Bodog Beat

Poker pro Antoine Saout is one of the players who made the final table of the 2009 WSOP Europe Main Event. (Bodog Beat Image)

Talk about astronomical odds. The final table of the 2009 WSOP Europe Main Event makes it look like lightning striking two and a half times in the same place. A half? You may ask. Well, that's when it doesn't hit the actual person, just someone to whom they are related.

Let us explain. Last year, everyone was wowed by the fact that Ivan Demidov managed to claw his way through a monstrous field at the 2008 WSOP Main Event and reach the November Nine only to do the same thing, albeit from a much smaller field, at the 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event just a few months later.

This year, not only has the same thing happened once again but this time two players have accomplished this feat – Antoine Saout and James Akenhead – and Barry Shulman is the father of Jeff Shulman, who is a member of the 2009 WSOP Main Event November Nine. He's the half lightning strike in case that slipped by you.

If that wasn't enough of a storyline for you, then we also have two big name pros at the final table in Jason Mercier and Daniel Negreanu. Mercier has only been on the poker circuit for a couple of years now but has already racked up two EPT final tables with one EPT win coming from those and eight WSOP cashes with one WSOP bracelet as a result. He enters the 2009 WSOPE final table as the chip leader. If you don't know who Negreanu is, well, we can't help you. Everyone knows who he is.

Also at the final table are two players who help the chip lead at some point over the past four days of poker, Praz Bansi and WSOP bracelet-holder Matt Hawrilenko.

Here is the breakdown of the chip counts as of time of publish:

Jason Mercier – 2,462,000
James Akenhead – 1,302,000
Barry Shulman – 1,247,000
Daniel Negreanu – 1,018,000
Praz Bansi – 894,000
Markus Ristola – 843,000
Chris Bjorin – 809,000
Matt Hawrilenko – 773,000
Antoine Saout – 583,000

Stay tuned for more updates from the 2009 WSOP Europe and download Bodog Poker for your chance to qualify for a major international poker tournament for as little as $1 through the Bodog Flight Club promotion.