Hellmuth completes PL III line-up - draw live today! - 20/11/2008

The line-up for PartyPoker.com Premier League III is complete! The final spot could only really go to one person and that is 11 time WSOP bracelet winner and living legend Phil Hellmuth! The ‘Poker Brat' joins Tom ‘Durrrr' Dwan, JC Tran, Nenad Medic, Devilfish, Tony G, Vicky Coren, Annette Obrestad, Roland de Wolfe, Andy Black, Juha Helppi and the man who recently broke Hellmuth's record as the youngest WSOP Main Event winner, Peter Eastgate.

Evans A Shot Clear In Surrey

The draw for the heats takes place at 10am GMT today (Thursday 20th November) at the studios that are hosting the event. The draw will be blogged live on the forum. The event runs from the 24th - 30th November in London.

Eddie Hearn, Director of Online Gaming at Matchroom Sport said: ""The whole reason Matchroom Sport became involved with poker is because we love the game. We wanted to deliver a dream dozen for the fans and this is without doubt the most exciting line up in poker history. The Premier League is an arena where greatness is on display and genius happens - twelve of the games biggest ever talents will face off for over a million dollars in what will be the greatest poker spectacle of all time."

PartyPoker.com Premier League III sees the buy-in elevated to $75,000 and the added money raised to $350,000, making a total prize pool of $1.25 million. The next event wasn't due to take place until 2009 but the demands of international broadcasters for coverage of the event has brought it forward! The series features 12 of the world's best players playing in a unique league format. All 12 players will play six times in the preliminary stages. The leading four players will then progress to the final table with the next four battling it out in heads-up matches for the final two seats.

Bookmaker https://www.partybets.com make Eastgate the 6/1 favourite to win the Premier League, followed by JC Tran at 13/2. https://www.partybets.com/betfinder.action?sport=66719

A spokesman for http://www.partypoker.com said: "The odds say everything about the added strength of the players in PartyPoker.com Premier League III. The five young gun newcomers all head the betting. We didn't just fill in spots - we brought in players who are more than capable of giving those who thought they were the best a whipping."

Below are the PartyBets.com odds for each player and a comment on each from Phil Hellmuth. The ‘Poker Brat' topped the league table in season one but finished bottom of the table in season two.

6/1 Peter Eastgate

"Only a few weeks back, Peter Eastgate broke my record as "youngest world champion of poker in history" at the tender age of 22-years-old. Talk about being on form, this kid won over $9 million, and the WSOP Main Event in mid-November!! I'm looking forward to watching the way this young gun plays his hands in the Premier League."

13/2 JC Tran

"JC is one of the best texas hold'em tournament players in the world today, and he is one of the 5 "young guns" in the "Premier League" in 2009. He has both a WSOP title and a WPT title!"

7/1 Nenad Medic

"Nenad is on form right, having just finished fourth in a WPT event in Las Vegas in late October. Nenad has a WSOP win this year, as well as
A big WPT win a few years back. Certainly one to watch."

15/2 Annette Obrestad

"Before it is over, Annette could be one of the greatest in the poker world. She is only 20, but already she won the main event at the WSOPE (at age 18!!) and millions of dollars playing online poker."

8/1 Tom Dwan

"Tom or Durrr, has amazing talent! He has reportedly won many millions of dollars playing online poker, and he is only barely 22 years old! I have played with him many times in the real world, and he plays super fast, and still manages to win. For this he has my highest
marks."

9/1 Phil Hellmuth

"I never leave the house to play poker for anything less than a prestigious tournament, and with any goal less than winning, period. I'm coming to London to win! I must say that I am so impressed by the lineup of players that I'll be battling along the way!

9/1 Roland de Wolfe

"Roland moved from reporter to contender in a very short time. He has tons of talent, and even more personality!"

9/1 Devilfish

"Devilfish is a world class, absolutely fearless poker player who has two WSOP bracelets, a WPT title, and dozens of titles from all over the poker world. He won ten years ago, and he wins today, enough said!"

10/1 Tony G

"Tony G was the "Premier League II" points leader. Tony is fearless, feisty, and makes for great television viewing!"

15/1 Andy Black

"Andy is long on talent, but short on closing the deal. However, he did close the deal in the Premier League II after he overplayed K-Q in a massive pot and outdrew his opponents Q-Q.

15/1 Juha Helppi

Juha is a mathematical player with tons of success in the poker world. Juha played me heads up for my tenth WSOP bracelet in 2006, a match that I won; but then he got a measure of revenge when he busted me out in third at the first Premier League finale in 2007.

20/1 Vicky Coren

"Vicky is a well mannered, sophisticated, and classy competitor who also is a presenter over here in the UK."