The World Series of Poker is less than one week away, and the energy and excitement is growing ahead of the 55th annual event in Las Vegas. Memorial Day weekend brings tens of thousands of additional visitors to the Las Vegas Strip, where Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, on behalf of Caesars Entertainment, will host the WSOP for the third straight year. The seven-week WSOP schedule of 99 gold bracelet poker events takes place from May 28 through July 17, 2024.
Last yearās WSOP set records for field sizes in more than 10 tournaments. That included a record 10,043 entries for the World Championship Main Event. The record-breaking $12.1 million payout to 35-year-old winner Daniel Weinman was from live pokerās largest ever prize pool ā a staggering $93,399,900.
I recently spoke to WSOP Vice President Jack Effel for more insight into the 2024 World Series of Poker.
āPoker continues to trend upwards,ā Effel said. āThe barometer for poker in general and health is high, and access to poker tournaments and cash games continues to trend upwards.ā
Noting last yearās record turnout including for the WSOP Main Event, Effel added, āPoker has turned into a sporting activity. It requires a much different level of training to be able to perform or play the game than even 20 years ago when the āMoneymaker Effectā caused a big poker boom.ā
WSOP On The Las Vegas Strip
For the third straight year, the WSOP will be held on Las Vegas Blvd at the Paris Hotel & Casino and the re-branded Horseshoe Las Vegas, formerly Ballyās.
Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Champion Jonathan Marchessault will announce the ceremonial āshuffle up and dealā to open the 55th World Series of Poker on Tuesday, May 28 following Labor Day.
Marchessault will then participate in the WSOPās new $5,000 buy-in Champions Reunion No-limit Holdāem Freezeout, the first of 99 live events this summer. The tournament features a bounty format that gives players who knock out a former Main Event champion an automatic entry into the 2024 WSOP Main Event.
Along with the new Champions Reunion event, a $500 Kickoff N0-Limit Freezeout May 29 followed by a $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold āem event with four starting flights beginning May 30 will drive the energy and exitement for the 2024 WSOP.
2024 World Series Of Poker Schedule Of Events
The WSOP opening week tournament schedule includes these gold bracelet events:
- Tues, May 28 – Event #1: $5,000 Champions Reunion NLHE Freezeout
- Tues, May 28 – Event #2: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em
- Wed, May 29 – Event #3: $500 WSOP Kickoff NL Hold’em Freezeout
- Wed, May 29 – Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better (8-Handed)
- Thurs, May 30 – Event #5: $1,000 Mystery Millions NL Hold’em- Flight A
- Thurs, May 30- Event #6: $25,000 Heads-Up NL Hold’em Championship
- Thurs, May 30 – Event #7: $1,500 Dealers Choice (6-Handed)
- Fri, May 31 – Event #5: $1,000 Mystery Millions NL Hold’em- Flight B
- Fri, May 31 – Event #8: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed)
- Fri, May 31 – Event #9: $1,500 Limit Hold’em (8-Handed)
- Sat, June 1 – Event #5: $1,000 Mystery Millions NL Hold’em- Flight C
- Sat, June 1- Event #10: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
- Sun, June 2 – Event #5: $1,000 Mystery Millions NL Hold’em- Flight D
- Sun, June 2 – Event #11: $1,500 Badugi
- Mon, June 3 – Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em (6-Handed)
- Mon, June 3- Event #13: $10,000 Dealers Choice Championship (6-Hand)
- Wed, June 5- Event #19: $10,000 Limit Holdāem Championship (8 Hand)
- Thurs, June 6 – Event #20: $300 Gladiators of Poker NL Holdāem Flight A
Most of the marquee events throughout the WSOP will be Friday through Sunday. The opening Mystery Millions (#5) and Gladiators (#20) events will be Thursday through Sunday with massive fields.
PokerNews and WSOP.com will have live updates on all the WSOP tournament action from Las Vegas.
New events include additional No-Limit Hold āem tournaments that will generate more interest and players including a third seniors event catering to pokerās more experienced crowd. Last yearās $1,000 seniors event set a record with more than 8,000 entries.
Thurs., June 13 – Event #37: $10,000 Big O Championship
Sat, June 15 – Event #41: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha Double Bomb Pot
Tues, June 25- Event #62: $600 PokerNews Deep Stack Championship NL Holdāem
Wed, June 26 – Event #65: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold āem
Wed, July 3 – Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold āem
Tues, July 9 – Event #86: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha (3 days)
Thurs, July 11 – Event #89: $3,000 Mid-Stakes NL Hold’em Championship
Poker players and fans can also watch more than 300 hours of WSOP livestream on PokerGo.
