EPT Grand Final

The European Poker Tour Grand Final kicks off next week in Monte Carlo (28 March 2 April) and is set to smash all records for a European poker tournament – with nearly double last year’s numbers and a total prize pool of at least €5.5 million.

With still a week to go before the event starts, more than 550 players have registered to play, making the EPT Season 3 Grand Final – sponsored by PokerStars.com – the richest poker tournament ever held outside of the USA.

The six-day Texas Hold’em No Limit Grand Final event is the climax to a phenomenally successful series of EPT tournaments. There have been seven tournaments since last September, including Germany and Poland for the first time. Many of the events have been sell-outs with player numbers vastly higher than last year – close to 3,000 entrants and a total prize pool of over €13 million.

The tournament begins Wednesday, March 28 2007, in the Salles des Etoiles room of the Monte Carlo Sporting complex at the exclusive Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. Thanks to the high numbers wishing to play, the Grand Final has been extended by an extra day with the final table now taking place on Monday, April 2.

At last year’s Grand Final, 19-year-old American student Jeff Williams, from Atlanta, Georgia became a dollar millionaire, walking away with €900,000 for his first place cash prize. This year the winner is likely to take home nearly €1.8 million.

More than 250 poker players have won their seats to this year’s Grand Final by qualifying online with PokerStars.com. They will be playing against some of poker’s top professionals, including World Champions Joe Hachem (2005), Greg Raymer (2004), and Chris Moneymaker (2003), as well as other Team PokerStars members Isabelle Mercier, Luca Pagano, Bill Chen, Noah Boeken, Katja Thater, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Humberto Brenes, Lee Nelson and Vanessa Rousso. All this year’s EPT winners automatically qualify for a seat – and the chance to be crowned the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Champion.

John Duthie, executive producer of the PokerStars.com EPT and holder of the Poker Million title, said: “The EPT has firmly established itself as the most prestigious poker tour in Europe. Many of Europe’s top players have always seen the potential for major events here and thanks to their support and enthusiasm – and the involvement of PokerStars.com – we’ve been able to make that happen. The tour now attracts top players from all over the world and this year’s Grand Final looks set to be the biggest poker event ever to take place in Europe.”