World Poker Tour® Announces WPT® Tournament of Champions, WPT Choctaw, and WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Dates at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- World Poker Tour® today announced the second of its Season XVIII Main Tour final tables to be played at the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas inside Luxor Hotel & Casino.

In addition, the WPT® is proud to announce that the Season XVIII WPT Tournament of Champions presented by Baccarat Crystal will take place from May 31-June 2 inside HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas.

The first final table, taking place on May 28, is the conclusion of the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. The first five days of the event will take place from May 1-5 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. The defending champion of the event is James Carroll, who defeated a field of 1,360 entries to win his second WPT title in a final table played at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas last season.

Next, the WPT Choctaw final table plays to a winner on May 29. The event kicks off at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK from May 15-18. Craig Varnell became the first player in WPT history to win a WPT500 and WPT Main Tour title last season when he won the Season XVII WPT Choctaw event to claim the $379,990 first-place prize.

The $15,000 buy-in WPT Tournament of Champions presented by Baccarat Crystal caps off the events at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas. This premier event on the WPT schedule moves to HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas for the full duration of the tournament, with the final table closing out Season XVIII on June 2. Ole Schemion beat a field of 76 WPT Champions last season to win the $440,395 first-place prize after overcoming WPT Commentator Tony Dunst heads up.

Each of the three final tables will be filmed for FOX Sports Networks to be broadcast in four, one-hour episodes.

The partnership between WPT and Baccarat Crystal marks the second season for Baccarat Crystal as the official naming rights sponsor of the WPT Tournament of Champions. Baccarat Crystal will continue to be the official sponsor of the winner’s toast at every televised event in Season XVIII, because everything tastes better in Baccarat.

The winner of the WPT Tournament of Champions presented by Baccarat Crystal will once again receive a custom Baccarat Crystal vase.

All players who reach the final table in a Main Tour event to be played at the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas will receive travel and hotel accommodations in Las Vegas. All players who make the final table to be played at the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas will receive sixth place prize money at the host casino of the event, with the remaining five places to be paid out at Luxor.

“The World Poker Tour is proud to announce the next set of final tables to be played at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas, home of the WPT,” said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour. “Players, spectators, and sponsors have all embraced having the WPT final tables at our state-of-the art arena, and its cutting-edge production capabilities have enabled us to experiment with new creative ways to elevate the final table experience and take the WPT to new heights.”

“The WPT thanks our casino partners at Choctaw and Seminole Hard Rock for their continued support, and we are thrilled to host them once again at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas,” added Angelica Hael, VP of Global Tour Management for the World Poker Tour. “These venues put the players first at all times and those same players can count on true VIP treatment when they arrive in Las Vegas to play for a WPT title.”

The first set of WPT final tables at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas in Season XVIII will take place from March 31-April 2 when the WPT Gardens Poker Championship, WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open, and the WPT L.A. Poker Classic each play to a respective champion.

For more information, including World Poker Tour event schedules and the tour’s latest news, visit WPT.com.

Twitter: @WPT
Facebook.com/WorldPokerTour
www.WPT.com

About World Poker Tour

World Poker Tour (WPT) is the premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online, and mobile. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT ignited the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments. WPT has broadcast globally in more than 150 countries and territories, and is currently producing its 18th season, which airs on FOX Sports Regional Networks in the United States. Season XVIII of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com. ClubWPT.com is a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 35 states across the United States. WPT also participates in strategic brand license, partnership, and sponsorship opportunities. For more information, go to WPT.com. WPT Enterprises Inc. is a subsidiary of Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc.

About Allied Esports Entertainment

Allied Esports Entertainment (NASDAQ: AESE) is a global esports entertainment venture dedicated to providing transformative live experiences, multiplatform content and interactive services to audiences worldwide through its strategic fusion of two powerful entertainment brands: Allied Esports and the World Poker Tour (WPT). Allied Esports Entertainment was created in August 2019 when Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. completed its business combination with Allied Esports and WPT Enterprises.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may relate to future results, strategy and plans of Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. and the World Poker Tour (collectively, the “Companies”) (including certain projections and business trends, and statements, which may be identified by the use of the words “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “estimated”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “projects”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”). Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of the Companies as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, each Company’s respective revenues and operating performance, general economic conditions, industry trends, legislation or regulatory requirements affecting the business in which it is engaged, management of growth, its business strategy and plans, the result of future financing efforts and its dependence on key personnel, and the ability to retain key personnel. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and no Company undertakes any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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WPT Media Contact
Matt Clark – matthew.clark@wpt.com

Investor Contact:
Lasse Glassen
Addo Investor Relations
lglassen@addoir.com
424-238-6249

Source: Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc.

Released February 6, 2020