Paris World Poker Tour Event Sold Out

Wpt Global Paris Wpt Global Paris

Lakes Entertainment reports that the Aviation Club de France, the leading Parisian poker salon, has 205 players registered for its sold out World Poker Tour tournament. 21 July 2004

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – (PRESS RELEASE) –Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq:LACO) today announced the Aviation Club de France (ACF), the leading Parisian poker salon, announced that 205 players registered for its sold out WORLD POKER TOUR tournament, more than doubling the 96 players who played last year. This sets yet another attendance record for a WORLD POKER TOUR event.

According to ACF’s Manager of Poker Operations, Bruno Fitoussi, the Aviation Club has posted the largest prize pool in European poker history–2,050,000 Euros/$2,550,491.85 US–for its Grand Prix de Paris. The first place finisher in this 10,000 Euro/$12,439 US buy-in tournament, which started Saturday the 17th and ends Tuesday the 20th, will take home nearly $850,000.

Poker fans will be able to see the final table action when the show airs as part of the 15-tour stop series in March on the Travel Channel. The WORLD POKER TOUR series airs every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Travel Channel.

The WPT’s tour stop in Paris attracted a mix of world class players from around the globe, including the two previous champions–Christer Johannsson and David Benyamine–and a lineup of international poker elite, including many WPT stars: WPT Season Two Player of the Year Erik Lindgren (U.S.), WPT Champion Martin De Knijff (Sweden), WPT Walk of Famer Gus Hansen (Denmark), two-time WPT winner Howard Lederer, Carlos Mortenson (Spain), Mel Judah, David “Devilfish” Ulliott (U.K.), and Daniel Negreanu (Canada).

Other top players include TJ Cloutier, John Juanda, Phil Ivey, Scotty Nguyen, Farzad “Freddy” Bonyadi, Sami Farha, and the most recent World Champion–Greg “Fossilman” Raymer.

But some of the most recognizable faces at the table may not be poker stars. Superstar actor/singer Patrick Bruel, oftentimes called the Brad Pitt of France, is taking his place at the felt, alongside rising tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, ranked in the top 10, who also has huge fan recognition.

Eighty percent owned by Lakes Entertainment, the World Poker Tour draws a weekly television audience of more than five million viewers and is the highest rated series in the history of The Travel Channel.

The next stop on the tour will spotlight the newest tournament on the schedule–The Mirage in Las Vegas, July 29-August 1. To play in a WORLD POKER TOUR event, go to www.worldpokertour.com for the complete 2004-2005 Tournament Schedule and casino contacts. The WORLD POKER TOUR airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The Travel Channel.

World Poker Tour, LLC is a media and entertainment company principally engaged in the development, production and marketing of gaming-themed televised programming, the licensing and sale of branded products and the sale of corporate sponsorships. World Poker Tour, LLC is a subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc.

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