Hollywood Poker Open Championship Weekend dates announced

LAS VEGAS -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) Hollywood Poker Open (HPO) Season 3 Championship Weekend will take place June 25-28, 2015 at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas.

This year's event will be the culmination of seven HPO Regional 10-day Tournament Series stops and local promotions at Penn Gaming properties across the country. Hollywood and Penn properties nationwide will once again send hundreds of promotional seat winners to the HPO Championship, where they will experience a big-time tournament atmosphere, which includes a payoff estimated to be close to $2,000,000 this year.

New additions for Season 3 include a $555 buy-in Seniors Championship on June 27 and a Season 3 Seniors Leaderboard that will track points for Seniors events played at the HPO Regional Events around the country. The top five on the leaderboard at the end of the season will receive a free entry into the Seniors Championship.

HPO Regional Events will also have a Season 3 Leaderboard this year. The top three players will receive a free entry into the June 26th HPO Championship from HPO Ambassador and poker champion Chris Moneymaker.

Moneymaker is often the man attributed with starting the "poker boom"; he continues as HPO ambassador in Season 3, representing the HPO in major tournaments worldwide as well as playing in all local HPO Regionals and the Championship at the M.

"Poker was a big part of the M's history," said Scotty Rutledge, vice president of marketing at the M. "We really look forward to hosting the HPO. Our guests see the M as a destination to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, and know they can play here in an upscale, but casual environment. We enjoy seeing the players come visit and settle in for a weekend of poker; HPO is growing in numbers and reputation each season and we're happy to be a part of it."

The M Resort Spa Casino was host to last year's event, which drew almost 700 players to the lavish resort to compete for a prize-pool of over $1,500,000. The tournament continues to attract the attention of poker pros and amateurs alike. Notable U.S. and International names spotted in the field included Dennis Phillips, Liv Boree, Tony Dunst, Carlos Mortensen, Allen Kessler, Chris Demaci, Brian Hastings, Andrew Spears, Sam Stein, Tripp Kirk, Rex Clinkscales, Andrew Lichtenberger, Ryan Tepen, Greg Ostrander, Michael Katz, Dylan Wilkerson, James Carroll, Kevin Stammen, Shannon Shorr, Jonathan Little, Lee Childs, David Tuthill, John Dolan, David Nicholson, Owen Crowe, Chance Kornuth, Joe Kuether, Max Greenwood, Mickey Petersen, Lauren Kling, Jack Salter, Ravi Raghavan, Calvin Andersen, Jared Jaffee, Aaron Massey, Justin Young, Kevin MacPhee, Isaac Baron, John Land, Seneca Easley, Ben Palmer, Ben Zamani, Daryl Fish, James Carroll, Amit Makhija, Jesse Sylvia, Zal Irani, Jeff Fielder, Galen Hall, Louis Salter, Jarod Ludemann, Steve Brecher, Wil Givens, Christopher Day, Benjamin Volpe, Jordan Morgan and Burt Boutin. Traditionally the International community has been well represented also at these events with Simon Deadman of the United Kingdom winning in 2014 and Ana Marquez of Spain winning in 2013.

When asked why he thought so many recognizable poker players played the HPO Championship Tournament Director Bill Bruce stated, "There are so many reasons that ultimately make this an event players want to play. It's in a very comfortable setting with a fantastic structure and a customer service driven staff. There is also a tremendous value in buying into a tournament that will have more than 200 players already entered via various random promotions. It really is a one-of-a-kind setting."

Remaining regional events leading up to the Las Vegas Championship will take place Feb. 5-16 at Hollywood Casino - Toledo (Ohio); February 26 – March 8 at Hollywood Casino - Tunica (Mississippi); March 26 – April 5 at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (Pennsylvania); April 16 – 26 at Hollywood Casino - St. Louis (Missouri); April 30 – May 10 at Hollywood Casino - Charles Town at Charles Town Races (West Virginia); and May 14 – 24 at Hollywood Casino - Columbus (Ohio).