Pokerās Continued Growth
New poker formats and variations along with a diversity of buy-in levels continues to grow the game. The WSOP is the Olympics of Poker by bringing people together from around the world and putting together a festival offering a diversity of buy-ins and games. People are able to compete at the highest levels while providing unique opportunities to compete in various poker variations and styles.
āThe barometer and health of poker today is high, with respect to participation in poker tournaments, live games and sheer access to the game,ā Effel said. āMore state to state offerings and interest in the game has continued to trend upwards.ā
Poker is growing, and the WSOP continues to create the supply and actual competitions for people to come and play poker at the highest level. The WSOP is a demanding destination and more people are playing in satellites to win their way into bigger and more events.
āWeāre part of something special at the World Series of Poker,ā Effel says.
WSOP Main Event
July 3-6: Event #81: $10,000 Main Event No-Limit Hold āem World Championship (Flights A-D)
Last yearās record turnout and 10,043 entries for the $10,000 buy-in Main Event shattered the previous record of 8,773 entries in 2006.
āThe Main Event is the purest and best tournament ever,ā Effel says. āItās the most meaningful event, and the one tournament that everyone wants to play.ā
Not to be outdone, last yearās $1,000 WSOP Ladies Championship NL Hold āem Event crowned a first-time gold bracelet winner. The tournament drew the largest Ladies Event field in history with 1,295 registered players. This yearās WSOP Ladies Championship is Event #71 on Friday, June 28.
The popular $400 COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold’em tournament is Event #70 on Sat., June 29 leading into the WSOP Main Event. Last yearās Colossus event drew nearly 16,000 entries with a first place prize of $501,000.
Ahead of the Fourth of July fireworks and the most anticipated WSOP World Championship Main Event, a new tournament also starts on July 3. Event #80 is the $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold āem Event, which will conclude on July 5 ahead of Day 1D of the WSOP Main Event on July 6.
Online WSOP Bracelet Events
The 2024 WSOP also includes nearly 20 online poker events through WSOP.com. WSOP online poker is available in Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Players must be physically in the state of Nevada to enter and participate in World Series of Poker online events.
Mega Satellites
Daily landmark mega satellites will be held daily during the WSOP from May 28- July 15. Daily Mega Satellites will award Tournament Buy-In Credit that players can then use to enter WSOP bracelet events, Daily Deep Stacks and all Mega Satellites. Buy-ins range from $135, #240, $580 to $1,100. Some mega satellites will be paid out in casino chips (cash prizes) for those who prefer to play other WSOP events.
Separate Mystery Millions Landmark Mega Satellites run May 30 – June 1 with $135 and $240 buy-ins. Players can also enter the Gladiators of Poker Landmark Mega Satellites for $50 from June 5-8.
2024 WSOP Satellite Schedule
Specialty mega satellites are available for poker players wanting to win their seat into bigger events with entry fees from $5,000 to $10,000. High Roller mega satellites are also available for tournaments with entry fees from $25,000 to $50,000 plus $100,000 and $250,000 Super High Roller events June 18 and 21.
āThe mega satellites are great opportunities for players to qualify for tournaments,ā Effel said. āWeāre offering many multi-table opportunities at various price points to allow more players to win seats.ā
All the mega sattelites are multi-table, landmark formats and located in the Normandy Ballroom at the Horseshoe up the escalater from the main poker room on the casino floor.
Two additional ballrooms were added for the 2024 World Series of Poker. A total of five ballrooms with nearly 700 poker tables covering more than 200,000 square feet of gaming space is set up for the biggest poker tournament series in the world.
Daily Deep Stack Tournaments
In addition to the 99 gold bracelet events at the 2024 WSOP, players can compete in daily No-Limit Holdāem Deep Stack one-day tournaments May 28-July 16. The entry fees are $250 for the 1 pm events and $400 and $200 for the accelerated format tournaments at 4 pm and 8 pm. Starting June 3, a daily $250 HORSE Deep Stack Tournament is also available.
WSOP Registration And Online Options
Last year about 25% of WSOP tournament buy-ins were in the form of digital registration using the online platform. Players are able to use a credit card or tournament account that they load ahead of time. That number should grow this year, and creates less time for players waiting in lines to register for events or collect funds when cashing-in during tournaments.
The crossover of poker players and sports bettors is evident in poker rooms across Las Vegas with many TV monitors in all the poker rooms showing live sports and games. Sports bettors can enjoy a new and improved Caesars Sportsbook App for betting on sporting events while playing poker at the WSOP with in-person betting stations, kiosks and a newly remodeled sportsbook at Paris Las Vegas also available.
Following last yearās record turnout and massive fields, this yearās WSOP in Las Vegas showcases 99 gold bracelet events and more online tournaments and options. Plenty of poker tournament action to check, bet and raise to accumlate more chips and cash-in at the World Series of Poker.
You can bet on it.