The Nightly Turbo: NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, North American Poker Tour, and More
We have a few confirmations for the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, some news about the PokerStars North American Poker Tour, and more. As always, you'll have to read below to get the info.
In Case You Missed It
Valentine's Day dinner make it difficult for you to watch the World Series of Poker Europe action on ESPN on Sunday or were you too deep in an FTOPS event? Either way, we have your recap here.
Tom Dwan and Patrick Antonius put another dent in the "durrrr Challenge" over the weekend. And by dent, we mean a little ding. See who came out ahead in the microsession.
Is there a bot at the PartyPoker Premier League IV or is Phil Laak just that good? Check out our recap of Heat 4 here.
The Full Tilt Online Poker Series is at its halfway point. We have the leaderboard number and winners up to this point here.
NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
The NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship (we can already tell we're going to have to make that name shorter) is headed back to Caesars Palace in March for its sixth season. Like last year, the headlining sponsor is GoDaddy.com, so we're sure to see Vanessa Rousso in the field along with the GoDaddy girls on the rail cheering her on.
“This sponsorship works for us, in part, because a good majority of poker players and fans are also Internet users,” said Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons. “And of course, it was thrilling to watch some of the most dominant poker stars compete last year in this championship.”
If you don't know what the NBCNHUPC (even that's too long) is, it's a heads-up tournament that pits 64 of the best poker players in the world against each other in a bracket style format (think March Madness).
Last year's champion, Huck Seed, will be in the field, along with Chris Ferguson, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Joe Cada. While out on the tournament circuit, we also learned that Annette Obrestad, Peter Eastgate, and Jesper Hougaard have also been invited and are confirmed.
The NBCHU (just right) tournament will run March 4 through 7 in Las Vegas with Leeann Tweeden coming back as the hostess and Craig Hummer and Ali Nejad providing commentary.
NBCSports.com has more.
Nevada's Gaming Revenue
2009 was not a good year for Nevada. Since Sept. 11, 2001, gaming revenues have seen a steady decline. “Prior to this decade, since we’ve tracked the numbers since 1955, we’ve not ever had a decline until 2001, and then within this decade we’ve had four declines, with the largest being 2009 at 10.4 percent," said Frank Streshley, Chief of the Control Board Tax and License Division.
December's figures for the state showed a 3.24 percent decline from 2008 and Nevada's gaming win fell to $10.4 billion, a 10.4 percent drop from 2008, making it the largest drop in 55 years. It's not all bad, the Las Vegas Strip had a 5.9 percent increase in revenue in December.
“My personal feeling is we won’t see any improvement in the locals market until unemployment improves," added Streshley.
Read more at OnlinePoker.net.
PokerStars NAPT-Pain
The PokerStars North American Poker Tour's Las Vegas stop is just around the corner. To kick things off, PokerStars is throwing a launch party for the players and their guests at Tao. While rap star Nelly headlined the PokerStars WSOP party, PokerStars has decided it needed a new musical act for the new tour. Stars has confirmed that none other than T-Pain will be taking the stage at Tao. We're hoping for an epic ride on a gondola (yes, we know that was a lame "On a boat" reference).
Won't be in Vegas to check out the high roller bounty event or the Main Event? Don't worry, ESPN2 has you covered. "Having the North American Poker Tour on ESPN2 is going to take poker on this continent to a different level," said Daniel Negreanu. "With some of the most important gaming venues in the US on board and the reach of ESPN2, the NAPT is set to bring the excitement of world-class tournament poker to millions who love this game as much as I do."
ESPN2 will be broadcasting 16 hours of the NAPT with Joanna Krupa as the host. The NAPT premieres on ESPN2 on April 19 at 9:00 p.m. EST. You can get the rest of the schedule at ESPN.com
EPT Copenhagen
Maybe you didn't get a chance to go to the PokerStars European Poker Tour Copenhagen stop, so you're going to miss out on all the sights and the snow. Live vicariously through PokerNews hostess Gloria Balding as she treks around the snowy city to show you the sights.
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