Next Wednesday, the World Poker Tour returns to Hollywood, Florida for the second annual televised WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. The success of last year’s inaugural WPT Main Event at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood has been generating tremendous buzz for the Season X return, with many elite players confirming early for a week of poker in paradise.
Hosted at one of the premier casino properties in the U.S., the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown will run from April 18 – 23 with a $10,000 buy-in. Play-down preceding the WPT final table will take place inside Hard Rock Live, an enormous arena normally reserved for high-profile concerts. On Monday, April 23rd the WPT final table will be streamed online at WPT.com to poker fans around the world. WPT Live Streaming with Tony Dunst and special guest commentators features rich graphics, hole cards and expert analysis.
WPT Commentators Vince Van Patten and Mike Sexton, guest WPT Anchor Marianela Pereyra and the beautiful Royal Flush Girls will all be in attendance for the televised event. Not only will fans be able to hang with the entire WPT team throughout the week at the Royal Flush Girls Social Bar, but those competing in the WPT Main Event can also socialize at entertaining off-the-felt activities.
A celebratory WPT Players Party will be held at Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s Bongos Cuban Café on Thursday, April 19th. Earlier in the day, players can join the Royal Flush Girls for a special beach volleyball challenge at Seminole’s expansive pool complex. The Royal Flush Girls will also lead a lively scavenger hunt on Day 3 of the WPT Main Event. All WPT activities will take place on the Seminole Hard Rock property near the poker action and will be filmed by the World Poker Tour for the televised broadcast.
The WPT Main Event is open to anyone 18 years of age and older. The tournament is expected to draw many young players, with special Seminole Hard Rock prizes including an exclusive electric guitar being awarded to the last surviving entrant under 21. During 2011, the inaugural WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown brought in 433 players, creating a massive prize pool which awarded more than $1.1 million to WPT Champion Taylor von Kriegenbergh.
The world’s top players are expected to compete in this year’s exceptional event. Among the professionals confirmed to participate are defending WPT Player of the Year Andy Frankenberger, current Season X POY points leader Will Failla, WPT World Champion David Williams, WPT Champions Dwyte Pilgrim, Chino Rheem, Tommy Vedes and Matt Giannetti, an abundance of famous Florida professionals including Jason Mercier and WPT Champion Matt Waxman, and many more.
Florida is set to become the heart of high-stakes poker towards the end of April. Immediately following the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown, World Poker Tour heads north for the WPT Jacksonville BestBet Open (April 27 – May 2). With back-to-back televised WPT Main Events, players from around the world will be travelling to the Sunshine State in hopes of becoming a member of the venerated WPT Champions Club.