LAS VEGAS – May 19, 2008 – While poker continues to grow worldwide, one of the biggest areas of growth is coming from female participation.

Thus, the anticipation for this year’s World Series of Poker® female-only event, the $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em World Championship is greater than ever before.  The event last year had a record 1,286 entrants, more than 10 times the 112 entrants just five years ago. 

A star-studded lineup of celebrities and poker professionals have committed to play in this year’s event, slated as a 3-day tournament beginning at 12 noon on Sunday, June 8, 2008 at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino® in Las Vegas.  Among the scheduled participants and current members of the Queen of Hearts team for 2008 are: 

Celebrities:                                                                Poker Professionals

Joely Fisher                                                             Shawnee Barton

Teri Hatcher                                                             Sally Ann Boyer (defending champion)

Cheryl Hines                                                            Pamela Brunson

Camryn Manheim                                                   Barbara Enright (two-time winner of this event)

Mindy McCready                                                    Maureen Feduniak

Mimi Rogers (team co-captain)                             Clonie Gowen

Jackie Collins (honorary captain)                         Susie Isaacs (two-time winner of this event)

                                                                                    Linda Johnson

                                                                                    Mary Jones (2006 champion)

With an estimated $1 million plus in the prize pool and a coveted gold bracelet up for grabs, the level of competition is expected to be the toughest yet.

“This event has grown remarkably over the last five years and is now one of the most anticipated events of the 55-event World Series of Poker,” said Jeffrey Pollack, World Series of Poker commissioner.  “With leadership from the Queens of Heart for the third year in a row, we’re confident the atmosphere and play will be fun and exciting.” 

All celebrity players and poker professionals making a donation to the Nevada Cancer Institute, the official charity of the World Series of Poker, join the Queens of Heart Team, a special group of women participating in this event who formed to help raise awareness and funds for good causes.

Lisa Tenner, the renowned marketing and branding guru is the founder and co-captain of the Queens of Heart team, now entering its third year tied to the World Series of Poker, and through her efforts more than $10,000 has already been provided to Nevada Cancer Institute from this year’s team members.  Celebrity author Jackie Collins will not play in the tournament, but serve as the honorary captain and be on hand to officially start the event.

The 39th annual World Series of Poker will take place from May 30th to July 14th at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  The Main Event will begin on July 3rd, with the Final Table being determined on July 14th. The nine players who advance to the Final Table will return to the Rio on November 9th to play down to just two players.   The final two, will go head-to-head late in the evening on November 10th to determine the champion and winner of poker’s ultimate prize.

ABOUT THE WSOP

The World Series of Poker (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 2007, the event attracted more than 54,000 entrants from 87 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and awarded just under $160 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 four 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 World Series of Poker, please visit our website at 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, more than 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 and the World Series of Poker®. 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 www.harrahs.com.

ABOUT NEVADA CANCER INSTITUTE

Nevada Cancer Institute (NVCI) is the official cancer institute for the State of Nevada. A nonprofit organization, NVCI is committed to reducing the burden of cancer by pursuing the development of a comprehensive cancer research institute, as defined by the National Cancer Institute. Through the knowledge and expertise of the finest scientists, clinicians, educators and caregivers, the Institute provides hope to communities in Nevada, the southwest and beyond through research, education, early detection, prevention and high quality patient care. NVCI is striving for a future without cancer that is achieved through initiated and collaborative research in basic, clinical and population science. For more information, please visit www.nevadacancerinstitute.org or call (702) 822-LIFE.

ABOUT THE QUEENS OF HEART

Co-founded in 2006 by Lisa Tenner and R. Parasol, this has been the Ladies Charitable signature event for Harrah's World Series of Poker. Contributions have been given to support Nevada Cancer Institute and The American Heart Association. The Queens of Heart team competes during the Ladies No Limit Championship event, in order to raise awareness and contributions for women’s health issues.

ABOUT TENNER & ASSOCIATES, INC.

Tenner and Associates specializes in BAM! – “Branding and Marketing – with Impact!” The company creates “BUZZ” and “BUSINESS” through signature events, entertainment and hands-on consumer interactive sponsorship programs designed to sell or build affinity. Tenner and Associates has successfully married the worlds of music, entertainment, sports, pop culture, media and tourism for her clients, which include The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Paris Hotel and Casino, Jeep, VH1, The PartyPoker Million, Elle Magazine, Card Player Cruises ad The Queens of Heart for WSOP. For more information on Tenner and Associates, go to www.tennerandassoc.com or call (702) 792-9430.

www.worldseriesofpoker.com

Andrea Kunicky

Associate Account Executive

Maroon PR

11055 Stratfield Court

Marriottsville, MD 21104

Tel: 410.442.1221

Cell: 410.456.7552

Fax: 410.442.1227

www.MaroonPR.com