National Heads-Up Poker Championship
| National Heads-Up Poker Championship | |
|---|---|
| Created by | NBC Sports |
| Presented by | Shana Hiatt (2007), Leeann Tweeden (2008-2011), Julie Donaldson (2013), Jeff Platt (2025) |
| Narrated by | Gabe Kaplan (2005-06), Matt Vasgersian (2005-08, 2013), Ali Nejad (2007-present), Craig Hummer (2009-11), Joe Stapleton (2025) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 9 |
| No. of episodes | 99 |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Golden Nugget Las Vegas (2005), Caesars Palace (2006 - 2013), PokerGO Studio at Aria Resort and Casino (2025-present) |
| Running time | 60 minutes (including commercials) |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | 2005 |
| Network | PokerGO and Peacock |
| Release | December 4, 2025 – present |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
The National Heads-Up Poker Championship was an annual poker tournament held in the United States and produced by the NBC television network. It is a $25,000 "buy-in" invitation-only tournament organized as a series of one-on-one games of no limit Texas hold 'em matches. The participants include many of the world's most successful poker players, as well as celebrities.
The championship was the first poker event to be televised on and produced by a major U.S. television network.
In October 2011, NBC announced that the National Heads-Up Poker Championship would not return in 2012, ending the championship's seven-year run. After a one-year hiatus, the tournament returned for a final time in 2013. The $25,000 buy-in event ran from Jan 24 through 26 at Caesars Palace, the same venue where the event was held from 2006 through 2011.
In February 2014, NBC announced the National Heads-Up Poker Championship would not return in 2014.
In July 2025, PokerGO and PokerStars announced that NHUPC will return after 12 years. The tournament features a $25,000 buy-in and will premiere on Peacock later in the year before streaming on the PokerGO platform. Mori Eskandani, President of PokerGO, is a legendary TV poker producer responsible for great shows such as Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker, as well as the National Heads-Up Poker Championship said:
“The National Heads-Up Poker Championship helped define the golden era of televised poker. We’re proud to partner with PokerStars to bring back a truly iconic brand and share it with a new generation of fans.”
The Heads-Up Championship had been sponsored by online poker companies before Black Friday. The World Series of Poker (WSOP.com) was the 2013 presenting sponsor. PokerStars would be the presenting sponsor for 2025.