Ante Up for Africa Charity Poker Tournament raises $362k

A host of A-list celebrities, professional athletes, and poker superstars battled it out at the WSOP’s Ante Up for Africa tournament -where ½ of the players’ prize money would be donated to the ENOUGH Project and International Rescue Committee.

Ante Up for Africa co-founder/professional poker player/Celebrity Apprentice runner-up Annie Duke was more excited about the potential exposure the charity will receive when the tournament is broadcast on ESPN (one of four WSOP tournaments that will hit the airwaves). Duke told reporters: “I knew how effective poker was as a fundraising tool. However, you can throw as much money at a problem as you want, but ESPN will help get awareness of things going on.”

Many of the celebrities and athletes who took part in the tournament are well known poker aficionados, so what better way to support a great cause than by doing something you love.

The Ante Up for Africa tournament drew a field of 137 entrants, each willing to put-down the $5,000 entrant’s fee. The Poker Pros were out in force including Main Event champions Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Greg Raymer, and Peter Eastgate; along with poker greats Erik Seidel, Phil Gordon, Jen Harman, Tiffany Michelle, Andy Bloch, and Victor Ramdin (Ramdin donates ¼ of his winnings to charity, and is very active in charity work in his native Guyana).

On the entertainment side were WSOP staples Jason Alexander, Brad Garrett, Jennifer Tilly (a WSOP bracelet holder in her own right), Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, rapper Nelly, Sarah Silverman, Dean Cain, Cedric “The Entertainer”, and Montel Williams.

The contingent of athletes was no less impressive: Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson, Kenny Smith, and Herschel Walker.

The Poker Pros proved their dominance by practically sweeping the prize money, including Seidel, Ferguson, and Gordon finishing 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th respectively. Poker pro Alex Bolotin, was able to work his way through the star-studded field to take down the title, and the bragging rights of having donated the most money from the event. Below is the top 10 finishers in the event.

1. Alex Bolotin - $176,449

2. Adam Richardson - $109,194

3. Rafe Furst - $72,308

4. Erik Seidel - $51,601

5. Chris Ferguson - $38,550

6. Phil Gordon - $30,760

7. John Hennigan - $25,900

8. Matt Kay - $22,970

9. Jennifer Harman - $21,439

10. Phillip Tom - $15,713

The players were able to raise over $360,000 for the worthwhile charity, but the real measure of the events success will come when the episode airs on ESPN.