Two Microgaming Poker Network players have won a whopping $120,000 by hitting the Bad Beat Jackpot.

The two players from Ladbrokes, which has recently joined the Network, both hit four-of-a-kind hand, which is the requirement for Microgaming’s innovative Bad Beat Jackpot. Both players were on Bad Beat Table 1 and the stakes were $1/$2.

The Bad Beat Jackpot has been a mainstay on the Network since it began, the last Bad Beat Jackpot in poker was hit in October last year. A Bad Beat in poker is when you have a great hand, which is easily the favourite to win, but this is then beaten by another hand.

The Ladbrokes players’ alias Tjv1964 and alias Carrotkid, have both been playing regularly on Ladbrokes site for over two years. They have now reaped the benefits of the Microgaming Poker Network Bad Beat Jackpot, which is already growing again.

Nigel Blower, Head of Events and Promotions at Ladbrokes Poker comments, “It’s great to see that Ladbrokes players are already taking advantage of network promotions such as the Bad Beat Jackpot and reaping the rewards just six weeks after us joining forces with Microgaming.”

Microgaming is the world’s largest provider of poker, casino and bingo software. Since Ladbrokes joined the network in February this year, Microgaming’s Poker Network, which powers 40 of the world’s leading poker rooms, has continued to grow in strength and recently reached eighth position on Poker Scout’s prestigious ranking – leaving their competitors trailing behind.

The ECPokerTour Salzburg 2009, in its unique Austrian Alpine setting, takes place between between April 3rd-5th 2009 and offers players unrivalled luxury and a shot at poker glory.

The hills will be alive with the sound of shuffling chips in April when the ECPokerTour Salzburg, descends upon the picturesque Saalbach-Hinterglemm valley in Austria for three days of poker, fun and luxury.

Fans of live tournament poker are once again in for a treat as players from all walks of life will gather at the new five-star Alpine Palace Card Casino to compete for the coveted ECPokerTour title. Players from Europe, Scandinavia, Asia and Canada have already secured their seats, and this is largely due to the support from sponsors Titan Poker, Europe’s leading online poker room, where players have regular opportunities to win sensational $4000, all-expenses-paid, prize packages to the tournament.

The Salzburg meet is only the second in a series already regarded by many as the most prestigious new tournament series on the European poker circuit, and with a prize pool equally as stunning as the mountain views – the competition this time around is sure to be fierce. The ECPokerTour opened at the lavish Casino Gran in Madrid in May 2008 to critical acclaim. Players reveled in the atmosphere and culture whilst battling it out for the 40,000 Euro Grand Prize in the Spanish capital. The top prize and the title were eventually won by young Canadian player Greg Metzak in a highly charged finish to the landmark event.

Players can expect more of the same but on a grander scale as they prepare for Salzburg. Outdoor pursuits and extreme sports in the snow will take a back seat as the eyes of the poker world stay fixed on the felt for the duration of the main event.

To date, 42 of the coveted prize packages have been won by online poker enthusiasts. One delighted winner from Norway was thankful to sponsors Titan Poker “for giving me the opportunity to travel to Salzburg for this exciting event. The qualifier was nerve-racking at the end but I kept my cool and made it through. This will be my first live tournament and I will do my very best.”

Titan Poker is offering players three chances a week to win luxury ECPokerTour Salzburg prize packages with its ECPokerTour Salzburg Super Satellites, staged every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday until March 25th 2009. Players can qualify with direct buy-ins starting at $40+$4, or win super seats at any of Titan Poker’s qualifying Sit’N’ Go and satellite tournaments for as little as $0.55+$0.05.

Monte-Carlo, 5th December 2008. The “Sociète de Bains de Mer” and Extreme Gaming Pro Ltd have initialized and signed an agreement for the purpose of creating a Texas Hold’em Poker Tour of International proportion.

The SBM Monte Carlo group is already a pioneer in this field, as it has already created a Poker Room on Sun Casino where tournaments of the upmost standard are held.

Extreme Gaming Pro is a company that operates in the online gaming sector through its site Xpropoker, which has constructed an optimal reputation in its relative market as a result of the numerous tournaments hosted on the site.

The combined forces of these two companies have now created a Tour comprised of a series of Poker Texas Hold’em live events. The Tour is called “Monte Carlo Poker Tour” and its events will span out across the most elegant Casinos in Europe. Qualifications for the Tour may be achieved via online and live.

The Sociètè Bains de Mer will host specific events of the Tour, including the Grand Finale, in its most prestigious venues.

The high suspense action continues to hit new heights on the felt at Titan Poker as the second week of the world’s most prestigious online poker tournament series, the ECOOP III, draws to a nail-biting close. The first half of the series was a resounding success, played out in a dazzling display of talent and skill. But it was players from leading online poker room Titan Poker who dominated last week’s winners list and continue to lay claim to the much coveted cash prizes.

