Heartland Poker Tour is flush with success

For every high-profile professional poker player who has gained pop culture stardom via the popularity of the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour on TV, there's an average man or woman who loves the game just as much and longs for a tournament circuit in which they can participate.

Two enterprising poker fans, Todd Anderson and Greg Lang, realized the need for a top-class tour for average people who hold down regular jobs and enjoy putting their poker skills to the test under tournament conditions. That's why they organized the Heartland Poker Tour in 2005.

The HPT has grown steadily each year. More than $8.2 million had been awarded to poker enthusiasts after just three seasons of competition. This year, there will be tournaments at casinos in six states as far west as Black Hawk, Colo., and as far east as Verona, N.Y.

Majestic Star Casinos in Gary, Ind., is the flagship home of the HPT. Three tournament stops were scheduled there last year, and three more are on the docket this season: April 19-28, July 19-28 and the Championship Open Nov. 29-Dec. 8.

Prior to the April tournament at the Majestic, local poker players can participate in the new Heartland Poker League in the casino's poker room for an opportunity to win a $2,200 seat at the main event plus a two-night hotel stay. Weekly $100 buy-in tournaments will continue every Sunday through March 16. The action starts at 7 p.m.

The February and March point champions will win qualifying seats to any HPT event. The winter season national Heartland Poker League champion will be awarded a complete World Poker Tour boot camp package.

For more information about the weekly tournaments, visit www.heartlandpokertour.com or call Majestic's poker room manager, Dom Niro, in the poker room directly at (219) 977-7444.

The HPT Championship Open at Majestic last December attracted more than 1,000 players and featured a record prize pool of $835,200. The winner took home $233,016.

All the final tables at Heartland Poker Tour tournaments are produced as two-hour taped specials for cable television markets across the country. The local outlet is Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

Despite its widespread popularity, live poker is not a priority at Illinois casinos in the Chicago area because of space and gaming position restrictions. The only poker rooms are small venues at Empress Casino Joliet and Hollywood Casino in Aurora.

In Indiana, the Majestic Star and Resorts East Chicago have fairly large poker rooms. Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City has a smaller room than its Northwest Indiana competition, while the Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Mich., has a World Poker Tour room furnished exclusively with fully automated PokerPro electronic touchscreen tables.

When the $465 million facility opens at Horseshoe Casino Hammond this summer, the spacious new multilevel casino will include a 36-table poker room. Because it's a Harrah's-owned property, look for strong tie-ins to the World Series of Poker.

News Added: 16 February, 2008

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