Winnings controversy
Just prior to the 2006 WSOP,
Bodog.com Entertainment and Gold entered into a business relationship when Gold agreed to find celebrities willing to play in the main event under the
Bodog banner in exchange for a paid entry into the main event. Gold partnered with Crispin Leyser to help with this task in exchange for half of Gold's winnings, according to Leyser. After Gold won, Leyser says that Gold reneged on the deal and had decided to keep the entire $12 million prize.
Leyser sued Gold and on August 22, 2006, Chief District Court Judge Kathy Hardcastle froze the payment of the funds as part of the ongoing legal dispute between Gold and Leyser. [18] At a December court hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Roger L. Hunt rejected a motion by Gold's lawyers to lift an injunction set in September on the $6 million still at the tournament host, the Rio casino-hotel, and ordered the frozen funds be moved into an interest-bearing account. Hunt also indicated Leyser likely would win his claim to the $6 million. Gold did a radio interview on Rounders the Poker Show [1] following his Main Event win where he mentioned his deal with Leyser. It was later entered into evidence for the lawsuit. On February 7, 2007, it was reported that the parties had settled, without divulging the amount.[19]
On January 25, 2007,
Bodog ended their business relationship with Gold, citing their decision to cease all offline marketing initiatives in the U.S., and instead refocus their efforts on growing their entertainment brand in Europe and Asia. Despite that reason for ending their business relationship,
Bodog still retained David Williams, Josh Arieh, and Evelyn Ng as Team
Bodog members. With Jerry Yang signing with
Full Tilt Poker, Jamie Gold is the only main event champion since 2000 without an online poker sponsor.[20]