HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (July 18, 2013) – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has added the World Poker Tour® WPT Alpha8™ Florida Super High-Roller Tournament to its Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) series schedule running August 8 – 29, 2013. The new $100,000 buy-in Event #23 will start on August 26 at noon at Hard Rock Live. Viewers will be able to watch the WPT Alpha8 Florida final table before it airs on TV streamed live on www.WPT.com on August 27. The SHRPO $10 Million Guaranteed Championship Event will run August 22-28.
WPT Alpha8™ is an all-new, global series of super high-roller poker tournaments to be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 beginning in March 2014. Held in some of the world’s most prestigious venues in North America, Europe, Asia, and South Africa, each event will feature a buy-in of at least $100,000. Tournament structures designed by WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage will ensure plenty of play at all levels throughout the event and allow World Poker Tour to provide four hours of televised action where viewers can watch the game’s very best players compete for millions of dollars in prize money and unprecedented bragging rights.
“By offering the largest guaranteed championship in tournament poker, the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open is a game changer. To increase the excitement, we are welcoming our long-time partners, the World Poker Tour, and are happy to host the first ever Alpha8 exclusive, super-high roller series at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino” said Larry Mullin, Seminole Gaming COO. “The WPT Alpha8 tournament raises the volume on this already highly anticipated series.”
As a frequent host of many WPT Main Event and Regional tournaments in the burgeoning Florida poker market over the past 11 seasons, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has earned a reputation as one of the region’s elite casino properties, making it an ideal home for WPT’s newest and most exclusive event.
“Showcasing the world’s poker elite and featuring multimillion dollar prize pools, Alpha8 represents the highest televised treatment of super high roller tournament poker to date. Playing out over a global stage, this series will give audiences insight into the intensity and skill demanded at the sport’s highest levels,” said Adam Pliska, WPT president.
SHRPO’s $5,300 buy-in Championship Event, running August 22 – 28, offers players the chance to cash-in one of the guaranteed top 300 places in order to share in the $10 million prize pool. At the minimum, the winner of the SHRPO Championship Event will receive $1.5 million, and another $1 million is guaranteed for the second-place finisher. A total of $5.15 million of the total is guaranteed for the nine final table players.
Beginning August 8, viewers will be able to watch live streaming action of the SHRPO series at www.seminolehardrockpokeropen.com and can take-in all of the excitement of the Championship Event in Paradise Live on August 28 starting at noon, where players will compete for the title and the winner’s share of a guaranteed $10 million prize pool.
Satellites will be running at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, as well as Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Seminole Casino Immokalee. Players can gain satellite entry for as little as $115 and become part of poker history.
Anyone age 18 or over is welcome to obtain a free “Wild Card” at the Player’s Club or in the Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock and participate in the SHRPO. Local players and those attending from around the globe may play in any of the 33 tournaments, as well as in the numerous satellites available.
Registered poker players will receive 20% off the regular Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino room rate. Offer is valid based on availability and must be booked seven days prior to arrival. To book a reservation, call 866-502-PLAY. Partnering hotels will also be offering discounts.
Registration is now open onsite at The Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock located at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, One Seminole Way, Hollywood, FL 33314. For more information call (954) 585-5111. Visit www.seminolehardrockpokeropen.com for the schedule, Championship Event payout structure, and live updates.