Atlantic City Weekly

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The World Beer Pong Tour — which evolved from a weekly league at a small New York college to a nationwide craze — recently announced that the $50,000 grand finale of its 35-city tour will be held Sunday through Tuesday, June 13-15, at Resorts Atlantic City.  Additionally, Bally’s Wild Wild West Casino has created a gaming area in its new entertainment venue that will include 12 beer-pong tables. Through a partnership with Bpong.com, founders of the World Series of Beer Pong and a leading retailer of beer-pong gear, enthusiasts will be able to partake in beer-pong 24 hours per day at Bally’s, if they’re so inclined.

It sure seems like Atlantic City is stating its case as the beer-pong capital of the East Coast.

“We have been planning to bring beer pong to Atlantic City for some time now,” says Billy Gaines, co-founder of Bpong.com, in a media release. “Bally’s is an ideal setting for a dedicated beer pong area, and we’re excited to be a part of the Wild Wild West Casino re-vamp project. This is only the beginning of many exciting partnerships and events to come.”

Not familiar with Beer Pong? Check out this "Nike" ad from YouTube:

The tournament at Resorts already has more than 250 teams from around the nation signed up to compete, making it the largest touring competition of its kind. A.C. also hosted the finals last year, and the event has grown so much in popularity the grand prize payout has doubled to $50,000 this year. Teams can qualify for the tournament by winning smaller events leading up to it, or simply register to compete through worldpongtour.com or by calling 914-505-3628. 

"We are thrilled with the dramatic growth the World Beer Pong Tour has experienced," says WBPT commissioner Sam Pines in a separate media release.  "And we couldn't be more excited for our $50,000 championship in Atlantic City. We've taken a relatively underground activity and turned it into a national competition based on skill and fun. This event will be a nice illustration of that.
"We made the tournament available to people 18 and up to further illustrate that this is not a game designed to promote drinking, but an actual sport with a lot of money to be earned."

Indeed, beer pong as older generations may know it has changed significantly. In competition it is no longer played with paddles on a standard ping-pong table, but by tossing a ping-pong ball into an opposing team's cups arranged at the end of an eight-foot long, much narrower table. The WBPT, founded in 2006, encourages players to use water in their cups rather than beer (mandatory for those under 21). With corporate backing and over $500,000 in cash and prizes awarded since its inception, the WBPT has taken beer pong into the mainstream, and helped promote it as a sport requiring skill and concentration.

In its new entertainment venue called The Main Stage, the 12 beer-pong tables at Bally’s Wild Wild West will be garnished by mechanical bull riding and live music with no cover charge, and conveniently located right next to the Main Stage Bar so players can “keep the competition going with quick and easy pitcher and cup refills.”

“Bally’s has been the leader in providing affordable and innovative entertainment options in Atlantic City for more than 30 years,” says Joe Domenico, senior vice president and general manager of Bally’s Atlantic City. “This partnership with Bpong.com, along with guest favorites ranging from our famous 24-hour Happy Hour to Sammy’s Beach Bar, affirm that Bally’s remains committed to providing an exciting casual atmosphere at center Boardwalk where great times can, and will, be had by all.”