Lilac Club Casino adds Phil Hellmuth, Shaun Deeb to $60,000 poker tournament

Lilac Club Casino in Rochester, New Hampshire, will host the $60,000 Legends of Poker Tournament: One-Day Challenge on Sept. 24, featuring Phil Hellmuth, Shaun Deeb and other poker personalities. The event includes qualification satellites, a $500 bounty on the two headliners and fundraising support for two local nonprofits.

Why it matters: - The tournament brings nationally known poker players to Rochester and gives local players a chance to compete against them. - The event is tied to charitable gaming proceeds that will support two New Hampshire nonprofits serving children, families and educators. - The format adds a bounty prize, satellite qualifiers and a one-day main event, which can broaden participation and increase local interest.

What happened: - Lilac Club Casino will host the $60,000 Legends of Poker Tournament: One-Day Challenge on Thursday, Sept. 24, beginning at 4 p.m. - Phil Hellmuth and Shaun Deeb will headline the event. - Jason White, Mike “The Mouth” Matusow and Brandon Cantu will also join the tournament. - The event will take place in the Lilac Club Casino Poker Room in Rochester, New Hampshire. - This is the second major poker tournament at Lilac Club Casino to feature Hellmuth. - Hellmuth first competed at the property last year.

The details: - Hellmuth has 17 bracelets. - Deeb has 9 bracelets. - Several players already earned seats through the first satellite tournament on Sept. 13. - A final Mega Satellite Tournament is scheduled for Sept. 20. - Players can also buy in for $600 in the Lilac Club Poker Room beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20. - Tournament seats may be limited at the discretion of Poker Room management. - The tournament includes a Champions Bounty. - Any player who eliminates Hellmuth or Deeb will receive a $500 cash prize. - Lilac Club Casino is directing players to the Poker Room for complete tournament, registration and satellite details. - Event details listed by the casino include the date, time, location, buy-in, registration start, satellite date and bounty amount.

Between the lines: - The event is designed to pair entertainment value with charitable fundraising. - Under New Hampshire’s charitable gaming model, participating nonprofit organizations receive a designated portion of gaming proceeds generated during their assigned dates. - Thriving Roots Childcare will use funds to replace flooring in its pre-K classroom and buy new playground equipment. - The Seacoast Educational Endowment of Dover awards grants to Dover public school educators for continuing education, classroom resources and innovative teaching tools. - Granite State Gaming & Hospitality COO Eric Barbaro said the event’s support for local children, families and educators makes it especially meaningful.

What's next: - The Mega Satellite Tournament on Sept. 20 gives more players a path into the main event. - Buy-in registration also opens that day at 9 a.m. in the Poker Room. - The main tournament follows on Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. - Tournament seats remain subject to availability based on Poker Room management. - Players are encouraged to visit the Lilac Club Poker Room for registration and satellite information. - More information is available through the casino's Instagram account and Facebook page.

The bottom line: - Lilac Club Casino is using a star-studded poker event to drive local play, add a bounty-driven twist and raise money for New Hampshire nonprofits.