BIGGER STARTING STACKS AND BIG BLIND ANTE COMING TO 2019 WSOP

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.