There is a quote I love which says, "Sports do not build character. They reveal it." Think about what makes a truly great sports star. Is it a perfect record of runs or world record-breaking times? Or, at the end of the day, as with so much else in life, does it come down to personality.
Great talent can make a champion, but great charisma is what truly makes a star. The greatest sporting heroes, those who have won a spot in the hearts and minds of the nation that lasts well beyond their time actively competing, are those who have a charm that extends past the finish line.
Muhammad Ali, Don Bradman, Tiger Woods and my good mate Shane Warne are all personalities that you cannot ignore. Whether it's a quiet calm, a fiery competitive spirit, the larrikin or the all-round good guy, we relate to their public persona, we see them as our friends, our representatives, or if they're playing for the other side, our villains.
These characters are the true stars because they make a sport great to watch as their personality helps to weave the rich tapestry of the sporting stories. Tournament poker is no different: there are great technical players and internet wunderkinds who have won millions and achieved huge success, but the players I love to watch, and play against, are the real characters.
There are the jokers who try to put their opponents off with a comic aside; the brooding, aggressive players who hide behind their hoods and try to get the whole table on tilt; and the old school gentlemen of the sport who can charm their way through any hand.
These characters and their richly varied style of play are what make watching tournament poker exciting and elevate it beyond just a game of cards. I truly believe that to be a success in poker, and to help grow the popularity of the sport, a competitor needs to be a personality, not just a player, which is why my last test for the contestants of The Poker Star was all about finding who had that charisma.
But charisma is a hard thing to test. How do you define character, or map out charm? In the modern sporting world, great personalities are revealed and delivered to every fan's lounge room by the ever growing media machine, so what better way to test how the contestants would perform than by throwing them right into the deep end with a full-on media conference.
I knew putting my final three contestants in front of a media pack with no warning would be overwhelming and intimidating but I also knew it was essential that whoever I chose as The Poker Star could keep their calm and handle themselves in that situation. My memories from the first few days of winning the World Series of Poker are filled with flash bulbs and cameras, as I ran the press and PR trail and had to do my best to represent my own sport.
The Poker Star winner will hopefully one day need to do the same, and I'm proud to say I now know they will handle it with charm and ease. Because the person I've chosen has revealed throughout the show that they are not just a great sportsperson, but a truly great character.
Until next week, pass the sugar! (Credit: Joe Hachem, Fairfax, Google News)
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
PartyPoker Ambassador Mike Sexton Inducted Into The Poker Hall Of Fame
PartyPoker.com Ambassador Mike Sexton Inducted Into The Poker Hall Of Fame
Congratulations To The 1,100 Players Who Cashed In Celebratory Freeroll
Gibraltar – 9th November 2009 – PartyPoker.com ambassador Mike Sexton was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame on Saturday night. In what was an emotional night, legends of the game lined up to endorse Mike and welcome him into the game’s most prestigious club.
As Mike entered the Hall of Fame, the news also broke that PartyGaming had acquired the World Poker Tour, another special moment for the ‘Ambassador of Poker.’
“For PartyGaming and the World Poker Tour to come together is like a dream come true for me,” said Mike.
Here is just a selection of the endorsements from the stage at the induction ceremony:
Jack Binion: “Mike Sexton made poker how it is today through PartyPoker.com and the World Poker Tour.”
Doyle Brunson: “Mike Sexton is the greatest ambassador poker has ever had.”
WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack: “When I think of Mike Sexton, one word comes to mind…class.”
Tom McEvoy: “I can’t think of a more worthy candidate than Mike Sexton.”
TJ Cloutier: “Mike Sexton was a shoo-in in my eyes and we’re delighted to welcome him into the Hall of Fame.”
PartyPoker.com hosted a celebratory freeroll on Saturday night in honour of Mike’s induction. 8000 runners took part in the freeroll that was at capacity after only one hour of being open in the lobby. Congratulations to alex7777381 who walked away in first place with $1,151.15. A total of 1,100 players made the money.
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Congratulations To The 1,100 Players Who Cashed In Celebratory Freeroll
Gibraltar – 9th November 2009 – PartyPoker.com ambassador Mike Sexton was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame on Saturday night. In what was an emotional night, legends of the game lined up to endorse Mike and welcome him into the game’s most prestigious club.
As Mike entered the Hall of Fame, the news also broke that PartyGaming had acquired the World Poker Tour, another special moment for the ‘Ambassador of Poker.’
“For PartyGaming and the World Poker Tour to come together is like a dream come true for me,” said Mike.
Here is just a selection of the endorsements from the stage at the induction ceremony:
Jack Binion: “Mike Sexton made poker how it is today through PartyPoker.com and the World Poker Tour.”
Doyle Brunson: “Mike Sexton is the greatest ambassador poker has ever had.”
WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack: “When I think of Mike Sexton, one word comes to mind…class.”
Tom McEvoy: “I can’t think of a more worthy candidate than Mike Sexton.”
TJ Cloutier: “Mike Sexton was a shoo-in in my eyes and we’re delighted to welcome him into the Hall of Fame.”
