PokerStars.com hosts record-breaking WSOP satellite event

Sunday saw PokerStars.com making World Series of Poker (WSOP) history by awarding 255 seats to the 2006 WSOP Main Event in just one night.

The 255 winners were all awarded a $12,000 prize package that includes the event buy-in as well as $1,000 in spending money, round-trip airfare to Las Vegas, and hotel accommodations during the event.

According to PokerStars.com, 7,377 players from around the world battled for the seats. The site had guaranteed at least 150 seats, but once all the players were signed-up and the tournament got rolling, 234 seats were up for grabs. Adding to that total were the 21 seats offered later that same evening during a Second Chance satellite tournament.

"PokerStars.com has clearly become the place where poker players expect the biggest and best tournaments," said Greg Raymer, who won his entry into the 2004 Main Event on the site and went on to win it. "They started the idea of online satellites and now provide more WSOP players than anyone else in the world except for the WSOP itself."

Chris Moneymaker, the 2003 WSOP champion, also won his entry through PokerStars.com the year that he won the Main Event.

PokerStars.com is expected to provide about 20% of the 8,000 players expected at this year's Main Event.

News Added: 24 July, 2006

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