LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, the Epic Poker League awarded its first-ever Lifetime Card to legendary poker icon, Doyle Brunson.

Based on the success and longevity of Brunson’s career, in addition to his ambassadorship and many contributions to the sport of poker, the league granted him a Lifetime Membership, which guarantees his entrance into all future Epic Poker League events.

“Doyle Brunson epitomizes excellence and class in poker and we’re honored to award him with the league’s first lifetime membership,” said Annie Duke, commissioner of the Epic Poker League. “There is no better player or person to receive a Lifetime Card and we look forward to welcoming Doyle to many future Epic Poker events.”

Prior to the kickoff of the League’s third live tournament today at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, a special ceremony was held for Brunson where he received his Lifetime Membership, a special gold and sapphire ring and witnessed the unveiling of a commemorative pennant that will hang in the Epic Poker “Hall of Champions.”

“I gladly accept this lifetime membership card,” said Doyle Brunson. “Epic Poker is taking our game to the next level and I’m honored to be part of this league and think every player should support it.”

“It is humbling to be recognized as a pioneer in this incredible game and it has been my life-long passion to help take poker to the highest level possible,” added Brunson.

Epic Poker League players qualify for a Five-Year, Three-Year or Two-Year card. The length of each “card” term - otherwise known as the “exemption period” - is based on the player’s achievement level and the exemption period is the amount of time a qualifying player will be eligible to enter the Federated Sports + Gaming professional poker league tournaments before his or her status comes up for review.

The Epic Poker League Inaugural Season includes four rake-free $20,000 Main Events, each with $400,000 in added money, and a $1,000,000 freeroll Championship Event for the top 27 players in the League. To be eligible to compete, Main Event players must earn membership determined by a rigorous set of objective criteria http://www.epicpoker.com/events/league-documentation.aspx. A complete roster for players that have qualified for Season One of the league can be found on the Epic Poker website at: http://www.epicpoker.com/players/player-directory.aspx.

The four professional league Main Events feature different formats of No-Limit Texas Hold’em, including six-handed play and a special multi-format tournament. Each event week includes a Pro/Am Event, a Charity Event, and a $20,000 buy-in rake-free Main Event (http://www.epicpoker.com/events/tournament-landing.aspx).

2011-12 Epic Poker League Season One Tournament Schedule
		Pro/Am			Charity Event			League Main Event
Event #3		Dec. 10 - 13, 2011			Dec. 12, 2011			Dec. 14 - 18, 2011
Event #4		Jan. 27 - 30, 2012			Jan. 29, 2012			Feb. 9 - 12, 2012
Championship		----			----			Feb. 13 - 14, 2012

About Federated Sports + Gaming (FS+G)

FS+G is a leading poker entertainment company that serves players and fans through nationally televised events, interactive digital programming and social media gaming.

The company is breaking new ground in poker with the launch of the Epic Poker League - an exclusive tournament series designed to serve more than 200 of the world’s top live tournament players, as determined by a set of objective, analytically rigorous qualifying criteria. In its first year, the Epic Poker League is staging four $20,000 rake-free Main Events for its members and awarding to its champion a $1 million cash prize.

Through its ownership of Heartland Poker Tour (HPT), FS+G also serves poker players and fans across the United States. Built on a grass-roots strategy of “Real People, Unreal Money,” HPT provides poker enthusiasts across the country with a televised tournament experience that prides itself on affordable buy-ins. HPT has hosted more than 82,000 entrants, awarded more than $29 million in prize money, produced more than 170 hours of television content, and staged nearly 90 events since 2005.

FS+G has developed and made available for poker players and fans everywhere the Global Poker Index™(GPI©), a patent pending system to rank and track the weekly performance of the world’s top 300 live tournament poker players. The GPI is distributed weekly through www.globalpokerindex.com, published in both the print and online editions of USA TODAY, and through EpicPoker.com. For additional updates and features from Epic Poker, visit the Facebook page; follow along on Twitter @EpicPoker and play Epic Poker online, anytime, anywhere with the new Facebook game available now.

FS+G has offices in Los Angeles; Fargo, N.D.; and Washington, D.C. For tournament schedules and information please visit www.federatedinc.com, www.epicpoker.com, www.HPTpoker.com and www.globalpokerindex.com.

About Palms Casino Resort

Palms Casino Resort, heralded as one of Las Vegas’ hippest resorts, is an all-encompassing, one-stop destination. The boutique property boasts three distinct towers and a diverse mix of bars and restaurants across a 95,000-square-foot casino. Amenities include the legendary Playboy Club; Ghostbar; Rain Nightclub; The Pearl Concert Theater; Moon Nightclub; N9NE Steakhouse; Nove Italiano; Little Buddha; Simon Restaurant & Lounge; The Palms Pool & Bungalows; Palms Spa and AMP Salon; Drift Spa & Hammam; Brenden Theatres, a 14-theatre Cineplex; the Fantasy Suites, including the Hardwood Suite, the only hotel room in the world with its own basketball court; and over 60,000 square-feet of meeting space. The Palms has played host to MTV’s Video Music Awards, Real World: Las Vegas and Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown, and E!’s Girls Next Door feature the resort on a regular basis. Palms Casino Resort is located just west of the Las Vegas Strip and I-15 on Flamingo Road. For reservation information, call toll free at 866-PALMS-RES, 866-725-6773, or visit www.palms.com. For groups of 15 rooms or more, contact the Sales Department at 866-PALMS-MTG or 866-725-6768.

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Source: Federated Sports + Gaming