American professional poker player sponsored by leading online casino UltimateBet.com arrived with eleven Lady Gaga lookalikes and a brass band.
Tuesday 28th September 2010
Poker extrovert Phil Hellmuth was the centre of attention last week as he made an eye-grabbing entrance to the main event of the World Series Of Poker Europe surrounded by eleven Lady Gaga lookalikes and a very British brass band.
The six-day main event got underway on September 23 from the Casino At The Empire in London’s Leicester Square and the eleven-time winner of a World Series Of Poker bracelet entertained the local paparazzi and a thousand-strong crowd by arriving on a red double-decker bus and joining the dancing and prancing posse of Lady Gaga lookalikes.
The UltimateBet.com-sponsored pro then led the impersonators in a rendition of the pop diva’s hit Poker Face backed by a 23-piece marching brass band although his own dress sense was uncharacteristically low-key with no funny hats or historic costumes.
“I was pumped to see such a huge crowd gathered at The Empire like never before when I arrived to take my seat at the World Series Of Poker Europe,” said Hellmuth.
“Quite the arrival I’d say. The London double-decker, the brass band and the eleven Lady Gaga lookalikes all added up to the most unique media event in poker so far.
“My crazy themed grand entrances to the World Series Of Poker in Vegas are an institution and now London’s World Series Of Poker Europe seems to have embraced a whole new tradition too.”
Last year, Hellmuth arrived at the Leicester Square venue in a horse-drawn carriage made up as Julius Caesar while 2008 saw UltimateBet.com invite locals to show up dressed as the outgoing 46-year-old American.
