Below is the PR announcement about the WSOP-Europe schedule. As many know, I’m not too hot these days on just posting press releases (without handsome pay) … but beyond the typically easy-to-cut-and-paste keywords these often contain, this mass-mailed announcement  has a bunch of stuff in it that I figure I might personally want to look at down the line.

Specifically, what jumped out was:

No Betfair. Nothing scandalous or controversial here. Harrah’s and Betfair simply finished out their three-year contract (’07-’09). Pokerati lost its deal with Betfair, too, around the same time. Bummer, but all good. The peeps we worked with at Betfair were some of the finest we’ve encountered in the industry … and we were happy to create the “WSOP World Standings” with them — a year before anyone else — even though it inevitably would get co-opted WSOP.com. (Just meant less work for me!) Harrah’s reports a similarly pleasant and positive relationship. Suppose all Betfair’s absence really means is that we might be seeing fewer emails about a Queen made of Legos or Buckingham Palaces of cards.

Online satellites / WSOP.com. Hmm, you’d think this might be the most important component — the first ever official online satellites for WSOP bracelet events on WSOP.com — but I almost missed it down in paragraf #10:

For the first time since WSOPE was formed, real money poker is available online to UK residents at WSOP.com.  Unique and exciting offers will be tied to WSOP Europe participation for UK residents including satellites.  If you are a UK resident, check out WSOP.com for the latest details on how to qualify for the 2010 WSOP Europe.

I guess it only makes sense now, why the new HIE wouldn’t try to extend a relationship with one of their most cooperative, non-litigious table-felt sponsors … at a time when any additional sponsorship money might seem extra-desirable. I suppose there’s only so much space around the final table with Harrah’s self-sponsoring this year — with WSOP-E officially presented by WSOP.com, CaesarsCasino.com, and CaesarsBingo.com.

Those are the real “sponsors” in London this year; Harrah’s officials told me as much  — even though we haven’t yet gotten press releases championing the landmark signage possibilities.

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The WSOP Europe schedule has been announced and will again be held in London, which is in Europe, by some strange coincidence.

If you’re not WSOP’ed up and out, or even if you are but can allow two months heal your wounds, the WSOPE will begin on September 19th with four (count ’em…four) events as follows:

Event 1 – Sept. 19th – 1500 Euro No-Limit Hold’em (3 days)
Event 2 – Sept. 22nd – 2500 Euro H.O.R.S.E. (3 days)
Event 3 – Sept. 24th – 5000 Euro Pot-Limit Omaha (3 days)
Event 4 – Sept. 27th – 10,000 Euro World Championship No-Limit Hold’em (5 days)

All of the above will be bracelet events held at the London Clubs International, and five additional non-bracelet events will be scheduled and announced at a later date.

For the sake of trademarks, the importance of which is pointed out by Wicked Chops, it should be noted that the WSOPE is officially the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe(sm) Presented by Betfair.com.

Mark your calendars before the dollar goes even lower against European currencies … WSOP-Europe 2008 is set for September 19-October 1. Click below for further details and the full press release:

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