Harrahs Entertainment Expands WSPO Circuit

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET) will launch the second season of its popular World Series of Poker Circuit with an expanded schedule of 12 tournament stops that will bring high-stakes poker action and excitement to players in Harrah's casinos around the country.

(I-Newswire) - The 2005-06 Circuit begins August 11 at Grand Casino Tunica and includes events at 11 Harrah's casinos in venues such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New Orleans, Biloxi, Miss., and Lake Tahoe.

Each Circuit stop will offer several tournaments with buy-ins ranging from a few hundred dollars to $10,000 for the no-limit hold'em Circuit Championship. The winner of the final event of each Circuit stop will qualify for the tour's grand finale, the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions.

The 2006 TOC, a $2 million free-roll event, will be played in Las Vegas next June just before the 2006 World Series of Poker. A free-roll event is one in which there is no "buy in" -- players aren't required to put up any of their own money to enter the tournament.

A total of 27 players will compete in the 2006 TOC, which will be conducted just before the start of the World Series of Poker next summer. Winners of the 12 upcoming Circuit $10,000 buy-in finales will join the final nine players from the 2005 WSOP Main Event and six sponsors' exemptions for a 27-player TOC shootout.

In addition, each player who makes the final table of the 2006 TOC will win money. First prize will be $1 million, second $325,000, third $250,000, fourth $150,000, fifth $100,000, sixth $75,000, seventh $50,000 and eighth and ninth $25,000.

"The World Series of Poker is the richest and most prestigious gambling event on the planet, and we look forward to bringing all the excitement of tournament poker to our properties and customers around the country," said Ginny Shanks, senior vice president of brand management for Harrah's Entertainment.

News Added: 15 July, 2005

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