Jamie Gold of Malibu, Calif., sits in front of the $12 million he received Aug. 11 after winning the World Series of Poker. Photo by The Associated Press.

World Series of Poker champion Jamie Gold has been awarded half the prize pool for beating out more than 8,000 players in poker's premier event last month, but he continues to challenge a lawsuit filed against him for the remaining prize money.

Gold's legal team won a two-week delay in a federal court hearing Tuesday while the two sides continue to negotiate and prepare for trial.

British television producer Bruce Crispin Leyser took Gold to court, claiming the two entered a verbal agreement to share the $12 million in winnings, the single largest payout in the event's history.

Leyser attorney David Chesnoff arrived at U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt's courtroom Tuesday with witnesses who were prepared to testify about how common verbal deals are in high-stakes poker tournaments.

But when the judge offered to allow Gold's lawyers two weeks to challenge the witnesses once they testified for Leyser, Chesnoff said he was not willing to show his hand.

"We're not going to give him two weeks to prepare to do whatever they're going to do with my witnesses," Chesnoff said.

Chesnoff, who only learned Tuesday that Gold has been paid half the winnings, argued that Leyser should be awarded his share immediately.

"Our client is sitting here without the benefit of his $6 million, even though Mr. Gold has the benefit of his $6 million," Chesnoff said.

But the judge ruled that owners of the Rio hotel-casino, where the poker tournament was held in August, should continue to hold the $6 million after Gold's attorney, Patrick Byrne, said he was newly hired to represent the poker champion.

Byrne said he needed time to familiarize himself with the case.

Gold, a 36-year-old Hollywood agent, finished first out of a field of 8,773 players to win the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold'em event.

Gold had secured an endorsement from Bodog.com, an online gaming site, to make promotional appearances.

He earned the Web site's single entry into the World Series of Poker tournament by finding celebrities to play in the tournament.

Gold turned to Leyser to help secure the celebrities, ensuring the producer that he would split the pot if he won.

Leyser persuaded two actors to join, Matthew Lillard, who played Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo movies, and Dax Shepard, who appeared on MTV's hit show "Punk'd."

Mike Sexton, who has been involved in the poker industry for more than two decades, is scheduled to testify on behalf of Leyser.

After Tuesday's brief hearing, Sexton said 95 percent of poker players who enter high-stakes tournaments share the pot with other individuals. The agreement is rarely in writing.

"It's very common. It happens in every tournament," said Sexton, a commentator for the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. "People have agreements and no one signs."

Sexton expressed concern about what effect the federal court case might have on poker tournaments.

"This is the premier event in the poker world, so it bothers me. It bothers me because poker has come so far in these past few years."

When the field of players was whittled down to nine on the eve of the final day, Gold left a phone message for Leyser, assuring him half his winnings, according to the lawsuit.

"I wanted to let you know about the money," Gold reportedly said in the message. "I promise you, you can keep this recording on my word, there's no possible way you're not going to get your half ... after taxes."

Gold also intimated he was concerned about carrying the full burden of the taxes on the prize. He suggested setting up a Nevada corporation from which the winnings would be paid to Leyser.

Gold asked Leyser for his patience.

Both men are established poker players, and Leyser is an instructor. They discussed who would take the Bodog entry and agreed upon Gold.

After winning the tournament, Gold said he planned to use his winnings to help his father, who is afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

It's unclear why Gold is challenging the payout; his representatives have refused to comment.