PartyPoker.com hosted a celebratory freeroll on Saturday night in honour of Mike’s induction. 8000 runners took part in the freeroll that was at capacity after only one hour of being open in the lobby. Congratulations to alex7777381 who walked away in first place with $1,151.15. A total of 1,100 players made the money.
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PartyGaming Plc Acquisition of World Poker Tour
9th November 2009
PartyGaming Plc of World Poker Tour completed
PartyGaming, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, announces the completion of the acquisition of the business and substantially all of the assets of WPT Enterprises Inc.
(“WPTE”) for a cash consideration of $12.3 million plus an additional minimum aggregate payment of $3m over the next three years relating to an ongoing revenue share agreement.
The assets being acquired include, inter alia:
· The World Poker Tour® brand, rights to a number of land-based events in the US and Europe and all other intellectual property rights associated with the World Poker Tour
· An extensive library of over 150 hours of poker programming that is broadcast in more than 150 countries
· The ClubWPT subscription poker offering that has more than 16,500 paying subscribers in 37 US states
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan, PartyGaming Chief Executive Officer, said:
“This deal brings together two of the biggest brands in online and offline poker – www.PartyPoker.com and World Poker Tour – that we will market internationally to build our poker business. Our plans also include using the ClubWPT subscription platform to leverage our 12 million-strong US player database via a Party-branded website and the launch of a European WPT-branded poker and casino site. We are excited about the opportunities that WPT, a proven marketing channel for the Group, will create for PartyGaming, particularly if the US regulates and licenses online gaming.”
Steve Lipscomb, the founder of WPTE, said:
“PartyGaming has been an important partner for a number of years and we are confident that they will be an excellent manager of our brands in the future. Combining two of the pioneers and leaders in the poker and online gaming markets will create a strong vehicle for the WPT brand to continue its global expansion.”
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PartyGaming Plc of World Poker Tour completed
PartyGaming, the world’s leading listed online gaming company, announces the completion of the acquisition of the business and substantially all of the assets of WPT Enterprises Inc.
(“WPTE”) for a cash consideration of $12.3 million plus an additional minimum aggregate payment of $3m over the next three years relating to an ongoing revenue share agreement.
The assets being acquired include, inter alia:
· The World Poker Tour® brand, rights to a number of land-based events in the US and Europe and all other intellectual property rights associated with the World Poker Tour
· An extensive library of over 150 hours of poker programming that is broadcast in more than 150 countries
· The ClubWPT subscription poker offering that has more than 16,500 paying subscribers in 37 US states
Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan, PartyGaming Chief Executive Officer, said:
“This deal brings together two of the biggest brands in online and offline poker – www.PartyPoker.com and World Poker Tour – that we will market internationally to build our poker business. Our plans also include using the ClubWPT subscription platform to leverage our 12 million-strong US player database via a Party-branded website and the launch of a European WPT-branded poker and casino site. We are excited about the opportunities that WPT, a proven marketing channel for the Group, will create for PartyGaming, particularly if the US regulates and licenses online gaming.”
Steve Lipscomb, the founder of WPTE, said:
“PartyGaming has been an important partner for a number of years and we are confident that they will be an excellent manager of our brands in the future. Combining two of the pioneers and leaders in the poker and online gaming markets will create a strong vehicle for the WPT brand to continue its global expansion.”
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Monday, November 2, 2009
World Poker Tour Stockholders Approve Party Gaming Sale, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 2nd November 2009
Despite a $36.5 million last-minute bid by mobile entertainment company Mandalay Media, shareholders of World Poker Tour Enterprises (WPTE) approved a $12.3 million purchase by Party Gaming subsidiary Peerless Media on Friday.
Late last week, owners of Mandalay Media submitted a $36.5 million bid to purchase WPTE, a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. Mandalay fired a Hail Mary, submitting an offer to purchase the massive television library, trademarks, and other portions of the roving tournament series. On Friday, a special shareholders meeting was held in Los Angeles and, at its conclusion, the sale to Peerless Media, a subsidiary of Party Gaming, was approved. The news appears to end any discussion of Mandalay Media purchasing the WPT.
A press release distributed by WPTE officials on Monday explained the company’s reaction to the last-ditch effort by Mandalay Media to purchase the majority of its assets: “The board of directors of WPTE reviewed the Mandalay Proposal and concluded that it was not a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Agreement). On October 30, 2009, WPTE received a modified written offer from Mandalay Media (the ‘Modified Mandalay Proposal’). On October 31, 2009 the board of directors of WPTE reviewed the Modified Mandalay Proposal and concluded that it was not a Superior Proposal.” Mandalay Media is based in Los Angeles and believed it offered a competitive proposal due to its seasoned management team, global reach, mobile expertise, social media prowess, and success in the gaming marketplace.
The proposal from Mandalay Media implored WPTE management to postpone the special stockholders meeting scheduled for Friday, where on the docket was voting on Party Gaming’s proposal. In total, 67.93% of the company’s common shares were represented at the meeting and the sale was approved by an 85% to 15% margin. Its closing should be completed by the end of the month. Mandalay Media is unrelated to the casino in Las Vegas of the same name.
