DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, Jan. 4, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- PokerStars, the world's largest poker website, announces the grand finale of the largest, free online poker tournament in history, the Moneymaker Millionaire. The conclusion of the Moneymaker Millionaire will take place on January 6th at the Atlantis Resort and Casino where 27 qualifiers will descend on the Bahamas' Paradise Island to vie for a $2 million prize pool including a 2007 Aston Martin DB9, and the Moneymaker legacy.
A press conference with Chris Moneymaker will be held at 10:00am in the Water's Edge Room of the Atlantis Resort just prior to the beginning of play.
The tournament was inspired by the historic victory of Chris Moneymaker, who at age 27, revolutionized the poker world by winning $2.5 million at the 2003 World Series of Poker main event after gaining entry through a $39 satellite tournament on PokerStars.com. Ever since, Moneymaker has been the name and face of poker's unprecedented worldwide growth.
"I can't wait to shake hands with the winner and see the look in his eyes, as he experiences that incredible joy of winning one of the biggest tournaments in history," said Chris Moneymaker. "That exhilaration is unlike anything else, and it's really what PokerStars does best -- amazing online tournaments coupled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. You can't get that anywhere else."
Over 830,000 poker players representing nearly every country on the planet have participated in the Moneymaker Millionaire, more than one hundred times the size of the 2006 World Series of Poker. The record breaking field was narrowed down over the course of roughly five months and three grueling rounds of fast paced online poker action. Twenty-seven talented players have won an all expense paid trip for two to the Bahamas and a chance at the one million dollar first prize.
At the final table sit fifteen Americans, ten Canadians, one German and one Slovenian player, all ready to shuffle up and deal. Surprisingly, Canadians comprised 33% of the field of over 2.5 million entries into the tournament. They came from big cities and tiny towns such as Niagara Falls and Ottawa and St. Johns.
Live coverage of the Moneymaker Millionaire will be available on the PokerStars blog (www.pokerstarsblog.com) until a winner is crowned. The tournament will also be filmed for both the Canadian and German markets to be broadcast at a later date.
John 'Hafe' Haefele, a Canadian player in the Moneymaker Millionaire grand finale said, "I think Chris Moneymaker has captured the imagination of audiences around the world. The idea that someone besides an athlete whose physical gifts preclude comparison with most 'ordinary people' could compete and win huge money prizes against a field of thousands is the type story that is very easy to enjoy."
For more information about the Moneymaker Millionaire free roll, visit: www.pokerstars.com/poker/promotions/moneymaker-millionaire
About PokerStars:
PokerStars (www.pokerstars.com) is the world's largest and most innovative online poker site. PokerStars was the first site to introduce features that became industry standard such as sophisticated multi-table tournaments, integrated game statistics, players' notes, personalized images, time bank for tournaments and big bet ring games, satellite tournaments, multi-table sit and go tournaments, and much more.
To date, PokerStars has dealt out over seven billion hands and run more than 35 million poker tournaments, awarding well over $7 billion in prize money. PokerStars is the world's largest poker room, with over seven million registered player accounts. PokerStars' support team is truly unique, as help and assistance are available around the clock from people who know and understand the game of poker and the importance of impeccable customer service.
The PokerStars site is also one of the most secure. PokerStars uses industry-leading security software to ensure the integrity of the system, including encryption, card shuffle randomness and preventative measures against cheating and collusion. Money covering players 'balances is held in segregated accounts managed by one of the leading European banks, ensuring that PokerStars can fulfill its obligations to players at all times.
In February 2006, PokerStars.com became the first poker website ever to reach the 100,000 simultaneous player mark. That watershed achievement marked the largest poker event in history; an event important enough to make the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records. Every week, the PokerStars "Sunday Million" is played, which the largest weekly tournament on the planet with a $1 million guaranteed tournament prize pool.
PokerStars is an official member of the World Poker Tour, and the title sponsor of the European Poker Tour (EPT) and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. In the fall, PokerStars hosts the world's largest online tournament, the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), which this year featured a record prize pool of over $18 million. PokerStars also sponsors major events around the globe, such as the World Cup of Poker and other exciting tournaments. For more information, go to www.pokerstars.com
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