EPT Grand Final in Madrid to be Most-Watched Live Poker Broadcast Ever With Live Feeds Across Europe, Russia and Canada

MADRID, May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PokerStars - the world's largest poker site - today announced that the EPT Grand Final will be the most watched live poker show ever, with numerous countries set to air the coverage to an estimated 500,000 people across Europe, Russia and Canada.

This is a historic moment for poker, as PokerStars delivers live poker on TV to a large audience by terrestrial, satellite and online channels across the European Union, Russia and Canada. Spectators from around the world will be able to see all the action of the most crucial stages of Europe's most prestigious poker tournament - and all from their own homes.

Alfredo Alvarez Jardon, Marketing Director Casino Gran Madrid, said: "We are pleased to be part of this major step forward in poker broadcasting in Europe. It's significant in that it means many people will be able to watch the action from so many countries, further positioning the Gran Casino Madrid as one of the leading centres of poker in Europe."

Grand Final closing stages

The final table on May 12 will commence at 14.00 CET, broadcast live on PokerStars.tv (no hole cards shown) until play gets down to the final four players. At this point there will be a break in play, the players will be sequestered, and play will recommence at 21.00 with live hole cards recorded and played out on a two-hour delay. The broadcast will begin airing across Europe from 23.00 CET until a winner is crowned.

The live broadcast will take place on these networks in the following countries:

- Germany: Sport 1 - 23.30-03.30 CET (German commentary)

- Netherlands: RTL7 - 01.30-End of play CET (Dutch commentary)

- Spain: Antenna3 - 01.45-04.45 CET (Spanish commentary)

- Russia: TV3 - 23.00-03.00 CET (Russian commentary)

- Romania: Sport.ro - 23.00-03.00 CET (Romanian commentary)

- Slovenia: Sport TV - 23.00-03.00 CET (Slovenian commentary)

- Belgium (North): Jim - 23.30-End of Play (Dutch commentary)

- Belgium (South): Plug RTL - 23.30-End of Play (French commentary)

- Canada: The Score - 23.00-04.00 CET (English commentary)

- PokerStars.tv: 23.00-End of play (English, Spanish, German, Russian, Dutch, Italian)

Live poker broadcasts

Live webcasts of EPT tournaments have been a resounding success over the past three seasons, typically broadcast on PokerStars.tv with hole cards concealed. But following similar broadcasts with hole cards revealed during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) in January this year, the concluding action from the EPT Grand Final will also be shown with cards up. A two-hour delay between action and broadcast ensures players' security is not compromised, as PokerStars will put to work its technology and staff to ensure the highest levels of security and integrity in the game.

EPT Grand Final Madrid

The EPT Grand Final Madrid Poker Festival takes place from May 5-13 at the Casino Gran Madrid. It features 28 individual events, including: the EUR10,000 Main Event, the invitation-only Champion of Champions, a EUR25,000 High Roller event, a EUR500 Women-only competition, a EUR5,000 Heads-up tournament, and many more events starting from EUR220. Registration for all events is available now through PokerStars or the casino.

More than 40 of the world's top poker players have already confirmed their participation in the EPT Grand Final Main Event, including: Liv Boeree (EPT6 San Remo Champion), Vicky Coren (EPT3 London Champion), Galen Hall (EPT7 PCA Champion), Carter Phillips (EPT6 Barcelona Champion), Sandra Naujoks (EPT5 Dortmund Champion), Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier (EPT4 PCA Champion), Arnaud Mattern (EPT4 Prague Champion), Pieter de Korver (EPT5 Monte Carlo Champion), and Jason Mercier (EPT4 San Remo Champion).

If you would like further details on this event or to embed the PokerStars EPT Live Madrid webcast feed onto your website, please contact press@pokerstars.com.

About http://www.pokerstars.com:

PokerStars.com is the world's largest regulated gaming operator and poker site, with more than 46 million members. It's the first choice of the world's top players, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else, and with the best security online. More hands have been dealt on PokerStars.com than any other site; that's over 60 billion hands and more than 375 million tournaments played.

PokerStars.com operates worldwide under license from the Isle of Man government. Recent additions to the PokerStars family include PokerStars.fr, which operates in France under the French government license, as well as PokerStars.it, which operates in Italy under the Italian government license, and PokerStars.ee, which operates in Estonia under the Estonian government license.

PokerStars.com stages some of the biggest online poker tournaments in the world, including the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) and the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), and is the official sponsor of some of the biggest live poker tournaments in the world, including the European Poker Tour (EPT), the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) and the UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT).

PokerStars.com is also home to a team of sponsored players known as Team PokerStars Pro. This elite group of players travel the world competing in international tournaments. For a complete list, visit the Team PokerStars Pro home page.