 April 18, 2008 (London, UK) The Asian Poker Tour (APT) is proud to announce that Matt Savage has signed on as tournament director for the APT’s Manila Main Event next month.
Few men are as qualified for the position. Matt was appointed tournament director for the World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) – the world’s blue ribbon poker event – in 2002 after working his way up the poker ladder. He oversaw a boom in prize money at the tournament from £6 million to £25 million. He has worked on more than 300 televised poker shows and in 2003 was awarded the inaugural Benny Binion award for outstanding service in the poker industry.
As the tournament director for the Asian Poker Tour Manila leg, Matt Savage will oversee six days of all-out poker action which is expected to attract around 400 players from all over the world. A third of the participants are expected to come from the Philippines, which has seen poker’s popularity surge in recent years.
With Matt Savage on board to lend his expertise, the APT is sure to be a much-anticipated series of events by poker aficionados across the globe.
Luxury venue announced for Manila event
There’s more good news - the ultra modern Dusit Thani Manila Hotel has been announced as the luxury venue that will stage the first leg of the 2008 APT. The exclusive venue in the Philippines’ central business district will provide a fitting backdrop to launch this year’s APT. The Dusit Thani Manila Hotel is the perfect venue for the event as it gives easy access to accommodations, shopping malls, tourist spots and transport services.
After the Philippine leg, the tour moves on to events in Macau, South Korea and Singapore. The buy-in at all four events is $2,500 and the prize pool will be a guaranteed $1 million -- which means the turn-out will be absolutely top-class in each of the cities.
Alongside some of the world’s best players will be a host of internet qualifiers competing for the money at all the venues. These qualifiers will be making their way to the main event by way of online satellite tournaments. The prize packages awarded from these satellites, which are worth $6,000 and cover hotel and travel expenses, will make a magnificent prize for any internet player.
For the APT Manila event, online satellites are currently being held on most iPoker-powered poker rooms like DafaPoker, Tila Poker, ChiliPoker, Titan Poker, Betfred and VC Poker. In addition, some of the world’s biggest and most popular poker rooms, including PartyPoker.com and PKR, will be running satellites for seats into the tournament.
These announcements underline what a top-quality event the APT will be. Further details about dates for the next three APT tournaments will follow shortly. The first leg of the APT 2008 runs from May 27 to June 1.
For further information please contact:
Melissa Ross
Lyceum Media
+44 (0) 207 953 4026
Melissa@lyceummedia.com
ABOUT ASIAN POKER TOUR
The Asian Poker Tour (APT) is Asia’s biggest and original poker tour. The brand was recently acquired by Manila based gaming company, ESL-Asia – a subsidiary of AsianLogic. As part of the new organisation of the APT, four events will be held across Asia in 2008. Next year, the Tour plans to increase this to a total of six events. Each tournament is set to attract live players as well as internet players who will qualify via online satellites. Each main event will offer a guaranteed US$1 million prize pool, with buy-ins of US$2,500.
ABOUT ESL-ASIA
Established in 2002, ESL, a subsidiary of AsianLogic, provides a broad range of gaming products and services, encompassing the development, management and marketing of Online Casino Gaming, Online Poker, Multiplayer Games, Asian-Themed Games, Online Sports Betting/Land-based Sports Betting, Live Videostream Casino Gaming, Land-based Slot Machines, Mobile Gaming and Gaming Consulting. ESL is headquartered in Manila, Philippines and employs staff throughout the Asia-Pacific region, maintaining a presence in all key Asian markets.
ESL is a regulated gaming operator, holding licenses from recognized gaming jurisdictions. ESL's subsidiaries operate on Tier 1 licenses issued by Alderney, one of the world's leading gambling jurisdictions. It is a pioneer licensee of CEZA/First Cagayan in the Philippines and its sports betting operation is regulated by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). In addition, the company also holds a Curacao license.
ABOUT ASIAN LOGIC (ALL)
AsianLogic is a leading online and land-based gaming company focusing on the Asia-Pacific markets. The Company is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM: ALOG). AsianLogic owns and operates eight online casino brands and two online poker rooms as well as land-based sportsbook operations through its MegaSportsWorld brand. It is a specialist in Asia-specific games such as Mahjong, Cho-Da-Di, Do-Di-Zhu and 13 Card Poker.
World Series of Poker”® and “WSOP”® are registered trade marks of Harrah’s License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. AsianLogic is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah’s License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker®, in any way.
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