PokerWorks

One of the biggest poker tournaments to hit the scene in years has just signed an agreement with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to ensure its success for years to come. The NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship announced they signed on to host the wildly popular series at the Caesars Palace poker tournament room through the year 2012.

Caesars has been the home of the NBC National Heads-Up events from 2006 through 2008 – three of its four years thus far – and will continue to do so for the next four years. And each year, the show that airs on NBC on Sundays throughout April and May has gained viewers with a consistent rise in ratings. The move to sign a long-term agreement with NBC should further improve Caesars’ already-burgeoning poker room.

The NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship is one of the most viewed poker programs, and its placement on NBC during weekend hours has improved its viewership even more. Fans and poker players are drawn to it because of the incredible skill level of the players, as most pros are invited solely based on their previous tournament accomplishments. There are some exceptions, such as Don Cheadle, Jason Alexander, and baseball legend Orel Hershiser, as well as amateur qualifiers who are able to compete against the best in the game.

Jon Miller, Executive Vice President of NBC Sports, noted, “Caesars Palace is world famous for their poker room, so there is no better place in Las Vegas for us to hold the National Heads-Up Poker Championship. In the past three years our affiliation with Caesars Palace has helped produce great participants, great on-site attendance and strong television viewership. We’re looking forward to more of the same over the next four years.”

Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner added, “Caesars Palace is proud to be the home of such a popular tournament – among both poker players and fans – for four more years. Our hotel and casino guests get quite a thrill out of being able to see so many of poker’s top pros all in the same place at the same time.”