Playing card themes were commonly used on pinball machines from the 1950s through the 1970s. Designed by Steve Ritchie and Keith Johnson, this licensed game sought to capitalize on the worldwide “Texas Hold ‘Em” poker fad which ran from 2003 through 2006. The World Poker Tour is a brand which broadcasts international tournaments. Large numbers of drop targets are rare in pinball machines made during this era, but WPT has sixteen of them. Another unusual feature is the dot matrix display in the center of the playfield which allows the player to view their Texas Hold ‘Em hand. The object of the game is to travel around the world playing poker, in an attempt to make it to the WPT World Championship. Approximately 3000 of these machines were made.
