DOORS OPEN TODAY FOR THE 50TH ANNUAL WSOP!

28 May 2019 (Las Vegas) - In 1970, a handful of professional poker players were gathered together by Benny and Jack Binion at Binion’s Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas. After a few days, Johnny Moss, the Grand Old Man of poker, was declared the winner. He was given a trophy (WSOP bracelets weren’t introduced until 1976). No one at that small event had any idea what the World Series of Poker would become. 

Now 49 years later, the 50 Annual WSOP is officially opening its doors. It looks very different than it did in 1970. Now housed at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino for seven weeks every summer, this year’s series features 89 bracelet events. Over 100,000 total entries are expected, and the cumulative prizepool will likely exceed $200,000,000.

Doors open for the 50th WSOP today, and the first bracelet event begins Wednesday. (Full schedule of bracelet events.)

The Big 50

In celebration of the 50th annual World Series of Poker, this year’s schedule includes a unique event – the Big 50. This event will give players 50,000 in starting chips and has 50-minute levels. There are four starting flights, beginning Thursday, May 30 (see full structure here), and players may re-enter once per flight. And what really sets this event apart is that every player’s first entry is rake-free!

There’s also a $5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool with $1,000,000 guaranteed to the winner.

To register online for the Big 50 or any other event, head to the online registration page.

Other Key Events

The Big 50 will highlight the first week of the 2019 WSOP, and weeks that follow will include many of the now-traditional cornerstone events of the series, as well as a few new ones to continue the 50th year celebration:

  • $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em for the 50th Annual WSOP – May 31
  • $10,000 Short Deck No-Limit Hold’em – June 2
  • $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em – June 5
  • $1,500 Millionaire Maker – June 7 & 8
  • $1,000 Seniors Championship – June 13
  • $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller – June 19
  • $1,500 Monster Stack – June 21 & 22
  • $50,000 Poker Players Championship – June 24
  • $400 Colossus – June 26 & 27
  • $500 Salute to Warriors – Proceeds to USO and other veterans organizations – July 2
  • $1,500 50th Annual Bracelet Winners Only Event – July 10
  • $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller – July 11

This year’s schedule also includes a record nine online bracelet events.

Main Event

The schedule culminates with the $10,000 buy-in Main Event – the World Championship of Poker. This year, the Main Event begins on July 3.

There are three starting flights on July 3, July 4, and July 5. The full remaining field will combine on Day 3 (July 8). Then on Day 7 (July 12) they’ll play down to the final nine players. After one day off, the final table will play out over the course of three days (July 14-16). The entire final table will be broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN2.

Additional coverage will appear on ESPN and ESPN2 on every day of the Main Event. Click here for a full broadcast schedule.


John Cynn won the 2018 Main Event for $8,800,000

 

Television and Streaming

In addition to live coverage of the Main Event, streaming coverage of other tournaments will be available on 41 days of the 2019 WSOP on PokerGO and CBS All Access.

Click here for more details and full streaming schedule.

First Fifty Honors

A special event is planned to celebrate the 50th running of the WSOP. The First 50 Honors is scheduled for June 29 and will begin with a dinner open to WSOP bracelet winners and a number of VIP guests. The dinner will be followed by the First 50 Honors ceremony, hosted by everyone’s favorite poker commentators, Lon McEachern and Norman Chad. Awards in seven categories will be presented to the winners of an online vote. Voters* are entered into a drawing to win prizes, including seats to WSOP bracelet events and tickets to the First 50 Honors event. For more information, click here. Or use the links below to vote:

US/Canada First 50 Voting
International First 50 Voting 

*The drawing is open only to residents of the US and Canada. 

Room reservations are being accepted across Caesars’ Las Vegas properties with special rates for existing Caesars Rewards members.  Visit Las Vegas - WSOP to make your room reservations for the 2019 WSOP.  Individual event online pre-registration is also open.  Visit www.WSOP.com/registration to learn more and get registered.

 

About the World Series of Poker

The World Series of Poker® is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world, having awarded more than $2.99 billion in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest-running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970.  In 2018, the event attracted 123,865 entrants from 104 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and awarded more than $266 million in prize money. In addition, the WSOP has formed groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent of the World Series of Poker Europe in 2007 and the World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific in 2013 and the WSOP International Circuit Series in 2015. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit www.lnmandiya.com.