The 47th World Series of Poker began last week at the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas with a $565 buy-in Casino Employees No-limit Texas Hold ’em tournament starting off 60 bracelet events.
It’s unclear, however, if the 48th WSOP will be run by Caesars Entertainment. The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets reported this month that Caesars Entertainment is considering a sale of Caesars Interactive Entertainment Inc., which owns the World Series of Poker.
The potential deal reportedly involves the company’s mobile- and social-games business, not the WSOP brand. In an email to the Las Vegas Review Journal, spokesperson Seth Palansky declined to comment and wrote, “There’s nothing that has any impact on this WSOP.”
The Review Journal also outlined some stories to watch at this year’s WSOP.
The WSOP is attempting to fix logistical problems it had last year at the inaugural $565 buy-in “Colossus” No-limit Texas Hold ’em tournament which attracted the largest live poker tournament in history with 22,374 entrants. Players were also upset that the winner received only $638,880.
The winner now is guaranteed to earn at least $1 million, and the addition of several kiosks should aid in the registration process, the paper said
Poker pro Howard Lederer issued a statement May 19 accepting “full responsibility for Full Tilt (Poker)’s failure to protect player deposits leading up to Black Friday.”
The timing of Lederer’s message has led to speculation the two-time bracelet winner will return to the WSOP for the first time since 2010.
Dzmitry Urbanovich makes his long-anticipated debut at the WSOP this summer after turning 21 in May. The Polish player has nearly $5 million in documented live tournament earnings.
The WSOP schedule also features eight new events, with the highlight being the $1,000 buy-in Tag Team No-limit Hold ‘em tournament that starts July 6. Teams consist of two to four players that can rotate in as desired once everyone has played at least one round of blinds, the Review Journal reported.
