Poker players show down in Minot

MINOT (AP) — Hundreds of card players are putting on their best poker faces in Minot as the North Dakota Texas Hold’Em Poker Championship Tournament nears its final showdown.

The annual competition is under way at The Vegas Motel and Sevens Bar & Restaurant.

Motel manager and tournament creator Wendy Ruppert told the Minot Daily News that there were 800 registered players through Saturday. She expected to pull in at least 1,200 players to offer a $45,000 first-place prize.

Sunday was the second qualifying day, with the championship round set for Monday.

The event is the largest poker tournament in the continental U.S. outside of Las Vegas. Ruppert said players have come from all over the country and Canada.

The tournament began in 2004 with about 400 players.

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