WPT Enteprises Teams With Chipleaders to Create World Poker Tour(R) Branded Online Social Network for Poker Fans

WPT Enteprises Teams With Chipleaders to Create World Poker Tour(R) Branded Online Social Network for Poker Fans

Interactive Site Will Tap Into Hottest Trend on the Internet - Social Networking

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WPTE) announced today that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Chipleaders Inc. (www.chipleaders.com), the leading online social network dedicated to poker.

The two will host an interactive global network of poker players and enthusiasts, combining the latest social networking technology with unique poker-related features, powered by Chipleaders' software. The site, accessible from the WORLD POKER TOUR(R) website, www.worldpokertour.com, will enable users to find other poker players, share their experiences, and to interact in a wide variety of ways. Chipleaders' technology allows users to create profiles, upload photos, communicate with friends, make new friends, e-mail, blog, organize activities, share information, participate in forums, rank profiles, and schedule events. WPT fans can join for free, and will be eligible to participate in regular promotions offered by the WORLD POKER TOUR and its affiliate site, wptonline.com.

"With millions of poker players in the U.S. and abroad, we can now offer them a dedicated online community which they can call their own," said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPTE. "This level of interactivity is unprecented in poker and really allows our WPT enthusiasts around the world to connect in a way that transcends television and extends our brand. We are pleased to be working with Chipleaders and together look forward to reshaping the online poker world in the burgeoning social networking space."

The WPT launched the poker phenomenon when it first aired on the Travel Channel on March 30, 2003, and it continues to lead the way in developing poker as a major international sport. Viewers and aspiring tour players can log on to www.worldpokertour.com for ways to improve their game and to get the latest WPT schedules, information and merchandise. The highest rated show ever on The Travel Channel, the WPT is now seen in more than 120 countries and territories worldwide. WORLD POKER TOUR(R) airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Travel Channel.

WPT Enterprises, Inc. also hosts wptonline.com, an international gaming website, that can be played by poker enthusiasts in regions where online gaming is legal. Additionally, the company sponsors wptonline.net, an instructional play-for-free site available everywhere. Together, the two wptonline sites, the official worldpokertour.com site and the new Chipleaders- driven social network will form a powerful Internet media lineup for WPT Enterprises, Inc.

Jake Steele, CEO of Chipleaders, commented, "We believe that Chipleaders will revolutionize the way poker players interact with one another, through the unique social dimensions that Chipleaders offers, while providing the highest quality user experience. Combining the leading online poker community with the world's best known poker brand is absolutely amazing, and we look forward to engaging the WPT fans, audience and online players, as we develop and foster this remarkable social network devoted to poker."

About WPT Enterprises, Inc.

WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by the development, production, and marketing of televised programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of the WORLD POKER TOUR(R), a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and more than 120 countries and territories globally. WPT Enterprises currently licenses its brand to companies in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware. For show information, tools for improving poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com. The company is also engaged in the sale of corporate sponsorships. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com/media.

About Chipleaders

Chipleaders Inc. (www.chipleaders.com) is the leading online social network dedicated to poker. Chipleaders allows users to create profiles, upload photos, communicate with friends, make new friends, e-mail, blog, organize activities, share information, participate in forums, rank profiles, and schedule events. Chipleaders is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Toronto, Canada. To learn more about Chipleaders, please visit www.chipleaders.com.

(WPTEG)

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by WPT Enterprises, Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the expansion of WPTE's brand licensing, the development of new television and film projects, the development of WPTE corporate sponsors and other business development activities, as well as statements regarding other capital spending, financing sources and the effects of competition. Such forward- looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of WPTE. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, WPTE's significant dependence on the Travel Channel as a source of revenue; the potential that our television programming will fail to maintain a sufficient audience; the risk that competitors with greater financial resources or marketplace presence might develop television programming that would directly compete with WPTE's television programming; the risk that WPTE may not be able to protect its entertainment concepts, current and future brands and other intellectual property rights; risks associated with future expansion into new or complementary businesses; the termination or impairment of WPTE's relationships with key licensing and strategic partners; and WPTE's dependence on its senior management team.

For more information, review WPTE's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Jake Steele / Chipleaders: 416 352 5185
jsteele@chipleaders.com

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050809/LATU100LOGO )

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050809/LATU100LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: WPT Enterprises, Inc.

CONTACT: Jackie Lapin of WPT, +1-818-707-1473, jackielapin@cs.com; or
Jake Steele of Chipleaders, +1-416-352-5185, jsteele@chipleaders.com

Web site: http://wptonline.com/

Web site: http://www.chipleaders.com/

Web site: http://www.worldpokertour.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: 300 dpi downloadable images available at www.media.worldpokertour.com

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