There are people you expect to see on the Asia Pacific Poker Tour. The regs, if you will. Then there are people who you're not surprised to see, like ElkY, Randy Lew, or Steve O'Dwyer. And then there are those people who make you say, "Wait, really?"
This time, it's yes, really.
Brazilian football legend and PokerStars Brand Ambassador Ronaldo Nazario is making his debut trip to Macau for the 2015 Asia Championship of Poker (ACOP), the Season 9 finale for the Asia Pacific Poker Tour.
"I am very excited to play in Asia's largest poker festival during my first visit to Macau," Ronaldo said. "Poker gives me a new challenge in life and I am very glad to compete in Asia where the game is now booming."
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The ACOP kicked off this week and will lead up to the HK$100,000 (USD $13,000) buy-in Main Event. Before it's said and done, the ACOP will be the largest poker festival in Asia.
Ronaldo, who made his name on the pitch, has proven he can play cards, too. He came in 26th in the 2015 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event for $42,180.
Last year, the ACOP attracted nearly 3,000 entrants and awarded more than HK$116 million (USD $15m) in prize money. This year's festival is expected to eclipse those numbers with a record 23 tournaments scheduled over the 17-day series.
For more information, visit the APPT home page.
Brad Willis is the PokerStars Head of Blogging.
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