Poker for a Cause - How to Organize Your Own Charity Poker Event

Poker for a Cause

How to Organize Your Own Charity Poker Event

Poker, which started out as a form of gambling, was soon considered a mind sport. The International Federation of Poker (IFP) became part of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) in 2010. Since then, poker players have learned to play this game not for money, but for the gold. In the recent Mind Sports Olympiad held at the University of London Union, Michael Dixon of England, won the Amateur Poker World Championship.

Despite the fact that most poker players get into the game because of the money and the title, there are still some who are willing to play for charity. The poker market in the United States is worth approximately two billion US dollars, which makes it a perfect avenue to raise funds. One of the most successful poker charity events in the world was the Cannes Charity Poker Festival held in 2008. The star-studded event was participated by some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Edward Norton, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Hopper, Adrien Brody, Salma Hayek, and Tim Robbins. Also present at the charity event was 2006 WSOP Main Event winner and TV producer Jamie Gold. These celebrities competed for one million US dollars, which they will donate to charity.

Planning a charity poker event can also be achieved by anyone. Read below for some tips on how you can achieve a successful charity poker festival:

Know the Game

To be able to organize an event, it is important that you are aware of how the game goes. Attending various poker tournaments such as the World Poker Tournament and World Series of Poker can give you an idea of how each competition is held. You can even talk to the organizers so that you will know how to approach your own event.

Get Sponsors

Finding a sponsor for a poker charity event is easy because there are many companies who are willing to get involved in events that have a good purpose. Instead of renting a space, you can ask sponsorship from the country’s premiere casinos such as Harrah’s and Caesars Palace so you can hold your event there for free. Getting high-profile personalities for your charity poker event can attract more attendees so make a list of celebrities who knows how to play poker as well as famous poker players so you can send them an invitation to take part in your event.

Social Networking

Once you’ve finalized your charity poker event, you can now spread the word through PartyPoker’s Twitter, CardsChat’s Forums, and PokerNews. These websites have a large follower of poker players, which increases your chance of having a high attendance for your event. It is important to create a buzz months before the actual event so you can get people to talk about it and create a hype.