PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Philadelphia’s own Joe McKeehen, the current World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion, headlines the list of poker professionals coming to SugarHouse for Poker Night in America’s (PNIA) high-stakes cash games to be played at the casino April 9—10. The brand-new and industry first Poker Night in America Poker Room will be the site of the live stream and recording of the nationally-televised cable and web series featured on CBS Sports Network.
In addition to the cash games, PNIA will also feature the final table of the inaugural “SugarHouse Poker Night Classic” Main Event on April 11. It’s the second year in a row the PNIA television crew has come to SugarHouse and the first time in the new poker room.
“It’s great to see how our poker brand has evolved in the last year,” said Wendy Hamilton, general manager of SugarHouse Casino. “We’re the first Poker Night in America Poker Room in the country and happy to feature Philly’s own world champion, Joe McKeehen.”
McKeehen, who wore Philadelphia sports apparel on his way to winning $7.7 million and poker’s coveted gold bracelet, will be joined by other recognizable poker pros for the PNIA tapings.
Poker stars expected to attend include:
- Todd Brunson – The son of legendary poker player Doyle Brunson, Todd has earned one WSOP gold bracelet and amassed more than $4.1 million in live tournament earnings.
- Matt Glantz – Glantz, a Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, resident, has earned more than $6 million in career winnings and six major tournament titles. Glantz is also a poker advisor to Rush Street Gaming, SugarHouse Casino’s parent company.
- Shaun Deeb – A three-time champ of the World Championship of Online Poker, Deeb has cashed in the WSOP 17 times.
- Matt Brady – Brady is a Havertown, Pennsylvania, native with six career titles, including the 2008 Aruba Poker Classic for $1 million.
- Mark Herm – Herm is a Collegeville, Pennsylvania, native who has played online poker professionally for 10 years and has amassed more than $6 million dollars of poker profit in tournaments and cash games.
- Linda Kenney Baden – Baden is a famed trial lawyer who has defended many high-profile individuals. She recently started playing high-stakes poker and, in a previous PNIA session, booked the night’s biggest win against world-class competitors that included Phil Hellmuth, Gavin Smith and Shaun Deeb.
- Kyle Bowker – Bowker has appeared on PNIA multiple times, and his poker tournament success includes five career titles and more than $2.5 million in live earnings.
The three PNIA tapings will begin at 1 p.m. each day and are open to poker room spectators. (All guests must be 21 years of age or older.)
“SugarHouse Poker Night Classic” Main Event
The “SugarHouse Poker Night Classic” Main Event gets underway April 8 at 11 a.m. and culminates with the PNIA live stream and television recording of the final table April 11. The buy-in for the main event is $1,100 ($1,000 buy-in + $100 entry fee) and is the featured event of the series that, at its conclusion, will have hosted 35 tournaments over 20 days.
“Poker Night in America’s coverage of the high-stakes cash games and the main event final table will demonstrate the high-level of poker that we’re seeing at SugarHouse,” said Glantz. “Showcasing this beautiful, new room is something everybody is excited about.”
The recently-dedicated Poker Night in America Poker Room at SugarHouse Casino is a 6,000-square-foot space with 28 tables and features state-of-the-art, built-in charging stations for all 252 seats. The poker room is part of the casino’s $164 million expansion that features the Event Center and seven new food and beverage outlets, including Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House by Gibsons Restaurant Group, the casino’s high-end steakhouse.
ABOUT SUGARHOUSE CASINO
SugarHouse, which opened in September 2010 as Philly’s casino, features 1,891 slots, up to 103 table games, a 28-table poker room, fun and unique dining options, riverfront views and free on-site parking. The casino employs approximately 1,700 people, and for five consecutive years it has been voted a “Best Place to Work” by the Philadelphia Business Journal and a “Top Workplace” by Philly.com. For more information, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.
