World Poker Tour (2003)

As the name suggests, the World Poker Tour features not just a single event, but a collection of prestigious tournaments played in top casinos and card rooms across the globe, including the glamorous Bellagio in Las Vegas and the Aviation Club de France in Paris.It all leads up to the WPT Championship finale where the “survivor” walks away with more than $1 million. But that’s just a fraction of the money up for grabs over the course of the series. In March 2005 the WPT hit a $100 Million Milestone in money awarded in tournaments to participants that ranged from seasoned pros to college students.The WPT widened the television audience for poker by injecting cutting-edge television production values into the dramatic world of high-stakes, upscale, tournament poker. With its innovative WPT cams revealing the player’s hole cards and take no-prisoners brand of poker action, the WPT ignited the world’s poker phenomenon. Making viewers feel as if they were sitting in the seat making the million-dollar decisionBy projecting poker's true image--a stylish and exhilarating sport combining cunning, skill, and nerve-the WPT has revolutionized televised poker and created a mainstream sports sensation. The show rapidly became the highest rated show in the history of the Travel Channel. In the U.S., it airs every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Travel Channel and is also viewed in more than 100 countries worldwide.