The World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) – the richest, most prestigious and longest-running poker series – has finalized its daily event schedule for 2021. Doors for the event open on Thursday, Sept. 30 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas with non-stop action through the event’s conclusion prior to the Thanksgiving holiday on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Online and in-person registration will open in August.
WSOP is roaring back in 2021 with the much-anticipated $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship, better known as the “Main Event”, which in 2019 eclipsed 8,000 entrants for only the second time in history. The familiar 200,000 square foot Rio Convention Center will again set the scene with a wide variety of tournaments, which include all popular variations of poker ranging in price from $400 to $250,000.
This year, the Main Event will have four (4) starting flights to choose from – Day 1A on Thursday, Nov. 4, Day 1B on Friday, Nov. 5, Day 1C on Saturday, Nov. 6 and Day 1D on Sunday, Nov. 7. The iconic deep-stack tournament will continue play through the Main Event Final Table on Tuesday, Nov.16 and Wednesday, Nov. 17.
The annual poker extravaganza, which began in 1970, will see a new broadcast partner in CBS Sports offering increased coverage for the duration of the tournament. An unprecedented 18 different bracelet events will be televised with a minimum of 15 hours of coverage of the 2021 Main Event, produced exclusively by Poker Central.
“Make no mistake, the 2021 WSOP will be the real deal and we’re preparing for a full house. Throughout the storied history of the WSOP, this year will be particularly memorable and we’re preparing for a poker reunion all players can celebrate,” said Ty Stewart, the WSOP’s Executive Director residing over his 16th WSOP. “We’re beyond thrilled to offer a complete schedule of can’t-miss events including all our flagships and the variety players deserve.”
The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and all Caesars Entertainment resorts in Las Vegas will offer reduced hotel room rates for entrants of WSOP bracelet events using the special advanced booking code “WSOPM” when they book early. The Rio offers players rates on select dates as low as $47. Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas and The Linq Hotel + Experience will also provide discounted WSOP player rates. To view a complete list of rates across all Caesars Entertainment properties, please visit the reservations page. Rates are based on availability and are subject to change.
Schedule highlights below. To view the entire gold bracelet schedule, please visit WSOP 2021 Schedule where a downloadable version is provided.
New and Noteworthy:
Oct. 1: $500 “The Reunion” w/ $5,000,000 GTD prize pool – Only the WSOP could put a guarantee on opening weekend requiring more than 10,000 participants. Players can choose from three starting flights on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – or play them all.
Oct. 8 – Nov. 19: Return of the Record Breakers – Each Friday and Saturday of the 2021 WSOP will see one of the WSOP’s flagship No-Limit Hold’em events. The Millionaire Maker, Monster Stack, Double Stack, Colossus and The Closer all return with multi-million dollar prize pools and significant value.
Oct. 5: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship – The WSOP’s annual heads up championship goes for prestige with an increase to $25,000 and a cap of 64 players, certain to be a roster of the world’s elite.
Oct. 10: $1,000 Flip and Go Presented by GG Poker – The popular online format is galvanized into a live event. Each player will be all in preflop on the first hand, dealt three cards and selecting two. One player will win the table and immediately fast forward into the money, where the tournament will then play out under a traditional structure.
Oct. 27 – 28: $1,000 Seniors Doubles Up – The record-smashing Seniors No-Limit Hold’em Championship will for the first time offer two starting days, with players allowed one optional re-entry per flight.
Oct. 6, 13, 18, 21, and 24: “Old School Freezeouts Return” – No Longer is the Main Event the only pure freezeout at the WSOP. Beginning Oct. 6, every popular buy-in level from $500 to $5,000 will offer a true freezeout.
Oct. 31: Deuce to Seven Single Draw NL Returns – The Poker Players’ Championship will expand to nine games with the return of 2-7 Single Draw NL. A $2,500 version of this format will also be available Oct. 28.
Nov. 17: Poker Hall of Fame Bounty – In homage to the Poker Hall of Fame (PHOF) that started 1979, living Hall of Fame members will be invited to freeroll into the $1,979 No-Limit Hold’em tournament open to all players. Each participating player will have a bounty corresponding to the year they were inducted into poker’s most exclusive club and the 2021 PHOF inductee will be announced.
Nov. 19: Nosebleed PLO – The WSOP’s highest-ever buy-in for a PLO tournament ($50,000 event 84) punctuates a prestigious High Roller series scheduled after the Main Event, which also includes $50,000, $100,000 and $250,000 No-Limit Hold’em events.
In addition, a quartet of Daily Deepstack tournaments return at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on most days in the Pavilion Room, which will continue to host satellite tournaments and live-action daily.
