Fifteen years ago I interviewed Phil Hellmuth during the World Series of Poker Main Event. Chatting in a back corner of the old Horseshoe casino, he made a number of statements that were clearly over the top. The most outrageous, though, was a prediction for the future of poker. Sitting in a smoky room, surrounded by gamblers of a decidedly non-commercial bent, he described a world in which players would wear corporate logos in the manner of Formula 1 racers; poker tournaments would be held in sports arenas; and money earned at the table would be dwarfed by what could be made through promotions.

Fast forward to the morning of November 9, 2008.