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Poker Tournaments Played by Pro Poker Players. These largest and most well-known poker tournaments events are traditionally featured on ESPN.
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World Poker Tour

World Poker Tour

Introduction

Regardless of being a veteran or novice at poker one can learn quite a few tricks of the trade by just watching the experts at work. A relatively new addition to the professional poker arena The World Poker tour continues to provide a significant boost to the games popularity in the last several years. Permitting the viewers to be able to watch cards designated to each player in a showdown as well as through out the hand enables them to watch the pros implement their strategies in a game.

WPT History

Beginning its debutant era with the Travel Channel on Sunday March 31st, 2003 The World Poker Tour was moved on to its allotted slot at 9 Pm EST On Wednesday. Created by Casino mogul Lyle Berman and TV Producer Steve Lipscomb The World Poker Tours mission statement clearly stated that their purpose is to establish Poker as a noteworthy Televised Conventional sport by showcasing top poker tournaments occurring around the world under the leading brand of the World Poker Tour. Howard Lederer was glorified as the ‘Player of the Year’ at the wrapping up of the first season of the WorldPoker Tour. Aiming to produce a unique and entertaining experience for the avid gamblers the producers knew that with such large denominations of players spread around the world the televised poker tournament would be an instant success among the masses. Constructed on a successful platform the World Poker Tours first season in 2004 has proliferated the major networks, with NBC airing a special World Poker Tournament in February.

WPT Satellites

Drawing a large audience including the novice players into the World Poker Tour the tournaments are open to everyone even when players cannot acquire the money required to buy directly into a tournament .Featuring satellite tournaments as an alternative the World Poker Tour is the best way to determine if you know the ropes well enough to enter the grand arena. Valued at only a fraction of the original Buy-in amount any player who wins the satellite tournament qualifies to enter the World Poker Tour Championship. Access to these satellite tournaments can be attained online which are offered throughout the year at poker rooms such as Party Poker.
The Main event

Though it is said about many world famous poker tournaments, including the WSOP, the World Poker tournament is truly unique in its characteristics and that is mainly due to the reason that participating in the tournament does not bring a lot of fame but reaching in the final table of the World Poker tournaments is as difficult as surviving in a military boot camp and that is all the difference that matters. Each tournament has certain pre requisites that need to be fulfilled before any player is allowed to participate in them. Paying an entry fee or buy-in generally around $10,000 there are certain events with buy-ins as low as $2500.Entry can also be acquired by playing in satellite events which feature a lowered buy-in . As players are swiftly eliminated the tables are consolidated until only six players are left standing .The World Poker Tour is staged in front of a live audience and is broadcasted on the World Poker Tour's television program.

The WPT Prize Money

Though Michael Gracz is new to the poker arena and is only 24 years old he is destined to become one of the major underlying and underestimated threats to the pros at the top as he won the $1.5 million prize. In doing so he achieved another milestone for the World Poker Tour and Gracz’s $1.5 million prize placed the WPT over the $100 million mark in total prize money awarded. Swiftly transforming the World Poker Tour into a televised event over $70 million in prize money was awarded just this last season and the World Poker Tour Championship is expected to have over $10 million in prize money.

WPT Tournament Results

World Poker Tour is considered to be a distinctive name that will always be remembered for the implementation of a unique idea that evolved into the broadcasting of Poker into the homes of millions around the world. Bagging six successful seasons the WPT championship results are as follows:

WPT Championship - Season I Alan Goehring $1,011,866 2
WPT Championship - Season II Martin De Knijff $2,728,356 3
WPT Championship - Season III Tuan Le $2,856,150 4
WPT Championship - Season IV Joe Bartholdi Jr $3,760,165 5
WPT Championship - Season V Carlos Mortensen $3,970,415 6
WPT Championship - Season VI David Chiu $3,389,140