London, UK (May 9, 2005) – The upcoming and inaugural Big Stakes Match Play Golf tournament has attracted several high-profile, professional athletes – all of which will be competing for the largest pay check in the history of golf ($3 million). The tournament is open to non-touring professionals and the entry fee is $50,000 per person or $100,000 per team.
Some of the former and current athletes competing in the event include:
– Rick Rhoden, former MLB pitcher
– Billy Joe Tolliver, former NFL player
– Pierre Larouche, former NHL player
– Chris Mohr, current NFL player
– Dan Quinn, former NHL player
‘Golf has an incredible lure to professional athletes and always has. Everyone knows that stars like Michael Jordan, John Smoltz and Dan Marino are very good golfers. At Big Stakes we will see professional athletes who excel at golf,’ says Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com. ‘Golf is not just a pastime for these guys, they are tremendous golfers looking to showcase their skills and win the largest payout in golf history.’
Other high-profile players worth noting include Robert Floyd (son of the hall of fame golfer Ray Floyd) and Chan Reeves (nephew of NFL head coach Dan Reeves.)
Sportsbook.com is the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Big Stakes Match Play Golf competition. The partnership between Sportsbook.com and Big Stakes reflects the growing popularity of golf wagering on the sport of golf in North America. According to Sportsbook.com, online gambling on golf has increased nearly 80 per cent in the past three years.
The 2005 Big Stakes Match Play Golf Competition will be held at the CasaBlanca Resort & Casino in Mesquite, Nevada from May 11-16. It will be aired on The Golf Channel from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., May 30 to June 1.
About Sportsbook.com
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