Poker Players Go All-In at Maryland Live!

The Maryland Live! Casino opened its new poker room on Wednesday, as hundreds of players lined up as early as 3 a.m. to be among the first to play Texas Hold 'Em and other games at the new facility. 

The 52-table room is one of the largest in the region at roughly 15,000 square feet. 

Ten gamblers who won a special promotion won a chance to play the first hand before the doors opened to the public at noon Wednesday. 

The poker room has some key amenities including charging stations for electronics at each table, a private bar and dedicated cage. 

The poker room is expected to expand the revenue Maryland Live! receives from table games. In July, the casino pulled nearly $17.5 million from table games, or about one third of its total monthly revenue.

Maryland Live! will host a series of satellite poker tournaments in September in association with The Players Poker Championship.