Harrah’s Ak-Chin to Hold Charity Tourney

Super Bowl weekend need not be limited to football.  At Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino in Phoenix, Arizona, the Super Bowl festivities kick off on Friday, February 1 with the 2008 Poker Celebrity Bowl.  Hosted by Major League Baseball shortstop Royce Clayton, a portion of the prize pool will go to benefit his Royce Clayton Family Foundation. 

The buy-in is $1,000 and there will be $200 re-buys.  Limited to 240 players, the winner will receive 28 percent of the prize pool plus a seat at the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event.  All told, the top ten finishers will make the money. 

Joining Royce Clayton at the event will be Philadelphia Phillies slugger, Geoff Jenkins, outfielder Luis Gonzalez, 2008 MLB National League MVP Jimmy Rollins, and NBA Hall of Famer Bob Lanier.  Poker pros Annie Duke, Jamie Gold, Chris Ferguson, and Robert Williamson III will be playing, as will talk show host Montel Williams and Sex and the City’s William Garson. 

Half of the prize pool will go to the Foundation, which works to help homeless children and battered women, provides athletic opportunities for minority children, and raises awareness for sickle cell anemia.