Annual poker extravaganza is asking all participants to donate one percent of their winnings to The Nevada Cancer Institute.
Thursday 27th May 2010
The owner of the upcoming 2010 World Series Of Poker (WSOP), Harrah’s Entertainment Incorporated, is encouraging players taking part in the 41st annual event to donate one percent of their winnings to charity.
This year’s WSOP is scheduled to begin on Friday from the Rio All-Suite Hotel And Casino in Las Vegas before concluding on July 17 when the ‘final nine’ are known and is set to award over $175 million in prize money.
Harrah’s revealed that it has nominated The Nevada Cancer Institute as the ‘official community partner’ of the WSOP and is encouraging players to donate through its Put A Bad Beat On Cancer campaign. The Nevada Cancer Institute is the state’s largest centre studying the disease with Harrah’s partnering with the Prevent Cancer Foundation to encourage players to make a tax-deductible donation that could see upwards of $1.75 million raised.
“Poker players are among the most generous and charity-conscious people on the planet,” read a statement from Harrah’s.
“They continually use the game of poker to help raise awareness and funds for many worthy causes throughout the calendar year. The WSOP will again use its platform in 2010 to bolster their efforts.”
As part of this campaign, this year’s WSOP will feature a payout programme for players cashing in one of its 57 bracelet events to easily donate one percent of their winnings. Participants wanting to take part simply need to let a payout clerk know their intentions with Harrah’s stating that it will arrange to transfer the funds.
This year’s WSOP will also feature the third annual Ante Up For Africa celebrity poker tournament, which is scheduled to take place on July 3. This $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em event is open to anyone over the age of 21 and has so far raised in excess of $1.5 million for groups working in Africa. Hosted by actor Don Cheadle and professional player Annie Duke, the event regularly draws big names from Hollywood and the worlds of sport and poker and is always among one of the most exciting days of the WSOP.
