It has been recently announced that poker professional, Antonio Esfanidiari, will join the World Poker Tour as a representative for the WPT Poker- Made Million. The Poker-Made Million currently comprises of an exclusive group of 84 players, who have become self made millionaires whilst playing on the World Poker Tour. The WPT will use Antonio’s poker expertise to help them improve their games with a few tricks, tips and some useful poker tools. He will also venture across the world and provide live updates using WPT resources.
Esfandiari has certainly come a long way since he was first hired by the WPT to work, where Steve Lipscomb, the founder and CEO of the WPT initially hired Antonio in 2002, but as a magician to perform a magic show during a press conference. Since then, at 25 years old, he won $1.4 million in the LA Poker Classic, and at the time, becoming the youngester to win a million dollar prize. He is now considered one of the most formidable players in the world, and can now be seen playing in the biggest games all over the world.
Looking back, Esfandiari says “I will never forget the day Steve Lipscomb hired me to perform magic at the press release party for the WTP. All I dreamt of that day was winning a WPT event someday.”
On Antonio’s appointment, Lipscomb says “Antonio embodies the excitement that has become the WPT journey. This is the only sport in the history of televised sports that allows you to watch it, dream it, and be it. Now, WPT fans and poker enthusiasts can take the journey with Antonio as he leads the way for the next WPT Poker-Made Millionaire.”