The Star Gold Coast to Host Wpt Australia
When the World Poker Tour announces its going to a country for the very first time, the host casino gets excited. It is no secret that The Star Gold Coast is ready to get the party started for the WPTDeepStacks Australia, with its Main Event set for October 4-7.
The tournament will be a part of a larger live poker festival, though, complete with a player party, celebrity-laden opening tournament, and special poker tournaments.
WPT Australia Festival
With poker having been so popular in Australia for so many years, it was a surprise to realize that the World Poker Tour had never offered tournaments there.
That all changed with its Season XVIII schedule. The WPT Australia was one of the first stops for the new season, and they chose The Star Gold Coast Casino to host the festivities.
The entire WPT Australia Festival will take place over the course of 11 days, from September 27 to October 7.
There will be 10 poker tournaments, including the Main Event, which is a $2,500 buy-in affair under the WPTDeepStacks group of the World Poker Tour.
Before that, however, the festival will kick off on Thursday night, September 26, with a celebrity poker tournament. The Star Gold Coast Ambassador and former NRL Gold Coast titans Captain Scott Prince will host the tournament, the proceeds of which will benefit Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ), a nonprofit that has long partnered with The Star and that is committed to protecting and educating Queensland beachgoers.
Prince admitted that he has played “a bit” of poker in his life and is excited to get back to the game. “This new facility at The Star will offer a great place to play, whether you’re an amateur or a pro.”
Former NRL star Beau Ryan will co-host the charity tournament, along with WPT anchor and Australian native Lynn Gilmartin. Others scheduled to be in attendance include celebrities and poker stars, like 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Joe Hachem, Brisbane poker pro Alex Lynskey, and Australian DJ Havana Brown.
Poker Schedule
The day after the celebrity poker tournament, the poker action kicks off at 5:30pm on Friday, September 27 – a late start for those recovering from the celebrity tournament the night before.
- Event 1: $1K NLHE Opener on Sept. 27-29 (two starting days)
- Event 2: $600 NLHE Super Stack on Sept. 29
- Event 3: $300 NLHE Turbo on Sept. 30
- Event 4: $400 PLO with one reentry on Oct. 1
- Event 5: $600 NLHE Big Bounty with one reentry on Oct. 2
- Event 6: $5K NLHE on Oct. 3
- Event 7: $600 Mix Max on Oct. 3
- Event 8: $2,250 NLHE Main Event on Oct. 4-7 (three starting flights)
- Event 9: $5K NLHE Challenge with reentry on Oct. 6-7
- Event 10: $500 NLHE Deep Stack on Oct. 7
As for the Main Event, it will offer three starting flights, the first at 4:15pm on Friday, October 4. On Saturday, October 5, there will be a second flight at 11:15am and a third at 9:30pm. Day 2 will play out on Sunday, and the final table will play on Monday, October 7.
The full schedule with starting stacks and structures can be found on the casino page of The Star Gold Coast website.
The VIP Players’ Party will be on Saturday night, October 5. All WPT players will be invited to attend, along with celebrity guests and Australian poker pros.
New Poker Room to Be Revealed
The Star is excited to host the World Poker Tour but also to show off its new poker room.
According to The Star Gold Coast COO Jessica Mellor, it was important to show respect to the poker players. The dedicated poker space has 12 permanent tables and nine tournament tables, all equipped with phone chargers and other perks.
Players are also able to now register for cash games via SMS.
Mellor expects an “impressive contingency of local and overseas poker enthusiasts” to attend the series, including Australian cricket legend Shane Warne.
She also noted the importance of being a part of the World Poker Tour. “Securing Australia’s inaugural WPT event is a fantastic coup for not only our city but for the state and the nation, and is a huge testament to our commitment to continually elevating our offering and cementing our reputation as an ever-evolving entertainment mecca.”
The WPT’s VP of Global Tour Management, Angelica Hael, is also keen on the tour’s first foray Down Under. “As a native Australian,” she said, “I am thrilled to have a WPT event take place in my home country and even more pleased to have it hosted at such a wonderful property.”
Look for updates from The Star Gold Coast and the World Poker Tour websites. And we will wrap everything here in our news section.