WPTE’s stock, which is traded on the NASDAQ under the same four-letter acronym, has been on a roller coaster ride over the past four days. On Thursday, WPTE closed at $1.11. When trading opened the next morning, the company’s shares were fetching $1.41, an overnight jump of 28%, on the news that Mandalay Media had submitted a purchase agreement. By the close of trading on Friday, WPTE stock had fallen to $1.10. At the time of writing, which is around Noon on Wall Street, WPTE is treading at $1.07 per share, a drop of $0.04 on the day.
Mandalay Media’s proposal consisted of approximately $36.5 million in stock and cash offerings. WPTE would have received $28.5 million in cash plus $5 million in Mandalay’s common stock and 5% of future revenues. The company had guaranteed that the latter sum would amount to at least $1 million per year over the next three years. The purchase agreement noted that the proposal equated to $1.77 per share, a premium of 61% over WPTE’s closing price on October 26th.
Under the terms of the sale to Party Gaming, WPTE will receive $12.3 million less affiliate payments it owes to the online gaming giant. WPTE will also receive 5% of future gross gaming revenue and 5% “of other future gross revenues less certain taxes and costs earned with the purchased assets in perpetuity.” Party Gaming has guaranteed that the future gaming revenue would total at least $3 million over a three-year period. Peerless Media is based in Gibraltar and its parent company is ElectaWorks Limited.
Once completed, WPTE officials plan to pursue non-poker-related business ventures. The sale’s effect on the WPT tournament circuit is currently unknown. WPT personnel are in the midst of filming the series’ eighth season and will kickoff the Foxwoods World Poker Finals on Thursday. The $10,000 buy-in tournament crowns a champion on November 10th. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Late last week, owners of Mandalay Media submitted a $36.5 million bid to purchase WPTE, a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. Mandalay fired a Hail Mary, submitting an offer to purchase the massive television library, trademarks, and other portions of the roving tournament series. On Friday, a special shareholders meeting was held in Los Angeles and, at its conclusion, the sale to Peerless Media, a subsidiary of Party Gaming, was approved. The news appears to end any discussion of Mandalay Media purchasing the WPT.
A press release distributed by WPTE officials on Monday explained the company’s reaction to the last-ditch effort by Mandalay Media to purchase the majority of its assets: “The board of directors of WPTE reviewed the Mandalay Proposal and concluded that it was not a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Agreement). On October 30, 2009, WPTE received a modified written offer from Mandalay Media (the ‘Modified Mandalay Proposal’). On October 31, 2009 the board of directors of WPTE reviewed the Modified Mandalay Proposal and concluded that it was not a Superior Proposal.” Mandalay Media is based in Los Angeles and believed it offered a competitive proposal due to its seasoned management team, global reach, mobile expertise, social media prowess, and success in the gaming marketplace.
The proposal from Mandalay Media implored WPTE management to postpone the special stockholders meeting scheduled for Friday, where on the docket was voting on Party Gaming’s proposal. In total, 67.93% of the company’s common shares were represented at the meeting and the sale was approved by an 85% to 15% margin. Its closing should be completed by the end of the month. Mandalay Media is unrelated to the casino in Las Vegas of the same name.
WPTE’s stock, which is traded on the NASDAQ under the same four-letter acronym, has been on a roller coaster ride over the past four days. On Thursday, WPTE closed at $1.11. When trading opened the next morning, the company’s shares were fetching $1.41, an overnight jump of 28%, on the news that Mandalay Media had submitted a purchase agreement. By the close of trading on Friday, WPTE stock had fallen to $1.10. At the time of writing, which is around Noon on Wall Street, WPTE is treading at $1.07 per share, a drop of $0.04 on the day.
Mandalay Media’s proposal consisted of approximately $36.5 million in stock and cash offerings. WPTE would have received $28.5 million in cash plus $5 million in Mandalay’s common stock and 5% of future revenues. The company had guaranteed that the latter sum would amount to at least $1 million per year over the next three years. The purchase agreement noted that the proposal equated to $1.77 per share, a premium of 61% over WPTE’s closing price on October 26th.
Under the terms of the sale to Party Gaming, WPTE will receive $12.3 million less affiliate payments it owes to the online gaming giant. WPTE will also receive 5% of future gross gaming revenue and 5% “of other future gross revenues less certain taxes and costs earned with the purchased assets in perpetuity.” Party Gaming has guaranteed that the future gaming revenue would total at least $3 million over a three-year period. Peerless Media is based in Gibraltar and its parent company is ElectaWorks Limited.
Once completed, WPTE officials plan to pursue non-poker-related business ventures. The sale’s effect on the WPT tournament circuit is currently unknown. WPT personnel are in the midst of filming the series’ eighth season and will kickoff the Foxwoods World Poker Finals on Thursday. The $10,000 buy-in tournament crowns a champion on November 10th. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Monday, October 26, 2009
Maximus Rewards As 'The Gladiator" Returns To PartyPoker
**Coverage of the triple stack PartyPoker.com World Open V starts on Wednesday 28th October/Thursday 29th October at 12.10am on Five in the UK. Heat one features Ian Frazer, Andy Ward, James Akenhead, Luke ‘FullFlush’ Schwartz, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Jason Adams, Christian Schafer and Jorg Muller. Jesse May is joined in the commentary box by Phil Laak. The action is presented by Kara Scott.**
‘FRIENDS, ROMANS, POKER PLAYERS, LEND ME YOUR EARS!’ MAXIMUS REWARDS AS ‘THE GLADIATOR’ RETURNS
Gibraltar – 26th October 2009 – PartyPoker.com is pleased to announce details of its next wide ranging promotion as ‘The Gladiator’ returns! For one month the online poker room becomes the colosseum!
