He’s an NFL legend, but can he play poker? PokerStars announced this week that four-time Super Bowl champion and FanDuel ambassador Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski is joining the Big Game on Tour TV show as part of the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) events planned for Resorts World Casino in Las Vegas in November.
The former New England Patriots tight end will be looking for good results at the poker table.
“I’m always up for a challenge, and diving into the world of poker is going to be an amazing new adventure for me,” he said. “I’m beyond excited to play alongside some of the best in the game and tackle the high-stakes action. Just like on the football field, I’ll be bringing my competitive edge and giving it everything I’ve got at the tables.”
Win A Seat In The ‘Big Game’
Along with Gronkowski, sports media personality Nick Wright will also be getting in The Big Game action. Wright is no stranger to poker, and has played at the World Series of Poker and also battled Phil Hellmuth heads-up as part of PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel.
“I’ve loved playing poker since my grandfather taught me, and playing in The Big Game, one of my all-time favorite poker shows, is truly a dream come true,” he said. “I can’t wait to be competing with some of the best players in the world – and Gronk. This is a bucket list moment for me, and I’m beyond excited to get to Vegas and get the cards in the air!”
PokerStars is allowing players a chance to grab a seat at the table alongside Gronkowski and Wright. Sister brand FanDuel has special NFL contests running for the first two weeks of the season that will see two winners grab North American Poker Tour Gold Passes. These prize packages allow winners to bypass the qualification phase of the Big Game on Tour and head straight to auditions, where they’ll have the chance to play against the celebrity pair at the Big Game table.
For the unique cash game format, one qualifier (known as the “Loose Cannon”) is bankrolled to play in a high-stakes cash game against some of poker’s best. Each session lasts for 150 hands, and the “Loose Cannon” gets to keep any profit made in the game.
The NAPT heads back to Las Vegas in November at Resorts World after returning to the U.S. last year. The series will include auditions and filming for the Big Game on Tour. Each Gold Pass is valued at $10,000 including a $5,300 buy-in for the NAPT Las Vegas main event, $1,800 in travel expenses for the pass winner and a companion, and $2,900 for hotel expenditures. PokerStars is promising even more promotions for players to win Gold Passes in the coming months via promotions held with both Gronkowski and Wright.