Amateur wins 5th Annual World Poker Tour Invitational
LOS ANGELES, California -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Amateur poker player Adam Weinraub experienced the true meaning of "the gift that keeps on giving" yesterday as he won the 5th Annual World Poker Tour® (WPT) Invitational, an invitation-only event and the most glamorous stop of the poker circuit. Weinraub--who won his Invitational seat by bidding last year in a silent auction to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation--outplayed a field of 385 celebrities and poker pros to take home the $100,000 first place prize and a $25,000 seat in the WPT World Championship. To keep the giving going, the Orange County native pledged to donate an additional $20,000 to the fund as well as 20 percent of his WPT World Championship winnings.
Adding to the excitement, for the first time in WPT history, the final table included TWO famous Hollywood faces--Nick Cassavetes, director of critically acclaimed movies Alpha Dog and The Notebook; and Glenn Morshower, secret service agent Aaron Pierce on the hit series 24.
The three-day WTP Invitational kicked off March 3rd at the prestigious Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif. Hollywood heavyweights and poker superstars walked the red carpet, and then battled it out in a Texas Hold 'Em tournament for charity, cash prizes, and a WPT Champion title. Among the players were Vince Vaughn, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Don Cheadle, Mena Suvari, James Woods, Jon Favreau, Camryn Manheim, Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, Mekhi Phifer, Pete Sampras, Ron Livingston, Laura Prepon, Marlon Wayans, Bai Ling, Maura Tierney, Ed Asner, Jennifer Tilly, Lou Diamond Phillips, Donnie Wahlberg, Shanna Moakler, Jerry Buss, and Morgan Fairchild, as well as pros Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten, Phil "Unabomber" Laak, Layne Flack, Paul Darden, Hoyt Corkins, Steve Paul Ambrose, Eric Lindgren, Karina and Chip Jett, Nick Schulman, David Sklansky, J.C. Tran, Vanessa Rousso, Robert Mizrachi, John Phan, Allen Kessler, Evelyn Ng, and many more.
By March 5, only six players remained to fight for the $225,000 prize pool provided by Commerce Casino. Poker pros Tim West and "Miami" John Cernuto, Commerce Casino Employee Relations staff member David Mosikian, Weinraub, Morshower and Cassavetes all headed to the final table. Morshower was the first player out, taking home $5,000 in sixth place, followed by Cassavetes in fifth place, who won $10,000 as well as a "last celebrity standing" award--a $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice. Mosikian followed in fourth, earning $15,000, and West received $20,000 for third. Finally, Cernuto placed second in heads-up play against Weinraub, winning $50,000. Leading non-profit arts advocacy organization and Invitational partner, The Creative Coalition, also received a $10,000 donation from the WPT.
"The WPT Invitational is the only sporting event where the biggest names in Hollywood can compete with the best in poker--on an even footing," said Steve Lipscomb, founder, president, and CEO of WPT Enterprises. "Since the first Invitational, we've resisted the urge to level the playing field. This year's event is yet another testament to the fact that celebrities and amateurs who love this game are improving to the point that they can compete against the pros at the top levels of the sport. Having two celebrities at the final table and Weinraub's amazing win were the perfect cap to the fifth anniversary of this event."
The WPT Invitational will air July 11, 2007, on the Travel Channel at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. World Poker Tour airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.