Poker Greats Phil Hellmuth & Antonio Esfandiari to Play the 16th WPT® Legends of Poker Tournament at The Bicycle Hotel & Casino

BELL GARDENS – (August 8,, 2017) – An estimated $7 million prize pool is sure to lure some decorated sharks. This August, the eyes of the poker world will be on The Bicycle Hotel & Casino as it hosts the World Poker Tour® during its annual Legends of Poker 2017 tournament. The main events of the month-long tournament run August 22 – 29 and are set to feature two of pokers most notable superstars, Phil Hellmuth and Antonio Esfandiari. Hellmuth will play the WPT® Main Event on August 25th, and Esfandiari is playing Mega Millions Day 2 on August 22.

This marks the 16th season of the WPT® Legends of Poker tournament at the Bicycle Hotel & Casino, which has hosted the tour since its inception in 2002 and is one of just three chartered members of the WPT®. The 28-event festival of poker culminates in the WPT® Main Event on August 25 through August 31. Last year the prize pool was over $2,500,000 with the champion's take at approximately $600,000 in addition to winning a luxurious Hublot watch and an automatic $15,000 entry into the season-ending WPT® Tournament of Champions. The $4,000 buy-in televised event features three starting flights, and players who are eliminated during Day 1A, 1B, or 1C may re-enter the following day. Players who are unable to bag chips during one of the three starting flights may also buy-in before the start of Day 2. Season 16 WPT® Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Hotel & Casino is scheduled to air in May 2018 on FOX Sports Regional Networks.

Regarded by the poker community as one of the greatest players of all time, Hellmuth has 13 WPT® cashes for a total of $1,111,260 on the main tour – although he is still gunning for his first title. His notorious table persona has earned him the moniker as "The Bad of Poker." Known as "The Magician" for his previous career as an illusionist, Esfandiari is a two-time WPT® champion, with six total trips to an official final table and 15 cashes on the main tour. He's raked in $2,997,117 on the circuit. A constant since Season I, some of the biggest names in poker have captured the WPT® Legends of Poker title, including Doyle Brunson (Season III), Dan Harrington (Season VI), Andy Frankenberger (Season IX), and defending champion Pat Lyons (Season XV). Lyons outlasted 687 entries to earn the $615,346 first-place prize.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the World Poker Tour® and for the return of our very own Legends of Poker," said Hashem Minaiy, Managing Partner and CEO of The Bicycle Hotel & Casino. "It’s definitely a tournament not to be missed this season with the impressive prize pools."

Stay and play with the pros at The Bicycle Hotel & Casino during the Legends of Poker tournament. Enter promo code 'WPTLEGEND' to receive 20% off best available rates.

Aug 24-25: $208
Aug 26-27: $208
Aug 28-29: $208
Aug 30-31: $184

(Subject to availability; fees and taxes not included)

Legends of Poker
Major Events Schedule

8/22 • Day 2 of Mega Million • $4,300 Buy-In  (first 2 levels single re-entry)  $1M guaranteed
8/23 • No Limit Hold 'Em Deepstack • $1,100 Buy-In  (30k chips, 2 day event)  $100k guaranteed
8/24 • No Limit Hold 'Em Bounty • $1,100 Buy-In  ($500 bounty included)  $50k guaranteed
8/25 • WPT MAIN EVENT Day 1A • $4,000 Buy-In
8/25 • No Limit Hold 'Em Survivor • $565 Buy-In  (top 10% will get $5,000 cash each)
8/26 • WPT MAIN EVENT Day 1B • $4,000 Buy-In
8/26 • No Limit Hold 'Em Survivor • $1,100 Buy-In  (top 10% will get $10,000 cash each)
8/27 • WPT MAIN EVENT Day 1C • $4,000 Buy-In
8/27 • No Limit Hold 'Em Turbo Re-Entry • $1,100 Buy-In
8/28 • Day 2 Buy-In of WPT • $4,000 Buy-In  (no late registration)
8/28 • No Limit Hold 'Em Turbo Re-Entry • $1,100 Buy-In
8/29 • Day 2 Buy-In of H.O.R.S.E • $1,700 Buy-In  (first 4 levels single re-entry)  $100k guaranteed

Phil Hellmuth
WPT® Main Event: August 25
Live at the Bike!: August 31

Antonio Esfandiari
Mega Millions Day 2: August 22
Live at the Bike!: August 25

Visit TheBike.com for entire Legends of Poker tournament schedule!

The Bicycle Hotel & Casino
888 Bicycle Casino Drive
Bell Gardens, CA, 90201
(562) 806-4646
TheBike.com

Media Contact: Jeff Wagner Agency
Ryan Porter: Ryan@JeffWagnerAgency.com
323-461-1011

The Bicycle Hotel & Casino
Located just fifteen minutes from Downtown Los Angeles in Bell Gardens, The Bicycle Hotel & Casino brings a four-star luxury boutique experience to casino gaming in Southern California in December 2015. Built by commercial luxury general contractor R.D. Olson Construction with architecture by Lee & Sakahara Architects and interior design by Hager Design International, Inc., the new seven-story hotel offers 99 elegantly appointed modern rooms and signature suites, each designed as tranquil retreats, including the 2,040 square-foot Presidential Suite. In completing The Bicycle Hotel & Casino, a decade-long vision has been realized by Managing General Partner & CEO Hashem Minaiy and Robert H. Carter, President of Carter Management Group, Inc., a General Partner of The Bicycle Hotel & Casino. The hotel also features a full resort spa, an elevated outdoor pool deck with private cabanas, multi-purpose event and private meeting space, a VIP Gaming area, and innovative dining concepts such as The Bike Brewery with 28 beers on tap and the Asian-fusion Phoenix Cafe.

The Casino’s elegant, 100,000 square-foot sophisticated gaming facility provides 185 tables of poker and card games: including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 7-Card Stud, Pai Gow Poker, Baccarat, and Blackjack to name a few. The Casino is a featured host of the largest poker tournaments in Southern California, including the World Series of Poker Circuit Event and World Poker Tour. The Casino’s luxurious amenities include a spectacular entertainment center as well as 24-hour Welcome Desk, massage service, gift shop, café brewing Starbucks® Coffee, an exclusive VIP gaming lounge, smoking atrium with gaming and valet parking.

For more information about The Bicycle Hotel & Casino, please call (562) 806-4646 or visit www.thebike.com.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call toll free at 1-800-GAMBLER.