Borgata in Atlantic City; Borgata Poker
Open Attracts 302 Players For More Than
$3,020,000 Million Total Prize Money
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.--Sept. 20, 2004--
|
|
Third Season of WPT Heats Up, Total
Prize Pool Estimated at $70 Million
|
|
The
Borgata casino kicked off the fourth
stop on the acclaimed WORLD POKER TOUR
Sunday, attracting record numbers of
players to the second annual Borgata
Poker Open. This year's event attracted
302 players for a $3,020,000 prize pool,
a $1,845,000 increase over last year's
event which drew 235 players. The winner
of this year's $10,000 buy-in event will
take home $1,117,400 and will advance to
the WPT Championship when the tour's
season culminates at Bellagio in April
2005. The WORLD POKER TOUR is the
highest rated series in the history of
the Travel Channel, airing Wednesday
nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
The
WORLD POKER TOUR continues to average a
"poker millionaire a month" in its
15-tournament season. In Season Three
the total prize money has already
reached $11,194,570, a $5,786,590
increase over Season Two stops to date.
The high stakes action is attracting
increasing numbers of players vying for
the prize money and fans eager to
witness the minting of a millionaire at
the Final Table. Projected to reach a
total of $70 million, Season Three's
prize pool is rising with every stop on
the tour.
The
public is invited to be part of the
Final Table television audience when the
Borgata Poker Open concludes on
Wednesday, September 22, 2004. Fans will
partake in a first-ever WPT Viewing
Party, where they can fine-tune their
game, win prizes, and socialize with
other poker enthusiasts. Admission is
free, and the first 1000 guests will
receive a collectible WPT poker chip to
commemorate the event. The doors open at
3:30 PM.
Some of the most recognizable faces
playing at Sunday's tables included
Borgata Poker Open's defending champion
Noli Francisco, in addition to WPT stars
Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer, Phil "The
Unabomber" Laak, and Antonio Esfandiari.
The
fifth stop of the WORLD POKER TOUR'S
15-tournament season is the Aruba Poker
Classic, hosted by UltimateBet.com from
September 26 through October 1. For the
complete tournament schedule and casino
contacts, please visit
www.worldpokertour.com.
ABOUT WPT ENTERPRISES, INC.
WPT
Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:WPTE) is a
media and entertainment company engaged
in the creation of branded entertainment
through the development, production and
marketing of televised programming based
on poker and other gaming themes. To
date, operations have principally
revolved around the creation of the
World Poker Tour brand through the
production and licensing of a reality
television series exhibited on the
Travel Channel that is based on a
circuit of previously-established
high-stakes poker tournaments that has
been affiliated under the "World Poker
Tour" brand. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a
majority owned subsidiary of Lakes
Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq:LACO).
|
