The new 500 million-dollar Horseshoe Casino, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago, today announced an impressive final number of female entrants at this past Sunday's high-stakes action of the World Series of Poker® circuit event. The third No-Limit Hold 'em $200 buy-in circuit event drew 227 entrants who generated a prize pool of $44,038.

"No other ladies event in the world gives the women this much play, but we wanted to treat them equally with the men," noted Horseshoe's WSOP tournament director Charlie Ceresi. Praise continued from the women as well; "I loved the structure and starting chips and the 40-minute rounds," said Kelley "Sandy Cheeks" Kiser who won a ladies WSOP circuit event at Horseshoe Southern Indiana last April. "And the staff bent over backwards for us: they were fabulous."

The competition was one to rival the men; as a result of the deep stacks along with tight play, the women didn't get down to 10 players until 5:00 a.m., and it was decided to bring everyone back the next day at 4:00 p.m., rather than try to play through as originally scheduled. "This was a blast," chimed in Carol Jacobson from Whiting, Indiana. "I never had so much fun."

"We hoped our Chicagoland's first-ever World Series of Poker® ladies circuit event would be successful," said Rick Mazer, Indiana Regional President and General Manager, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. "We are so pleased with the tremendous response. The ladies demonstrated such enthusiasm and high-energy."

World Series of Poker® at Horseshoe has a total of thirteen tournament events, with buy-ins ranging from $300 up to $5,000 for the no-limit Hold 'em finale. The winner of the $5,000 championship will win cash plus a seat to the World Series of Poker® Main Event, valued at $10,000, at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in summer 2009.

Horseshoe Casino's World Series of Poker® circuit event schedule follows:

Friday, October 24
Event No. 1: Noon-$345 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Saturday, October 25
Event No. 2: Noon-$555 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Sunday, October 26
Event No. 3: Noon-$1,100 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
Event No. 4: 3:00 PM-$235 Ladies Event (1 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Monday, October 27
Event No. 5: Noon-$555 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
Event No. 6: 3:00 PM-$235 PLO with $100 rebuys (1 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Tuesday, October 28
Event No. 7: Noon-$775 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
Event No. 8: 3:00 PM-$345 H.O.R.S.E. (2 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Wednesday, October 29
Event No. 9: Noon-$2,100 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
Event No. 10: 3:00 PM-$345 Omaha-8 (2 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Thursday, October 30
Noon-$555 Mega
3:00 PM-$555 Mega
7:00 PM-$555 Mega
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournament

Friday, October 31
Event No. 11: Noon-$5,150 No-Limit Hold 'em (3 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Saturday, November 1
Event No. 12: Noon-$555 No-Limit Hold 'em (2 day)
7:00 PM-$235 2nd Chance No-Limit Hold 'em Tournaments
9:00 PM-$120 Turbo Tournaments

Sunday, November 2
Event No. 13: Noon-$345 No-Limit Hold 'em (1 day)
Time TBA-Main Event Final Table