Hello Heartland America
Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) ran for Nine seasons and 230 episodes. Created by friends Greg Lang and Todd Anderson in 2005, it was originally developed to be a regional TV show airing in the Midwest. As the popularity of televised poker grew, the HPT aired weekly on hundreds of stations across the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.
A Different Approach
When HPT began televised poker was limited to large-scale poker events with exorbitant buy-ins like the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour. HPT offered a more approachable live poker experience with a typical buy-in of only $1,650. Some of the popular stops included the Hollywood Casino Toledo, Golden Gates Casino in Colorado, Ameristar East Chicago, and the Hollywood Casino St. Louis.
Commentators Fred Bevill and Chris Hanson analyzed play in Seasons 1 through 8. In Season 9, Maria Ho replaced Chris Hanson. Eventually, Kenna James and Jaymz Larson known as the “James Gang” announced the broadcasts.
Shut Down
With the unexpected onset of COVID and widespread casinos closing, the Heartland Poker Tour made the decision to cancel all scheduled events. The Heartland Poker Tour remained quiet then as it does today.
Poker Origins