Hollywood Poker Open Championship Coming To The M Resort June 25-29

LAS VEGAS, May 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) is proud to host professional and amateur poker players from across the globe for Season Two of its Hollywood Poker Open (HPO) tournament and the $500,000 guaranteed Championship Main Event taking place at the at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas this June. World poker champion Chris Moneymaker is ambassador of the HPO and will be competing alongside players in the Championship Main Event.

The 2014 Season Two Championship will see even more seat winners participating with the addition of new regional stops (there were six HPO regionals in total) and increased local promotions at Penn National Gaming properties that have awarded championship seats over the past eight months. In 2013, Penn National Gaming's properties sent more than 200 seat winners to the Championship Main Event where they competed for a prize pool that reached over $1.4 million.

"We had strong momentum following a successful Season One of the Hollywood Poker Open last year, and that has continued with each regional event this year," said Gaye Gullo, Vice President of Marketing for Penn National Gaming. "Our players value the numerous opportunities to get in on the action for the Hollywood Poker Open. Offering a Las Vegas Championship is icing on the cake for what's grown to be a well-respected tournament series, and we're proud of that."

Direct buy-ins will also be accepted for the $2,500 Championship and the other events on the schedule.

Tournament Director Bill Bruce noted, "We've added to the schedule of the Championship this year. There are two full days of Mega Satellites on Wednesday and Thursday (June 25-26) right before the Championship Main Event and on Saturday (June 28) there is a $1,800 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha tournament. These new additions to the schedule promise to attract even more players and make for an exciting finale to a very successful HPO Season Two."

Additionally, there will be Single Table Satellites available for both the $2,500 HPO Championship and the $1,800 Pot Limit Omaha starting Wednesday, June 25 at the M Resort and there will also be Mega satellites scheduled at The Cannery in Las Vegas June 23-24.

Day One of the HPO Championship Event begins at 12 p.m. on Friday, June 27. Satellite events vary in time, players should visit the HPO website for details.

For pre-registration, schedules and more information visit www.hollywoodpokeropen.com or call the M Resort at 702-797-1777. Players and fans can also keep up with the action on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @HollywoodPokerOpen and using hashtag #HPO2014.

About M Resort Spa Casino
M Resort Spa Casino is a Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rated resort located on over 90 acres at 12300 Las Vegas Blvd. S. on the southeast corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard. Situated higher in elevation than other resort-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, the M Resort provides optimal views of the world-famous Las Vegas skyline from its guest rooms, suites, conference center and restaurants. The resort offers 390 guest rooms and suites, over 92,000 square feet of gaming, multiple restaurants and bars, more than 92,000 square feet of meeting and conference space, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness center and a 100,000 square foot events piazza. M Resort is operated by Penn National Gaming, Inc. For more information, visit www.theMresort.com.

About Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming, through its subsidiaries, owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. The Company presently operates twenty-seven facilities in eighteen jurisdictions, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. In aggregate, Penn National's operated facilities feature approximately 31,000 gaming machines, 800 table games and 2,900 hotel rooms.