Canadian Poker Tour Sees Increased Revenues

HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., which operates the Canadian Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Player Magazine, announced this week that both tournament revenues and corporate sponsorships have increased and exceeded expectations for July.

As an example, the 2010 Stampede Classic Poker Tournament – won by Sean Finney – finished up on Sunday, July 18^th. Player registrations were 30% higher than expected. In the end, 159 players competed for a prize pool of $154,000, with Finney taking $40,000 for first place.

The trend looks likely to continue, in August, as preregistrations for upcoming events are higher than expected. The additional revenue has allowed the CPT to expand, with events now scheduled to take place in British Columbia and Manitoba. In all, revenues for the year are expected to exceed $400,000. Much of this revenue is expected to be generated during the Canadian Open Poker Championship, a series of events being held in three locations in Calgary during late August. In all, the Canadian Poker Tour now hosts events in over 50 Canadian casinos.

The Canadian Poker Tour, relaunched in 2009, consists of dozens of events each month, with buyins ranging from $50 to thousands of dollars. Players can earn points in every tournament, with the leaders earning an entry to the CPT Player Points Championship. According to the CPT website, the tour’s goal is to create “a coordinated poker tour across Canada by providing solid leadership in the careful planning and coordination of first class events from coast to coast.” The Canadian Poker Tour is directed by President and CEO Kelly B. Kellner, who previously planned and organized the Canadian Open Poker Championships in 2005 and 2008.

HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. is a global media and entertainment company engaged in the creation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other entertainment themes.