Scott, Mimi Rogers and Hill Harper Awarded US Playing Card's 1,000-Chip 'World Poker Tour Luxury Chest' for Top Three Celebrity Spots in Annual WPT Celebrity Pro-Am
COMMERCE, Calif., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- When the six players take to the Final Table in tonight's WPT Invitational, the WORLD POKER TOUR'S(TM) annual celebrity pro-am at the Commerce Casino, it will be the first time an actor will be sitting at the green felt -- and not just a poker pro with a great poker face. Tom Everett Scott, star of the Tom Hank's film "That Thing You Do" and soon to be seen in the CBS Movie "Surrender Dorothy" with Diane Keaton, will be sitting in Seat 3 with a pile of chips that places him fourth in the chip count.
Scott had to battle it out with the final two celebrities in the field -- Hill Harper of CSI:NY and film star Mimi Rogers to claim the celebrity title in the event that featured 40+ celebrities competing with nearly 200 poker pros. The top ranked celebrity was to receive a $5,000 check to go to charity and Scott has selected Caring for Children and Families with Aids.
Each of the three final celebrities was also awarded the coveted 1,000-chip "Official WORLD POKER TOUR Luxury Poker Chest" from maker U.S. Playing Card and from the WPT. The set features beautifully branded 11.5-gram chips, the same type used by the pros in tournament play, two decks of professional-quality WPT playing cards and two cut cards in a handsome two-tiered wood case. The US Playing Card WORLD POKER TOUR-branded products have become the favorite of the Hollywood set. Scott praised the set as "Awesome."
Seeming slightly stunned to have made the Final Table, Scott said, "I really can't believe it. I really don't know what I did. I just hope I play as well in the Final."
He'll start play with the equivalent of $333,000 in chips, which puts him in fourth place. The six finalists will be vying for a total $200,000 prize pool -- $100,000 of it going to the winner, along with a seat at the WPT World Championship at Bellagio in Las Vegas in April.
Scott will be ante-ing up alongside pros Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, the long-haired World Champion; Johan Storakers, a top Swedish player from Stockholm; Chau Giang, 20-year veteran of poker from Las Vegas and Alex Brenes, one of the three poker playing Brenes brothers from Costa Rica. Brothers Humberto and Erek, who also run the family peanut exporting business, have each made other WPT Final Tables. The last seat will be taken by Bruce Buffer, brother of fight announcer "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" Michael Buffer, who serves as his business manager and also acts as announcer himself for "Ultimate Fighting Challenge."
Scott outlasted the other 40 celebrities with a combination of conservative, slow building of his chip cache and occasional high risk "All-Ins." The last six included Harper, Rogers, Jeremy Sisto ("Six Feet Under"), Chris Masterson ("Malcolm in the Middle") and Stephen Collins ("7th Heaven"). After receiving his "Official WPT Luxury Chest," Scott laughed, "Guess this means I'll be hosting a few home games of my own to make use of all of those chips!"
The Final Table taping begins at 3 p.m. at the Commerce Casino, seven minutes down the freeway from downtown Los Angeles. Viewers are welcome to attend and will be seated on a first come, first serve basis.
About the Official World Poker Tour Luxury Poker Chest
The handsome two-tiered case features 1,000 WPT 11.5 gram heavyweight clay-filled poker chips (400 gray, 300 blue, 200 red and 100 black). The 11.5-gram chip is known as the true poker player's chip. Unlike other poker chips available to fans, USPC WPT chips are made using the same processes as the chips used by the top casinos on the WPT tour. The WPT-sanctioned clay-filled chip features a highly detailed full-color WPT logo in the center, like only the best chips in the world. An exclusive WPT spade design and casino stripes are molded into the chip using two colors. USPC WPT chips are easier to shuffle and manipulate than other poker chips, because they have specially designed rounded edges and a rough clay surface. In research, avid poker players preferred USPC chips to other chips available in the market. This set also features two tournament-quality Official WPT Logo Decks, and two cut cards. The WPT Logo decks shuffle better, deal easier, and last longer than cards from other manufacturers. USPC creates its top grade cards from a proprietary formulation of paper stock derived from a blend of soft and hard woods. With the distinctive red, blue and black WPT logo on the back, they come with either a primarily white or black background -- a perfect pair to speed game play. The WPT Logo Decks have the true feel and playability of top casino cards, retaining their shape after many hours of play. The suggested retail price for the Official WPT Luxury Poker Chest is $399.99. It is available at selected retail outlets, as well as online at www.worldpokertour.com.
About US Playing Card Company
Founded in 1876, The United States Playing Card Company ("USPC") is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of playing cards and a leader in the marketing of poker chips and sets, collectible tins, puzzles, and card accessories for the North American retail market. USPC is also the largest supplier of premium playing cards to casinos worldwide. USPC brands include Bee (R), Bicycle (R), Hoyle (R), and Aviator (R). USPC's International holdings include Naipes Heraclio Fournier, S.A., a leading playing card manufacturer in Europe. USPC is a division of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH - News).
About The World Poker Tour(TM)
The World Poker Tour is a series of 16 high stakes poker tournaments filmed in exotic locales and leading poker rooms. The show is the highest rated series in the history of the Travel Channel and continues to increase its viewing audience worldwide. With its mix of expert commentary, on-screen explanatory graphics and 17 cameras -- including the revolutionary WPT cam revealing the player's hole cards -- the WPT has transformed poker into a televised spectator sport. It has also inspired the poker boom among fans and amateur players, who play at home with friends, and others who are now coming out to compete in WPT tournaments. Last season, the WPT offered more than $35 million in prize money. Filming for Season Three has already begun and prize money is projected to be $70 million. The Season Three shows will begin airing in March 2005. For more information on the World Poker Tour, go to: www.worldpokertour.com.
About WPT Enterprises, Inc.
The World Poker Tour is the creation of media and entertainment company WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE - News). WPT Enterprises is engaged in the formulation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other gaming themes. To date, operations have principally revolved around the creation of the World Poker Tour brand through the production and licensing of a television series exhibited on the Travel Channel that is based on a circuit of previously established high-stakes poker tournaments under the "World Poker Tour" brand. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO - News). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com.
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