Matt Damon and Ben Affleck To Appear At Star-Studded Poker Event
April 26, 2010 7:44 amHollywood actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are all set to make a return appearance at this year’s WSOP Ante Up for Africa charity tournament at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The Ante Up for Africa poker event has always managed to attract a top flight of celebrity fundraisers, all willing to put up the $5,000 tournament buy-in fee to support charitable causes around the world.
Up until now, the organisers have managed to raise over $3 million for charities such as the Enough Project, a major campaigner against genocide and crimes against humanity, mostly concentrating their efforts on Africa and in particular Darfur.
The news that Rounders star Matt Damon and real life poker pro Ben Affleck will now be competing at the July 3rd event is sure to boost attendance at the fundraiser. Following the announcement, AUFA co-founder Annie Duke commented:
“We are very excited to have Matt and Ben already confirmed to participate in our Fourth Annual WSOP Ante Up For Africa poker tournament. We look forward to hearing from more big names in the gaming and entertainment industries as they come on board to give their valuable time and energy and help bring attention to the dire crisis taking place in areas in Africa like Darfur.”
As well as raising money, the acting duo will also be looking to show off their poker skills at the tables against other competing celebrities. Ben Affleck’s biggest poker score to date came in 2004, when he won the $10,000 buy-in WPT California State Poker Championship for $356,400, whereas Matt Damon is more famous in poker circles for his starring role in possible the most influential poker film to date, “Rounders” (1998).
However, Affleck and Damon will have their work cut out if they are to make a deep run in the tournament, as there will be a score of poker pros also taking place at the event, including such players as Jennifer Harman, Barry Greenstein, Annie Duke and Howard Lederer.
If things follows the same format as last year, then all the action from the ante Up for Africa event will be seen on ESPN as part of their WSOP coverage.