One of the most entertaining shows in poker is stepping it up a notch as PokerStars announced that the next season of Big Game on Tourwill feature four-time Super Bowl champion and NFL star Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski.
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Gronkowski, who spent 11 seasons as a tight end in the NFL and is now a sports analyst, will compete on the upcoming The Big Game on Tourseason alongside the pros, Loose Cannons and sports media personality Nick Wright, whose appearance was also confirmed on Thursday.
“I’m always up for a challenge, and diving into the world of poker is going to be an amazing new adventure for me," Gronkowski said in a press release. “I’m beyond excited to play alongside some of the best in the game and tackle the high-stakes action. Just like on the football field, I’ll be bringing my competitive edge and giving it everything I’ve got at the tables.”
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While Gronkowski, who is a FanDuel ambassador, may be a newcomer to the poker table, Wright has plenty of experience battling with the poker pros. The sports personality lost a $50,000 buy-in heads-up match against Phil Hellmuth in 2021 and played a few no-limit Hold'em and mixed game events at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) this summer.
“I’ve loved playing poker since my grandfather taught me, and playing in The Big Game, one of my all-time favorite poker shows, is truly a dream come true," Wright said in the press release. "I can't wait to be competing with some of the best players in the world — and Gronk. This is a bucket list moment for me, and I'm beyond excited to get to Vegas and get the cards in the air!”
Like the previous season, Season 2 of The Big Game will be filmed at NAPT Las Vegas, which is taking place Nov. 1-10 at Resorts World Las Vegas.
To give players a chance to play with Gronkowski and Wright, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Sports, a sister brand of PokerStars, is offering two NFL contests for the first two weeks of the season that will see two winners earn NAPT Gold Passes. Additionally, the lucky pass winners will get to bypass the qualification phase for The Big Game on Tourand go straight to Loose Cannon auditions.
One of the passes has already been given away, but there's still a shot to win the second one for a chance to play as a Loose Cannon. Loose Cannons will play 150 hands and are allowed to keep any profit they make in the high-stakes cash game.
Check out some of the highlights from Season 1 of The Big Game on Tour.
*Photos courtesy PokerStars