World Championship Of Online Poker

Published: Friday, August 19, 2005 Online-Casinos.com

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF ONLINE POKER STARTS SOON

Prize money could top $8 million this year

One of the world's largest online poker tournaments will start next month, pitting players from around the world for a total prize pool of at least $8 million.

Costa Rica based online poker room Poker Stars, ranked number 2 in the size stakes by Poker Pulse, will host its fourth-annual World Championship of Online Poker.

The tournament, scheduled for September 4 to 18 has 15 individual poker events including a final tournament of no-limit hold 'em, and is expected to draw more than 10,000 players. The prize pool for the final event starts at $2.5 million.

The number of players competing in the final event of last year's World Championship of Online Poker was second, if considerable smaller only to the World Series of Poker. Prize money for the online tournament ranked 9th worldwide for a single event, falling short of World Poker Tour events at the Bellagio, Mirage, Foxwoods and Commerce casinos.

The online tournament is run much like the World Series of Poker, with poker games held daily and winners to each event receiving a gold bracelet. Entries to the final event cost $2,500, and an estimated 40 percent of players are expected to be from outside of the United States.