Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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Jack Link's Beef Jerky offers WSOP promotion

Daniel Negreanu need not apply.

By Geoff Fisk

Quad jacks are always great, but they've never been more valuable than at this year's WSOP Main Event.

Jack Link's Beef Jerky has been the main presenting sponsor for the WSOP this year, and the upstart beef snack company is giving players even more incentive to pony up for the Main Event.

The company announced its "Stacked Jacks Go Wild" promotion, which will run throughout the Main Event.

Any player in the Main Event that ends up with four jacks as a final hand will win a Jack Link's prize pack valued at more than $100. All players and hands are eligible for the prize.

"Four-of-a-kind Jacks has always been a good hand," said Jeff LeFever, director of marketing for Jack Link's. "With 'Stacked Jacks Go Wild' it just got better."

"Obviously we're a little biased about the Jack being our favorite card in the deck so we thought it might be fun to sweeten the pot a little and make sure that hand is a winner every time."

While the prize packs are a fun idea, it's unknown how the "Stacked Jacks Go Wild" promotion will impact play in the Main Event.

The addictive nature of Jack Link's Beef Jerky could present some tough choices at the table for players who might be thinking about only concentrating on putting together four jacks, instead of playing optimal No Limit Hold'em strategy.

Poker superstar Daniel Negreanu is one player whose play won't be affected by the promotion.

"I think it's very nice of them and I appreciate the offer, but until they have vegan beef I'll be donating my prize to somebody else," Negreanu said.

It's not exactly an endorsement from Negreanu, but the promotion goes on.

"Competing for the richest prize in sports is serious business, but it is still poker after all, and poker should always be fun," said World Series of Poker vice president Ty Stewart.

"We're glad Jack Link's is celebrating its presenting sponsorship by bringing another layer of excitement to the WSOP tournament floor."

The prize pack goes to any player making quad jacks, even if that player takes a horrendous bad beat and ends up being eliminated from the Main Event.

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