Charity Poker Tournaments
Posted on 25th Aug, 2009 by admin
The card game of poker, often associated with the Old West saloons and Gunslingers, has recently seen a tremendous upsurge in popularity in the United States. The big television money tournament World Series of Poker and World Poker Open games created poker celebrities and millions of poker fans. Naturally, the next step in developing a sports charity games. Although the idea is new, some organizations that embraces the idea of charity poker tournaments as a new and exciting way to raise money for good causes.
There are many places to jump on to the charity poker bandwagon, and the events will attract fans, celebrities, and millions in funding for non-profit organizations. In October 2005, Pulver Enterprises hosted the”Best bet for the Cure: Charity Poker No-Limit Texas Hold’Em Tournament”on their vote at year’s conference in Boston. The tournament raised thousands for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation and The Barton Center for Diabetes Education, and attracted celebrity participants like John Ratzenberger and poker star Phil Hellmuth. Since Boston does not allow gambling, the fund-raising took place in the form of a lottery. Ofer Gneezy, president and CEO of iBasis won the top raffle prize – a $ 10,000 buy-in seat to the World Series of Poker Tournament. Winners of the poker game was awarded the coveted bronze powder cup.
Another recent charity poker tournament was held in Las Vegas. The Cory Lidl Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament boasted 103 participants, many of them celebrities, and raised over $ 20,000 that was donated to the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the tsunami relief effort. Celebrity attendees included baseball players Cory Lidl, Adam Dunn, Mike Lieberthal, Ron McKinnon, and Eric Chavez, actor William August MLB free agents Tom Wilson and Scott Erickson, and rising poker star Thomas Keller. The winner of the event, Kelly Flynn took home $ 30,000.
