World Poker Tour hits $100 million prize mark
World Poker Tour hits $100 million prize mark
World Poker Tour officially hit the $100 million prize mark collecting the $7 million prize pool for its latest onscreen tournament, the Party Poker Million 4. Michael Gracz captured first prize, earning $1.5 million and became the WPT`s “$100 Million Man.”
"What the WPT has accomplished in such a short period of time is truly astonishing," says Steve Lipscomb, president and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. "We have lifted poker from a backroom game to a sport that is churning out a whole new generation of respected professional players making their living by competing in our tournaments around the world. $100 million is just a mind-boggling number and it sends a message that the WPT and poker are here to stay. If you look back at the PGA, it took more than 30 years to reach $100 million in prize money."
Airing every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. on the Travel Channel, the World Poker Tour is responsible for launching the worldwide poker competition. At the moment the program is broadcasted in 57 countries and that figure grows weekly. By making poker a popular TV sport, the WPT turned ordinary poker players into stars gained millions of dollars on the Tour. On the whole the WPT has created twenty two millionaires over the last three seasons, with ten having appeared this year.
“Wow! A hundred makes a lot of new poker millionaires,” said veteran pro Jennifer Harman. “The WPT changed the lives of poker players forever. The game is no longer what it was where you could play well but still had to hold a second job or live on a tight budget. The WPT deserves all the credit for the success we are all now enjoying.”
The influence of the WPT on the viewers was just as significant. They have become passionate about learning and improving their game, watching WPT shows in order to pick up the nuances of poker. As the WPT films its fourth season, one can only wonder what the peak of this new national passion of poker will be.
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