WPT – World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour (WPT) is a television series that consists of 13 poker tournaments and is broadcast the world over. The series are telecasted on the Travel Channel since 2003. The programs have given more exposure and spectators to poker and its players
In such a very little time the WPT has become a very well known name for poker lovers all over the world. The first time when it was shown on TV in March 2003, about 900,000 people viewed the program and approximately 1.1 million viewed the first World Poker Tour Championship.
All the Texas Holdem tournaments are conducted on an international level, but those from the United States can be seen on The World Poker Tour. After the program has come on air, there has been a rise in online poker games and normal land-based poker rooms. The series are sponsored mainly by casinos and online poker sites. Mike Sexton the winner of the World Series and actor Vince Van Patten host the show. In its initial three seasons, the show was hosted by Shana Hiatt, who also managed the sideline reporting. After that the hosting was done by Courtney Friel and Sabina Gadecki in its fourth and fifth season respectively.
Poker is a very competitive betting or gambling card game, it is also called a "vying game". Players can earn money or chips by playing their blind or partially open cards. There is a central pot that is won by the player who gets the best cards.
After the brilliant success of the World Poker Tour, another poker tour has been started by WPT, called the Professional Poker Tour (PPT). The PPT has a range of tournaments the best part of these tournaments is that players don’t have to pay for the buy-ins because they are paid on the behalf of the players by the sponsors, however to be able to play at the PPT the player has to be exceptionally good.