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Two-time World Series of Poker bracelet-winner Barry Shulman is the latest poker pro to go online with a personal website, Gambling911.com can reveal in a world exclusive report!
The brand new site, www.barryshulman.com, debuted today.
In an exclusive interview yesterday with Gambling911.com, Shulman, 65, who's in the final days of a three-month, Asia-Pacific luxury cruise, explained why he waited so long to go online.
"Frankly, I never considered it before because I thought I would look silly or arrogant," Shulman said. "Then I had the privilege of meeting Randall Kasper, founder of Poker Players International, who pointed out to me that my value to mainstream companies is way more than what is offered to normal poker rooms, and I would have no conflict. Ever the businessman, I said okay, but my people must build and monitor the site so that I can maintain control.
"I like to help people and I like challenges," Shulman continued. "I would love to be the one to show the poker world that mainstream sponsorship is possible. The fact that I am almost 66 makes the job even more daunting. I play poker tournaments at the highest levels, but not cash games. The reason is that I run my poker playing business like I run my real estate and other businesses. I like to have the ability to get a very high return but do not like to take big risks.
"Most poker pros who have sites are usually trying to sell themselves to poker companies if they are not yet affiliated. If they are affiliated, they are trying to sell that company, which is why so many sites are designed and maintained by the poker companies. I am totally opposite. The poker companies are my customers and they are just about the only companies I can't represent. I have to be like Switzerland and be neutral for business purposes."
A visit to www.barryshulman.com shows that Shulman's new website is about a lot more than just poker.
*There's a section about his real estate business, where he notes that "income-producing real estate" is the way to go.
*There's a section about his charitable organization, the Shulman Family Foundation, which funds 14 different charities.
*There's a section about his travels, where he blogs about his globe-trotting jet-set lifestyle (he's visited 80 countries).
*There's a photo gallery, showing him at work and play.
But of course it's the poker material on the site that will draw the most lookers.
For those not familiar with his illustrious career, Shulman, who's also the owner and publisher of Card Player, a poker magazine, won a World Series of Poker stud tournament in 2001 and then the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event in 2009.
In his career, he's won more than $4 million playing live tournament poker.
In addition to other information about his career, also on the website are articles he's written about poker strategy and info about the two poker books he's written.
On the site, Shulman calls himself "the most interesting man in poker."
He might be right.
By Tom Somach
Gambling911.com Staff Writer
