WPT Announces New Deepstacks Choctaw Event; Fresh TV Episodes Debut on Bally Sports
There will be some poker overload this fall. With big events underway in Las Vegas already, the World Poker Tour is also offering players some live poker at the Choctaw Casino in Oklahoma.
The company recently announced a new WPTDeepStacks (WPTDS) stop in the Sooner State. New episodes on the tour’s television coverage also debuted on Bally Sports and other regional networks on Sunday. Players and fans will find plenty of tour action in the coming months.
New WPTDeepStacks Oklahoma stop announced
The DeepStacks tour heads to Choctaw for the first time Oct. 27 – Nov. 8. This marks the first time a WPTDS event has been held at the property, which is a regular part of the WPT Main Tour.
The $1,100 Main Event is set for Nov. 5-8 and players will find numerous other side events as well. Choctaw first hosted a Main Tour event in Season XIV with the most recent in July.
In that event, Dapo Ajayi topped a 964-entry field to win $558,610. The $3.3 million prize pool easily topped the $1 million guarantee.
“Poker players have always turned out in force for our WPT Main Tour stops in Choctaw,” WPT global tour management senior director Cathy Zhao said in a news release. “We’re excited to bring the WPTDeepStacks brand to the property and give poker players of all bankroll sizes the opportunity to experience the property and a first-class tournament product.”
The Main Event winner also receives a $3,000 package for the season-ending $2,500 WPTDeepStacks Championship. That event runs Dec. 4-7 at Thunder Valley Casino in California with a $1 million guarantee.
The WPT has a few more events on the horizon. The $3,500 Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open is set for Nov. 26 to Dec. 1 with a $2 million guarantee. The $10,400 Five Diamond World Poker Classic also returns to the Bellagio from Dec. 15-19.
New WPT episodes hit the air
Along with an added live event, the WPT also began airing new episodes on Sunday. Viewers can check out the Season XVIII action on Bally Sports beginning with the Gardens Poker Championship final table.
Chance Kornuth, Qing Liu, and Markus Gonsalves headline the six players battling for the winner’s share of the $2.5million prize pool. The Gardens event began in January 2020 with the final table scheduled for the HyperX Esports Arena the following March. The global pandemic ultimately forced the delay of final table filming until March 2021.
“Our fans have been very patient waiting for the Season XVIII episodes and we are excited for Sunday night,” tour CEO Adam Pliska said. “The action from Season XVIII promises to live up to the expectations of our audience.”
Vince Van Patten and Tony Dunst return to the commentating booth to call all the action. Lynn Gilmartin will be back anchoring the coverage.
The Gardens Championship plays out over three hour-long episodes. This marks the first of four final tables running through Dec. 19.
Episodes air at 8 pm and 11 pm local time in most markets and re-air throughout the week. The other upcoming tournaments include:
- Borgata Winter Poker Open
- LA Poker Classic
- Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
* Photo courtesy WPT