From the 1st – 30th November players who hit the daily minimum target of 10 PartyPoints for just five days claim the much-deserved reward of an entry into a $5,000 freeroll. The more days a players earns points on, the bigger the prize will be – there’s up to $3,000 cash to be won. PartyPoker.com has also added a massive incentive for the most dedicated players. Earn 1,000 points every day for the full 30 days and a player secures a seat at next year’s Aussie Millions worth AUD$10,500. The first prize at the main event in Melbourne is estimated to be in the region of AUD$2 million.
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said:” The Gladiator is back and is stronger than ever before. In this colosseum you don’t have to worry about lions - just sharks, donkeys and fish! This promotion isn’t all about maximus PartyPoints, it is about spreading play over a period of time for maximus rewards! It is simple and offers great value and we encourage players to challenge themselves and take a closer look.”
A player doesn’t even have to earn points on consecutive days to be in with a shot at the colossal prizes: PartyPoker.com will just count up the number of days targets have been made during the promotion. For example, earn 10 points for 10 days, take five days off and then earn 10 points on 10 more days of the promotion and PartyPoker.com will award the prize for earning 10 points on 20 days. Players can keep updated on how many points picked up so far in ‘The Gladiator’ by checking their PartyAccount. Points are not removed from player accounts following the promotion – they all count towards Palladium Lounge targets.
The Million Dollar Hand at PartyPoker.com finishes at 23.59 on October 30th. So far there has been 65,652 pairs, 7,446 two pair, 3,328 three of a kind, 625 straights, 398 flushes, 240 full houses, 34 four of a kind and 4 straight flushes. Full details of the promo can be found at PartyPoker.com
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‘FRIENDS, ROMANS, POKER PLAYERS, LEND ME YOUR EARS!’ MAXIMUS REWARDS AS ‘THE GLADIATOR’ RETURNS
Gibraltar – 26th October 2009 – PartyPoker.com is pleased to announce details of its next wide ranging promotion as ‘The Gladiator’ returns! For one month the online poker room becomes the colosseum!
From the 1st – 30th November players who hit the daily minimum target of 10 PartyPoints for just five days claim the much-deserved reward of an entry into a $5,000 freeroll. The more days a players earns points on, the bigger the prize will be – there’s up to $3,000 cash to be won. PartyPoker.com has also added a massive incentive for the most dedicated players. Earn 1,000 points every day for the full 30 days and a player secures a seat at next year’s Aussie Millions worth AUD$10,500. The first prize at the main event in Melbourne is estimated to be in the region of AUD$2 million.
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said:” The Gladiator is back and is stronger than ever before. In this colosseum you don’t have to worry about lions - just sharks, donkeys and fish! This promotion isn’t all about maximus PartyPoints, it is about spreading play over a period of time for maximus rewards! It is simple and offers great value and we encourage players to challenge themselves and take a closer look.”
A player doesn’t even have to earn points on consecutive days to be in with a shot at the colossal prizes: PartyPoker.com will just count up the number of days targets have been made during the promotion. For example, earn 10 points for 10 days, take five days off and then earn 10 points on 10 more days of the promotion and PartyPoker.com will award the prize for earning 10 points on 20 days. Players can keep updated on how many points picked up so far in ‘The Gladiator’ by checking their PartyAccount. Points are not removed from player accounts following the promotion – they all count towards Palladium Lounge targets.
The Million Dollar Hand at PartyPoker.com finishes at 23.59 on October 30th. So far there has been 65,652 pairs, 7,446 two pair, 3,328 three of a kind, 625 straights, 398 flushes, 240 full houses, 34 four of a kind and 4 straight flushes. Full details of the promo can be found at PartyPoker.com
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009
ClubWPT.com Members Get a Shot to Play in Poker’s Most Exclusive Celebrity Tournament - 20th October 2009
Starting Tomorrow, Players Can Compete Every Week to Win One of Twelve Seats in the 8th Annual World Poker Tour® Invitational
LOS ANGELES -- Kicking off an 11-week tournament series tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET, www.ClubWPT.com is giving members the chance to win entry into the most exclusive tournament on the poker circuit — the 8th Annual WPT Invitational. Twelve winners will head to Los Angeles with $1,000 (USD) spending cash, two VIP party passes and a seat to play among the biggest names in Hollywood and poker in the televised World Poker Tour® (WPT) tournament.
Held annually at the Commerce Casino, the WPT Invitational is a red carpet, invitation-only event that brings together celebrities and poker pros to play for charity, a $200,000* prize pool, and a shot at a WPT title. Past attendees include pros Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten and 2009 Invitational champion Freddy Deeb, as well as Vince Vaughn, Paris Hilton, Ben Affleck, Jason Alexander, Mena Suvari, James Woods, and Don Cheadle, to name a few.
