The countdowns have been happening. Today marks one week to the WSOP.
Perhaps more than in previous years, the poker community is looking forward to the start of the 2021 World Series of Poker – the live events, the ones in Las Vegas, the ones in the Rio Convention Center. The saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder seems to be true in this case, as the unprecedented cancellation of the WSOP in 2020 due to the pandemic and the delayed series this year created more excitement for the games than in the recent past.
There is also increased anticipation this year to see how things play out. The ongoing Covid-19 concerns prompted the WSOP to mandate vaccinations for players, media, and spectators this year. And that caused some kerfuffle, with some players saying they absolutely will not attend but others saying that the mandate is inspiring them to play. How will it affect attendance in the real world as compared to social media statements and rants? That’s what we will find out very soon.
So, with one week left before the players can take their seats in the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas, let’s look at the latest information and the best webpages to bookmark for the next two months.
Where to Play
Obviously, the most action from September 30 to November 23 will happen at the Rio on Flamingo, just off the Las Vegas Strip. The main attraction will be the 88 tournaments offering WSOP gold bracelets to the winners.
Of course, there are other places to play in Las Vegas. Just as during previous summers, other casinos around Las Vegas offer competing tournaments, most often with lower buy-ins and more poker variations. This year, several casinos did step up to offer those schedules, including the Wynn and Venetian, Orleans and Golden Nugget, and Aria.
There is one big change this year, though. Past years have seen other Caesars-owned and Caesars-operated poker rooms offer tournament series alongside the WSOP at the Rio. This year, however, there is a poker dealer shortage. In an effort to ensure a sufficient number of dealers for the WSOP tournaments and cash games, there will be no competing Caesars series. Bally’s was the first to announce the complete closure of its poker room during the WSOP, and other Caesars properties may do the same.
https://twitter.com/Kevmath/status/1440670306037690373?s=20
Watching and Tracking Action
Many people are unable to make the trip to Las Vegas for a variety of reasons. That is why there are several ways to get updates and even watch some livestreaming of the 2021 WSOP as it goes along.
PokerGO is the official livestreaming partner of the WSOP and CBS Sports Network. They will provide 36 days of live coverage of the WSOP that will include 26 different tournaments. This will include live coverage of almost every day of the Main Event to and through the final table.
Of course, poker fans want varying levels of information about the WSOP. Some simply want a summary of the basics of each event, such as the number of players, amount of the prize pool, the names of final table players and winners. Others want more in-depth coverage. They want to see the hands and see how their favorite players perform, and some want to track friends or family members as they play.
-We will post daily summaries of the WSOP basics from the previous day, such as names and numbers.-PokerNews is the official news site of the WSOP and will provide live updates from each event. -Kevin Mathers established a special Twitter account specifically to distribute information about Las Vegas tournaments, including the WSOP.
General WSOP Information
There are also some informative links that poker players and fans should keep handy.
-Registration: methods in person and online, payment options, fees and refunds, seat assignments, etc.-Covid-19 requirements: latest information regarding masks and vaccines, FAQs-WSOP rules: full set of rules, though we noted the 2021 changes here-Payout calculator: to determine payouts for bracelet events and dailies-Caesars Rewards: sign-up and tracking of rewards, mandatory free membership to play WSOP events-PokerGO subscription: sign-up for monthly or annual membership to watch WSOP livestreams
