Beer, almonds and an energy drink are the sponsors for a major poker tour this year. World Poker Tour Enterprises has confirmed that the famous beer brand Budweiser has renewed its multi-year sponsorship contract for the World Poker Tour (WPT) Season 5, joining fellow sponsors Xyience and Blue Diamond Growers.

"Budweiser is a classic American beer meant to be shared with friends over a great game of poker," said Randall Blackford, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. director of Budweiser marketing. "The World Poker Tour continues to deliver the best poker tournaments and poker programming on television, and we are pleased to be back in action for Season 5." 

Anheuser-Busch originally teamed up with the WPT during Season 2 with its Anheuser World Lager. For Season 4, the company switched to their signature Budweiser brand which will continue to be incorporated throughout all the WPT stops. 

"In Season II, Anheuser-Busch helped us establish poker as a sport," said Steven Lipscomb, WPTE founder, president and CEO. "Now, in Season 5, our friends behind the remarkable Budweiser brand are joined by new partners Xyience and Blue Diamond Almonds to form a strong framework for the continued future growth of the World Poker Tour." 

Xyience inked a deal with WPTE which extends into Season 6. Their energy drink, Xenergy, will be the official energy drink of the WPT. The company's brand will be incorporated into the tour, and Xyience will also give away one seat for the 2007 WPT Invitational.

The sponsorship deal with Blue Diamond Growers includes having their product Blue Diamond Almonds sponsor the WPT Championships in April. They will also run a retail promotion March 1 through July 31 during which they will give away a seat for the Season 6 WPT Invitational.