Key Operational Notes
- Online Registration: To avoid queues and congestion, WSOP encourages players to utilize the online/mobile registration process to sign-up for events, allowing players to register and pay online. WSOP uses www.BravoPokerLive.com to manage online/mobile registrations. Players who register online will need to visit the Belize Ballroom and have their identification validated. Once verified, players can simply pick event(s) online via Bravo, utilize the self-service kiosks located throughout the Rio Convention Center to print their seat cards, and go directly to their table. Registration will open in August. WSOP will announce to the public when it is live.
- In-Person Registration: The main registration area remains in the Tropical Ballroom, near the back end of the Rio Convention Center, with more stations added to both the main registration cage and the VIP cage. Hours of operation begin Thursday, Sept. 30 at 9:00 a.m., and will remain open 24 hours a day, non-stop through Tuesday, Nov. 23. Guests are required to present valid photo identification, along with their Caesars Rewards card and payment to enter events.
- Caesars Rewards (CR): will remain in the Rio Rotunda as a central location for players to obtain loyalty cards. Caesars Rewards kiosks will also be available for players to reprint their card without having to visit a CR representative.
- Methods of Payment for WSOP Events: Cash, credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express), ACH (new for 2021), wire transfers or cashier’s checks drawn from the registrant’s accredited bank account and made out to Participant or Rio, Rio gaming chips, Rio Tournament Buy-In Chips, or Tournament Buy-In Credit are all acceptable forms of payment for 2021 WSOP. Additional fees will be incurred on all ACH/credit/debit card transactions. Participants using credit/debit cards must have a valid ID that matches the cardholder name present on the credit card used for the transaction.
- WSOP Tournament Account: Players can wire in funds for WSOP events or place money on account when they arrive. After setting up an account at the WSOP Main Cage in the Tropical Ballroom, the player will have the option to register online or via mobile device (via www.BravoPokerLive.com) for WSOP tournaments with the funds used to initiate the account and simply print seat card(s) at one of the kiosks – avoiding the need to use the registration line to enter events.
- Payouts Now Available in Palma Ballroom: To help relieve pressure, create efficiencies, and reduce wait times, players can begin the payout process in Palma prior to collecting their winnings at the WSOP Main Cage in the Tropical Ballroom. Players can request one of the following methods of payment: cash, wire transfer, casino chips, check, or tournament account deposit. Those who have a Bravo Tournament Buy-In Account can direct funds back to their account.
- International Players Applying for an ITIN: International players are required to bring an additional form of identification that shows residential address, such as a signed lease agreement, a utility bill or a mobile phone bill.
“We could not be more excited to welcome everyone back to Las Vegas and the Rio,” said WSOP Vice President and Tournament Director, Jack Effel. “The entire WSOP team is hard at work to ensure players have the absolute best experience possible.”
Satellites for WSOP gold bracelet events have begun on WSOP.com and will run continuously through the event. More than 1,000 seats were awarded via WSOP.com in 2019. Outside the U.S., the WSOP has deepened its partnership with GGPoker who has exclusivity to run satellite packages to the WSOP. Note 2021’s first gold bracelets will be awarded as part of “WSOP Online” which begins July 1st on WSOP.COM.
To view important details about this year’s event, visit WSOP.com/2021. This page will be live leading up to and during the event, where players can find all relevant information about the WSOP. Structure sheets for each individual event are expected to be posted on WSOP.com beginning in July.
Anticipation and expectations are high for the 2021 WSOP, following a 26-month absence. The 2019 WSOP set marks for tournament entries and prize pool with 187,298 entries and $293,183,345 in prize money awarded. The average WSOP gold bracelet event in 2019 featured a $3,257,592 prize pool with $533,613 going to the event’s winner. The 2019 Main Event attracted 8,569 players (second largest in history and largest since 2006) and the total prize pool was $80,548,600 with $10,000,000 going to the winner.
The 2019 WSOP featured notable records including total entries and prize money awarded, 28,017 places paid, 62 events with over $1 million prize pools and 12 events with over $5 million prize pools. For the first time, 12 events had over 5,000 entrants from over 100 nations.
Players are reminded to bring with them valid government-issued picture identification with current residential address, as well as a secondary form of ID (like a bill or statement confirming address). Players residing outside the United States must have a valid passport, in addition to another form of credible identification that includes address information.
The schedule, events, start times, end times and locations of events are subject to change. Tournament chips have no cash value. Winners will be required to provide a valid picture ID. Tax forms will be completed for those with winnings in excess of $5,000 net of event buy-in. Players without a Tax Identification Number and foreign players from non-tax treaty countries are subject to up to 30 percent tax withholding.
WSOP reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the tournament or any tournament event, in part or in whole, without notice.
