Kevin Hart teams up with PokerStars

While Australians play as much poker as they can get their hands on at the  popular poker website before it is forced to exit the market, more and more celebrities are teaming up with the global branches of the Amaya brand.

This time it’s the hilarious comedian Kevin Hart who recently flew into the Monte Carlo Casino to play the Super High Roller event during the PokerStars Championship in Monaco. He managed to make Day 2 – his stint in the PokerStars Championship Bahamas would have helped.

Following the Monte Carlo event, Mr Hart, who no doubt has his poker face down pat, revealed on Facebook Live he would be teaming up with PokerStars to make poker fun again.

“I really do believe in bringing people closer together,” he said, accompanied by PokerStars Team Pro, Daniel Negreanu, at a press conference on Saturday morning.

“I love the fact that poker is a game that can take people all over the world and sit them down at the table and give them the opportunity to engage, to converse, to get to know each other and walk away with relationships they never knew they could have.

“I love to live, love and laugh. I want to bring this energy to the game of poker. And when I do this, poker will be elevated.”

Mr Hart often brings comedy to the table at the tournaments he participates in, but Mr Negreanu said it isn’t his job, rather his personality.

Mr Hart has revealed he has a few ideas to add even more entertainment to the game of poker, but he did not detail them during the conference.

“I am going to make poker fun, and working with PokerStars will give me the poker platform I need to do this,” Hart said.

“I’m glad there are all these poker pros here who I can compete with and take their money.

“But the best thing about poker is that anyone can play it, whether you’re making millions like Daniel Negreanu or just sitting around the kitchen table playing for coins.”

Mr Hart added he believes Mr Negreanu and him are a perfect match to make his ideas a reality.

“I want to be the Eddie Murphy to his Nick Nolte, the Chris Tucker to his Jackie Chan, the list can go on,” he said.

“Bottom line, I want to help him do what he’s already been doing, but on a higher level.”

It will be interesting to see what Mr Hart’s official role will be but as Amaya Vice President of Corporate Communications, Eric Hollreiser, said, he will make it fun.

“Kevin is a maverick and we’re thrilled to work with him to take poker to new audiences around the world and have a great time doing it,” Mr Hollreiser said.

Mr Hart’s participation in the Bahamas tournament isn’t the first time he has played poker. But he normally partakes in high stakes games with friends.

And when we say friends, we mean celebrities. Instagram-famous poker player, Dan Bilzerian recently posted a photo versing Mr Hart in a game of poker.

“We have a fun gambling game,” the Wedding Ringer star said when asked about the photo.

“Dan is quite the character. He’s a fun guy. He’s a loud guy, so that conversation you can imagine is a crazy back and forth conversation.”

Mr Hart noted just how “outlandish” the games were.

“I can’t repeat those conversations here,” he said.

While the private home games with celebrities would be incredibly different to professional poker tournaments, the What Now? stand up comedian is attracted to the diversity.

A televised cash game is set to take place in Monte Carlo which Mr Hart will star in alongside Mr Negreanu, as well as Liv Boeree, Faraz Jaka, Charlie Carrel and Mila Monroe. It will be aired at a later a date.

If you’re looking for an online poker site, you can try Intertops Poker and Ignition Poker for great tournaments and cash games.