LAS VEGAS (Jan. 23, 2019) – Several notable changes have been made for the 50th running of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), designed to improve the overall experience for participants.
Gone are the days of a starting chip stack equivalent to the buy-in amount. At the 50th Annual WSOP, players in the majority of events will see significant increases to their starting chip stack from 2018 and prior. Where a $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event last year started with 7,500 in chips, this year that event will start with 25,000 in chips. (A chart on the next page explains the new starting stacks).
To coincide with the new starting chips, the structures are being revised as well, including accommodating the Big Blind Ante format in events with antes.
This means all No-Limit Hold’em events at the 2019 WSOP will utilize the Big Blind Ante format, including gold bracelet events, Daily Deepstacks and Mega Satellites.
The WSOP introduced Big Blind Ante events into last year’s series on a limited basis, and after careful consideration and study, and broader use, including throughout the 2018 World Series of Poker Europe, the plan moving forward is to use this format in all events where antes exist. It has also been widely adopted elsewhere.
The BB-ante is a fundamental rethinking of what the ante is. The ante in this format is no longer a specified amount that each player pays each hand. It’s now a specified amount that each player pays each round. If a player in the tournament does not have the required amount for both the Big Blind and the Ante, the Big Blind will be paid first, followed by the ante.
Having announced 40 individual events already, (http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/) another 34 additional events have been confirmed, mainly prior year staples, while a couple of new events have been added as well.
To continue to celebrate the 50th WSOP, a special “Bracelet Winners Only” No-Limit Hold’em event has been scheduled towards the end of the series. Set for Wednesday, July 10 at 3pm, this $1,500 buy-in event will only allow entry to previous WSOP gold bracelet winners. With a super-sized 50,000 starting chip stack, this event will crown the “champion of champions” from any of the 1,078 WSOP gold bracelet winners since 1970 who decide to participate, along with the 60+ who win one at this year’s series prior to this event’s start.
“It is important the modern day World Series of Poker continues to evolve,” said WSOP Vice President Jack Effel. “People certainly like bigger starting stacks, and we’re happy to oblige while simultaneously adding more value.”
The Big 50, the opening weekend $500 event with a $5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and $1,000,000 to the winner is close to finalizing the structure and playing days. Players will play a 12-level Day 1, followed by an 8-level Day 2, before all remaining players are combined for first time to play Day 3 together on Wednesday, June 5. Details will be announced as soon as they’re confirmed. Players are expected to reach the money in the middle of Day 2. Saturday and Sunday starting flights have the potential to sellout. Thursday and Friday flights will return the next day to play their Day 2, while Saturday starters return for Day 2 on Monday, June 3, while Sunday’s final flight plays its Day 2 on Tuesday, June 4.
LIVE WSOP NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM/OMAHA BUY-IN & STARTING CHIP CHART
BUY-IN AMOUNT
|
2019 STARTING
CHIP STACK
|
2018 STARTING
CHIP STACK
|
NOTES
|
$400
|
40,000
|
N/A
|
Colossus is only event at this price point
|
$500
|
25,000
|
5,000
|
Big 50 gets 50,000
|
$600
|
30,000
|
N/A
|
New Price Point
|
$800
|
40,000
|
N/A
|
New Price Point
|
$888
|
40,000
|
8,000
|
Crazy Eights is only event at this price point
|
$1,000
|
20,000
|
5,000
|
Double Stack: 40,000 chips; Mini Main 60,000 chips
Little One: 40,000 chips w/$111 add-on
|
$1,500
|
25,000
|
7,500
|
Monster Stack, Double Stack & Bracelet Winners Only: 50,000 chips
|
$2,500
|
15,000
|
12,500
|
June 20 event is only NLH event at this price point
|
$2,620
|
26,200
|
Same
|
Marathon is only event at this price point
|
$3,000
|
20,000
|
15,000
|
All six events at this price point have same chips
|
$5,000
|
30,000
|
25,000
|
Three NLH events at this price point
|
$10,000
|
60,000
|
50,000
|
All events at this price point have same chips
|
$25,000
|
150,000
|
125,000
|
High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha is only event at this price point
|
$50,000
|
300,000
|
250,000
|
50th Annual High Roller NLH is only NLH event at this price point
|
$100,000
|
600,000
|
500,000
|
High Roller No-Limit Hold’em is only event at this price point
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALL OTHER LIVE WSOP EVENT BUY-IN & STARTING CHIP CHART (Mixed/Limit/Stud)
BUY-IN
AMOUNT
|
2019 STARTING
CHIP STACK
|
2018 STARTING
CHIP STACK
|
NOTES
|
$150
|
10,000
|
10,000
|
Daily Deepstack
|
$200
|
15,000
|
15,000
|
Daily Deepstack
|
$250
|
20,000
|
20,000
|
Daily Deepstack
|
$400
|
25,000
|
25,000
|
Daily Deepstack
|
$1,500
|
10,000
|
7,500
|
Various
|
$2,500
|
15,000
|
12,500
|
Various
|
$3,000
|
20,000
|
15,000
|
H.O.R.S.E./Limit Hold’em
|
$10,000
|
60,000
|
50,000
|
All $10,000 buy-in events
|
$50,000
|
300,000
|
250,000
|
Poker Players Championship
|
Room reservations are being accepted across Caesars’ Las Vegas properties with rates as low as $33 for existing Caesars Rewards members. Visit Las Vegas - WSOP to make your room reservations for the 2019 WSOP.
Event online registration will open in March/April, after all events have been confirmed and approved.
Buy-ins for tournaments at the Rio will start as low as $70. Single table satellites and all your favorite live poker games: low, medium and high limit will begin on May 28 and run 24 hours a day throughout the seven-week series taking place in the spacious Rio Convention Center for the 15th consecutive year.
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.wsop.com.