Press Release
WPT® Jacksonville Bestbet Open Launches This Friday
WPT® JACKSONVILLE BESTBET OPEN LAUNCHES THIS FRIDAY
Inaugural WPT Main Event to Run April 27 - May 2 at the Brand New bestbet Jacksonville
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Los Angeles (April 25, 2012) – This Friday, World Poker Tour® heads to North Florida for the debut of the televised WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open. As the first major event held in the brand new bestbet Jacksonville complex, this WPT Main Event is set to attract a diverse field of amateurs and professionals to the largest poker room in the state of Florida.
The penultimate WPT Main Event of Season X features a $5,000 buy-in, is open to anyone 18 years of age or older, and includes a re-entry option on Day 1B. Not only will the entire WPT team be filming throughout the week, but WPT stars Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten and Tony Dunst will also all be competing on the felt for the first time ever in an open WPT Main Event. Pending deep runs, Mike and Vince will call the final table action on May 2nd while Tony Dunst hosts WPT Live Streaming on WPT.com starting at 4:30pm ET.
WPT Main Event participants will be welcomed on April 27th with a VIP Party at bestbet Jacksonville at the close of the day’s action. Later in the week on May 1st, the Royal Flush Girls will be competing in a special live Sit ‘n’ Go with a few lucky players. Additional activities for WPT Champions Club members include a golfing excursion with WPT talent, a night of racing at bestbet’s Orange Park Kennel Club and a special WPT hosted dinner. All these off-the-felt events will be filmed by WPT TV crew for the World Poker Tour broadcast.
In the tight race for WPT Player of the Year, Will “The Thrill” Failla has been bumped from the top spot for the first time during Season X. Joe Serock now holds pole position following back-to-back third place finishes in televised Season X tournaments. However, the prestigious honor is still up for grabs as many of the world’s top professionals are within one deep WPT Main Event run of the title.
bestbet Jacksonville is the largest poker room in the state of Florida with 70 tables. The originative facility contains an expansive sports and racing simulcast center that features 120” TV screens. For the upcoming WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open, a custom commemorative surfboard will be awarded to the last player standing under 21.
Early confirmations for the event have been numerous and illustrious. Among the players slated to participate are WPT Season X Champions Matt Giannetti, Matt Waxman, James Dempsey and Anthony Ruberto, WPT Players of the Year Jonathan Little and Andy Frankenberger, past and current WPT Ones to Watch Maria Ho, William Reynolds, Matt Marafioti, Lauren Kling, Matt Affleck, and Jason Mercier, and leading female WPT career-earner Kathy Liebert.
The inaugural WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open is the final chance for players to get their name onto the acclaimed WPT Champions Cup before the season-ending $25,000 WPT World Championship at Bellagio. This year’s WPT World Championship will also feature the televised $100,000 buy-in WPT Super High Roller event, which will be filmed for broadcast in three episodes on Fox Sports Net (FSN) as part of the Season X telecast.
WPT Media Contact:
Max Sloan - Press@WorldPokerTour.com
About World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour (WPT) is the premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online and mobile. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT ignited the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high stakes poker tournaments. WPT has broadcast globally in over 150 countries and territories and is currently airing the all-new tenth season on FSN in the United States. Season X of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com, a unique online membership site which offers inside access to the WPT as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club and is available in 35 states across the U.S. WPT participates in strategic brand license, partnership and sponsorship opportunities. WPT Enterprises Inc. is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc. For more information, go to WorldPokerTour.com.
