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Big Bets + Big Betty: Poker & eSports Converge in Holland

Big Bets + Big Betty: Poker & eSports Converge in Holland
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PokerListings Team Editorial Team
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: November 1, 2024 · 2 minutes to read

Big Bets + Big Betty: Poker & eSports Converge in Holland


Pokerlistings Icon
PokerListings Team Editorial Team
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: November 1, 2024 · 2 minutes to read

Unibet Poker has jumped on the eSports curve with its super fun Battle Royales on its live tour.

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This is Big Betty.

The Global Poker Index has completely redesigned its business model to incorporate eSports rankings and poker/eSports mashups into its future, such as gambling on CSGO.

Now the World Poker Tour has climbed on board, too.

The WPT announced last week it is joining forces with ELC Gaming for a multi-day poker/eSports collaboration at the Holland Casino in Valkenburg, Netherlands, October 9-15.

Included will be a WPT DeepStacks €1,100 Main Event, an eSports festival with recreational and pro events and a number of “integrated events” that combine the two disciplines in new and groundbreaking ways.

eSports + Poker + Big Betty

What exactly will that experience entail? Well, alongside the poker festival and its highlight €1,100 Main Event (Oct. 12-15), ELC Gaming will have its 18-wheel mobile eSports arena, “Big Betty,” on hand.

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eSports bigwigs like Hotted89 getting into poker, too.

Players and fans can try out combined eSports/poker events both in the casino and in the mobile arena to win entry into WPTDeepStacks poker tournaments and various smaller eSports competitions.

An interactive virtual reality experience, a casual gaming lounge and daily eSports battles between local universities will be on display and ELC will also stream the Legend Series final on its Twitch channel, ELCgamingTV.

Two eSports teams who qualified from across Europe through online matches will play in the final.

Andrey “Reynad” Yanyuk, Alan “Hotted89” Widmann,Charlotte ‘sjlot’ van Brabander and Jeffrey ‘SjoW’ Brusi are just a few of the prominent eSports stars who have dabbled in poker.

Famed poker stars Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, Lex ‘RasZi’ Veldhuis and Randy ‘nanonoko’ Lew are gamers who’ve crossed over successfully into pro poker.

“The World Poker Tour is proud to partner with ELC Gaming for this first international poker and eSports venture,” said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour.

“The crossover between the poker and eSports communities is undeniable, and the addition of a live eSports event to one of the WPT’s live poker festivals is a perfect fit to provide an even greater experience for our players.”

“This is an inspiring time in both poker and eSports, the two mindsports that have only begun to realize their enormous collaboration potential,” adds Frank Ng, CEO of Ourgame International.

“We have seen firsthand the popularity in both industries grow exponentially,” says Leon Groenewoud, COO of ELC Gaming, “and I’m confident this partnership is a natural next step for players, fans, and business partners alike.”

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