WPT Enterprises Up on $700 Million Bid by Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson

Friday, July 8th, 2005

By Belinda Goldsmith

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. poker champion Doyle Brunson has bid $700 million cash for WPT Enterprises Inc. (NasdaqNM:WPTE - News) just days after the company known for its World Poker Tour television show launched an online gaming site.

Market rumors of the bid, which were later confirmed by WPT, sent its shares surging almost 59 percent on Friday to a new high of $28.20 on Nasdaq.

The bid offers a 100 percent premium over the Thursday closing price of $17.75 which valued WPT at about $357 million.

"This bid was unsolicited," Chief Financial Officer Todd Steele told Reuters. "We are going through the normal evaluation process for anything of this nature, and that will likely result in bringing it before the board."

Steele did not have a date for a board meeting or details of terms of the bid, which was received on Thursday and the company was trying to verify.

WPT spokeswoman Jackie Lapin said the bid was made by Brunson with a team of unidentified financial backers.

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America grabs a chair at poker's biggest table

By David Leon Moore
USA TODAY

LAS VEGAS — It is after 2 a.m. Tuesday in the giant poker room at the Rio hotel and casino. Two tired players are left at the final table of a big-money event, nerves fraying, the tension thickening, the crowd growing. Then 25-year-old Israeli card shark Rafi Amit, closing in on the kill, utters a crude expletive and all hell breaks loose.

At the World Series of Poker, the world's biggest and most prestigious poker tournament, the penalty for that obscenity is 10 minutes away from the table, and tournament official Jack Effel immediately tells Amit to leave.

The dealing continues, though, and for 10 minutes alternating blocks of $8,000 and $16,000 in chips are raked from Amit's stack and given to his opponent, 38-year-old Vietnamese-born pro Vinny Vinh. An infuriated Amit and his posse mock Vinh and Effel. One of Amit's supporters makes a comment about meeting Vinh in the parking lot. The anger grows, and Effel calls security to bounce two of the spectators. Then he turns to Amit.

"You want another 10 minutes?" he threatens.

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Players Network's 'WORLD SERIES OF POKER® LIFESTYLE SHOW' Special Programming to Reach 100 Million Potential Viewers Worldwide

Thursday, July 7th, 2005

LAS VEGAS -- The world's leading media company focused on gaming lifestyle programming, Players Network (OTC Bulletin Board: PNTV - News) announced today that its lineup of special programs will be digitally broadcast from the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and available On Demand to a worldwide audience of 100 million broadband and digital media viewing subscribers, beginning today, through July 9th. In addition, Emmy-award winning director Marty Corwin has been hired as Director of Original Programming for the company's productions during the "WORLD SERIES OF POKER® LIFESTYLE SHOW." Corwin joins Executive Producers Michael Berk and Mark Bradley who will oversee the company's programming from the Show, as announced last Friday. Vegas Media Group, under the leadership of Ed Winfield, will provide production services.

Using more than a dozen cameras and state-of-the-art technology to film this unprecedented poker lifestyle live event 6 hours a day four 4 days, Players Network's production is being scheduled like a movie shoot. Multiple camera crews with segment producers will capture the spontaneity of the intense poker environment, while additional cameras will film the scheduled programs taking place on the main stage each day. Among the scheduled programs, Players Network will film three episodes of "Doyle's Room" starring poker legend Doyle Brunson (who just won his tenth gold bracelet on July 1st) talking about poker, gambling and life with other poker legends and the next generation of young guns. Other talk shows will be hosted by sports and gambling experts Wayne Allyn Root, Larry Grossman, and poker author Nolan Dalla. Players Network is also producing the first "Poker Dealers Olympics," as well as round-table poker strategy sessions with the Pros, and a Tournament featuring ShuffleMaster's 3-Card Poker.

On Friday, July 8, Players Network will present "The Player" Awards Show bestowing awards in 10 Poker categories, including the Lifetime Achievement Award to Doyle Brunson. "The Player" glass awards have been designed by renowned Las Vegas sculptor Tony Milici.

"This is an incredible, first-time opportunity to bring the most famous poker players in the world -- and some of the legends of poker -- and their stories to a global audience," commented Michael Berk, President of Programming, Players Network and Co-Executive Producer of the broadcasts. "In four days, Players Network will provide a wide variety of programming that goes way beyond just poker "shows" now available on nearly a dozen networks."

Marty Corwin is a top-tier entertainment and sports television director and producer whose specials and PayPerView events have aired on Showtime, HBO, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS. He spent 10 years producing for World Championship Boxing, the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball. As VP and Director of Television for Don King Productions, Mr. Corwin was responsible for 5 of the top 10 PayPerView events of all time including Tyson vs. Holyfield I and II.

The "On Demand" universe in the US alone includes 15 million Video On Demand households, 70 million cellphone/PCS subscribers and 30 million subscribers with broadband access in the United States, 120 million users worldwide. In the US, broadband is projected to double to 60 million by 2008. Broadband includes individuals with cable modems, DSL, T1 lines, wireless devices, satellite broadband, first mile fiber and powerline broadband.

About Players Network

Players Network is the leading gaming industry media company that produces television and video programming on gaming-centric entertainment, information and instruction via hotel casino private networks, home video and DVD distribution and, beginning July 6th, on its broadband network at www.playersnetwork.com. The company has a 10-year history of providing consumers with gaming content and businesses with strategic partner services in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and the greater US gaming community.

Las Vegas Public Relations Inquiries: Mary Vail, OSG, maryvail@cox.net
(702) 242-4495 and Holly Lobelson, Impress Communications, (702) 340-6262

Investor Information: David Kol, Players Network, (702) 895-8884

Top women players look to conquer poker's peak

Wednesday, July 5th, 2005

By Adam Goldman
ASSOCIATED PRESS

No woman has won the prestigious no-limit Texas hold 'em main event at the World Series of Poker. In fact, in the tournament's 35-year history, only one woman has made it to the final table.

But this year, several women have established themselves as top contenders ready to conquer the world of green felt and show this no longer is just a man's game.

"I think that this is the first year that it is actually possible," said Shirley Rosario, who runs the poker-babes.com Web site. "If a woman wins this year, they'll finally have to stand up and recognize that we can compete with them on their level."

Topping the list is Jennifer Harman of Las Vegas, one of the most feared players at any high-stakes table. She finished second in a World Series of Poker circuit championship event this year.

She is among the women who should be taken seriously when the cards are shuffled at the World Series of Poker's most well-known event beginning Thursday at the Rio hotel-casino. An estimated 6,600 players will compete for about $62 million, with a first prize that could reach an eye-popping $10 million.

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