Las Vegas will see another major eSports event as Incredible Technologies and Boyd gaming team up to present the Golden Tee World Championship at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in June.
The event will see 64 players compete on 16 Golden Tee machines on The Orleans Showroom stage for more than $100,000 in prizes, including a $20,000 top prize, according to a press release.
Boyd Gaming owns and operates 24 casinos across the U.S. while Incredible Technologies is the creator of both video slot machines and the Golden Tee Golf game. Since its release in 1989, more than 100,000 Golden Tee games have been sold, the company said.
The Golden Tee 2018 World Championship continues a longstanding tradition that began in 1997. Over 1 million players play Golden Tee annually, and tens of thousands compete for a qualifying spot at the Big Event, the release said.
This year’s World championship will be held in front of a live audience and also streamed online. Highly skilled players will compete in a variety of formats across three days to determine a new champion. The new World Champ will not only win $20,000 in cash, but also become a playable character in an upcoming game update slated for release in October 2018, according to the company.
“This event is a win for everyone involved, from Boyd Gaming to IT and our most talented Golden Tee players,” said Elaine Hodgson, President & CEO of IT. “While eSports is certainly a buzz word in business today, we’re extremely proud to have helped pioneer the concept since the late 90’s. To be able to showcase our eSports brand to crossover industries and audiences with renewed interest is energizing to both segments of our business—amusement and casino games.”
Qualifying for the championship begins on Feb. 1 on more than 15,000 online Golden Tee 2018 LIVE cabinets and runs through April 23. The final qualifier spot will be filled at The Orleans Hotel and Casino on June 8 in a special ‘Last Chance’ live tournament, according to the release.
