The World Poker Tour is coming back to Pennsylvania.
However, this time it is Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh that will play host to the WPT’s mid-major tournament circuit, WPTDeepStacks.
WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh will run Oct. 17 to 29 and feature an $1,100 Main Event with a $300,000 guaranteed prize pool.
The series will kick off with a $360 buy-in event featuring five starting flight and a $100,000 prize pool guarantee. The schedule also includes Omaha 8 or Better, Pot Limit Omaha, and Five-Card Pot Limit Omaha events. Plus, there are Turbo, Seniors and Bounty events with buy-ins starting at $150.
The Pot Limit Omaha event has a $560 buy-in and comes with a $25,000 prize pool guarantee. It will run Oct. 25.
The $1,100 buy-in WPTDS Pittsburgh Main Event features three starting flights over three separate days beginning Oct. 25.
WPTDeepStacks in PA
WPTDS Pittsburgh will mark Pittsburgh’s first-ever WPTDeepStacks tournament. However, the mid-major tournament circuit has visited Pennsylvania the past two years.
Parx Casino in Bensalem, just outside Philadelphia, hosted a $1,600 WPTDS Main Event as part of its Parx Big Stax XX tournament series in February 2017. The event drew 660 entries helping create a $957,300 prize pool. Pottstown’s Jimmy Poper took down the title and its $201,991 first-place prize.
Parx Casino also hosted a $1,600 WPTDS Main Event as part of its Parx Big Stax XV tournament series in February 2016. This one drew 696 entries creating a $1,009,680 prize pool. Staten Island, NY’s Brent Roberts won the title, earning a $202,944 first-place prize.
The WPT’s televised Main Tour has not been in PA since 2012 when Parx Casino hosted the WPT Parx Open Poker Classic and its $3,500 Main Event in August of that year. The event drew 500 entries creating a $1,600,500 prize pool. Columbia, MD’s Anthony Gregg won the title and a $416,127 first-place prize.
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh happy to host
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh VP of Table Games Jeff Cutri said in a press release he is happy to welcome WPTDS back to PA:
“We’re thrilled to host Pittsburgh’s first-ever WPTDeepStacks tournament in our beautiful poker room. Like Rivers itself, the format is very welcoming with opportunities for locals and traveling players alike to join the excitement and win big.”
WPTDeepStacks Executive Director Chris Torina added that Rivers Casino Pittsburgh is a good fit for the brand:
“As poker’s premier mid-major tournament circuit, WPTDeepStacks strives to bring world-class poker experiences to great locations across the globe at an accessible price point. Through our partnership with Rivers Casino for the $1,100 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh event, we are able to do just that. Pittsburgh is an incredible city, and we look forward to showcasing the region’s strong enthusiasm for poker in October.”
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh features more than 2,900 slots and over 90 table games. The casino is just steps away from Heinz Field where the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers play home games.
There are nine restaurants and bars on the property, plus an amphitheater and multi-purpose event space. Parking is free.
The Rivers Casino Pittsburgh poker room
The Rivers Casino Pittsburgh poker room is an 8,457-square-foot facility with 30 tables. The room spreads Limit and No-Limit Texas Hold’Em, Omaha 8 or Better, and Pot Limit Omaha cash games 24 hours a day. There is also a dedicated 24-hour food service at the tables.
WPTDS is a partnership between the WPT and the fast-growing DeepStacks Poker Tour. The tour is designed to reach a mainstream demographic and provide a top quality live tournament experience. The WPTDS executive team has more than 50 years of gaming and poker experience between them.
