New Horseshoe Casino Nears World Series of Poker(R) Circuit Event Entry Record

CHICAGO, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The new 500 million-dollar Horseshoe casino, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago, today announced an impressive number of entrants at today's high-stakes action of the World Series of Poker(R) circuit event. The first No-Limit Hold 'em $345 buy-in circuit event drew 1,187 entries.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081024/AQF538)

The 1,187 entrants neared the record set by Horseshoe Tunica casino in 2006 which drew 1,345.

Guests were staked outside The Venue waiting well before the official registration that began at 9:00 AM CT. 78 poker tables were quickly filled with guests inside the The Venue, Horseshoe's state-of-the-art entertainment center. Horseshoe staff promptly accommodated the overflow of participants in their poker room seating 22 extra tables.

"We couldn't have asked for a better turnout for Chicagoland's first-ever World Series of Poker(R) circuit event," said Rick Mazer, Indiana Regional President and General Manager, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., "We are absolutely thrilled."

World Series of Poker(R) at Horseshoe has a total of thirteen tournament events, with buy-ins ranging from $300 up to $5,000 for the no-limit Hold 'em finale. The winner of the $5,000 championship will win cash plus a seat to the World Series of Poker(R) Main Event, valued at $10,000, at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in summer 2009.

Horseshoe Casino's World Series of Poker(R) Circuit event schedule follows:

    -- Friday, October 24
       Event No. 1: Noon-$345 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Saturday, October 25
       Event No. 2: Noon-$555 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Sunday, October 26
       Event No. 3: Noon-$1,100 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
       Event No. 4: 3 PM-$235 Ladies Event (1 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Monday, October 27
       Event No. 5: Noon-$555 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
       Event No. 6: 3:00 PM-$235 PLO with $100 rebuys (1 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Tuesday, October 28
       Event No. 7: Noon-$775 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
       Event No. 8: 3:00 PM-$345 H.O.R.S.E. (2 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Wednesday, October 29
       Event No. 9: Noon-$2,100 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
       Event No. 10: 3:00 PM-$345 Omaha-8 (2 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Thursday, October 30
            Noon-$555 Mega
            3:00 PM-$555 Mega
            7:00 PM-$555 Mega
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournament

    -- Friday, October 31
       Event No. 11: Noon-$5,150 No-Limit Hold 'em (3 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Saturday, November 1
       Event No. 12: Noon-$555 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
            7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
            9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

    -- Sunday, November 2
       Event No. 13: Noon-$345 No-Limit Hold 'em (1 day)
            Time TBA-Main Event Final Table

ABOUT THE WSOP

The World Series of Poker(R) (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker's longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2008, the event attracted more than 58,000 entrants from 124 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and awarded more than $180 million in prize money as players competed for game's most coveted trophy, a WSOP bracelet. Harrah's License Company, LLC., an affiliate of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., has owned and operated the WSOP since 2004 and over the last five years, fostered an increase in player participation by nearly 300-percent. In addition, the WSOP has experienced groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker Europe. For more information on the WSOP, please visit http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

ABOUT HARRAH'S ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, nearly 70 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The company's properties operate primarily under the Harrah's, Caesars and Horseshoe brand names; Harrah's also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. For more information, please visit: http://www.harrahs.com.

Know when to stop before you start.(R) Gambling problem? Call 1.800.9.WITH.IT. (C)2008 Harrah's License Company, LLC.