LA Poker Classic sees major success

COMMERCE, California -- (Press Release) -- The L.A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, CA which began February 21, 2004, is the latest event on the WORLD POKER TOUR to demonstrate the domino effect of the television show's huge popularity. Records have been set in each of tour stops and the L.A. Poker Classic is no exception setting a new Commerce Casino record and WPT record for the highest number of entries, prize money and first place payout ever on the World Poker Tour.

382 players signed up for this week's event, which culminated today with the filming of the Final Table for broadcast as part of the World Poker Tour series on The Travel Channel. World Poker Tour airs every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the network. The new season begins its weekly broadcast on March 3.

The increase in players catapults the total prize money to $3,806,500 million, including the $25,000 WPT contributed to the prize pool. With such an enormous and record-setting prize pool for the tournament, players down to 27th place will go home with a nice payday, and the winner will capture a top prize of $1,408,385, including a seat in the season finale WPT Championship in April at Bellagio, Las Vegas. Last year's champion, Gus Hansen from Denmark, walked away with $507,190 when the prize pool totaled $1,360,000. The prize pool is determined by the number of players "buying in" to the tournament -in this case the entry fee is $10,000 per person.

"We are elated that the Commerce Casino had such a significant increase from last year. We know next year will be even bigger and more records will be broken," said CEO of the World Poker Tour, Steve Lipscomb.

The World Poker Tour, over 80% owned by Lakes Entertainment, is one of the major television hits of the year. More than five million people tune in each week to watch the high stakes drama of the tense competition where millions of dollars change hands across the table, all chronicled by "WPT Cams," that reveal the players hidden cards. The show is the highest rated series in the history of The Travel Channel.

The dramatic increase in prize money at the L.A. Poker Classic is helping drive the WPT's total prize money for Season 2 to an estimated $30 million, triple the prize money in the previous season, which in turn is attracting many newcomers to the game of poker and to WPT tournaments.