by Ryan D. Jaeger
Betfair.com will enlist the help of its top poker
division to successfully sponsor this year's Amateur Poker Association and Tour,
it was reported this week.
APAT's fourth season promises to be bigger and better than previous years and
organizers have a full schedule planned.
Betfair.com will run satellites for live APAT events throughout the season
and will also host the National Championship and National League Fixtures
online.
The Managing Director of the Amateur Poker Association and Tour, Des Duffy
was pleased with the new sponsorship announcement and said: "APAT launched the
UK's first national poker tour in 2006 and it has become a proving ground for
new and developing players, with members winning WSOP, EPT and GUKPT titles,
amongst many others."
"This partnership with Betfair Poker brings a well known and respected brand
to APAT, as well as a tremendous amount of additional value and opportunity for
our members," added Duffy.
All in all, there will be 28 APAT events held across the United Kingdom and
Ireland, with three more outside the borders in Estonia, Spain and Austria.
The World Amateur Championships will be held at Dusk Till Dawn in Nottingham
in August and will be culmination of the fourth season.
Games in the amateur championships will include anything from Heads Up to
H.O.R.S.E.
The winner of the final competition will win a sponsorship package worth £20,000.
A Professional League will run parallel to the Amateur Tour, with at least
seven different events planned across the country. The winner of this league
will also win a sponsorship package worth £20K.
