Negreanu wins BC Poker Championship title

RICHMOND, British Columbia -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Daniel "Kid Poker" Negreanu outlasted 689 other players over four days at the Main Event of No Limit Texas Hold'em, winning the 2008 BC Poker Championships title and the top prize of $371,910 on Sunday November 23, 2008.

The fourth annual BC Poker Championships took place over eight days from November 16 - 23, 2008 at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond BC.

The BC Poker Championships was a great success; selling out three events, filling 2368 seats and generating a total prize pool of more than $2.9 million.

"This year's tournament has drawn the largest celebrity participation out of all BC poker events, confirming British Columbia as a hot destination for exciting poker," said Darryl Schiewe, BCLC's Vice President of Casino and Community Gaming.

Considered as one of the world's best poker players, Daniel Negreanu has won four World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour Championship titles. Negreanu currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada but made time to come home to Canada and compete in the BC Poker Championships.

"Being Canadian myself, playing and winning the BC Poker Championships is extra special to me," says Negreanu. "The tournament was extremely well organized and my opponents were very good. It may have been a smaller tournament but I would say this has been the best $2500 buy-in event structure I've ever played."

Negreanu goes on to say, "I've been to many casinos all over the world but the River Rock Casino Resort is truly unique and it's been a great experience. The service is excellent and I've been treated like a star right from day one! I look forward to coming back again with friends."

Also at the poker tournament were other poker professionals including Brad "Yukon" Booth, Gavin Smith, Lacey Jones, Mark Napier, Gabe Kaplan, Dennis Phillips, Steve Paul Ambrose, Isabelle Mercier, Maria Ho, Tiffany Michelle, Liz Lieu and more.