The World Poker Tour (WPT) has primarily been a Party Poker event up to the current moment in time. However, the Merit Cyprus Classic, which has always been a part of the WPT, was passed up on for sponsorship by Party Poker this year. Full Tilt Poker, sensing an opportunity, has swooped into the mix and immediately picked up that tournament much to the delight of people that play in it each year.

The tournament is now called the Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic and as usual it will be taking place on the Turkish part of Cypriot Island. It will carry with it a total prize pool of at least $3 million and the schedule of the tournament has it starting on August 17th and ending on August 26th.

In order to encourage members of its site to go after a seat at this first-time Full Tilt Poker sponsorship endeavor, the site has put together satellite tournaments that will ultimately lead to prize packages that include a seat at the tournament. These prize packages are worth $7500 each and they include the full $5400 buy-in for the tournament as well as a stay at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino that covers the full 10 nights that will be needed for participation in the tournament.

As if players needed anymore incentive to go after this prize package, Full Tilt Poker has promised that most of their professionals will be present at the event when it takes place. This will give players the chance to mix with various well known Full Tilt personalities and rumor has it that almost all of their top echelon players in terms of name recognition are slated to be there on the 17th when the event begins.

Players looking to buy directly into a satellite tournament that has a prize package in it will need to pay $216 to do so. Tournaments with two seats available as prizes cost $322 to enter. However, players looking to spend as little money as possible and hope for a string of good cards can get into super satellite tournaments which cost as little as $1.10 to enter.