Benny Binion probably would have loved it.  The famous Las Vegas World Series of Poker  (WSOP),  begun by Benny and held annually at Binion’s Horseshoe Casino and Hotel for 34 years,  now has serious competition.  The Travel Channel  will be broadcasting a 13-event series of poker tournaments called the  World Poker Tour.  Each of the individual tournaments is a prestigious series of its own,  held at venues such as Bellagio’s Hotel in Las Vegas and Binion’s Horseshoe in Tunica,  MS,  and costs a player a hefty buy-in fee,  just as the WSOP does.

And while expert poker players are the bedrock of all such events,  a huge number of unknown,  home-game players are signing up for satellite events,  in order to get into the big 13 WPO tournaments.  Ever since Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker a few weeks ago,  poker players from the internet,  from small cardrooms and such have seen that they too have a chance at the big time.  This year there is so much interest in the game of poker that there must be more tournaments.

Coming in July 2003 is the Grand Prix de Paris held at the Aviation Club de France casino in Paris,  then the Bicycle Casino will host the Legends of Poker Tournament from Sept. 1-3 in Bell Gardens,  CA.  Some of the largest U.S. casinos will be hosting a tournament;  Bellagio hosts two separate tournaments -- December’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic and the World Poker Tour Championship,  the final games of the season,  in April 2004,  where the prize pool is expected to reach $2 million.   Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket,  CT,  hosts a tour competition in November 2003,  the Reno Hilton is tourney host in March/April 2004,  and Jack Binion,  of Binion’s Horseshoe in Tunica, MS,   continues the poker gambler’s legacy as he cohosts the World Poker Open along with the Gold Strike Casino in late January 2004.

One casino sponsoring a WPT tournament is actually a virtual casino: UltimateBet.com,   who hosts games October 13-20 in Aruba.  This tournament,  called the Ultimate Poker Classic,  has a guaranteed prize pot of $500,000 and from 125 to 250 players are expected.  The buy-in fee is $4,100, however,  a player may win his way in through satellite play.  A win at the virtual Aruba Super Satellite events gets not only an entry fee of $4,000 but also airfare and accommodations for 7 nights.  At UltimateBet's tournament in Aruba,  the first place winner gets 30% of the prize pool and a gold bracelet,  and a $25,000 seat at the World Poker Tour's championship event at Bellagio's Hotel in Las Vegas in 2004.

Bugsy’sCasino.com and  PokerSchoolOnline.com  have special help and signup sections to guide those who would like to enter satellite tournament play.