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From Albuquerque, NM to
Verona, NY casinos and international online Texas Holdem poker rooms are
getting in on the action by providing poker enthusiasts a low-cost way
to potentially play their way into the prestigious $25,500-seat World
Poker finale. It is anticipated to draw more than 1000 players and a
whopping estimated prize pool of $25 million.
The international
online
Texas Holdem
poker rooms
include PartyPoker.com, UltimateBet.com, PokerStars.com, bodog.com,
TigerGaming.com, and PokerChamps.com. Currently, the online casinos
start their satellite buy-ins anywhere from $5 to $50.
“Texas
Holdem
Poker is the ultimate
democratic sport; anyone can rise to the occasion,” said Steve Lipscomb,
founder and president. “We are pleased to bring the opportunity to win a
seat in our World Poker Championships to so many properties across the
country, enabling thousands more players to get a shot at our record
prize money. We tip our cap to the satellite affiliates and thank them
for helping us grow this grassroots entry system.”
In April 2004,
Martin de Knijff of Stockholm, Sweden, prevailed over 342
Texas
Holdem
players, to take home a
first-place $2,728,356-cut of the $8,342,000 pie. However, he sat at a
Final Table with three relative unknowns, including two college students
who collectively took home $1,164,311, once again proving everyone has a
serious shot at the WPT World Championship prize pool.
Should a
Texas
Holdem
player win one of the
coveted satellite spots at a regional or online casino, he or she will
receive from the hosting poker room the $25,000 + $500 buy-in,
round-trip airfare and accommodations at the Bellagio.
The World Poker
Tour, the show that reinvented poker as a televised spectator sport,
will broadcast 16 new tournaments filmed at leading casinos and exotic
locales from Las Vegas to Paris, beginning with the launch of its Third
Season in March 2005. |
