ParadisePoker.com to match own record for largest-ever free online poker tournament prize - $1 million

[Louis Cypher]

CP Rail worker and Ontario casino supervisor faceoff at ParadisePoker.com
free $1 million tournament

NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - Online poker players from around the globe
are competing in the world's richest free online poker tournament. Ten
ParadisePoker players will compete in a head-to-head final table in Nassau,
Bahamas on Sunday December 18.
The ten finalists are all amateurs who defeated thousands of competitors
to make it to the final table. They include a taxi driver, a self-proclaimed
"ski bum," a Vietnam vet and a railway conductor.
Two Canadians have made the final table. Shane Patreau is a casino
supervisor, currently on parental leave with his three children. Patreau has
never won a live tournament. Stephen Folusewych is a 26 year old conductor for
Canadian Pacific Railway. He has been playing poker for two years and
considers this tournament a highlight. "If I won the million dollars I would
like to retire," Folusewych said.
One finalist, John Medlin of Chicago, IL, qualified through sister
company Sportsbook.com, Paradise Poker's sports betting arm. Medlin currently
sits in 7th place in the standings but has his sights set on the top prize.
"The first thing I would do if I won would be to buy a house," said the father
of two.
"The response to our first Million Dollar Freeroll tournament was so
overwhelming that we had to do another one right away," said Bruce Stubbs,
Marketing Director, ParadisePoker.com. "We are proud to offer the only free
million dollar poker tournament in the world. Our players loved the first one,
so we'll continue the tournaments, and keep making millionaires."
Visions of what life would be like as a millionaire have entered all the
player's minds. Alan McFarlane of Massachusetts would like to set up his
grandchildren for college, Michael Grady of Lake Tahoe would divide his time
between the slopes and the surf, and British player Anthony Giles is looking
to lift the spirits of his children and win financial security for his family
after the loss of his wife this year.
Another player making the trip to the Bahamas, Stephen Fiske, has never
paid to play online poker on ParadisePoker.com. "This is a dream come true. I
saw the TV ad on ESPN and downloaded Paradise Poker. Next thing I know I'm
playing poker for one million dollars in Paradise! The best part is this has
been completely free. I haven't spent any money!"
The current chip leader is Santino Sgambelluri, a Naval Officer stationed
in Hawaii. Originally from Guam, the husband and father of two says this
tournament is the highlight of his card playing career. "If I won a million
dollars I would invest it wisely," he said.
ParadisePoker's FreeRoll tournament received extensive global profile
through an ESPN commercial campaign during the World Series of Poker this
fall, which drove hundreds of thousands of eager players to the site. For
information on Paradise Poker's next free entry million dollar tournament
please visit ParadisePoker.com.

The Final Table
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1st Santino Sgambelluri - Hawaii, U.S.A. $3,610,000
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2nd Ryan Boyes - Atlanta, Georgia $2,460,000
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3rd Shane Patreau - Kingston, Canada $1,680,000
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4th Stephen Folusewych - Canada $1,190,000
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5th Alan McFarlane - New England $836,083
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6th Antony Giles - Tonbridge, England $604,318
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7th John Medlin - Chicago, IL $508,087
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8th Kevin McCann - Belfast, Ireland $494,128
------------------------------------------------------------------
9th Stephen Fiske - Hamden, Connecticut $411,752
------------------------------------------------------------------
10th Michael Grady - Lake Tahoe, California $385,936
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About ParadisePoker.com (www.paradisepoker.com):

ParadisePoker.com is the world's Premier Online Poker Room offering the
safest and most secure entertaining environment for customers. Established in
1999, ParadisePoker.com joined forces with Sportingbet PLC in 2004, (LSE:
SBT). Sportingbet is headquartered in London, England and is the world's
largest publicly traded online betting, gambling and gaming company.