Online College Poker Championship launched

Life of Sports Inc. launched its successful University Poker Championship in the United Kingdom and throughout North America this week, partnering with Cake Poker.com in the United Kingdom and with Poker Stars.com in North America for the weekly free roll tournament format.

In Britain, the University Poker Championship (UPC) is open to any college or university student resident in the country. Participants will be competing for a grand prize that includes free tuition for one year and a seat at the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas in July 2008. The WSOP prize package is estimated at approximately US$12 000.

"This is the only tournament of its kind in the country where it's absolutely free to take part in the qualifiers and each student has a chance to win his/her tuition and seat in next summer's World Series of Poker in Las Vegas," said Lifeofsports Inc's Marketing Director Bob Classen.

Participants will compete in weekly free roll online tournaments with the top three finishers each week moving on to the finals in April.

The North American UPC is open to college or university students resident in Canada or the United States. The grand prize winner will receive free tuition along with a trip to Europe to play in a European Poker Tour event, a prize that includes the tournament buy-in for the EPT and travel expenses.

Poker Stars.com spokesperson Carly Sawers says: "We're excited to be involved in this event because it offers students an opportunity to further their education with the free tuition and also provides them with a chance to visit Europe and play in an event on the European Poker Tour."

The North American UPC is also a free roll style online tournament with participants competing each week. The top three players each week will advance to the finals in April.