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ONLINE POKER - THE £15 BILLION DOT.COM SUCCESS STORY
Ladbrokespoker.com report reveals explosion in Poker playing

The UK online Poker industry is bracing itself for a bright 2004 as 2.9 million adults express an interest in playing online according to the Poker Britain Report, released by Ladbrokespoker.com, Europe's Busiest Poker website.  

In the past year, the Poker has had a massive resurgence with tournaments shown on TV and the Internet allowing people to play from the comfort of their own home.  In January 2003, there was £6m being staked, globally, online daily, it's now £40m being wagered every 24 hours with similar growth patterns expected next year.

The Poker Britain Report, with independent research from ICM and Poker Pulse, examines, for the first time, who is playing, who is winning, how high the stakes are and why we're becoming gripped by the game online:

· 90% of all play is with the 'Big Five' operators, of which Ladbrokes is the only European member - the rest are US sites
· Bright, young, net savvy students are gripped by the game
· TV Poker tournaments are building interest and a long list of Celebrity players such as Ben Affleck and Robbie Williams are adding glamour

The opportunity to bring Poker to the front room has given rise to a new breed of online 'rookies' who are challenging the world of professional Poker playing. Only last year, an online qualifier, aptly named Chris Moneymaker, won the World Series of Poker and $2.3m having qualified online via a $40 event. 

Albert Tapper, Ladbrokes Poker spokesman, commented:  "TV coverage and Internet technology combined to grow online Poker six fold in 2003.  For the first time, Poker isn't a closed shop.  Anyone can play it anytime, from the comfort of the living room.  With so many players coming online - both good and bad - the game has a new energy.  A whole new online Poker community has appeared from nowhere."

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For further information please contact:
Rory Steel  RED    +44 (0)7714 455 950
Dan French  RED    +44 (0)7968 735 570
Ben Philipson  RED    +44 (0)7786 856 070

About Ladbrokes
Ladbrokespoker.com is part of Ladbrokes, the betting and gaming division of Hilton Group plc and the world's biggest bookmaker.  Europe's busiest Multi-Player Poker site is growing fast - currently as many as 2,000 players are online at any time - and deals more than 170,000 hands a day, with over £4m won in pots daily.

Over 1 million registered customers from 160 countries bet on the Internet with Ladbrokes at www.ladbrokes.com in 14 different languages, at the online casino www.ladbrokescasino.com and at the online poker site www.ladbrokespoker.com