JACOB NIELSEN

Submitted by Erik Smith on Sunday, July 29, 2012 - 12:57

Jacob Nielsen

Head of Betting Intelligence Team, Tipico.com

Sports Better & Poker Player

Malta, October 2010

I became friends with Jacob Nielsen soon after I moved to Malta in the fall of 2004. Jacob Nielsen was working at Bet24, a Danish bookmaker, which had a considerable large number of Danish employees. Jacob arranged weekly football matches (soccer) and I joined whenever they were a player short. Over time I became a part of a team and we have played many matches together.

Over the years Jacob and I became very good friends. Jacob left the island for a while but came back a year before I decided to move to Denmark. Now and again when I go to Malta I know Jacob always have a spare bedroom for me. I normally pay an 'entrance fee' of Danish leverpostej (paté) and remoulade. "Insta' pay!"

Jacob currently lives in Malta with his girlfriend Ina Pavlova, a successful real estate agent, who recently started Step Properties. They are both frequent visitors in Malta's poker rooms and well-liked in the local poker community.

What has been the biggest change in online poker?

Definitely Chris Moneymaker's WSOP [$10,000 Main Event 2003] win that not only gave online poker a huge boom but also gave online poker a more 'clean face' [since Chris Moneymaker qualified via the online poker room PokerStars.]

Black Friday should also be mentioned but as a change for the worse.

Anything you miss from the past?

Apart from the fact that I was a winning player back then?:)

The obvious answer is naturally the more fish and easier money back then. I might sound a bit ignorant but at times I miss the charm of poker being more hush hush and less mainstream.

Has something changed for the better?

Accessibility - both brick and mortar but also online poker and the huge amount of various games and stakes available. There is something for anybody at any given time.

Mr. Jacob Nielsen

Is a true football fanatic often seen in a Danish football shirt supporting the boys in red & white.

Malta, October 2009

What do you expect will happen in online poker the coming years?

Even though it soon seems like we have reached the limit, I think we will still see more of the big companies merge and more entertainment channels partnering with poker rooms. Furthermore I think there will be more developed virtual poker rooms.

Any final statement you wish to add?

Great site Erik and you got an interesting poker blog.