PokerStars Press Releases
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Craig Sinel / Scott Womer
The Bohle Group
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craig@bohle.com / scott@bohle.com
Pokerstars World Championship of Online Poker Scheduled for September 4-18
World's largest tournament site to host biggest online poker tournament in history; $8 million prize pool guaranteed
LOS ANGELES, CA. - August 14, 2005 -- The 2005 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), the largest online poker tournament in the world -- both in total prize money and number of entries -- is slated to run September 4-18, 2005 at www.pokerstars.com. The guaranteed $8 million dollar prize pool is the largest in online poker history. This makes the WCOOP one of the richest sporting events in the world.
This year, PokerStars.com, the world's largest poker tournament site, is hosting 15 WCOOP events. More than 10,000 players from around the globe are expected to participate. Celebrity players including 2003 World Series of Poker champion Chris Moneymaker and 2004 World Series of Poker champion Greg Raymer will be logging on to play along with both professional and amateur players.
WCOOP satellite tournaments are currently underway. Players can enter satellite tournaments and can also win seats into all events for as little as $5.50. Players may also get free seats into satellites using "Frequent Player Points," which they accumulate by playing at PokerStars.com. This year, PokerStars.com will give away $1 million in free seats to WCOOP events, via FPP entries.
"Poker on television has made stars out of players such as Chris Moneymaker, who had never played a live tournament before he won the 2003 World Series of Poker," said Lee Jones, PokerStars' Poker Room Manager and best selling poker author. "Then last year, Greg Raymer won the WSOP after qualifying at PokerStars. The fact is -- online poker has become a part of everyday life for millions of people. The WCOOP provides anyone the chance to win a substantial amount of money from the comfort of their own home, even if they've never played in a poker tournament before."
Last year, Edgar Skjervold (PokerStars.com screen name: "Ragde,"), a 30-year-old financial analyst from Oslo, Norway won the coveted title of 2004 World Champion of Online Poker and walked away with $424,945.26. Skjervold's victory was such big news in Norway that his victory made headlines in his home country.
The WCOOP is introducing three new events this year: a No-Limit Hold'em Triple Shootout, Short-Handed Pot-Limit Hold'em, and Pot-Limit Omaha with re-buys. Other events include poker's most popular games, such as No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, Omaha (Pot-Limit and Limit High/Low) and Stud (High and High/Low). The winner of each event is tagged with the "world champion" title and receives a gold bracelet.
The World Championship of Online Poker concludes with the main event on September 18, a No-Limit Hold 'em tournament with a $2,500 entry fee and a guaranteed $2.5 million dollar prize pool.
For more information, visit the 2005 WCOOP information page at: http://www.pokerstars.com/wcoop/2005/
About PokerStars
PokerStars (www.pokerstars.com), is the world's most innovative online poker site. PokerStars was the first site to introduce features that became industry standard such as sophisticated multi-table tournaments, integrated game statistics, players' notes, personalized images, time bank for tournaments and big bet ring games, satellite tournaments, multi-table sit and go tournaments, and much more.
To date, PokerStars has dealt over two billion hands and run more than ten million poker tournaments, awarding over $1 billion in prize money. PokerStars' support team is truly unique, as help and assistance is available around the clock from people who know and understand the game of poker and the importance of impeccable customer service.
The PokerStars.com site is also one of the most secure. PokerStars uses industry-leading security software to ensure the integrity of the system, including encryption, card shuffle randomness and preventative measures against cheating and collusion. Money covering player's balances is held in segregated accounts managed by the Royal Bank of Scotland, ensuring that PokerStars can fulfill its obligations to players at all times.
PokerStars an official member of the World Poker Tour, and the title sponsor of the European Poker Tour (EPT) and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. PokerStars is the site where the 2003 and 2004 World Champions of Poker won entries into the World Series of Poker, thus earning the trademark, "Where Poker Players Become World Champions."
