Success for PokerStars Personalities at Global Poker Awards
Recognition for what we do in life can’t be underestimated, so it was interesting to note a couple of the award recipients at the recent Global Poker Awards in Las Vegas. Such events are important both for individual personalities within the real money online poker industry and the online operators who they represent, and PokerStars was, not surprisingly, a poker room that featured prominently.
One of the noticeable highlights at the fourth annual instalment of the Global Poker Index (GPI) Awards was PokerStars personalities Jennifer Shahade and James Hartigan picking up Best Media Content: Written and Best Broadcaster respectively.
For Shahade, the recognition is particularly significant, as it was her “How Becoming a Poker Pro Helped Me Accept a Personal Tragedy” for the Wall Street Journal that earned the multi-talented poker and chess expert her latest accolade. The exceptionally personal piece featured the very serious and often taboo subject of secondary infertility, in the context of how poker taught Shahade to “respect the chances that things may not go my way - even when I do everything right. And on the flip side, to be grateful when things do work out.”
Poker is indeed a global phenomenon, with Texas Hold'em and Omaha cash tables, Sit & Go games and online poker tournaments bringing together a massively diverse cross-section from all corners of the world. Since becoming part of the PokerStars team, Shahade has consistently endeavoured to be an advocate for women in poker, and it’s fitting that this latest award recognises such an important contribution. Shahade: “Thanks to everyone at PokerStars for supporting my efforts to make poker more inclusive and to help impart its lesson to more and more women. One of the coolest things about winning a GPA is the fantastic company I'm in with such eloquent and deserving winners.... ‘Not Getting Unlucky is the Best Form of Luck’ is something I wish to everyone reading this.” Impressively, this is the popular ambassador’s second Global Poker award, the first coming for her podcast, the GRID (now sponsored by PokerStars) in 2020.
And there was more for PokerStars to celebrate at GPA night, thanks to James Hartigan (one half of PokerStars’ famous commentary duo) bagging his well-deserved first solo GPA win in the form of Best Broadcaster. Hartigan made sure to acknowledge his onscreen sidekick, Joe Stapleton: “He campaigned tirelessly for me to be nominated for this award, becoming my self-appointed campaign manager, and I really appreciate his efforts. More than anything, I’m glad he brought OUR work - and, by that, I mean the work of the entire EPT production team - to the attention of people in the US poker industry.”
Like Shahade, this was Hartigan’s second GPA win, Poker in the Ears (alongside his commentating partner Joe Stapleton) having picked up the Best Podcast award in 2022.
Other notable nominations for PokerStars include:
- GPI BREAKOUT PLAYER: Alejandro Lococo
- BEST STREAMER: Benjamin Spragg, Lex Veldhuis
- BEST TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR: Toby Stone
- BEST EVENT: PokerStars Live EPT Barcelona Main Event
- BEST PODCAST: Poker in the Ears
Meanwhile, you can find the latest online poker bonuses in our regularly updated info section. Good luck at the tables, and have fun!
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