Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari, along with the 2006 Player of the Year Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, and Mark Seif are among the casualties as Absolute Entertainment, which owns both online poker sites, executes a shift in its marketing plan.

Speaking to Casino City Times, a company official said Absolute Entertainment was re-evaluating its sponsorship of poker professionals. Principally the decision was taken on the basis that reducing the number of sponsored poker pros should help protect the sites ability to serve US customers.

Surviving the cull will be Annie Duke and ten-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, who have represented UltimateBet since the sites inception. They will continue to promote UltimateBet at tournaments such as the UltimateBet Aruba Classic, and other international events.