Usually the approximately 2,300 Austrian professional and amateur teams registered with the ÖFB are more at home on the green of the football pitch. Now they all have an opportunity to prove themselves at the green of the gaming tables instead – more specifically, Casinos Austria’s roulette, blackjack and poker tables. The Casino Cup is an unprecedented event: just like in football, only one team gets to win the cup and become the winner in the world of hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades.
For Salzburg, the starting signal was given with the first preliminary round on July 17. Under a bright blue sky, the teams entered the Casino Salzburg and got to know each other and the programme during a cosy get-together. Afterwards, luck was in demand at the roulette, black jack and poker tables. What was at stake was not money, but tournament chips; it was all about the entertainment and the fun factor.
After the first two rounds of roulette and blackjack, the teams were still tied, which led to a tense, exciting final round at the poker table. The two poker newcomers – USC Faistenau (2nd National League North) and USV Plainfeld (1st National League) – engaged in a tough match. In the end, Florian Königseder won the match for USV Plainfeld. The runners-up congratulated and rejoiced with the winning team – in this competition, fair play was a matter of honour from start to finish. The winning team led by their captain Raphael Haas now has a fixed starting place at the national finals on September 18.
The main prize: a one-week training camp in Turkey
Whoever prevails at the Austrian final in autumn can look forward to a spectacular main prize: the winning Casino Cup team will get to go to an unforgettable one-week training camp in Turkey worth over 20,000 euros. The package includes flights, transfers and a stay in an all-inclusive hotel specialising in training camps. The team (20 people) will be provided with FIFA standard training sessions (90 minutes each) twice a day. The team will also have access to spa and fitness rooms and a dedicated meeting room. A laundry service is provided for sports equipment.
Participation still possible
There are still dates available for anyone who’d like to take part in the Casino Cup. Clubs can register at any time. The next preliminary round at Casino Salzburg will take place on August 7. The Austrian final of the Casino Cup will be shown as part of an entertaining primetime TV show by PULS 4 in autumn of 2022.