World Poker Tour^® Heads to Asia for Back-to-Back WPT^® National Events Starting on October 18 

WPT National Philippines Runs October 18-28, WPT National China October 28 – November 2

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Los Angeles, CA (September 16, 2014) — The poker world turns its attention to Asia starting on October 18, as the World Poker Tour® makes its historic first stop in Manila for the inaugural WPT® National Philippines. Following immediately after the conclusion of the live streamed final table on October 28, the World Poker Tour travels just 800 miles northwest to Hainan, China for the return of WPT National China. Combined, these two poker festivals offer 35 different events at buy-ins ranging from $250 to $25,000.

The action kicks off with WPT National Philippines at the luxurious Solaire Resort & Casino in famed Manila Bay. This exciting 11-day poker festival features a $25,000 buy-in high roller, a $500 buy-in pot-limit Omaha tournament, a $280 six-max no-limit hold’em tournament, a $150 buy-in charity event with unlimited $100 rebuys for Solaire Cares, and is headlined by the $2,200 buy-in National Main Event on October 25. The final table of the WPT National Philippines Main Event will be live streamed on WorldPokerTour.com, allowing fans from around the globe to enjoy the coverage with hole cards on a 30-minute delay. Raw Deal host Tony Dunst will be on hand and will be joined by other great poker minds to break down all of the action.

Step satellites start as low as $50 for the WPT National Philippines Main Event, and a full list of events and satellites can be found on Facebook.

Regarded as one of Asia’s poker hubs, the Philippines is an extravagant destination and home to a bevy of professional and recreational poker players, including WPT Champions Club™ member Noli Francisco. Solaire is a casino powerhouse in the Philippines, offering a private paradise to visitors and locals alike. The world-class resort offers luxury style and comfort with bayside villas, suites, and a wide array of culinary selections at the finest restaurants, casual dining outlets, and cafes.

“We are constantly creating ways for our guests to have the ultimate resort experience, so hosting the largest and most recognizable poker tour in the world only comes naturally for us,” said Solaire Resort & Casino President and COO Thomas Arasi. “Solaire is about creating moments, and the World Poker Tour is going to provide many powerful moments for everyone involved.”

At the completion of the World Poker Tour’s maiden voyage to Manila, WPT National China gets underway just 800 miles away at MGM Grand Sanya in Hainan, China. Alongside Beijing Ourgame Ltd., World Poker Tour held the first-ever sanctioned no-limit hold’em tournament in Mainland China in 2012, and when the WPT returned in 2013 the field size in the Main Event nearly doubled from 550 entries to 1,008. WPT National China features a $2,000 team event, a $5,000 buy-in high roller, several $1,000 buy-in deep stack no-limit hold’em tournaments, a $1,000 buy-in open-face Chinese Poker event, and the $1,600 buy-in National Main Event on October 28.

For a look at the entire schedule, click here.

“A resort like you’ve never imagined,” MGM Grand Sanya is located in Yalong Bay and offers first-class amenities, including private beaches, prime golfing at the Yalong Bay Golf Club, a world-renowned spa with 20 individual treatment rooms, and luxurious pools with live DJ’s, private cabanas, and food and bottle service. Guests are also welcome to dive into indulgence when the sun goes down, as the resort offers a plethora of casual and fine dining options along with exhilarating table game action.

“We are excited to host the World Poker Tour for a third consecutive year, and expect another massive turnout,” said Beijing Ourgame Ltd. CEO Frank Ng. “Poker continues to grow in China, and this year we will showcase our entire festival, offering live streams for every single final table.”

WPT Adam Pliska adds, “After experiencing great success during our first two trips to Mainland China, it was only natural for the World Poker Tour to expand within the region. Like China, the Philippines is an emerging poker market with a host of both talented new players and skilled veterans. By coordinating back-to-back events in Asia, we have made it convenient for players travelling to the region to maximize the volume of events they play and explore even more with the WPT. Having personally spent time at both MGM Grand Sanya and Solaire Resort & Casino, I am confident that our players will find these premiere resorts to be two of the best venues in the world.”

WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage will be on hand to run both WPT National Philippines and WPT National China. No stranger to the region, Savage is very enthusiastic about returning to China and expanding to the Philippines.

“I was fortunate enough to run the first-ever sanctioned poker tournament in Mainland China, and I am thrilled to be making a return trip to the region for both WPT National Philippines and WPT National China,” said Savage. “MGM Sanya is a terrific property with world-class amenities, and you have to experience the Philippines first hand in order to truly understand the unmatched hospitality and service you receive in their beautiful country.”

For more details on World Poker Tour events, sponsors and promotions, please visit www.WPT.com.

WPT Media Contact
Rich Ryan – [email protected]

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 13th season, which airs on FSN in the United States. Season XIII of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com, 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. ClubWPT.com also sponsors Season 2 of the new WPT Alpha8 series of super-high roller poker tournaments which is currently in production and which airs on FOX Sports 1 in the United States. 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 WPT.com.

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