So far three talented Titan Poker players have taken home prestigious ECOOP bracelets, representing well over a third of the ECOOP events that have passed. Italian hairdresser Lorenzo Savallo, kick started the winning tide with his $24,518 success at the ECOOP #2 $100,000 GP. Three days later, young Canadian player “ch0ppy”, followed suite with prize winnings of $91,770 after a hard-won triumph at the ECOOP #5 $350,000 GP.

But it is talented young Titan Poker player Jochum Weenik, 22, from the Netherlands who has claimed the most recent and lucrative victory yet, after his remarkable tournament play earned him a $100,000 first prize at the ECOOP III #7 $500,000 GP. The architecture student, who played his first game of online poker a year ago, used his love of sports to help maintain his stamina and drive home his first win in the final stages of the game.

“During the final table, it was running hot and I just focused on eliminating my competitors from the table,” Jochum said. “I’ve had a couple of deep runs in big tournaments before, but was very lucky this time in that I won some important coin flips and had some good hands after the flop.”

Two other Titan Poker players finished a close second at ECOOP Events # 8 and #3. Austrian Titan Poker player franzferl and German player Drusel will take home $80,000 and $24,409 in second prize money respectively. Scores of other Titan Poker players have also finished in the money in runners-up positions.

With this Sunday’s $1.5 million GP Main Event looming on the horizon, ECOOP II fever is set to reach a new pitch as players up the pace on the felt and contend for their stake of remaining ECOOP bracelets and lucrative cash prizes.

Upcoming Poker Events for Week of November 16, 2008:

$250,000 Guaranteed
Titan Poker
Sunday, November 16, 2008, at 19:00 GMT
Buy-ins = $300 + $20
Satellites available.
Win part of a huge guaranteed prize pool for an amazingly low buy-in!

Irish Open Super Satellite
Titan Poker
Sunday, November 16, 2008, at 20:05 GMT
Buy-ins = $200 + $15
Satellites available.
$6,500 Prize Package includes entry to the Main Event, 5 nights accommodation and flights to Dublin in April 2009. Win your seat at Ireland’s most prestigious poker tournament!

ECOOP Exclusive
Titan Poker
November 18, 19, 20, 21 at 19:30 GMT
Freeroll tournaments for players targeted in our ECOOP Postcard promotion.

Asian Poker Tour Super Sat R/A
Titan Poker
Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 20:05 GMT
Buy-ins = $40 + $4
Re-buys and Add-on available.
Satellites available.
$6,000 Prize Package includes entry to the Main Event and 6 nights accommodation in Manila in January 2009. This is your chance to take part in the most prestigious and lucrative poker tournament in Asia!

November Challenge
Titan Poker
Friday, November 21, 2008 at 19:30 GMT
Restricted to VIP players (Silver and up) who reached the Points targets for the promotional period Nov. 13-19, 2008.
Awarding $30,000 in ECOOP tournament entries.

Titan Poker Elite Club
Friday, November 21, 2008 at 20:30 GMT
Restricted to players who have represented Titan Poker at land-based tournaments.
Awarding 10 Asian Poker Tour Super Satellite seats.

Asian Poker Tour Super Satellite
Titan Poker
Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 20:05 GMT
Buy-ins = $250 + $18
Satellites available
$6,000 Prize Package includes entry to the Main Event and 6 nights accommodation in Manila in January 2009.
This is your chance to take part in the most prestigious and lucrative poker tournament in Asia!

New Promotions:

New Players
Titan Poker and Tony.G Poker
November 16-26, 2008
Targeting: first depositors and Instant Bankroll/quiz bonus players from September and October.
Players must generate at least 500 Points to be eligible for special New Players Freeroll tournaments on November 28.
Targeted players will be contacted.

Exclusive $7,000 Freeroll
Titan Poker
November 17-26, 2008
Nightly buy-in tournaments, one for French players and one for Italian players. Top 10 players from each tournament are eligible to participate in the Exclusive $7,000 Freeroll tournament on November 27.

Ongoing Promotions:

New Depositors
Titan Poker
All new depositors receive a tournament token entry, and they can choose which of five weekly New Depositors tournaments to join.
The winner of each New Depositors tournament will be able to choose a $600 digital electronic gift, or he can choose to upgrade his prize.

* If the player earns 3,000 Points within 30 days of his tournament victory, he will win a Play Station 3!
* If the player earns 20,000 Points within 30 days of his tournament victory, he will win a Sony Vaio Laptop!
* If the player earns 25,000 Points within 30 days of his tournament victory, he will receive $2000 cash!

Players will be contacted by the VIP Department and be asked to select their choice of gift.
Win the electronic product of your choice!

Reload Bonus
Titan Poker and Tony.G Poker
November 14-16, 2008
All players. Diamond and Titanium VIP first deposit only.
PokerStrategy players = only Bronze VIP are included in this promotion.

November Challenge
Titan Poker
November 13-19, 2008
All VIP Players, Silver and up.
Players have Points targets as per their VIP Level. If they reach the target by end of November 19, they will be eligible to participate in the November Challenge tournament on November 21, awarding $30,000 in ECOOP tournament entries.