World Poker Tour

September 2001 was the beginning with Steve Lipscomb’s initial business plan. His aim was to reinvent poker into an action-packed, televised sport that included both the layman and the professional player as spectators.  The basis for his brainchild WPT was the path-breaking concept of using 16 different cameras later infamous as WPT-cams, by which viewers got to see not just the player’s cards but the position and strategy as well.

Despite broadcast of final table poker being nothing new, this development was unprecedented as it recreated the magic and excitement surrounding the final table in a major poker tournament.

With his aims and ideas clearly established, Lipscomb sought out Lyle Berman, a renowned name in poker both as investor and player for his influence in creating opportunities for the WPT.

2002 was the year the World Poker Tour entered a joint venture with The Lakes Entertainment Inc. Lyle Berman the founder cum CEO of the Minnesota-based company is a Hall of Fame poker player apart from being a success story in business as well.

Spring 2002 witnessed Lipscomb’s team enter into discreet deals with 12 leading poker tournaments of high-stakes, hosted by major casinos and online poker rooms across the globe. They were accorded the status of charter members under the WPT. All the action was captured on 13 cameras that included WPT-Cams showing players’ hole cards, touring the world.

In 2003, increasing demand for new programming led WPT to add special programming ahead of the launch of Season II with WPT Ladies Night. With six prominent ladies, it went on air in December 10, 2003 and created a new record for all-time high ratings for the World Poker Tour on Travel Channel.

With the World Poker Tour, the game was transformed into a sporting event attracting all ages, both genders and all nationalities. Poker got a new lease of life raising competition to new heights. The WPT Walk of Fame at Commerce Casino was set up to celebrate stalwarts of the game, the first among them being Doyle ‘Texas Dolly’ Brunson, Gus Hansen and James Garner.

In 2004 the total WPT Championship prize pool exceeded 8 million dollars with over 2.7 million as the top prize, a new record for top prize winnings for any poker or sporting event in North America.