WORLD SERIES OF POKER EUROPE PRESENTED BY BETFAIR OFF AND RUNNING AT THE CASINO AT THE EMPIRE IN LONDON
LONDON, U.K., September 19, 2008 – The 2nd annual
World Series of Poker Europe Presented by Betfair has arrived, and so have the
biggest names in poker from all across the world.
With ESPN set to televise
this year’s WSOPE Main Event in the U.S.
and across Europe, the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe will become the most
broadly televised poker tournament ever – and the first European poker
tournament to receive TV coverage in the United States.
“We had tremendous success
at the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe, but are convinced the changes to
this year will result in an even better tournament,” said WSOP Director of
Marketing Ty Stewart. “Registration is tracking ahead of last year
and the lineup of names and the addition of another bracelet event have brought
an electric buzz to start off this tournament.”
This television exposure and
the chance to win the most prestigious prize in all of poker – a WSOP gold
bracelet – is drawing the biggest names in poker.
“Betfair are delighted with
the launch of the WSOPE. The player feedback has been tremendously positive and
we look forward to this being the largest and most successful tournament in Europe this year,” said Ben Fried, head of poker for
Betfair.
Among the players registered
to participate in the 2008 WSOPE include the following professionals:
- 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth
- 10-time WSOP champion Doyle Brunson
- 10-time WSOP champion Johnny Chan
- Defending WSOPE Main Event Champion Annette
Obrestad
- November Nine finalists Craig Marquis, Ivan
Demidov, Peter Eastgate & Kelly Kim
- Daniel Negreanu Phil
Ivey Allen
Cunningham
- Layne Flack Patrik
Antonius Gus Hansen
- Josh Arieh Howard
Lederer Andy Bloch
- Robert Williamson III Barry Greenstein Chris
Ferguson
- Mike Matusow Max
Pescatori Vanessa Rousso
- David Williams Eric
Seidel Michael Mizrachi
- Robert Mizrachi Nenad
Medic John Tabatabai
- Sorel Mizzi David
Benyamine Tuan Le
- Eli Elezra Steve
Zolotow Ted Lawson
Last year, 18-year-old
Norwegian Annette Obrestad bested a star-studded field to win the inaugural
WSOPE Main Event and take home the largest prize ever for a female in any
sporting contest, £1 million. Obrestad,
who celebrated her 20th birthday yesterday, returns to defend her
crown, against what promises to be another tough field of the game’s best poker
players.
The 2008 WSOPE features four gold bracelet events, a
£1500 No-Limit Hold’em that opens the tournament today and tomorrow (two start
days), plus a £2500 H.O.R.S.E. event (9/22), a £5000 Pot Limit Omaha (9/24) and
the Main Event (9/26), a £10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship.
Betfair, presenting sponsor
of WSOPE and the only online authorized and official online location where
players can win seats for World Series of Poker Europe, continues to run
satellites and qualifiers on their website, www.betfairpoker.com with a last chance
qualifier scheduled to run tomorrow (Sunday) at 6:00 PM.
Players can still register
in person, through the first two levels of each event, on-site at The Casino at
the Empire in Leicester Square,
the sole location for this year’s WSOPE.
Satellites and cash games
will also be held at The Casino at the Empire during the entire WSOPE
(September 19-October 2).
