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Groupon Sets New Guinness World Record for Speed Dating With 414 Singles in Chicago

CHICAGO, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Groupon (http://www.groupon.com), a shopping website that offers a daily deal on the best local goods, services and cultural events in more than 500 markets around the world, set the new Guinness World Records® title for speed dating on Tuesday, February 8 with 414 daters at the "Largest Speed Dating Event" hosted at Paris Club restaurant in Chicago.

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The 414 Chicago singles at the event each participated in at least 20 three-minute-long dates, surpassing the current Guinness World Record for speed dating -- 313 daters set at an event in Hoboken, New Jersey on January 29, 2010. Official Guinness World Records® guidelines state: each participant had to participate in at least 20 speed dates for a minimum of three minutes each; an established dating agency was required to organize the event (Hurrydate.com); participants could not date the same person multiple times; intermissions from dating were not allowed; and a log book of dates was required to be kept by each participant to confirm accuracy of all dates.

Groupon's "Largest Speed Dating Event" took place from 7:00pm to 11:00pm in partnership with Players Sports Group, with the official record breaking announcement by a Guinness World Records® representative made around 10:30pm CST that evening. Tickets to the event were sold on Groupon Chicago (http://www.groupon.com/chicago) on Wednesday, January 26 beginning at 12:01am CST with a deal that included $40 for $85 worth of speed dating, Ketel One® cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, raffle prizes and entertainment by DJ Matt Roan and MC Showbiz Shelly. Ticket sales were capped at 500 sold, and a $2 donation to the Children's Heart Association was made for each ticket purchased.

About Groupon

Groupon, launched in November 2008 in Chicago, features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, eat, see and buy in more than 500 markets around the world. Groupon uses collective buying power to offer unbeatable prices and provide a win-win for businesses and consumers, delivering more than 650 daily deals globally. For more information, visit http://www.groupon.com.

To get Groupon's daily free email for the best in your city, subscribe at http://www.groupon.com.

For more information on Groupon apps for the iPhone, Android and BlackBerry, visit http://www.groupon.com/mobile.

To learn more on how to become a featured business on Groupon, visit http://www.grouponworks.com.

    Contact:
    Kelsey O'Neill
    312.662.7118
    Kelsey@groupon.com

SOURCE Groupon