Celebrity Poker Players Sign Up For Charity Event

High-profile field assembled for the latest poker fundraiser in Las Vegas.

A host of celebrities and top poker players have confirmed their participation in the latest Ante Up For Africa charity poker tournament in Las Vegas next month.

The event takes place at the Rio Convention Centre on Thursday July 2nd - the day before the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event gets underway - and will feature stars such as Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Montel Williams, Charles Barkley and Cedric the Entertainer.

Other participants in the no-limit Texas hold'em event include poker pros such as Howard Lederer, Erik Seidel and Phil Hellmuth – players who have amassed 21 WSOP bracelets between them.

The event comes with a buy-in of $5,000 (£3,047) and all the proceeds are donated to humanitarian relief efforts in Darfur.

Ante Up for Africa is organised by Hollywood actor Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke, who recently finished as runner-up on The Celebrity Apprentice.

In April, the first event Ante Up For Africa Europe event was staged in Monte Carlo as part of the European Poker Tour's grand final week, with players such as rap star Nelly, TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and F1 driver Nico Rosberg raising a total of €160,000 (£135,084).