The 2010 WPT Invitational is currently scheduled for February 20 – 21*, with the final six players returning March 3 to battle it out on the WPT set in front of television cameras. The tournament will be filmed for broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) in 2010.
The ClubWPT.com Invitational Seat tournament schedule is as follows*. All tournaments begin at 9 p.m. ET. Visit www.ClubWPT.com for more information:
Wednesday, Oct. 21
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Sunday, Nov. 1
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Sunday, Nov. 15
Wednesday, Nov. 25
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Sunday, Dec. 6
Wednesday, Dec. 16
Sunday, Dec. 20
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Sunday, Jan. 3
ClubWPT.com — the World Poker Tour’s online subscription poker room — gives poker players a legal, risk-free way to play online poker to win big cash and prizes, including $10,000 WPT main event seats, WPT Boot Camp seats, and more. For $19.95 monthly subscription, members can play in thousands of poker and blackjack tournaments for their share of $100,000 in cash and prizes each month plus exclusive benefits like $3,000 in Las Vegas VIP discounts and access to watch full WPT Season VII episodes online. For more information, visit www.ClubWPT.com.
No purchase is necessary for the www.ClubWPT.com sweepstakes and the service is void in states where prohibited. Must be 18 years or older to play.
*Dates, times and prize pool subject to change.
ABOUT WPTE
WPT Enterprises, Inc. is one of the most recognized names in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online and mobile. WPTE has led innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, when it ignited the global poker boom with the creation of the World Poker Tour television show based on a series of high stakes poker tournaments. WPT is now broadcast globally and is currently filming its all-new eighth season for broadcast on Fox Sports Net’s national sports network in the United States. WPTE also offers a unique online subscription and sweepstakes-based poker club, ClubWPT.com, which operates in 38 states across the U.S. WPTE also participates in strategic brand license, partnership and sponsorship opportunities. For more information, see www.worldpokertour.com. (WPTEG)
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LOS ANGELES -- Kicking off an 11-week tournament series tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET, www.ClubWPT.com is giving members the chance to win entry into the most exclusive tournament on the poker circuit — the 8th Annual WPT Invitational. Twelve winners will head to Los Angeles with $1,000 (USD) spending cash, two VIP party passes and a seat to play among the biggest names in Hollywood and poker in the televised World Poker Tour® (WPT) tournament.
Held annually at the Commerce Casino, the WPT Invitational is a red carpet, invitation-only event that brings together celebrities and poker pros to play for charity, a $200,000* prize pool, and a shot at a WPT title. Past attendees include pros Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten and 2009 Invitational champion Freddy Deeb, as well as Vince Vaughn, Paris Hilton, Ben Affleck, Jason Alexander, Mena Suvari, James Woods, and Don Cheadle, to name a few.
The 2010 WPT Invitational is currently scheduled for February 20 – 21*, with the final six players returning March 3 to battle it out on the WPT set in front of television cameras. The tournament will be filmed for broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) in 2010.
The ClubWPT.com Invitational Seat tournament schedule is as follows*. All tournaments begin at 9 p.m. ET. Visit www.ClubWPT.com for more information:
Wednesday, Oct. 21
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Sunday, Nov. 1
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Sunday, Nov. 15
Wednesday, Nov. 25
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Sunday, Dec. 6
Wednesday, Dec. 16
Sunday, Dec. 20
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Sunday, Jan. 3
ClubWPT.com — the World Poker Tour’s online subscription poker room — gives poker players a legal, risk-free way to play online poker to win big cash and prizes, including $10,000 WPT main event seats, WPT Boot Camp seats, and more. For $19.95 monthly subscription, members can play in thousands of poker and blackjack tournaments for their share of $100,000 in cash and prizes each month plus exclusive benefits like $3,000 in Las Vegas VIP discounts and access to watch full WPT Season VII episodes online. For more information, visit www.ClubWPT.com.
No purchase is necessary for the www.ClubWPT.com sweepstakes and the service is void in states where prohibited. Must be 18 years or older to play.
*Dates, times and prize pool subject to change.
ABOUT WPTE
WPT Enterprises, Inc. is one of the most recognized names in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online and mobile. WPTE has led innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, when it ignited the global poker boom with the creation of the World Poker Tour television show based on a series of high stakes poker tournaments. WPT is now broadcast globally and is currently filming its all-new eighth season for broadcast on Fox Sports Net’s national sports network in the United States. WPTE also offers a unique online subscription and sweepstakes-based poker club, ClubWPT.com, which operates in 38 states across the U.S. WPTE also participates in strategic brand license, partnership and sponsorship opportunities. For more information, see www.worldpokertour.com. (WPTEG)
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Thursday, October 15, 2009
THE AMBASSADOR OF POKER GETS WHAT HE DESERVES! CONGRATULATIONS TO MIKE SEXTON ON INDUCTION INTO POKER'S HALL OF FAME
London – 15th October 2009 – PartyPoker.com ambassador and World Poker Tour announcer Mike Sexton has deservedly been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
For the first time in the history of the Poker Hall of Fame, the early stage of the nomination process was open to the general public and a mass of prominent figures in the game all publicly declared their support for Mike. The Ambassador of Poker is currently playing the final table at the PartyPoker.com World Open V in London.
