In April, Caesars Entertainment announced that the 51st running of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) would not take place as usual at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. However, tournament host Caesars Entertainment already had plans to keep poker players happily occupied, and winning money, this year.
Caesars has partnered with the global-facing GGPoker Network to formulate the WSOP Super Circuit Online Series, a full slate of contests leading to a virtual Main Event in September. Participants will vie for the coveted WSOP winning bracelets as well as the cash.
Last week, GGPoker announced that September’s Main Event will be the largest tournament in the history of online poker. Some 54 total bracelets will be up for grabs in events running from July 19 through September 6, with a record-breaking $25 million guaranteed prize pool for the finale.
“We knew GGPoker would go big on the WSOP Online Series, but this is ridiculous,” commented WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart in a press announcement detailing the tournament plan. “The single biggest guarantee in the history of online poker is exactly what this once-in-a-lifetime event deserves.”
GGPoker is running a series of micro and low-stake qualifying events leading up to the WSOP Online Series start date of July 19, giving all players the opportunity to win a WSOP bracelet, regardless of bankroll.
“This reminds me of poker’s boom years,” said Daniel Negreanu, famous poker pro and GGPoker ambassador, in the press statement. “Anyone who has dreamed of winning a real WSOP bracelet can now do so across the globe. There’s no feeling like winning a WSOP bracelet, and GGPoker is opening that opportunity to the masses.”
Players interested in standard satellite tournaments will be accommodated, with satellites scheduled throughout the series. Players who reach the final tables will be required to play under their real names, allowing viewers on GGPoker.TV and PokerCentral, similar to the familiar national TV broadcasts of tournaments during the boom years of casino poker in the early 2000s.
“The WSOP Online main event table will be broadcast on GGPoker.TV, and will feature well-known commentators and poker superstars,” said Paul Burke, spokesman for GGPoker, in an interview with GGB News. “All of the excitement of the concluding hours of the world’s richest and most prestigious online poker tournament will be showcased. Poker is fun, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. GGPoker and WSOP hope to deliver a viewing experience that matches or exceeds the best seen during the boom years.
“Additionally, PokerGO will be both curating a weekly WSOP Online recap show and broadcasting Main Event and other WSOP Online tournaments, giving viewers another opportunity to catch the most exciting poker action out there.”
According to Burke, GGPoker worked closely with WSOP officials to make the online events as close as possible to the live events that have drawn millions to the Rio over the years. “GGPoker and WSOP have collaborated closely on the design of the WSOP Online 2020 series, and while it is not a direct replacement for the live tournament, making participation in the online tournaments as authentic a WSOP experience as possible is extremely important to both organizations,” he said. “These are real WSOP bracelets. Linking past poker championships to this history-making event is an important connection.”
Burke says GGPoker and WSOP also worked hard to create a seamless experience for even novice players who want to participate in the famous tournament. “The GGPoker account creation process has been designed to be as intuitive and pain-free as possible,” Burke said. “New players will have their account set up within minutes—similarly with funding their account and claiming their WSOP Welcome Bonus; this takes just a few more moments.
“All WSOP tournaments are listed within clearly marked lobbies within the GGPoker app, so they are very easy to find. There are no obstacles placed between new players and their preferred WSOP Online events and a shot at a WSOP bracelet.”
The WSOP Online Series is headlined by the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event, with the $25 million prize pool guaranteed, the biggest in the history of online poker. This massive tournament will feature multiple Day 1s, similar to its live predecessor, running from August 16, with Day 2 kicking off on August 30.
Other highlights include:
- WSOP Event #1: $100 The Opener – July 19 (Day 2) – $2 million prize pool guarantee
- WSOP Event #2: $1,111 Every 1 for Covid Relief – July 19 – $111 from each entry goes to the Caesars Cares fund
- WSOP Event #10: $400 COLOSSUS – July 26 (Day 2) – $3 million prize pool guarantee
- WSOP Event #17: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER – August 2 (Day 2) – $1 million first prize guaranteed
- WSOP Event #25: $10,000 Heads UP NLH Championship – August 9 – Limited to 128 players
- WSOP Event #31: $500 Mini Main Event – August 16 (Day 2) – $5 million prize pool guarantee
- WSOP Event #38: $25,000 NLH Poker Players Championship – August 23 – $10 million prize pool guarantee
- WSOP Event #39: BIG 50 – August 23 (Day 2) – $50 buy-in, $1 million prize pool guarantee, lowest WSOP bracelet event in WSOP history)
- WSOP Event #52: $10,000 WSOP Super MILLION$ – September 6 – $10 million prize pool guarantee
For more information about the WSOP Online Series and to view a full schedule, visit https://en.ggpoker.com/tournaments/wsop-2020-online.
