World Series of Poker events expanding to Europe

[Gerk]

the midst of this year's record-setting World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Jeffrey Pollack is preparing for another first.The world's biggest poker event is going global in September — sort of a "Poker Europa," the World Series of Poker Europe on Sept. 6-16 in London. The event includes a three-day H.O.R.S.E. tournament, a two-day Pot-Limit Omaha tournament and a six-day No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament.
"It's our first step forward to meaningful international expansion," said Pollack, the WSOP's commissioner. "I think long-term — long-term being the next 12 to 36 months — we are looking to launch other events around the world."
That could include Harrah's-owned casinos in Egypt and South Africa.
The three WSOP bracelet events in London will be the first held outside Las Vegas, where the World Series started in 1970 with Johnny Moss winning the main event — and a silver cup. Since, it has grown from 42 players in the 1978 main event to 8,773 last year, and seen record participants and prize money each of the last four years.
Doyle Brunson, who's competed in every World Series of Poker, likes the idea of expanding the tournament to Europe and plans to serve as a poker ambassador in London. "I'm definitely going," he said. "I was at the first one here and I want to be at the first one there."