UltimateBet’s Starlight Challenge
It may be best known as one of the online poker world’s best destinations, but UltimateBet has proven it has a heart to match its bankroll size by hosting a four-day poker extravaganza to benefit the Starlight Foundation. While UltimateBet pro Annie Duke is known for her philanthropic efforts, what makes this event stand out even more is the participation of “The Poker Brat,” Phil Hellmuth, who co-hosted and played in the $100,000 guaranteed tournament. The internationally-broadcast marathon took place November 14th-18th at the historic Gare Windsor in downtown Montreal.
“Ultimate Bet is thrilled to be involved in a tournament raising money for the Starlight Foundation,” said Ultimate Bet Cardroom Consultant Annie Duke before the tournament. “We’re happy to be part of this exciting charity poker event, and to help other community-minded poker players in Montreal better their game all for a great cause.”
Unlike many charity events, the money to be won at this tournament was enough to get almost every local poker pro in on the action and hundreds came in from out of town to participate in the event. A $500 buy-in gave each player a starting stack of 10,000 chips, or players could also choose to participate at the VIP level, in which they paid $750 for 20,000 chip stacks and an exclusive boot camp hosted by Hellmuth and Duke. The top ten players earned a seat at the final table that was played out live in Las Vegas.
The event was a success for more than one reason. While a lot of people had a lot of fun playing the game and one walked away with a hefty cash prize to call their own, the Starling Poker Challenge raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a worthy cause. The Starlight foundation works to bring together experts from pediatric health care, technology and entertainment to create programs that educate, entertain and inspire seriously ill children. Whether it’s finding friends online, learning more about a disease, or just spending time together as a family, Starlight’s programs help children and families cope with the challenges they face daily.