Sexton said: “I am deeply honored to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and it is particularly special because for the first time it was a process that involved the fans, the media and the living members of the hall of fame. To me the most meaningful aspect of this process was the acceptance by the living hall of famers who welcomed me into their exclusive club.”
Mike Sexton acts as a host, consultant, ambassador and player for PartyPoker.com and the online poker room will holding a special celebratory $10,000 freeroll on the 7th November, the day Mike is inducted.
Sexton needs little introduction and is unarguably one of the most respected figures in the game. As the face and voice of the World Poker Tour and holder of a WSOP bracelet, Mike is truly one of the games pioneers. Sexton is in the top ten for the most cashes at the World Series of Poker and is instantly recognizable to all poker enthusiasts. Regarded as ‘The Ambassador of Poker,’ for years Mike advocated corporate involvement with poker to take the game he loves into the mainstream.
Notably, Sexton also won the first $10k buy-in NL hold'em championship event at Foxwoods World Poker Finals in 1992 and in 2000 was the first American to win the championship event at the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris, which at the time was the biggest event in Europe. Through his role with the World Poker Tour Mike brought the game to millions around the world. In 2006 Sexton won the Tournament of Champions at the World Series of Poker, a concept he had originally created. He donated $500,000 of his winnings to charity and has since become a co-founder of http://www.pokergives.org/, which encourages players to make charitable donations.
The Poker Hall of Fame was established in 1979. Its membership includes poker's most influential players and other important contributors to the game. There are 16 living members, and to date 37 members have been bestowed the honour of entry. The WSOP Hall of Fame traditionally elects one or two new members annually. The enshrinement ceremony is now held during the final table of the Main Event of the WSOP. The criteria for selection was as follows:
A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
Played for high stakes
Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers
Stood the test of time
Or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results
Amongst those who publicly endorsed Mike Sexton included Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu and Barry Greenstein. Below are some of the submissions players and figures made about Mike:
Annette Obrestad. “I may be from a different generation of poker players to Mike but in my mind he deserves induction into poker’s hall of fame this year.”
Erik Seidel: “Next up should be Mike Sexton. He has some impressive accomplishments as a player, he won the Tournament of Champions in 06', the European Heads Up, and is one of the leaders in WSOP cashes including one bracelet. If I'm not mistaken he also won the 1st 10k event at Foxwoods as well. I can't think of anyone though who has contributed more to the growth of the game then Mike and that's why he should be the next inductee. As the WPT's announcer he is the guy who introduced no limit poker to millions of people, and who explained it in a way that drew them in and got them interested. I meet people all the time who don't even play poker but watch the WPT because he manages to keep it exciting for everyone. People can tell his enthusiasm is real, Mike loves poker and fortunately is able to translate that for the viewer. He deserves huge credit too for the growth of the online game. As a consultant for PartyPoker he helped the online game get started and helped Party create the biggest poker site in the world. Party was just another poker site until Mike's commercials on the WPT started running, then overnight the numbers doubled, tripled and very quickly they became the largest site poker has ever seen. He is one of the best ambassadors poker has ever seen and I hope he is on deck for admission in 09’.”
Poker’s ‘Professor’ Howard Lederer: "More than any single poker player, Mike Sexton promoted the game of poker throughout the '90s and into this decade. He had a singular belief in the game as something that could be much bigger. Every poker player owes a great debt of thanks to Mike for helping to extend poker to places we could have never imagined before."
Celebrity Apprentice runner-up Annie Duke: “There is quite possibly no single individual who did more to mainstream poker and grow the game than Mike Sexton. During the 90’s , when tournament poker was still an obscure, insular world, Mike always believed in and promoted what poker could become even as many of us remained steadfast in our skepticism. Mike saw the potential for the game and never gave up in his promotion of it and for that we should all be deeply grateful.”
Steve Lipscomb -- “I would support Mike Sexton for president, much less induction into the Poker Hall of Fame. Mike is the consummate face of poker. He was making poker mainstream before it had a prayer of being mainstream. He helped launch the World Poker Tour – which changed the poker world forever. Then, he convinced the World Poker Tour to put PartyPoker on the Tour in season one – which changed the poker world again forever. His commitment and love for the game -- which is evidenced every time he appears on-screen in a World Poker Tour episode -- is part of what has transformed this great game into the first-ever global aspirational sport. Let’s get the man into the Poker Hall of Fame!”
Des Wilson -- “Having spent a number of years studying the history of the game, I can think of nobody more deserving than Mike Sexton to be in the hall of fame and urge everyone else to support him. He is more than a great player - he is, and has been for many years, an outstanding ambassador for the game.”
The First Lady of Poker Linda Johnson: “I nominate Mike Sexton for the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame. I can't think of anyone who has done more for the poker industry than Mike. He has exhibited tremendous skills as a poker player and incredible vision in his ability to market the poker world. Mike is the best poker commentator in the world and is a household name to millions of players. He is generous, hard working, and donates his time and money to many various charities. Mike is a role model to all poker players and is very deserving of being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.”
