WSOP CIRCUIT TO RING IN NEW YEAR AT THE BICYCLE CASINO IN LOS ANGELES

LAS VEGAS – November 18, 2011 – For those without New Years plans this year, don’t worry.  For those that had them, it may be time to change them.

That’s because the WSOP Circuit and the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles are joining forces for the first time for an official WSOP Circuit stop at the famed venue in Southern California from January 1-12, 2012.

There will be 12 official ring events on the schedule and a total of 34 different poker tournaments being contested, all beginning January 1, with the entire event running through January 19.

“With the WSOP Circuit Tour breaking records at every stop, it was finally the right time to come to LA for a signature mid-season event,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart.  “We’re pleased to enter a multi-year agreement with the Bicycle Casino for what is certain to be one of our largest annual events.”

The 2011-12 schedule now includes 17 official tour stops and they all count towards the $1,000,000 National Championship freeroll tournament.  The WSOP National Championship will be part of the WSOP taking place at the Rio in Las Vegas in the summer of 2012.  A total of 100 players will participate in the Championship, two from each Circuit stop (34), plus the remainder coming based on ranking points accumulated at official WSOP events.  For all WSOP Circuit information, please click here: http://www.wsop.com/2011/circuit/

The Bike offers 150 poker tables in its smoke-free poker room which features a comfortable 100,000+ square feet of space to provide players the utmost of comfort.

Structures and payouts for all ring events at The Bike will be consistent with all other WSOP Circuit events in order to keep the continuity and consistency for players traveling to multiple stops on the tour.  Noted poker tournament director Mo Fathipour will serve as the event’s poker tournament operator.

The Bicycle Casino stop marks the first time the WSOP has offered a WSOP-branded event in the Los Angeles market.

“The process of bringing the World Series of Poker to Los Angeles has been a long time in the making, and we are very pleased with the finalization of our partnership,” stated Hashem Minaiy, the Bike’s Managing Partner and CEO.  “Players have wanted to play a WSOP event in L.A. where poker has always been king, and the Bicycle Casino is considered a key venue for players worldwide.” 

The revised WSOP Circuit schedule now looks as follows:

TOURNAMENT DATES TOURNAMENT LOCATION
November 10-21 Harveys Lake Tahoe
December 1-12 Harrah’s Atlantic City
January 1-12, 2012 The Bicycle Casino (Los Angeles)
January 12-23, 2012 Choctaw Durant (Dallas/Oklahoma)
January 19-30, 2012 Caesars Palace (Las Vegas)
February 2-13, 2012 Harrah’s Tunica (Mississippi)
February 16-27, 2012 Palm Beach Kennel Club (Florida)
March 1-12, 2012 Caesars Atlantic City
March 15-26, 2012 Harrah’s Rincon (San Diego area)
March 29 – April 9, 2012 Horseshoe Council Bluffs (Iowa)
April 12-23, 2012 Harrah’s St. Louis
April 26 – May 7, 2012 Harrah’s Chester (Philadelphia)
May 10 – May 21, 2012 Harrah’s New Orleans

Circuit schedules are subject to change.  For more information on individual circuit events, including event schedules and structure sheets, can be found at each property website or by visiting www.WSOP.com

The schedule for The Bike WSOP Circuit stop can be viewed by clicking the following link: http://www.wsop.com/tourney/tourneydetails.asp?groupID=878.

The fifth stop of this year’s WSOP Circuit season is currently underway at Harveys Lake Tahoe, and the 2011-12 Circuit is off to its best start ever.  After a stop at Harrah’s Atlantic City in December, the WSOP Circuit will make its LA-debut at The Bicycle Casino to ring in the New Year on January 1.

The WSOP Circuit runs non-stop in 2012, with 11 consecutive events over five months from January 1 through May 21 in New Orleans. 

The unofficial motto of this year’s WSOP Circuit Tour is “12 Rings in 12 Days.”  Each WSOP Circuit stop has been retooled to encompass a total of 12 official WSOP gold ring events over 12 consecutive days, and offers players non-stop poker action at the regional level.

Each stop includes a $1,600 buy-in Main Event Championship. For the first time ever, this tournament will be played as a re-entry, with a morning and an evening flight available to players. Unique to this year’s LA WSOP Circuit Tour event, many of the events will be streamed live on www.liveatthebike.com

All WSOP Circuit buy-ins are priced between $300 and $1,600 in order to allow as many players as possible to participate and the opportunity to make poker history by winning a WSOP gold bracelet.

Each WSOP Circuit stop Main Event winner will receive an automatic seat into the National Championship.  Automatic bids will also go to the “Casino Champions” at each participating venue. A Casino Champion is defined as the player at each stop whom accumulates the most points throughout the 12-event gold ring schedule.

*The WSOP Circuit Events and culminating championship are subject to tournament rules and restrictions to be released at a later date. The timing, number and location of events are subject to change and all applicable gaming regulations.

ABOUT THE WSOP
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport's top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker's longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970.  In 2010, the event attracted 75,672 entrants from 105 different countries to the Rio in Las Vegas and awarded over $192 million in prize money.  In addition, the WSOP has formed groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker Europe.  The WSOP Circuit Tour is in its eighth season in 2011-12, and will feature 17 stops throughout the U.S. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit www.WSOP.com.
 
ABOUT THE BICYCLE CASINO
Established in 1984, The Bicycle Casino is home to the best gaming action and the ultimate gaming experience in all of Southern California.  Within its 125,000+ square foot spacious facility, the Bicycle Casino features over 190 gaming tables and a wide variety of Poker and California games.  It ranks as one of the largest card casinos in the country, renowned for its world-class Poker tournaments, innovative promotions, cash giveaways and unsurpassed customer service.  The facility boasts a 10,000 sq. ft. Event Center, 3 bars, 2 restaurants, spa, gift shop and valet parking. Home of "Live at the Bike!", the first high stakes cash game streamed live from the casino's floor, the Bike continues to pioneer innovative projects that evolve the sport of poker.  Referred to by players as “The Bike”, this upscale, smoke-free environment allows players to truly enjoy an elegant gaming experience at one of the most prestigious poker rooms in Los Angeles. 

For more information on the Bicycle Casino, log on to  www.thebike.com, or contact the Welcome Center at welcome@thebike.com or 562.806.4646 ext. 545.

 
 

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