Betfair guarantees £1 million top prize at World Series of Poker Europe

/ Editor / 15 September 2007 / Leave a Comment

Betfair.com, the presenting sponsor of the World Series of Poker Europe, added £57,000 to the £3,626,000 Main Event prize pool to ensure a £1 million first-place payday.

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

Earlier this year the WSOP payout structure was flattened to ensure that more players who finish in the money receive a higher percentage of the prize pool. That structure would have resulted in a top prize of £943,010 for this week's £10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'Em Championship - had Betfair not added nearly £57,000 to the prize pool.

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

"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 Betfair's Head of Poker Ben Fried.

In addition to the £1 million top prize, second place in the WSOP Europe Main Event is worth £570,150, third £381,910, fourth £257,020, fifth £191,860 sixth £152,040, seventh £114,030, eighth £85,070 and ninth £61,540.

The remaining 27 finishers will receive from £41,630 to £27,150, depending on their final position.

The final table of the WSOP Europe Main Event begins at 2 p.m. GMT September 16 at The Casino at the Empire on Leicester Square.