CBS Sports Network Expands Poker Programming with World Poker Tour Events

Poker fans, it’s time to celebrate! CBS Sports Network has announced a new broadcasting agreement with the World Poker Tour (WPT), bringing more WPT action directly to your screen. Through this multi-year deal, CBS will air both upcoming and select past WPT events, beginning with an edited version of WPT’s Season XXI, alongside other iconic tournaments. The move marks an exciting expansion for WPT’s audience and a huge win for poker fans nationwide.

CBS Sports is no newcomer to poker, having showcased the World Series of Poker (WSOP) since 2021. With this new agreement, poker enthusiasts can look forward to CBS airing all of WPT’s premier events, starting this month. First on the schedule is the 2023 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship, where Josh Reichard triumphed with his first WPT title and a prize of $839,300.

What the Deal Means for Poker Fans

CBS Sports Network partnership opens doors for even more poker programming on television, allowing fans to experience the drama, strategy, and high-stakes thrills of WPT tournaments from home. CBS now joins the ranks of select broadcasters, like Bally Sports and BT Sports, which already televise WPT events.

CBS’s decision to feature WPT’s top tournaments gives American audiences a closer view of poker’s growing appeal. Alongside these broadcasts, fans can still access past WPT series on the app WatchWPT, which holds a rich archive of 150 episodes, bringing a taste of WPT’s global poker phenomenon to everyone’s fingertips.

The WPT Legacy and Its Global Reach

Founded in 2002, WPT has become one of poker’s most respected brands, with its flagship event, the WPT Main Tour, being a particular highlight. The Main Tour champions receive the prestigious WPT Champions Club trophy, a highly sought-after honor within the poker community.

WPT’s footprint extends to over 150 countries through televised broadcasts, making this CBS partnership another chapter in its story of growth and innovation. The current WPT season, featuring events like the WPT World Championship and the ClubWPT Gold $5 Million Invitational Freeroll, promises even more high-stakes action for poker lovers.

This collaboration is an exciting step forward for both CBS and WPT, as poker’s popularity in the United States continues to soar. With CBS’s expanded poker lineup, viewers can now witness the intensity of top WPT tournaments on a platform designed to bring fans closer to the game.