The World Poker Tour has announced details for the first two events of its new charity-based partnership with One Drop Foundation, the global clean-water initiative founded by Cirque du Soleil creator and poker enthusiast Guy Laliberte. This July, as part of the Wynn Summer Classic, the WPT will offer a pair of One Drop-benefiting events.
The first WPT / One Drop Foundation event begins on July 9 and will be a major component of the Wynn Summer Classic. Called the WPT EveryOne for One Drop, the $10,500 buy-in tourney will include three separate starting days, offer a $10 million prize-pool guarantee, and run through July 14. The tourney's final table will be live-streamed.
The same day the EveryOne for One Drop event ends, the WPT Alpha 8 for One Drop begins. This is a three-day, high-roller event with a $111,000 buy-in. Days 2 and 3 of Alpha 8 will also be live-streamed. The event also marks the return of the WPT's recently dormant Alpha 8 brand.
“We are proud to once again pair up with Wynn Las Vegas as the host venue for our maiden WPT EveryOne for One Drop event, and the return of Alpha 8, during the Wynn Summer Classic,” said the WPT's CEO, Adam Pliska. “It is remarkable how quickly these events came together, but not surprising given One Drop’s worthy charitable cause of ensuring sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene to communities around the world.”
“We are excited to put on our first-ever One Drop Foundation events in partnership with WPT and the WPT Foundation,” added One Drop Foundation's Chief Marketing and Events Officer. Alexandre Meunier. “It is a pleasure to be hosted at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas. We thank them for their hospitality and support in advancing our global mission.” Meunier also spoke at length with PokerOrg's Terrance Reid about One Drop's new partnership with the WPT.
The One Drop Foundation, created in 2007 by Laliberte, has been an important component poker-world charity efforts since 2011. The foundation's ongoing aim is to aim ensure sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for communities facing extreme barriers to clean-wtaer access. One Drop Foundation raises funding and furthers its global work through "innovative partnerships, creativity and the power of art." The organization has launched major clean-water projects on four different continents to date.
Featured image source: Wynn Las Vegas
