Harrah’s World Series of Poker Circuit Starts

PRESS RELEASE


Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. and ESPN are capitalizing on poker’s best-known event with a series of high-profile tournaments across the country that have already started with preliminary events in Atlantic City. The World Series of Poker Circuit includes a point system based on the results of five $10,000-buy-in tournaments at Harrah’s Atlantic City (with the main event starting Sunday, Jan. 16 and the final table being played Tuesday, Jan. 18), Harrah’s Rincon (near San Diego), the Rio in Las Vegas, Harvey’s Lake Tahoe, and Harrah’s New Orleans. Each of the five tournaments will be taped and aired on ESPN. Players will earn points based on their performance in the WSOP circuit tournaments and the World Series of Poker. The top 100 point-earners will receive a free invitation to the 2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions.
Harrah’s Director of Poker Operations Ken Lambert stated that the Atlantic City event has been generating great response from high-limit players, many of whom are eager for the opportunity to qualify for the $2 million freeroll. Each circuit event will see increasing participation as the time gets closer to the World Series of Poker, with players vying for points for the freeroll.
The World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions will take place soon after the conclusion of the World Series of Poker Championship at the Rio in Las Vegas and the winner will take home a prize that will make him or a her a millionaire, from a prize pool in excess of $2 million to be paid to the top nine places.
Jack Binion will serve as host of the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. Jack Binion hosted the first World Series of Poker in 1970 when he was president of Binion’s Horseshoe, the casino founded by his legendary and colorful father, Benny Binion. He continued to host the WSOP until 1993