WSOPE On Television

Sports Channel ESPN has publicized that it is going to air the Main Event of the 2008 World Series of Poker-Europe (WSOPE) beginning on February 1.

The now annual tournament took place in London last November and attracted a field of 362 poker players from all over the world.  Each paid the В£10,000 buy-in for the main event. The tournament was held over a six day period and the final table was nineteen grueling hour of play. The 2008 WSOPE was winner took home the coveted bracelet and claimed the US$1.5 million first prize.

Regular viewers of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) events from Las Vegas will notice a different look to the program than that of the WSOPE. Senior Director of Programming for ESPN, Doug White said "The intimate look and feel of this tournament is different from other WSOP events we produced in the United States".

The layout of the room is closer and cozier and is different to that of the Las Vegas tournament. The setting for the WSOPE gives a feel of a small club where the tables are placed in amongst other gaming areas.

For the first time, ESPN is going to show the hole cards from outer tables thanks to an innovative mobile camera that will allow viewers to see playerв's cards from tables other than that of the feature table. Senior Sports Producer for ESPN, Jamie Horowitz commented: "We believe the Mobile Hold Card Camera will provide fans a great understanding of the overall story behind the tournament, and how the players advanced to the final table”.

The ESPN coverage of the WSOPE will be hosted by Lon McEachern and Norman Chad. Viewers can get into ESPN's coverage of the WSOPE from February 1.