Press of Atlantic City – After an 11-year stint in Las Vegas, a high buy-in poker tournament drawing players from as far away as South Africa and Korea has left Sin City for Atlantic City. The reason, organizers say, is the New Jersey’s budding online gambling market. The championship event of the World Poker Tour kicked off Monday at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Running concurrently with it is the first New Jersey Championship of Online Poker, now the largest online tournament ever held in the U.S. since the legalization of online gambling.
The World Poker Tour event is sponsored by partypoker, whose parent bwin.party is Borgata’s online gambling partner. Adam Pliska, president of the World Poker Tour, said the move “just made sense.”
“For years, brick-and-mortar and online poker feared each other. Brick-and-mortar thought online was going to take their business away. Instead, we’re seeing now that the relationship between the two is essential,” Pliska said. “There were pros in the lobby here playing online last night because, ‘Why not?’“
Those playing in the weeklong tournament are often serious competitors. With a buy-in of $15,400, there are hundreds of players competing this week for the $5 million prize pool. Many are professionals who build a career by competing on the circuit. The winner, to be determined Saturday, is guaranteed at least $1.3 million.
The atmosphere is glitzy and loud at Borgata’s Signature Room where players are greeted by models in figure-hugging dresses. They’re encouraged to check out tournament sponsors such as Monster Headphones, being sold for $200 to $300 a pair. On Monday, players were seen making purchases in cash for the items that are popular with poker players and are allowed to be worn during play.
