Jeff Haney tells poker fans how they can get a piece of the action in World Series of Poker, even if it’s only for 29 cents

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 | 7:32 a.m.

Friday, Day 1A, 2,000 players play down to 800

Saturday, Day 1B, 2,000 play down to 800

Sunday, Day 1C, 2,000 play down to 800

Monday, Day 1D, 2,000 play down to 800

Tuesday, A&B, 1,600 play down to 700

Aug. 2, C&D, 1,600 play down to 700

Aug. 3, day off for main event

Aug. 4, play 1,400 down to 600

Aug. 5, play 600 down to 300

Aug. 6, play 300 down to 150

Aug. 7, play 150 down to 60

Aug. 8, play 60 down to 27

Aug. 9, play 27 down to nine

Aug. 10, final table

The World Series of Poker's main event begins Friday at the Rio, with Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey and Erick Lindgren among the betting favorites to win the tournament.

Just not in Nevada sports books.

State gaming regulations prohibit wagering on the outcome of poker tournaments, although that doesn't stop offshore gambling operations from posting odds and taking bets on the players. Pinnacle Sports, a major book based in Curacao, has betting lines on about 350 individual players and is taking a maximum wager of $250 - not too shabby considering odds on most players are well over 1,000-1. (Leonardo DiCaprio is a 2,700-1 shot.)

Although I advocate easing some restrictions on Nevada's licensed bookmakers and permitting wagers on the Heisman trophy, the Oscars and such, I agree with the prohibition on poker betting.

Sanctioned wagering could make it too easy to compromise the integrity of the tournament - or, more likely, spur questions about its integrity.

If a player is facing a big raise from an opponent he has placed a bet on, his thoughts - and possibly his actions - will inevitably be affected.

Sure, these sorts of shenanigans can happen anyway. Players can bet offshore or in poker's underground gambling economy. Some would argue that players make de facto wagers on their opponents when they "trade pieces" of each other - an arrangement in which partners promise to share a certain percentage of their winnings if they cash in the tournament.

That doesn't mean state regulators should sanction the activity. So keep poker off the betting board - but not necessarily other offbeat topics that could generate interest and revenue with little risk to anyone's integrity.

The leading bookmakers in Las Vegas are among the best in the world at what they do. I'd make a big bet that at least a couple of them would readily embrace the opportunity to book, say, the 2008 presidential election or some of the more heated congressional races. (My one reservation is that the fine, upstanding institution of gambling would then be linked, even tangentially, with the cesspool that is politics. Still, I'm confident gambling would survive intact.)

Favorite players

The World Series is unique from an oddsmaking perspective - it's the only event where the odds on the favorite are higher than 200-1. (Ivey, 202-1.) Usually when you see 200-1, it's the longest shot on the board.

Among other prominent players listed at Pinnacle (pinnaclesports.com), Hellmuth is 360-1, Lindgren 603-1, Patrik Antonius 495-1, Howard Lederer 585-1 and defending champ Joe Hachem 990-1.

Also noted