By Sean Chaffin
The World Poker Tour and the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa go hand in hand. The property has hosted WPT events since 2003 and has become a poker mecca in the Northeast. This season’s WPT Borgata Poker Open is a bit special as the property celebrates its 15th anniversary.
Since debuting in Season II, the property has become one of the most popular stops on the World Poker Tour and this season’s WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship runs September 16-21. The $3,500 buy-in event features a $3 million guarantee on the prize pool, with the final table streamed.
In its 14 editions, the WPT Borgata Poker Open has become a “Who’s Who” of poker champions, including Daniel Negreanu, Olivier Busquet, Anthony Zinno, and four-time WPT champion Darren Elias. Tournament organizers are expecting another great tournament with the warm reception and nice atmosphere players have come to expect.
“When Borgata entered the market in 2003, it brought with it a Las Vegas-style destination that was unprecedented on the East Coast – offering high-caliber entertainment, celebrity chef restaurants, lavishly appointed guest rooms, and exciting nightlife options all under one roof,” Mike Woodside, Borgata vice president of marketing, said.
Woodside credits the entire casino team for listening to players and working to ensure that every guest has a memorable experience.
“Those efforts have contributed to the success we’ve enjoyed throughout our first 15 years in Atlantic City,” Woodside said. “Borgata has grown and evolved significantly since igniting Atlantic City’s revival with its 2003 opening as the first new property in 13 years.”
That growth included a 2006 expansion that added restaurants by celebrity chefs Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck. The property’s Water Club debuted in 2008 to offer a luxury hotel within a hotel that includes a two-story spa and five pools. In 2012, Borgata also underwent a $50 million room redesign.
Along with the WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship tournament, this year’s WPT Borgata Poker Open festival offers 23 events and includes the $1.5 million guaranteed Deepstack Kick-Off, as well as the $1 million guaranteed Almighty Stack event. The entire festival kicks off September 4.
Beyond the felt and the largest poker room in Atlantic City, Borgata offers plenty of luxury and amenities for players. From fine dining to the spa to the pool scene to clubs and entertainment, Borgata really does have it all. In 2016, the new Premier nightclub was added, as well as a spectacular new outdoor pool.
For poker players with an interest in sports – and we know that’s almost every poker player in the world – Borgata now offers sports wagering, which is perfect with the NFL season underway during the WPT Borgata Poker Open event.
“We are extremely excited with the recent approval of regulated sports wagering legislation in New Jersey,” Woodside said. “As the only Atlantic City casino with an existing racebook, Borgata was uniquely prepared to begin operations quickly.”
On June 14, Borgata became the first Atlantic City casino to accept a sports bet, with basketball legend Julius Erving placing the first wager.
With a great poker scene and so much to offer players away from the tables, the Season XVII WPT Borgata Poker Open should once again be an extra special event.
Past WPT Borgata Poker Open Winners
Season II: Noli Francisco – $470,000
Season III: Daniel Negreanu – $1,117,400
Season IV: Al Ardebili – $1,498,650
Season V: Mark Newhouse – $1,519,020
Season VI: Roy Winston – $1,575,280
Season VII: Vivek Rajkumar – $1,424,500
Season VIII: Olivier Busquet – $925,514
Season IX: Dwyte Pilgrim – $733,802
Season X: Bobby Oboodi – $922,441
Season XI: Ben Hamnett – $818,847
Season XII: Anthony Zinno – $825,099
Season XIII: Darren Elias – $843,744
Season XIV: David Paredes – $723,227
Season XV: Jesse Sylvia – $821,811
Season XVI: Guo Liang Chen – $789,058
For more information on the Season XVII WPT Borgata Poker Open, including the $3,500 Championship, check out the event hub on WPT.com.
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