In compliance with US law, the Poker Room is completely free-to-play and offers players the chance to win cash, prizes, NBC Sports gear and a Grand prize package that includes a seat and us$ 20,000 buy-in to the 2010 Heads-Up Poker Championships (NHPC).
Poker Productions, which provides executive production services for the Heads-Up Poker Championships, Poker After Dark and Face The Ace, has selected Zen Gaming to manage the promotion, development and administration of the site. Zen Gaming is the parent company of the National League of Poker, one of America’s leading prize-based free-to-play online poker destinations.
"Poker has been a growth area in our broadcast schedule over the last few years, and we have always sought to bring a complimentary online component to our audience," said Jon Miller of NBC Sports. "We feel we have brought a new level of engagement opportunity to our online audience by providing them an opportunity to enjoy free poker, connect with our on-air programming and interactively engage with our sponsors and advertisers."
"We are happy to add NBC Sports as a partner," added Mark Brown, CEO of Zen Gaming. "Our team will provide all the logistical support for the promotion, including site development, hosting and tournament overview and administration. We look forward to bringing NBCSports.com, its advertisers, sponsors and, of course, its online constituency an immersive and compelling online contest."
The new poker room is open to players aged 21 years or older and promises non-stop poker action with single and multi-table Texas Hold'em tournaments starting every half-hour. Over the next nine months, registered users will compete each month for a seat at a final event to be held on February 15th, 2010. The winner of that online final table will win the Grand Prize package and a seat at the NHPC to be held at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in March 2010.