Overview

• Hellmuth arrived about five hours late for Day 1b at the Horseshoe in Las Vegas, leading his Highway to Hellmuth rock band and 17 models into the Main Event.
• David “ODB” Baker and other pros branded the production “cringe” and “awkward,” while many fans praised its entertainment value.
• Hellmuth defended hosting models as “just a fun spectacle,” highlighting his tradition of larger-than-life entrances at poker’s marquee tournament.
• PokerGO will feature Hellmuth from the first hand when its live broadcast begins at 7 p.m. PDT on Thursday evening.
• The stunt revives debate over balancing entertainment and competitive integrity in the grueling Main Event format that Hellmuth briefly threatened to boycott.