In breaking news from Ultimate Bet, the USA-friendly site is offering an extra incentive for players in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event to wear its logo: a $10 million sponsorship package.
The news comes just one month from the start of the WSOP Main Event, which kicks off on July 3rd with the first of four starting days. The world’s most prestigious poker tournament plays down to its final nine players on July 15th. The second installment of the “November Nine” will then return to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas 100 days later to determine a winner. The finale airs on ESPN on Tuesday, November 10th.
Ultimate Bet is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Its front man, 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, commented in a press release distributed by the Tokwiro-owned online poker site on Tuesday, “There’s an extra ten million bucks on the line here in Vegas—that’s one million for every year UB’s been dealing cards—and some unbelievable promos set to get underway. It’s not too late to join me in Vegas for the party of the decade and the chance to win more money than you could spend in ten lifetimes, so go to UB to grab your seat.”
An extra $10 million will be awarded if a player wins the Main Event after donning Ultimate Bet logos throughout the final table. Those already planning to compete in the $10,000 buy-in contest can snag Ultimate Bet gear to wear by visiting the Bellagio daily between 11:00am and 1:00pm and between 3:00pm and 6:00pm. Players should pick up the house phone located near the hotel’s guest elevators and ask to be connected to “Phil Hellmuth.” Then, one of Ultimate Bet’s staff members will whisk you away to the site’s suite at the storied casino. While there, players will register with Ultimate Bet and pick up a “swag bag” that includes 10th anniversary shirts, hats, decks of cards, a seat cushion, and a card protector.
Players who register with Ultimate Bet at the Bellagio will also receive an invitation to Ultimate Bet’s party in Las Vegas, set to kick off at 9:00pm local time at Studio 54 on June 29th. The club is located at the MGM Grand, where Ultimate Bet’s fleet of poker pros will be in attendance. They include Hellmuth, Celebrity Apprentice runner-up Annie Duke, Liv Boeree, Tiffany Michelle, Michael Binger, and Matt “mattg1983” Graham. The event at the Strip hotel is scheduled to run until 3:00am and, during the course of the evening, Hellmuth will be awarding an $8,500 prize package to the 2009 Aruba Poker Classic, which takes place in October on the tropical island.
According to Ultimate Bet’s website, wearing Ultimate Bet gear throughout the duration of the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table qualifies players for the $10 million bonus and the sponsorship package runs for 10 years. An Ultimate Bet representative told Poker News Daily that players do not have to satellite online through Ultimate Bet in order to be eligible. Instead, visiting the Bellagio and asking for Hellmuth also qualifies players: “Essentially, if you’re planning to play in the Main Event, you have nothing to lose.”
To date, Ultimate Bet has qualified over 100 players to take part in poker’s top annual event. Ten part STEP tournaments are available starting a $0.10. Every Sunday 8:30pm ET, the USA-friendly site holds a $530 buy-in Super Satellite that guarantees at least one $12,000 Main Event prize package, which includes the $10,000 buy-in plus $2,000 for travel expenses. Every Wednesday at 8:30pm ET, Ultimate Bet hosts a $215 buy-in Super Satellite that also awards at least one $12,000 WSOP Main Event trip. Rebuy qualifiers are available, so check out the Ultimate Bet lobby for more information.
Finally, on June 21st, Ultimate Bet players can partake in the 50 Package Guaranteed, which has a $530 buy-in. Additional information about Ultimate Bet’s suite at the Bellagio, the site of the annual World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship, is available by calling (702) 326-0241 or (702) 326-6380.
