World Poker Tour announces 2013 tournament schedule

LOS ANGELES -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- In a season already highlighted by impressive growth into new regions of the globe, World Poker Tour, LLC will build on its distinguished tournament schedule by visiting nine of the most prestigious venues in the United States and Europe before concluding its 11th season during Champions Week at Bellagio in Las Vegas.

The New Year begins with a return visit to a favorite venue as World Poker Tour heads to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the new $3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open beginning January 27. Coming just a few months after the WPT Borgata Poker Open, which drew more than 1,100 entrants in September, the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open features a $2 million guarantee and is expected to start 2013 in impressive style.

“By working with a combination of existing and new partners throughout Season XI, WPT is constantly seeking to provide players around the world with access to high-quality tournaments and one-of-a-kind poker experiences that no one else can offer,” said WPT CEO, Steve Heller. “After first-ever stops in Johannesburg, South Africa and Sanya, China in 2012 – along with repeat visits to popular venues such as Aviation Club de France in Paris and Bellagio in Las Vegas –it’s obvious that World Poker Tour remains the best choice for players who want to maximize the value of their tournament buy-in while also being able to compete against world-class competition on one of the biggest stages in the game today.”

From Atlantic City, World Poker Tour will take its show on the road throughout both the United States and Europe, including the first of two stops in Florida when WPT rolls into Hollywood for the $3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Feb 8 – Feb 12). From Florida, the tour jumps across the Atlantic to the €3,500 PartyPoker.com WPT Vienna (Feb 18 – Feb 23) at the famed Montesino Casino in Austria.

While the final table in Austria is playing out, World Poker Tour will already be starting its next event in Los Angeles, California where the tour’s cameras will set up for 2013’s first televised tournament, the $10,000 WPT L.A. Poker Classic held at the iconic Commerce Casino (Feb 23 – Feb 28). After adding a new name to the prestigious WPT Champions Cup in L.A., the tour’s cast, crew, and cameras will head north to Silicon Valley for the year’s only bounty event, the $7,500 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star where players receive cash rewards for eliminating the game’s biggest names from the tournament (March 4 – March 8).

High tech gives way to high style at the next event when World Poker Tour heads to stunning Barcelona, Spain for the €3,500 PartyPoker.es WPT Barcelona on the shores of the sunny Mediterranean. (April 5 – April 10). The tour jumps from one beautiful coast to another when WPT’s cameras roll again at one of the year’s most anticipated events, the $5,000 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown (April 11 – April 16).

As always, World Poker Tour will end Season XI with its two biggest events of the year, the $100,000 WPT Super High Roller Championship and the $25,000 WPT World Championship, both held during Champion’s Week at Bellagio (May 18 – May 24).

To complement this impressive roster of 2013 WPT Main Events, World Poker Tour is also offering an additional nine National events throughout Europe and Southern Africa. Held throughout Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Cyprus and Mauritius, these popular tournaments offer players around the globe a World Poker Tour experience at affordable buy-ins.