The World Poker Tour

The World Poker tour is a relatively new addition to the professional poker circuit, and has provided a massive boost to the popularity of the game in the last several years. The World Poker Tour is structured around a television show that pits the best players in the world against a host of poker rookies in a series of Texas Hold ‘em tournaments. The World Poker Tour has consistently rated amongst the most popular television shows on cable television in the United States.

World Poker Tour History

The first season of the World Poker Tour was filmed towards the end of 2002, with the season extending into 2003 as the show was aired live on the Travel Channel.

The World Poker Tour effectively united a series of separate poker tournaments under one banner, giving players the opportunity to contest a series of poker tournaments, earning points on the way to the season finale at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Howard Lederer was crowned the ‘Player of the Year’ at the conclusion of the first season of the World Poker tour.

In 2004 the World Poker Tour built on a successful first season as it spread into the major networks, with NBC airing a special World Poker Tournament in February in 2004. The concept attracted additional fans by promoting novel tournaments concepts (such as celebrity tournaments and all woman tournaments) and by allowing viewers to track the table action using the Hole Card cameras developed by Late Night Poker.

In the past three years the World Poker Tour has gone from strength to strength, despite suffering from bad publicity as a result of contractual wrangles with high profile players. Apart from an abortive attempt at setting up a World Professional Poker Tour the World Poker Tour has managed to retain its appeal and popularity, and a World Poker Tour title is regarded as a major achievement by any poker player.

World Poker Tour Format

The World Poker Tour is constructed around the live broadcast of a series of prestigious poker tournaments, mixed in with tournaments specifically created to broaden the appeal of the tour. Professional and amateur players contest a number of tournaments in casinos around the United States, as well as several in other parts of the world.

Players achieving final table positions in World Poker Tour tournaments are rewarded not only with massive cash prizes, but also with points towards the Player of the Year title. At the end of the season World Poker tour points are tallied and the Player of the Year is crowned accordingly.

World Poker Tour Player of the Year

Season 1: Howard Lederer
Season 2: Erick Lindgren
Season 3: Daniel Negreanu
Season 4: Gavin Smith
Season 5: JC Tran