EPT Grand Final in Madrid to be Most-Watched Live Poker Broadcast Ever With Live Feeds Across Europe, Russia and Canada

EPT Grand Final in Madrid to be Most-Watched Live Poker Broadcast Ever With Live Feeds Across Europe, Russia and Canada

MADRID, May 9, 2011/PRNewswire/ --     PokerStars - the world's largest poker site - today announced that the
EPT Grand Final will be the most watched live poker show ever, with numerous
countries set to air the coverage to an estimated 500,000 people across
Europe, Russia and Canada.

    This is a historic moment for poker, as PokerStars delivers live poker on
TV to a large audience by terrestrial, satellite and online channels across
the European Union, Russia and Canada. Spectators from around the world will
be able to see all the action of the most crucial stages of Europe's most
prestigious poker tournament - and all from their own homes.

    Alfredo Alvarez Jardon, Marketing Director Casino Gran Madrid, said: "We
are pleased to be part of this major step forward in poker broadcasting in
Europe. It's significant in that it means many people will be able to watch
the action from so many countries, further positioning the Gran Casino Madrid
as one of the leading centres of poker in Europe."

    Grand Final closing stages

    The final table on May 12 will commence at 14.00 CET, broadcast live on
PokerStars.tv (no hole cards shown) until play gets down to the final four
players. At this point there will be a break in play, the players will be
sequestered, and play will recommence at 21.00 with live hole cards recorded
and played out on a two-hour delay. The broadcast will begin airing across
Europe from 23.00 CET until a winner is crowned.

    The live broadcast will take place on these networks in the following
countries:

    - Germany: Sport 1 - 23.30-03.30 CET (German commentary)

    - Netherlands: RTL7 - 01.30-End of play CET (Dutch commentary)

    - Spain: Antenna3 - 01.45-04.45 CET (Spanish commentary)

    - Russia: TV3 - 23.00-03.00 CET (Russian commentary)

    - Romania: Sport.ro - 23.00-03.00 CET (Romanian commentary)

    - Slovenia: Sport TV - 23.00-03.00 CET (Slovenian commentary)

    - Belgium (North): Jim - 23.30-End of Play (Dutch commentary)

    - Belgium (South): Plug RTL - 23.30-End of Play (French commentary)

    - Canada: The Score - 23.00-04.00 CET (English commentary)

    - PokerStars.tv: 23.00-End of play (English, Spanish, German, Russian,
Dutch, Italian)

    Live poker broadcasts

    Live webcasts of EPT tournaments have been a resounding success over the
past three seasons, typically broadcast on PokerStars.tv with hole cards
concealed. But following similar broadcasts with hole cards revealed during
the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) in January this year, the concluding
action from the EPT Grand Final will also be shown with cards up. A two-hour
delay between action and broadcast ensures players' security is not
compromised, as PokerStars will put to work its technology and staff to
ensure the highest levels of security and integrity in the game.

    EPT Grand Final Madrid

    The EPT Grand Final Madrid Poker Festival takes place from May 5-13 at
the Casino Gran Madrid. It features 28 individual events, including: the
EUR10,000 Main Event, the invitation-only Champion of Champions, a EUR25,000
High Roller event, a EUR500 Women-only competition, a EUR5,000 Heads-up
tournament, and many more events starting from EUR220. Registration for all
events is available now through PokerStars or the casino.

    More than 40 of the world's top poker players have already confirmed
their participation in the EPT Grand Final Main Event, including: Liv Boeree
(EPT6 San Remo Champion), Vicky Coren (EPT3 London Champion), Galen Hall
(EPT7 PCA Champion), Carter Phillips (EPT6 Barcelona Champion), Sandra
Naujoks (EPT5 Dortmund Champion), Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier (EPT4 PCA
Champion), Arnaud Mattern (EPT4 Prague Champion), Pieter de Korver (EPT5
Monte Carlo Champion), and Jason Mercier (EPT4 San Remo Champion).

    If you would like further details on this event or to embed the
PokerStars EPT Live Madrid webcast feed onto your website, please contact
press@pokerstars.com.

    About http://www.pokerstars.com:

    PokerStars.com is the world's largest regulated gaming operator and poker
site, with more than 46 million members. It's the first choice of the world's
top players, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else, and with the
best security online. More hands have been dealt on PokerStars.com than any
other site; that's over 60 billion hands and more than 375 million
tournaments played.

    PokerStars.com operates worldwide under license from the Isle of Man
government. Recent additions to the PokerStars family include PokerStars.fr,
which operates in France under the French government license, as well as
PokerStars.it, which operates in Italy under the Italian government license,
and PokerStars.ee, which operates in Estonia under the Estonian government
license.

    PokerStars.com stages some of the biggest online poker tournaments in the
world, including the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) and the
Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), and is the official sponsor of
some of the biggest live poker tournaments in the world, including the
European Poker Tour (EPT), the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) and the
UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT).

    PokerStars.com is also home to a team of sponsored players known as Team
PokerStars Pro. This elite group of players travel the world competing in
international tournaments. For a complete list, visit the Team PokerStars Pro
home page.

Source: PokerStars

Contact: Mark Stuart +44(0)20-73193051; press@pokerstars.com