Showdown Poker Tour seats available at BetfairPoker

Betfair Poker is offering online satellites to the Showdown Poker Tour at the Casino de Montreux on February 1st. Satellites cost from as little as $8.80, giving players the chance to win a $9,000 package to the event. This includes the €5,550 to enter plus $1,750 to cover flights, accommodation and spending money. Seats are limited to 100 players. The event is expected to attract some of Europe's top poker pros looking for smaller fields and a "player-friendly" structure close to home, Betfair says. "The ski slopes are nearby," says Betfair's Head of Poker Ben Fried, "so the on-tilt players may find themselves off-piste if they make an early exit." The original Casino de Montreux was burnt to the ground in 1971 following a Frank Zappa and the Mothers concert - a fan's flare gun was to blame. A member of Deep Purple was present at the fire which inspired the band's international hit "Smoke on the Water". The casino was reopened in 1975. Qualification routes at BetfairPoker Level 1 Satellites Daily Turbo satellites ($8 + $0.80) held at 1:10pm, 4:10pm and 6:10pm (GMT). These feed into the daily Level 2 satellite. There is one place up for grabs for every 5.5 players in the Level 1 satellite. Level 2 Satellites Daily Turbo satellite ($40 + $4) held at 7:55pm (GMT). This feeds into the weekly satellite final where a full $9,000 package is guaranteed. There is one final seat for every 8 players. Satellite FinalWeekly satellite final every Thursday ($300 + $20) at 9:30pm (GMT)