Recent inductee into the Women’s Hall of Fame Jan Fisher: “I've known Mike Sexton for nearly 30 years. During this time, Mike has always worked hard to promote poker. His stellar reputation speaks for itself. One of the true good guys in poker, no one deserves this honor at this time more than Sexton. I've worked on both sides of the tables, and I believe that Mike is a role model for the poker industry. I am proud and honored to call him my friend.”
From the famous poker family, Todd Brunson: “Mike Sexton helped take poker to a level never before achieved and without him we would not be seeing the prize pools we have today. We all owe Mike our most sincere gratitude and appreciation."
Padraig Parkinson: “I thought that Mike was nuts when he shared his vision of where we were going with me but never for a second doubted that he was the man to lead us there. Unusually for me, I was right.”
Leading Tournament Director Matt Savage: “Mike Sexton should be a slam dunk, not only for the over 40 WSOP cashes but especially for the work he has done to promote the world's greatest game. Poker would not be where it is today without the ambassador work that Mike has done.”
Irish Open Tournament Director Liam Flood: "I have known Mike for 25 years and I have always found him to be a true gentleman. He is the best ambassador poker could ever have. Whether it be in Las Vegas, Paris or Dublin he is always the same and is always prepared to listen to anybody about the game he loves."
WSOP bracelet winner and Asian Poker Tour ambassador Steve Sung: “The first poker commentators’ voice I ever heard was Mike Sexton. The man’s a legend – get him into the Poker Hall of Fame.”
Top professional David Williams: “Mike Sexton is a true professional and I wholeheartedly believe that he should enter Poker’s Hall of Fame this year.”
Top professional Roland De Wolfe: “He is a personality and voice that has opened the game up to new people. He is a component of poker's story and a significant part of poker history.”
Amongst the most recent inductees include Henry Orenstein, Dewey Tomko, Phil Hellmuth, Barbara Enright, TJ Cloutier, Bobby Baldwin, Johnny Chan and Lyle Berman. Doyle Brunson was given Hall of Fame status in 1987. Once the public has voted the top ten among consideration are announced during the Main Event. It then goes to a committee stage in August and then a secret ballot of living Hall of Famers in September. In addition, a select group of media members were sent a ballot for ranking the finalists.
World Series of Poker”® and “WSOP”®, WSOPE”® are registered trade marks of Harrah’s License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. PartyGaming is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah’s License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker®, in any way.
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For the first time in the history of the Poker Hall of Fame, the early stage of the nomination process was open to the general public and a mass of prominent figures in the game all publicly declared their support for Mike. The Ambassador of Poker is currently playing the final table at the PartyPoker.com World Open V in London.
Sexton said: “I am deeply honored to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and it is particularly special because for the first time it was a process that involved the fans, the media and the living members of the hall of fame. To me the most meaningful aspect of this process was the acceptance by the living hall of famers who welcomed me into their exclusive club.”
Mike Sexton acts as a host, consultant, ambassador and player for PartyPoker.com and the online poker room will holding a special celebratory $10,000 freeroll on the 7th November, the day Mike is inducted.
Sexton needs little introduction and is unarguably one of the most respected figures in the game. As the face and voice of the World Poker Tour and holder of a WSOP bracelet, Mike is truly one of the games pioneers. Sexton is in the top ten for the most cashes at the World Series of Poker and is instantly recognizable to all poker enthusiasts. Regarded as ‘The Ambassador of Poker,’ for years Mike advocated corporate involvement with poker to take the game he loves into the mainstream.
Notably, Sexton also won the first $10k buy-in NL hold'em championship event at Foxwoods World Poker Finals in 1992 and in 2000 was the first American to win the championship event at the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris, which at the time was the biggest event in Europe. Through his role with the World Poker Tour Mike brought the game to millions around the world. In 2006 Sexton won the Tournament of Champions at the World Series of Poker, a concept he had originally created. He donated $500,000 of his winnings to charity and has since become a co-founder of http://www.pokergives.org/, which encourages players to make charitable donations.
The Poker Hall of Fame was established in 1979. Its membership includes poker's most influential players and other important contributors to the game. There are 16 living members, and to date 37 members have been bestowed the honour of entry. The WSOP Hall of Fame traditionally elects one or two new members annually. The enshrinement ceremony is now held during the final table of the Main Event of the WSOP. The criteria for selection was as follows:
A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
Played for high stakes
Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers
Stood the test of time
Or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results
Amongst those who publicly endorsed Mike Sexton included Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu and Barry Greenstein. Below are some of the submissions players and figures made about Mike:
Annette Obrestad. “I may be from a different generation of poker players to Mike but in my mind he deserves induction into poker’s hall of fame this year.”
