Amanda Musumeci (manderbutt) Joins Team Bodog
PocketFives.com: Thanks for joining us. Tell us about the influence of PocketFives.com members on your poker career.
Amanda Musumeci: I started playing in August 2007 and had my first downswing that October. That drove me to PocketFives.com and I decided to look up the top 10 players on the PLB that live in the Tri-State area where I lived. I PM'd the top 10 players in every nearby state saying that I was 22 years-old, female, and liked poker a lot. Needless to say, I ended up getting a bunch of help.
One of the first people to get back to me was Matt All In At 420Stout (pictured at left). He was my very first professional mentor. He lived in Atlantic City, so I’d play with Stout and guys like Kenny Kenny RapWeinstein, Steve gboro780Gross, and Matt Plattsburgh Vengrin. We’d all grind over at Matt’s house and that’s how I networked with PocketFivers.
After Matt met me, he confirmed who I was on the forums and people became more receptive. PocketFives.com was the big tool that propelled me. My networking and leads have propelled me to do well over the last 2.5 years.
Last spring, I hooked up with Dan djk123Kelly and Mark dipthrong Herm (pictured at right) through the connections I made from PocketFives.com. With Dan and Mark, it was a huge leap. I took my game to the next level and it gave me an opportunity to train and study with them.
PocketFives.com: Talk about the future of Bodog.
Amanda Musumeci: What I think they’re trying to do is have some new marketing strategies; they already have new management. I think they’re trying to do what every other site is, which is being the best and pulling in more players.
Anyone who plays any regular online poker knows that Bodog is a smaller site. I started on Bodog because I was playing on my own bankroll and it was a smaller place. It’s a great place to build a bankroll and play with lower buy-ins. You don’t have to deal with the huge competition because of the buy-in levels it offers.
It’s a great place for networking as well. Customers have a phone number to call, which for me meant so much if there was an issue. Bodog had 24-hour phone support and they were very receptive to players.
Amanda Musumeci: It’s a smaller site. On Bodog, you can really have a more honest evaluation of an hourly expectation because it’s consistent. Overall, it’s a softer room, but that gives players far more opportunities to win big.
PocketFives.com: What events will we see you in during the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP)?
Amanda Musumeci: For the WSOP, Bodog is putting me into the Main Event as a sponsored pro. I’m definitely going to play all of the $1,000 events and $1,500 events. It really just depends on how I do. I might play the $2,000 events as well. I’m planning to play in 10 to 15 events and if I do well, more.
PocketFives.com: Talk about the media whirlwind surrounding your signing. We’ve seen your name on the major poker news sites and understand that the Philadelphia Inquirer is planning a feature story on you as well.
Amanda Musumeci: It’s been pretty hectic. Since Day 1, they have been prepping me and briefing me on what to expect. This is brand new territory for me. I went to school for speech communications and public relations and I love that side of this. This opportunity is so big for me. Now, I can take my life out from behind the computer screen and indulge in it a little more. I’m glad I can branch out and am very thankful to Bodog for giving me the opportunity to do so.
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