The Asian Poker Tour inks a deal with Philippine-based Dafabet, and Zhu Yong wins the Asian Poker League in Vietnam.
The Asian Poker Tour (APT) is no longer shivering beneath the bed sheets. Dafabet has struck a match, lit the kindle, and has climbed in next to them swaddled in fur.
The Philippines-based online gambling giant has agreed a ‘multi-event’ partnership that begins in Seoul, trundles on through Ho Chi Minh and Incheon, before possibly continuing to other APT stops.
The new relationship begins during APT Seoul 29 May to 9 June at The Walkerhill Paradise Casino where the Dafabet brand will be on display during the Main Event, Head Hunter side event, and the player’s party.
APT Seoul promises $300k in guarantees with the $1,100 buy-in Main Event scheduled May 31 to June 4, and the $1,700 buy-in Championship Event scheduled June 5 to 9 (both are $150k GTD events).
There will also be seven high roller tournaments ranging in price from $1,800 to $2,700, and for the first time in APT history, a shot clock will be in play for all events, as will the Big Blind Ante.
The poem of Dafabet’s existence begins in 2004, and they’ve since become one of the most recognisable gambling brands in the world thanks to their affiliation with English Premier League and Championship teams.
Previous partnerships include Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Burnley, Everton and Fulham. They are also the shirt sponsor for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, and the sponsors of the Welsh Premier League. Alan Shearer, Jimmy White and Steve McManaman have all represented the brand in the past, and they have also sponsored the Esports team Fnatic.
Zhu Yong wins the APL Vietnam Main Event
Sticking with Asian poker for a few lines longer, and Zhu Yong has taken down a six-hour final table, eliminating six opponents, at the end of the Asian Poker League (APL) Main Event in the Pro Poker Club in Ho Chi Minh.
Yong’s victory was well-deserved, and he closed it off by beating ‘Hong Kong’ Nguyen in only seven hands of heads-up action culminating in his lucky hand A9 beating A2.
Final table results
1st Zhu Yong – China – VND 1700,440,000
2nd Hong Kong Nguyen – Canada – VND 1,192,360,000
3rd Melvin Tay Yao Loon – Singapore – VND 767,320,000
4th Huynh Vinh Quang – USA – VND 552,670,000
5th Vu Trung Thanh – Vietnam – VND 424,130,000
6th Vu Duc Trung – Vietnam – VND 342,370,000
7th Feng Zhao – Singapore – VND 284,450,000
8th Pham Quoc Anh – Vietnam – VND 226,710,000
9th Chu Thai Thinh – Vietnam – VND 170,050,000
