The World Poker Tour® (WPT) kicks off Season VII next month when it returns to Bellagio July 2-17 for Bellagio Cup IV.  The two-week event begins Wednesday, July 2 and consists of seven no limit hold 'em tournaments ranging from $2,000-$5,000, along with seven, $1,500 super satellite no limit hold 'em events.


The WPT main event, which requires an entry fee of $15,000, begins Friday, July 11 with the final table scheduled for Thursday, July 17.  The WPT main event champion will receive the first place prize money as well as a $25,000 seat in the April 2009 WPT World Championship at Bellagio.  Player registration is now available at Bellagio's poker room.


Bellagio Cup IV will be the first tournament at Bellagio in which players will receive "triple chips" for all preliminary and main events.  This unique change in the tournament structure will give players three times as many starting chips as they had received at previous Bellagio events.


"There is no doubt in my mind that the players will benefit most from this change in our structure," said Jack McClelland, director of poker tournaments at Bellagio.  "This new feature should create more action throughout the tournament and an opportunity to generate a larger prize pool for the players."


For free audience tickets and details regarding the Bellagio Cup IV final table taping, call (323) 330-9871.  Visit www.worldpokertour.com for the complete WPT Season VII schedule.


WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by the development, production, and marketing of televised programming based on gaming themes.  WPTE is the creator of the World Poker Tour®, a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments that airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. EST/PST on GSN in the United States, and has been licensed for broadcast globally.  WPTE also offers real-money online gaming on its website, www.worldpokertour.com, which prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and certain other restricted territories.


WPTE also has operations in mainland China, pursuant to an agreement with the China Leisure Sports Administrative Center where WPTE is developing and marketing the WPT China National Traktor Poker Tour.  In January 2008, the company launched ClubWPT.com, an innovative subscription-based online poker club targeted to the estimated 60 million poker players in the United States and currently is offered in 38 States.  WPTE currently licenses its brand to companies in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware.  The company also is engaged in the sale of corporate sponsorships.  For show information, tools for improving poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com.  WPTE is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO).


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