Chipping in for Charity: A Look at Summer Charitable Poker Tournaments in Las Vegas
Summer time in Las Vegas attracts high stakes, celebrity players, and major poker tournament action. One element occasionally overlooked is the charity aspect of the poker community.
Poker players have a big heart when it comes to helping out those in need. Many organizations have big ties with the poker world and run annual events each summer in Sin City.
USPoker took a look at some charitable events to look out for this summer. These offer a chance at some poker fun while pitching in for some worthy causes.
♠♠♠ For USPoker’s complete Las Vegas summer poker tournament guide, click here. ♠♠♠
WSOP gives back
The World Series of Poker helps out two major organizations this summer with the Salute to Warriors and One Drop tournaments. These events attract huge fields and stand out on the schedule.
Proceeds from Event 54: $500 Salute to Warriors benefits groups assisting veterans, such as the United Service Organization (USO).
The USO provides support to military families and wounded veterans. The poker tournament also helps out local veteran organizations in and around Las Vegas. In 2021, Eric Zhang took down the event and brought home $102,465.
The WSOP also continues working with the One Drop Foundation this year. The organization helps impoverished nations achieve the ability to receive clean water and sanitation. The group currently has developed projects in 13 different countries.
Originally a $1 million buy-in, the WSOP then expanded and allowed players with lower bankrolls to get in on the charitable action.
The first $1,111 Little One For One Drop started in 2013 and has been a big draw since ever since. In 2021, Scott Ball was victorious in the event and won $396,445.
The Salute to Warriors and One Drop are both official bracelet events.
- $500 Salute to Warriors – June 26, (three-day event)
- $1,111 One More for One Drop – July 7, (multi-starting flight event)
South Point gives for a good cause
South Point Casino is assisting at least two organizations this summer. The casino hosts two tournaments raising funds for children’s causes. The Ante 4 Autism tournament takes place on July 23.
“Ante 4 Autism was started to raise awareness about autism and raise money within the home furnishings industry, to help support the needs of the families impacted by autism,” the group’s website notes.
As of August 2021, the organization had raised more than $1 million. Proceeds of the Ante 4 Autism tournament are donated to five autism-related charities each year. The property will announce more details on the event soon.
South Point also hosts a monthly charity event that benefits Chef for Kids. Each month the casino sponsors the event that supports local families and shelters.
The tournaments feature 40 players with the prize pool split with 50% of the proceeds benefiting the charity and 50% to the prize pool. Those finishing first, second, and third are paid and receive and a gift from the group’s sponsors.
The $60 tournament takes place the first Tuesday of the month. Upcoming events this summer include:
- June 7, 6:30 pm
- July 5, 6:30 pm
- Aug 2, 6:30 pm
Charity Series of Poker
The Charity Series of Poker recently returned after a hiatus during the pandemic. The group will partner with Three Squares Las Vegas on July 3 at 6 pm at Moon Nightclub, located at the top of Palms Casino.
Three Squares is southern Nevada’s only food bank and largest hunger-relief organization. The tournament features a $300 buy-in with $100 rebuys and add-ons. First place pays out $10,000.
The CSOP series recently ran the “Against All Odds” event in Las Vegas and raised over $400,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The organization was founded by poker player Matt Stout in 2014 as a way for players to give back.
“The Charity Series of Poker started as a grassroots, volunteer side project,” Stout says.
“It was an effort by the poker community to leave some of our stops on the tour better than we found them. We’d partner with different casinos across the country and run events for worthy local charities as part of different WPT and WSOP series.”
The CSOP has raised over $2 million for various charitable groups. In 2016, Stout won the Charitable Initiative of the Year at the Global Poker Index’s American Poker Awards.