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2003 World Series of Poker DVD Launched

CINCINNATI, Ohio – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Set in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 34th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) saw a record-breaking 839 players battle it out for poker immortality and big money at Binion's Horseshoe casino in one of the highest stakes games in town -- the No Limit Texas Hold'Em, the tournament's "Main Event," which had a $10,000 buy-in and $2.5 million first- place prize that included the coveted world-title bracelet.

ESPN and DVD Marketing Inc. have put together the entire 2003 ESPN telecast of The WSOP on a double-disc DVD, equating to seven hours of un-cut, commercial-free action in full screen digital video. Hosted by ESPN's Lon McEachern and sports columnist Norman Chad, the DVD includes revealing interviews of key players, a "how-to" on playing the game, chapter points at the key rounds, and highlights of ESPN's Cold Pizza and Pardon The Interruption tournament coverage. The DVD is available today in retail stores and online at http://www.championshipdvd.com .

Viewers now have the opportunity to study poker masters at work, including the legendary Doyle Brunson (1977, 1978 WSOP Champion), stone-cold Johnny Chan (1987, 1988 WSOP Champion, immortalized in Rounders), Sam Farha, poker bad boy Phil Hellmuth (1989 WSOP Champion), the showman Scotty Nguyen (1998 WSOP Champion) and Annie Duke, one of women's best poker players, as they handle the pressure over a course of five intense days. In the end, Chris Moneymaker, the out-of-nowhere 27 year-old amateur stunned everyone when he parlayed a $40 online tournament win for a seat at the 'Main Event' into a world championship title and a cache worth $2.5 million.

The poker industry is booming and so is the WSOP. According to casinogaming.com columnist, Maryann Guberman, the WSOP is "the most prestigious poker event in the universe [that] still outdistances and outranks any other poker event you can find." More than one million television viewers tuned into each of the seven ESPN telecasts of the 2003 WSOP. More than 2.5 million tuned in per telecast in 2004. Entries for the 2003 tournament rose by 33% from the previous year and the 2004 WSOP tripled those numbers with 2,576 players. According to the Associated Press, retailers are betting that playing cards and poker chips will be among the must-have items this holiday shopping season.

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