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Stakes Raised As Atlantic City Poker Championship Grows24 November 2000ATLANTIC CITY, News Jersey – Nov. 24, 2000 – As reported by Atlantic City Press Plus: "…Monday is the start date for the United States Poker Championship, which will be held at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort for the fourth time. The event usually draws about 3,000 entrants, but this year's field could swell by another 1,000 people. "The reason: Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut usually holds a major poker tournament opposite the United States Poker Championship, but this year it held the event a month earlier. "Many poker players who had to decide between the two tournaments — and opted for Foxwoods — now are expected to play here in the 19-day tournament, said Tom Gitto, the Taj Mahal's vice president of simulcast operations, which oversees the casino's poker room. "…While there are no exact figures yet, Gitto said players would compete for "millions of dollars" in prize money. Last year's tournament winner garnered $210,000, while the 1998 winner took home $148,000. "The United States Poker Championship attracts some of the top professional and amateur poker players from around the world to the city's largest poker room. More than 50 percent of all poker played in the city's casinos takes place in the Taj Mahal's room. "…Past United States Poker Tournaments here were filmed by ESPN — one of several networks that Gitto said are showing different poker tournaments because of their growing popularity…" |