It’s going to be an amazing Winter.
One of the greatest players in World Poker Tour history – and the very first player to ever have their name engraved on the WPT Champions Cup, Gus Hansen will be at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday to play in the Premier Meet-Up Game alongside his good friend Phil Ivey.
“The World Poker Tour has always been a favorite of mine. WPT has had a huge impact on my poker career over the years,” Hansen said. “I am very excited to join in the Premier MUG and get back on the grand WPT stage once again.”
Hansen burst onto the poker scene in 2002 when he showed up at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and ran through a 146-player field to win the first ever World Poker Tour event, the Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Eight months later, as the inaugural season of WPT action was racing to its conclusion, Hansen added a second title by besting a 136-player field in the L.A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino.
Those two victories were the first two tournament cashes in Hansen’s career and accounted for more than $1 million in earnings. His success on the felt, combined with and thanks to his aggressive playing style propelled the former backgammon champion to stardom in the poker world. Then, in 2004 Hansen took down WPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure to become the first player to win three WPT titles and cement his status of one of the greatest players in the world.
Hansen won’t be the only poker star battling in the $1/$3 and $2/$5 streets at the Wynn Poker Room on Friday morning. WPT Ambassadors Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme, the OG’s of Meet-Up Games will be on hand to meet, greet and beat their fans and will be joined by members of the WPT family including Vince Van Patten, Tony Dunst, Matt Savage and WPT anchor Lynn Gilmartin.
Joining them will be Todd Brunson, WPT Global Ambassador Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau, Jamie Kerstetter, Angel Guillen, Caitlin Comeskey, Nikki Limo, Conrad Simpson, Ashley Sleeth, and Jaman Burton.
The cash on the table isn’t the only thing at stake at this Meet-Up Game. One lucky player who busts an ambassador will win a $10,400 seat into the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, and a handful of others will walk away with seats to the $1,100 WPT Prime Championship.
The Premier Meet-Up Game runs from 9 a.m. until 1 pm. on Friday at Wynn Las Vegas.