Shane joins our Poker Community

Ladbrokespoker.com signs sponsorship deal with Boyzone star and Drifting legend Shane Lynch

Ladbrokespoker.com has this weekend announced the start of a year long sponsorship deal with Shane Lynch, singer and race car driving star. This signing is to strengthen Ladbrokes Poker’s 2010 strategy to take Poker to the People, making the game accessible and fun for all.

Shane’s relationship with Ladbrokes was initiated over a year ago, when standing in as a favour for fellow band mate Ronan Keating, as celebrity guest at Ladbrokespoker.com’s Killarney Festival in 2008, where his appearance fee went to Ronan’s charity raising money for Cancer Research.

Ladbrokes Poker believes the sponsorship sits well with its core principles, as Shane Lynch is a down to earth Irish lad and Drifting is car racing for the normal man. Unlike Formula One, it’s not elitist and doesn’t have barriers to entry in the form of mega bucks, it’s about passion for and love of the sport, and it’s open to everyone from all walks of life.

Along with the sponsorship of his drifting season, Shane will be taking a whistle stop journey through all forms of poker, and experience the true Ladbrokes Poker community. He’ll be trying his hand at poker online, live, VIP style, the WSOP in Vegas, and ending his trip by playing in the ultimate Everyman tournament in October – Killarney in Ireland his home, where players from all walks of life hit the tables (and the bar!) as equals.

Shane has already had a taster of his first online poker tournament on Ladbrokespoker.com in January, and took his seat at the Manchester 235 Casino over the weekend with over 50 Ladbrokes VIPs for the first ever Ladbrokes VIP poker event.

Ladbrokespoker.com has promised £1,000 to the charity of Shane’s choice if he finishes in the top 100 at the Killarney Festival, just the icing on the cake for a fun few months they hope.

Speaking about his goal, Shane Lynch said:

“I’ve always been pretty intimidated by the poker scene, it literally felt like another world, I’ve watched it on TV before and found the whole thing a bit baffling. Having spent time with the Ladbrokes players at some events last year, and even giving it a go myself now, I’ve seen that actually you don’t need to be an expert to give it a go, and have found it a great way to have a bit of banter with my mates when I get a chance. It’s also a fascinating game. I’m looking forward to embracing my poker journey and having some fun along the way too. “

Kate McLennan Head of Ladbrokes Poker said:

“Shane is everything our brand represents and more. He has wide appeal, passion, and is a thoroughly nice guy, the kind of person we want as an ambassador for our brand. We are not trying to compete with other sites who spend huge amounts on poker professionals, who realistically their players will never meet or be able to relate to. We know our own strengths and why our players stay with us. We have a great community, we have relationships with many of our players personally as we meet them at our events. We want to be the site that is friendly, accessible, where all ages and abilities can come together and have a game of poker with their mates. We know poker takes a moment to learn and a lifetime to master, but we want to show that really, anyone can give it a go and have fun.�

Shane’s poker journey can be followed at LadbrokesPoker.com