Winner takes R2m at Tsogo
WIN BIG: TOTAL PRIZE OVER R10 MILLION
The final at Silverstar was a glittering affair.
The first prize winner of Tsogo Sun’s third annual Roulette Masters is a delighted Gnanasagaren Gounder, below, from Randburg, who stayed the course in the exciting group-wide tournament and took home a cool R2 million first prize at the grand finale held at Silverstar on March 19. Gounder qualified and represented Silverstar Casino in the West Rand of Johannesburg.
“As in previous years it was a very tense final, with the outright winner only being decided on the last spin. Our congratulations go to Mr Gounder who demonstrated skill and strategy in the adrenaline-fuelled final stages of this highly popular tournament,” says Steve Hight, Tsogo Sun’s director of gaming. “Of course, he wasn’t the only winner, and we also congratulate the six other finalists who made it through to the finals and all walked off with cash prizes totalling just under R1.5m.” The seven finalists who made it through the semi-final rounds represented five of the 14 Tsogo Sun properties, namely Silverstar, Suncoast, Queens, Hemingways and The Caledon.
Hight notes that the success of the tournament saw the total prize pool increasing from an initial guaranteed R2.5 million to just more than R4 million due to the unprecedented number of buy-ins. “This tournament offers the highest prize money for a roulette tournament held anywhere within Africa with a buy-in of only R100, and every year we’re thrilled to see the growing enthusiasm for it among players at all our casinos.” The total prize money for the three Roulette Masters tournaments to date amounts to just more than R10.1 million.
“It’s extremely gratifying that two of our smaller properties were represented in the finals, as this is one of the greatest benefits
This tournament offers the highest prize money for a roulette tournament held anywhere within Africa with a buy-in of only R100, and every year we’re thrilled to see the growing enthusiasm for it among players at all our casinos.
Steve Hight Tsogo Sun’s director of gaming
of a group-wide tournament of this nature. Under normal circumstances, patrons at casinos in outlying areas would not have the opportunity to compete for such substantial prizes, and this is one of strengths of the Tsogo brand,” says Hight.
The second prize of R750 000 was won by a resident of Greyton, Cape Town representing Caledon Casino; the third prize of R250 000 went to a resident of Durban North representing Queens Casino; and a winner from Queensburg, Durban representing Hemingways Casino won the fourth prize of R150 000. The final three place winners took home R135 000, R125 000 and R78 100 respectively.
The final at Silverstar was a glittering affair that saw the semi-finalists and finalists being treated to a VIP experience, with a “live” carpet to welcome the guests, roaming saxophonist, mime, visual poi dancers, and culinary extravagances. “It was a privilege to host the Roulette Masters final at Silverstar Casino,” says Shane Collinson, operations director and complex general manager of Silverstar. “There is nothing quite like West Rand hospitality and we were delighted to show off our property to players from around the country.”