Some National Poker Week Numbers

by , Jul 23, 2009 | 10:41 am

Many of you often give me a hard time because of my aversion to “statistics” and “data” … and though generally I don’t care about appeasing the peons “readers”, I found some of this info below on the “interesting” and “informative” side.

So let’s kick it Harper’s Index-style, shall we?

Poker-related letters sent to members of Congress in July 2009: > 150,000
Poker-related letters sent to Congress in 2008: 77,000
Issues other than health care reform that have generated more letters to Congress in 2009 (including war in Iraq, recession, and gas prices): 0
Meetings scheduled between PPA representatives and Congressional offices in a two-day period: 110
Meetings missed by either PPA reps or Congressional staffers: 6
Number of lobbyists engaged in National Poker Week initiative: about 40
Number of consulting firms retained: 7, I think
Number of Players in the PPA tournament benefitting the USO: 180ish
Wounded vets competing: 31
Patients who qualified for seats via semi-regular tournaments at Walter Reed Hospital: 25
Money donated by the PPA to the USO up front: $25,000
Amount added to donation from $100 rebuys: $10,000
Rebuys from Annie Duke: 15
Rebuys from Howard Lederer: > 10
Rebuys for veterans put up by the Interactive Gaming Council: 10
Noted poker pros competing: Not totally sure, but probably about 10-15
Members of Congress competing: 7
Highest finish by a wounded Iraq war veteran: 1st


5 Comments to “Some National Poker Week Numbers”


  1. Poker Shrink
    says:

    Number of hours it took Dan to get all those numbers right: 6.5


  2. Poker Shrink
    says:

    OK, maybe >6.5 hrs<


  3. BJ Nemeth
    says:

    Cool list. 🙂


  4. Johnny Hughes
    says:

    Stand by your Dan. Poker really looks good here. Being the front act to health care, makes you play louder and faster, and reprise the chorus every chance you get.


  5. Mean Gene
    says:

    They have poker tournaments at Walter Reed? Really? Interesting…