and Austin regularly, now that they have invested in the Lodge Poker Club.
On the other hand, Doug promised to play at least twice a week in his new card room.
He communicated with the other owners via video for months before agreeing to invest in the poker room. The Lodge is the biggest poker club in the Lone Star State. It has 60 card tables and was recently renovated, becoming one of Central Texas’s most aesthetically pleasing properties.
Already, Owen is ready to host the biggest meet-up games later this month. Owen is anticipating at least 20 tables with a buy-in of $2 to $5. The poker club also plans to host the first big tournament since the new owners joined the club.
The Lodge will host several other events between January 24 and 30. On January 26, the poker room will host its Monthly Monster Tourney going for $600 buy-in for the no-limit hold’em. With eight Day 1 starting flights, Owen predicts the tourney will attract a prize pool of $1 million, double the guaranteed prize money.
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