While many online poker rooms are offering their players a chance–for a fee–to win seats to the Main Event of the upcoming World Series of Poker (WSOP), Internet service provider America Online (AOL) is offering the same chance for free.

AOL has announced that its game-playing website, Games.com, will award six seats to the 2008 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Starting immediately and running through June 15, players can compete in free, online, qualifying no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournaments on Games.com, AOL said.

The top six qualified players will each win a seat to the WSOP Main Event, which starts July 3, and also get expense money, AOL said.

“Free-play online poker continues to be one of our most popular categories on Games.com,” said Greg Mills, the director of AOL Games.

“We are thrilled to continue our exclusive agreement with Harrah’s, the owner of the World Series of Poker, to provide a chance for users to win a poker player’s dream come true: a seat at the table with poker professionals,” Mills said. “And if they play their cards right, they could walk away with millions.”

According to AOL, here’s how its tourney works: Each week, players will participate in free, daily qualifying tournaments to earn their way to a Sunday winner-takes-all tournament. The winners will receive an entry to the WSOP Main Event and expenses.

AOL ran the same promotion last year, and one of its online tournament winners, Troy O’Brien of New Jersey, ended up winning $51,000 at the WSOP.

“For the past three years, AOL has offered amateur poker players something they can’t find anywhere else–a free opportunity to play at the World Series of Poker Main Event,” said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP Commissioner.

“We are excited to continue our alliance with AOL to offer anyone over the age of 21 a shot at becoming part of poker history,” Pollack said.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)