Erik Seidel: “Next up should be Mike Sexton. He has some impressive accomplishments as a player, he won the Tournament of Champions in 06', the European Heads Up, and is one of the leaders in WSOP cashes including one bracelet. If I'm not mistaken he also won the 1st 10k event at Foxwoods as well. I can't think of anyone though who has contributed more to the growth of the game then Mike and that's why he should be the next inductee. As the WPT's announcer he is the guy who introduced no limit poker to millions of people, and who explained it in a way that drew them in and got them interested. I meet people all the time who don't even play poker but watch the WPT because he manages to keep it exciting for everyone. People can tell his enthusiasm is real, Mike loves poker and fortunately is able to translate that for the viewer. He deserves huge credit too for the growth of the online game. As a consultant for PartyPoker he helped the online game get started and helped Party create the biggest poker site in the world. Party was just another poker site until Mike's commercials on the WPT started running, then overnight the numbers doubled, tripled and very quickly they became the largest site poker has ever seen. He is one of the best ambassadors poker has ever seen and I hope he is on deck for admission in 09’.”
Poker’s ‘Professor’ Howard Lederer: "More than any single poker player, Mike Sexton promoted the game of poker throughout the '90s and into this decade. He had a singular belief in the game as something that could be much bigger. Every poker player owes a great debt of thanks to Mike for helping to extend poker to places we could have never imagined before."
Celebrity Apprentice runner-up Annie Duke: “There is quite possibly no single individual who did more to mainstream poker and grow the game than Mike Sexton. During the 90’s , when tournament poker was still an obscure, insular world, Mike always believed in and promoted what poker could become even as many of us remained steadfast in our skepticism. Mike saw the potential for the game and never gave up in his promotion of it and for that we should all be deeply grateful.”
Steve Lipscomb -- “I would support Mike Sexton for president, much less induction into the Poker Hall of Fame. Mike is the consummate face of poker. He was making poker mainstream before it had a prayer of being mainstream. He helped launch the World Poker Tour – which changed the poker world forever. Then, he convinced the World Poker Tour to put PartyPoker on the Tour in season one – which changed the poker world again forever. His commitment and love for the game -- which is evidenced every time he appears on-screen in a World Poker Tour episode -- is part of what has transformed this great game into the first-ever global aspirational sport. Let’s get the man into the Poker Hall of Fame!”
Des Wilson -- “Having spent a number of years studying the history of the game, I can think of nobody more deserving than Mike Sexton to be in the hall of fame and urge everyone else to support him. He is more than a great player - he is, and has been for many years, an outstanding ambassador for the game.”
The First Lady of Poker Linda Johnson: “I nominate Mike Sexton for the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame. I can't think of anyone who has done more for the poker industry than Mike. He has exhibited tremendous skills as a poker player and incredible vision in his ability to market the poker world. Mike is the best poker commentator in the world and is a household name to millions of players. He is generous, hard working, and donates his time and money to many various charities. Mike is a role model to all poker players and is very deserving of being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.”
Recent inductee into the Women’s Hall of Fame Jan Fisher: “I've known Mike Sexton for nearly 30 years. During this time, Mike has always worked hard to promote poker. His stellar reputation speaks for itself. One of the true good guys in poker, no one deserves this honor at this time more than Sexton. I've worked on both sides of the tables, and I believe that Mike is a role model for the poker industry. I am proud and honored to call him my friend.”
From the famous poker family, Todd Brunson: “Mike Sexton helped take poker to a level never before achieved and without him we would not be seeing the prize pools we have today. We all owe Mike our most sincere gratitude and appreciation."
Padraig Parkinson: “I thought that Mike was nuts when he shared his vision of where we were going with me but never for a second doubted that he was the man to lead us there. Unusually for me, I was right.”
Leading Tournament Director Matt Savage: “Mike Sexton should be a slam dunk, not only for the over 40 WSOP cashes but especially for the work he has done to promote the world's greatest game. Poker would not be where it is today without the ambassador work that Mike has done.”
Irish Open Tournament Director Liam Flood: "I have known Mike for 25 years and I have always found him to be a true gentleman. He is the best ambassador poker could ever have. Whether it be in Las Vegas, Paris or Dublin he is always the same and is always prepared to listen to anybody about the game he loves."
WSOP bracelet winner and Asian Poker Tour ambassador Steve Sung: “The first poker commentators’ voice I ever heard was Mike Sexton. The man’s a legend – get him into the Poker Hall of Fame.”
Top professional David Williams: “Mike Sexton is a true professional and I wholeheartedly believe that he should enter Poker’s Hall of Fame this year.”
Top professional Roland De Wolfe: “He is a personality and voice that has opened the game up to new people. He is a component of poker's story and a significant part of poker history.”
Amongst the most recent inductees include Henry Orenstein, Dewey Tomko, Phil Hellmuth, Barbara Enright, TJ Cloutier, Bobby Baldwin, Johnny Chan and Lyle Berman. Doyle Brunson was given Hall of Fame status in 1987. Once the public has voted the top ten among consideration are announced during the Main Event. It then goes to a committee stage in August and then a secret ballot of living Hall of Famers in September. In addition, a select group of media members were sent a ballot for ranking the finalists.
World Series of Poker”® and “WSOP”®, WSOPE”® are registered trade marks of Harrah’s License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. PartyGaming is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah’s License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker®, in any way.
Website Network
Global Gaming Directory
Casino News Media
Poker News Media
Australian Casino News
Media Man Australia
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