Ladbrokes, the reputable UK based bookmaker and operator of an online casino, has announced their plans to set up a European Rival to the WSOP. The WSOP is biggest poker tournament in the world both in terms of participating player and total of prizes. The last tournament, held in Lag Vegas’ Harrah’s casino, attracted more than 8700 players who were competing for prizes of more than 82$ million.

With the growth of online casinos poker sites, around half of the participants of this years WSOP qualified for the different tournaments by participating through online poker site. The internet casino boom has caused the tournament to become bigger and bigger each year. The new Unlawful Gambling Act approved this month in the U.S could become a hurdle in the growth process of the World Series of Poker. Ladbrokes is now trying to use the fact that is it a U.K based gambling site to create a European rival to the WSOP: “The Act opens up a huge opportunity for an offline poker tournament in Europe to rival the World Series,” he said.

Europe is already home the “Poker Million” which is its largest poker tournament. Ladbrokes is the organizer of “Poker Million” and hopes to double the prize for the winner by next year tournament. Bigger prizes and stronger advertising are some of the means by which Ladbrokes plans to challenge the WSOP.

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