The Olympic legend Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in swimming at the Beijing Olympics this summer. Betfair Poker now offers him a trip to London to take part in the World Series of Poker Europe and a possibility to become a poker legend as well.
Betfair is proposing Phelps to sponsor his £10,000 entry bid for the WSOPE Main Event. This way he will get a chance to win the £1 million first prize. Traditionally the first-place winner will also receive the WSOP gold bracelet.
The 2008 Olympics star Michael Phelps said in an interview that he would like to play in WSOP one day, after media attention towards him revealed poker to be one of his hobbies. Now Betfair offers him the chance to make his wish reality.
The second WSOPE tournament is again officially sponsored by Betfair Poker. The event attracts most of the best poker players in the world. It will take place at the Empire Casino in Leicester Square in London between September 19 and October 2.
WSOPE held three events in its first year. The first H.O.R.S.E. event drew 105 participants and Thomas Bihl beat Jennifer Harman to win the first WSOPE bracelet.
The second event was Pot-Limit Omaha with 165 entrants. The final table was full with pros, with Dario Alioto leaving behind Andy Bloch and Tony G.
The Main Event, however, was the most expected. 362 players paid the £10,000 buy-in, as there was more than £3 million in cash prizes for players who made it into the money. Annette Oberstad from Norway won the biggest prize, followed by names such as Marco Traniello, Gus Hansen, Annie Duke and Erick Lindgren.
This year the WSOPE is adding one more No-Limit Hold’em event to the initial three events from last year. The WSOPE tournament will be covered by ESPN online and by Sky Sports on UK TV.
Apart from inviting Phelps to come along and play, Betfair Poker is hot-offering its players to win their way into the WSOPE Main Event.
The poker site is offering an exclusive free entry for PokerListings.com players that will give out 20 seats to the $550 Betfair WSOPE satellite.
