$1 Million Guaranteed Event Headlines 2017 ARIA Classic
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Los Angeles, CA (March 29, 2017) – The World Poker Tour® has once again teamed up with ARIA Resort & Casino to bring the fourth WPT500 to Las Vegas. The event, part of the 2017 ARIA Poker Classic, kicks off Monday, June 26 and will boast a $1 million guaranteed prize pool.
The $565 buy-in extravaganza features nine starting flights, with the first seven taking place once per day from June 26 through July 2 at 11 a.m. PT each day. The final two starting flights will take place Monday, July 3 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. PT and will be played with a “turbo” format.
Day Two of WPT500 Las Vegas will take place Tuesday, July 4 with the tournament’s final day scheduled for Wednesday, July 5.
“We look forward to hosting the WPT500 at ARIA for a fourth consecutive year,” said Sean McCormack, Director of Poker Operations at ARIA. “The previous tournaments have been huge successes and we anticipate another great event this year. WPT500 Las Vegas provides players with the opportunity to enjoy both exciting tournament action as well as a world-class experience at ARIA.”
Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour, added: “There are very few tournaments in the world at WPT500’s price point which allow players the chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money. Together with ARIA, in its first three years WPT500 Las Vegas has awarded more than $6.3 million and generated nearly 13,000 entries. Director of Poker Operations Sean McCormack and his team at ARIA are world class, and we look forward to another fantastic WPT500 Las Vegas.”
Players will begin with 15,000 in tournament chips, and those in the first seven starting flights will play 30-minute levels for the first eight levels, then change to 40-minute levels thereafter. In the two turbo flights on July 3, levels will be 20 minutes in length.
Registration and reentry is open until the start of Level 9 in the first seven flights. In the two turbo flights, registration and reentry is open until the start of Level 8.
WPT500 Las Vegas will use the “best stack forward” format. Players are allowed to play multiple Day 1 sessions in an attempt to qualify for Day 2 with a larger chip stack than previously earned, and those qualifying for Day 2 with multiple stacks will take their best stack forward and forfeit all other chip stacks.
Each starting flight will reach the money, paying 12.5 percent of the field, and each starting flight will play until five percent of the field is reached.
In the 2016 WPT500 Las Vegas, Andreas Olympios emerged victorious atop the 3,956-entry field to claim the $260,000 first-place prize.
For more information regarding WPT500 Las Vegas, visit WPT.com.
WPT Media Contact
Donnie Peters – [email protected]
About ARIA Resort & Casino
ARIA Resort & Casino is a stunning AAA Five Diamond resort on The Strip featuring spectacular amenities, high-end service, premium meeting and convention space, striking architecture and sustainable design. Combined with its unparalleled offerings including the first-of-its-kind public Fine Art Collection, ARIA sets the bar for a new generation of resort experiences. ARIA is located within CityCenter, which is a joint venture whose interests are owned 50% by subsidiaries of MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and 50% by Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World. For more information and reservations, visit ARIA.com, call toll free at (866) 359-7757 or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
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 more than 150 countries and territories, and is currently producing its 15th season, which airs on FOX Sports Regional Networks in the United States. Season XV of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com and PlayWPT.com. ClubWPT.com is a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 35 states across the United States. PlayWPT.com is a social gaming platform offering free-to-play poker and slots with innovative features and state-of-the-art creative elements inspired by WPT’s 15 years of experience in gaming entertainment. WPT also participates in strategic brand license, partnership, and sponsorship opportunities. WPT Enterprises Inc. is a subsidiary of Ourgame International Holdings, Ltd. For more information, go to WPT.com.
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