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Home / Sport

Kiwi poker players hunt $750,000 prizepool

Herald online
17 Nov, 2015 04:31 AM2 mins to read

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The Festival of Poker Main Event costs $2,300 to enter and tournament organisers are expecting between 150 and 200 players to turn. Photo / Thinkstock

The Festival of Poker Main Event costs $2,300 to enter and tournament organisers are expecting between 150 and 200 players to turn. Photo / Thinkstock

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New Zealand's top card sharks will flock to Auckland's Sky City casino tomorrow with eyes on the huge prize pool generated by the countries biggest poker tournament.

The Festival of Poker Main Event costs $2,300 to enter and tournament organisers are expecting between 150 and 200 players to turn up from all across Australasia.

Sky City are estimating the prize pool will reach $720,000 for the event, with seating available for up to 360 players.

The FOP Main Event has produced four Kiwi winners over the past six years with Daniel Craker ($257,040), World Series of Poker bracelet winner Simon Watt ($209,000), Danny 'Brotha D' Leaoasavaii ($170,000) and Geoff Smith ($80,502) all taking home small fortunes.

Last year Aussie Minh Nguyen outlasted a field of 224 players to pocket $111,600.

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Forty satellite winners have so far qualified to play in the Main Event and more are expected to win seats tonight.

Sky City have also added a $5,000 high roller event to this year's FOP schedule and tournament organisers are expecting between 20-30 players to front up for the event on Saturday night.

You can follow live updates of the tournament and results from all the FOP side events on Sky City's Poker Room page.

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