Hemophilia Charity Offers World Series of Poker Tournament Entry at 2006 Game Night

Gamblers at the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) 2006 Game Night will have a chance to win a seat to a World Series of Poker event, but the real winners will be people who suffer from hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.

Game Night 2006 is set to take place Tuesday, April 4th at the ESPN Zone in Times Square, New York. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. and includes a Casino City sponsored WSOP entry poker tournament, casino games, and a silent auction.

All proceeds will benefit the NHF, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for people with bleeding and clotting disorders.

General admission for the event is $75 and the buy-in for the 80-person No Limit Texas Hold'em Tournament is set at $1000. The NHF expects to sell more than 350 tickets to 2006 Game Night with nearly half that number already sold.

"We held an event like this a few years ago, but one of the main sponsors was affected greatly by the attacks on September 11th and we took a break," NHF Development Manager of Special Events Paul Kelly said. "We decided to bring it back this year and so far the response has been excellent."

The NHF chose the ESPN Zone for this function because of the venue's appeal and location. Citing a need to raise as much money and awareness for their important cause as possible, NHF Vice President of Marketing and Communication Suzy Zimmerman said holding the event at a popular facility in the middle of Manhattan will allow for a maximum number of participants.

"Certainly this is a chance for people to have a good time and make a difference," Zimmerman said. "Between the gaming, the poker tournament, and the simulated sports arcade, there is something for everyone."

Established in 1948, the National Hemophilia Foundation operates in various chapters all around the country. Their programs and initiatives are funded through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations as well as through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to their Web site.

Hemophilia may be the most well known of the blood disorders with an estimated 400,000 people affected worldwide. There is no cure for hemophilia and although treatments exist, the NHF reports these treatments are costly and may require lifelong infusions of replacement clotting factor just to maintain normal life activities.

The NHF also works with many other abnormal blood clotting disorders that affect hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. According to the NHF, all of these diseases require more research to find effective ways to manage and fix the problems.

Although the event is run so that people can have a good time in one of the most well known venues in New York, Zimmerman said the primary goal is raising money to find cures and help prevent a costly and often painful disease.

The event's $75 general admission ticket comes with $250 worth of chips for participants to play blackjack, craps, poker, slots, roulette, and other table games. The top three chip leaders at the end of the night will be eligible for prizes including a stay at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

For sports fans, games inside ESPN's Sports Arena will be open. The Sports Arena includes simulated sporting events like football, golf, and boxing.

The night's largest non-gaming event will be the silent auction, where highest bidders can purchase autographed sports memorabilia signed by sports stars such as Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter, and Yogi Berra.

All guests will be treated to catered food and there is an open bar for patrons over 21-years old. However, the night's most anticipated attraction will be the No Limit Texas Hold'Em tournament where players will vie for an entry into a 2006 World Series of Poker event.

The Casino City sponsored WSOP prize package includes airfare for two, a three-night stay at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel, a seat in the June 27th WSOP Event # 2 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, dinner for two, and $1,000 spending cash.

"We are excited that our passion for poker is furthering such a worthy cause," President and CEO of Casino City Michael Corfman said. "We look forward to hearing about the success of this worthwhile night."

Top finishers at the 2006 Game Night will receive one of several donated prize packages, including: a trip for two to stay at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, a private poker party for 10, one of six slot machines donated by Grandview Products (Sufferin, NY) and other prizes yet to be determined.

For more information on the event or to purchase tickets, interested parties can go to www.hemophilia.org/gamenight or contact Paul Kelly at (212) 328-3711.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Registration for the poker tournament is first come first serve and is not part of the $75 general admission. To ensure an entry into the tournament, Kelly urges players to sign-up as soon as possible.