Sexton, Van Patten and Outhred to Guide Students at WPT BOOT CAMP(TM)

Sexton, Van Patten and Outhred to Guide Students at WPT BOOT CAMP(TM) WPT(TM) Commentators and Producer/Analyst to Top the List of Instructors FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- WORLD POKER TOUR(R) commentators Mike Sexton and Vincent Van Patten, as well as the smash hit television show's associate producer, Alex "The Insider" Outhred, have been named as the first three instructors for the WPT BOOT CAMP(TM) designed to provide enrollees a "Fast Track to the Final Table(TM)." Sexton and Van Patten have been key to the success of the WORLD POKER TOUR show on the Travel Channel that spawned the nation's poker boom. Their experience, knowledge of the game, and insightful way of explaining the action to everyone from neophyte to journeyman players has laid the foundation for the WPT BOOT CAMP and inspired people worldwide to seek greater skills in the game. Each of the three possesses incredible insight into the inner workings of WORLD POKER TOUR tournaments, which will be used as the basis for instruction. Steven Berman, co-founder of the WPT BOOT CAMP, believes the combined experience of the three individuals establishes a solid instructional core for the program. "Mike, Vince and Alex have all played the game of poker and been witness to the skills of top players worldwide," Berman said. "Together they will provide the kind of coaching necessary to help amateur poker players reach and succeed at a WPT Final Table. They will be instrumental in selecting additional quality instructors for WPT BOOT CAMP." Sexton is one of the game's premier ambassadors. A former European poker champion and winner of a coveted World Series of Poker bracelet, his complete mastery of poker strategy makes him perfect for WPT BOOT CAMP. Sexton, a 25-year poker pro, has numerous championships to his credit, including titles at the Legends of Poker, the LA Poker Classic, the Euro Finals of Poker, the California State Championship, Reno's Pot of Gold, the Orleans Open, the Super Bowl of Poker, America's Cup, and he captured four Best All-Around Player awards. Sexton is also responsible for creating two mega events in the poker world, the Tournament of Champions and the PartyPoker.com Million, which allows people to play tournaments online in order to win a cruise and entry into a million dollar WPT tournament. His expertise is also clearly evident as a featured columnist for CardPlayer magazine and Gambling Times, and a contributing writer to Gaming Today, Casino Online magazine and Casino Times. "I'm really looking forward to the WPT BOOT CAMP," Sexton said. "And while high-stakes poker can be a pretty serious, stressful business, that doesn't mean we can't have some fun with the folks we're teaching. Poker is, after all, a game." Van Patten has made his mark on the poker world with colorful commentary and insightful card playing knowledge. His 30 years of poker experience began in the early teens when his father taught him basic poker techniques. He continues to play poker every week with buddies at a game in Beverly Hills, and has been dubbed the "King of the Hollywood home game." He is also considered a world-class poker player, having competed in several major events including three World Series of Poker tournaments. "When you think about it, Mike and I teach poker to people every Wednesday night on the show," Van Patten said. "At WPT BOOT CAMP we're going to take just 48 hours and make you a new kind of poker player. And not only are we going to make you a good player, but we're also going to teach you to enjoy the social aspect of the game." Outhred is an associate producer who has worked on the WORLD POKER TOUR for three seasons. His job is to review and scrutinize players' every card, bet, critical decision and telling glance. As such, he has been dubbed "The Insider" for his unmatched insight, which has been called upon previously to train HOLLYWOOD HOME GAME celebrities such as Mekhi Phifer, William Shatner, Michelle Clunie, David Sutcliffe, Bob Eubanks, Chuck Woolery, and Billy Burke. He will be sharing that knowledge with WPT BOOT CAMP attendees. WPT BOOT CAMP is designed to compress the poker learning curve into just two days and employs an authentic instructional experience endorsed by the WORLD POKER TOUR. WPT BOOT CAMP will be offered in cities throughout the United States and features an integrated curriculum that includes live lectures, archived WPT video, hand-on game play, and personal tips by poker superstars. Only 50 students are accepted per camp session to ensure a maximized learning experience. "Our commentators and Alex have been educating the world at large about overall poker strategies," said Steve Lipscomb, WPT Enterprises (NASDAQ:WPTE) founder and president. "At WPT BOOT CAMP they will get down to the intricacies of the game and be looking over the shoulders of the students to give them real 'hands-on' instruction." WPT BOOT CAMP is the brainchild of Ron Rubens and Steven Berman, co-founders of River Gaming, LLC. The duo developed the program after years of work in the gaming industry and prior experience producing instructional seminars. River Gaming is a licensee of WPTE, which holds an ownership interest in the WPT BOOT CAMP. The current cost for enrolling in WPT BOOT CAMP is $1,495.00. Students who refer a friend to the program will receive $25, and the friend will get a $100 discount. For more information go to www.wptbootcamp.com or call 866-WPT-BOOT. About The World Poker Tour(TM) The WORLD POKER TOUR is a series of 16 high stakes poker tournaments filmed in exotic locales and leading poker rooms. The show is the highest rated series in the history of the Travel Channel and continues to increase its viewing audience worldwide. With its mix of expert commentary, on-screen explanatory graphics and 17 cameras -- including the revolutionary WPT cam revealing the player's hole cards -- the WPT has transformed poker into a televised spectator sport. It has also inspired the poker boom among fans and amateur players, who play at home with friends, and others who are now coming out to compete in WPT tournaments. Last season, the WPT offered more than $35 million in prize money. Filming for Season Three has already begun and prize money is projected to be $70 million. The Season Three shows will begin airing in March 2005. For more information on the WORLD POKER TOUR, go to: www.worldpokertour.com. WPTEG Source: WPT BOOT CAMP CONTACT: Jackie Lapin, +1-818-707-1473, jackielapin@cs.com, or Jim Llewellyn, +1-323-810-7685, ajllewell@excite.com, both for WPT BOOT CAMP Web site: http://www.wptbootcamp.com/ NOTE TO EDITORS: Interviews are available. ------- Profile: International Entertainment