Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007

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Betfair boosts Main Event top prize to £1 million

Betfair added to the WSOP Europe with showgirls and extra cash in the pot.

By Sarah Polson

The official numbers are out and the World Series of Poker Europe saw a total of 362 players, creating a £3,620,000 prize pool. The WSOPE's main sponsor, Betfair, didn't think that was going to be a big enough prize, though.

The poker and online betting site decided to add nearly £57,000 to the prize pool.

"Top prize in our European Main Event is now a cool £1 million," said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner. "We have Betfair to thank for that."

Before the boost, the top payout for the winner would have been £943,010 using the new payout structure the World Series organizers implemented during the Las Vegas tournaments.

The London Main Event will pay out to the top 36 players, and with the added money, the final-table players will now receive:

• 1st: £1 million
• 2nd: £570,150
• 3rd: £381,910
• 4th: £257,020
• 5th: £191,860
• 6th: £152,040
• 7th: £114,030
• 8th: £85,070
• 9th: £61,540

"We are in this for the long-term and this is the most prestigious poker event in Europe. I think a £1 millon first prize sets a good benchmark to build upon in the years to come," said Ben Fried, Betfair's head of poker.

The lowest prize coming out of the event will be £27,150 for the 36th-place finisher.

"Nearly all of the world's top poker players entered the World Series of Poker Europe, making it one of the most competitive poker tournaments in European history," Pollack said.

"Anyone who plays well enough to make it to the top 10% of the field deserves - and will get - an excellent return on their investment."

There's still plenty of play left in the tournament as the field makes its way down to the cash in the Main Event. Two Day 1s have already wrapped up and Day 2a is playing today.

PokerListings.com is live in London to bring you the best updates, reports, interviews and photos as Europe looks to crown its first Main Event winner. Stay tuned to the Live Tournaments Section for all the latest and greatest from London.

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