TORONTO, April 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
The Stars Group Inc. today announced that the Sochi stop on the European Poker Tour (EPT), one of several major live poker tournament series sponsored by The Stars Group Inc.'s flagship PokerStars brand, came to an end on Thursday, March 29 with a total prize pool of more than $5 million, almost double its original $2.6 million guarantee. The event attracted 1,342 unique players from 61 different countries and generated a total of 5,297 entries across 17 tournaments.
Four total Platinum Passes to the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship (PSPC), which takes place in January 2019, were awarded to the winners of EPT Sochi's main and headline events. Each Platinum Pass is worth $30,000 and includes a $25,000 PSPC buy-in, accommodation at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and approximately $2,000 for travel and expenses.
EPT Sochi was the third PokerStars-sponsored event to take place on the Black Sea coast since 2017 and marked the first ever EPT event in Sochi. This EPT stop supports The Stars Group's commitment to the Russian market and contributes to its overall strategy of promoting the game of poker and the PokerStars brand globally, including by building relationships with private operators and working with regulators and government officials.
Past PokerStars-sponsored live poker events in Russia included the inaugural PokerStars Championship Sochi held in May 2017 and the PokerStars Festival Sochi held in October 2017. The EPT, which is regarded in the industry as one of the world's most iconic live poker tours, has this year already stopped in the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and will stop in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Prague later in 2018.
About The Stars Group
The Stars Group is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. The Stars Group directly or indirectly, including through its Stars Interactive Group division, owns gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, such as PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars, Full Tilt, and the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship, European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, PokerStars Festival and PokerStars MEGASTACK live poker tour and event brands. These brands together have millions of registered customers globally and collectively form the largest poker business in the world, comprising online poker games and tournaments, sponsored live poker competitions, marketing arrangements for branded poker rooms in popular casinos in major cities around the world, and poker programming and content created for television and online audiences. The Stars Group, through certain of these and other brands, also offers non-poker gaming products, including casino and sportsbook. The Stars Group, through certain of its subsidiaries, is licensed or approved to offer, or offers under third party licenses or approvals, its products and services in various jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, both within and outside of the European Union, Australia, the Americas and elsewhere. In particular, PokerStars is the world's most licensed online gaming brand, holding licenses or related operating approvals in 17 jurisdictions.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements and Other Information
This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can, but may not always, be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "would", "should", "believe", and similar references to future periods or the negatives of these words and expressions. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Please refer to The Stars Group's most recent annual information form and annual and interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for more information about the factors, assumptions and risks that may apply to The Star's Group's forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and The Stars Group undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
For media inquiries, please contact: Eric Hollreiser: Press@starsgroup.com
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