WSOP Unveils ESPN and Poker Central Coverage for 2019

Last updated on December 17th, 2021

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The World Series of Poker information train has been on the tracks since before Christmas of 2018, steadily stopping about once per week to drop bits of information about the upcoming 50^th Anniversary World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Whether the press releases contain dates and details for tournaments at the Rio in Las Vegas during the summer months or information about the WSOP Europe in October and November, there have been regular info drops to keep players informed and excited.

The last piece of information about the 2019 WSOP summer schedule was provided at the end of January, completing the list of live events. While the online poker tournament portion of the series remains a mystery, players can plan their trips to Vegas around the live schedule.

But what about those who can’t make it to Las Vegas for the poker action? This week’s announcement provides information for them.

Our friends at @PokerCentral
and @ESPN have announced their TV coverage plans for the 50th annual WSOP.
Who is going to be the star of the show this year? https://t.co/Di27epsamN pic.twitter.com/syrMKzmpSw
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) February 13, 2019

Poker Central + ESPN

Poker fans want coverage at their fingertips. Some want it on television for traditional ESPN viewing, and others want it online for watching on the go. Both will be available.

Poker Central will use its PokerGO channel to stream final tables throughout the summer series, as well as portions of the WSOP Main Event that will not be available on ESPN. The PokerGO schedule has not been announced yet, but its partnership with the WSOP and ESPN will give customers the chance to watch a good deal of WSOP coverage live, though it does require a monthly subscription fee.

ESPN will be filming quite a bit of the WSOP, with at least 40 hours of live coverage during the Main Event and another 90 hours that will be edited and produced for scheduled programming throughout the months following the end of the summer WSOP.

While the times are subject to change, these are the hours provided at this time by ESPN and the WSOP for live coverage of the Main Event:

July 3: 8:30pm – 2:00am ET on ESPN2 (Day 1A)
July 4: 9:00pm – 11:00pm ET on ESPN2 (Day 1B)
July 5: 8:00pm – 12:30am ET on ESPN2 (Day 1C)
July 6: 6:00pm – 10:30pm ET on ESPN2 (Day 2AB)
July 7: 2:30pm – 6:00pm ET on ESPN (Day 2C)
July 8: 10:00pm – 2:00am ET on ESPN2 (Day 3)
July 9: 7:00pm – 11:00pm ET on ESPN (Day 4)
July 10: 8:00pm – 11:00pm ET on ESPN (Day 5)
July 11: 12:30am – 2:00am ET on ESPN2 (Day 6)
July 12: 9:00pm – 11:00pm ET on ESPN (Day 7)
July 12: 11:00pm – 2:00am ET on ESPN2 (Day 7 play down to final table of nine)
July 14: 10:00pm – TBD ET on ESPN2 (Day 8 play down to six players)
July 15: 10:00pm – TBD ET on ESPN (Day 9 play down to three players)
July 16: 9:00pm – TBD ET on ESPN (Day 10 play for the win)

All action on ESPN will be broadcast on a 30-minute delay to meet Nevada’s gaming standards and to protect the integrity of the game as it proceeds.

The second part of the July 12^th coverage shows that it will end at 2:00am ET, but considering that the play toward the final table is some of the most exciting of the Main Event and how it has been handled in past years, it seems likely that the programming will continue until that final table of nine players is set. That will be the case for Days 8-10, indicated by the TBD (to be determined).

The @WSOP returns to @ESPN this summer with 14 days of Main Event coverage beginning July 3rd. Check out the preliminary schedule below! https://t.co/ypgSrxxOxC
— PokerGO Tour (@PokerGOTour) February 13, 2019

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart noted that “significant video coverage” is one of the “cornerstones” of the series. And ESPN Senior VP of Programming and Acquisitions added, “ESPN’s established relationship with the World Series of Poker and Poker Central always brings our audience the top content from this event.” Poker Central Chief Digital Officer JR McCabe hailed the third consecutive year of coverage to a “continually growing audience across multiple platforms.”

Poker fans will also be able to see final tables and Main Event action at the Rio as it happens, whether by standing along the rails or seated in a theater-type setup that typically puts final tables on a stage for better viewing.