Preview: What To Expect At The 2021 World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas & From Afar
After a one-year pandemic break, the World Series of Poker returns to Las Vegas beginning Thursday. Players from around the world again hope to cash in and score a championship gold bracelet.
The festival runs Sept. 30 – Nov. 23 at the Rio with 88 tournaments and the $10,000 Main Event set for Nov. 4-17 with four starting flights. USPoker takes a look at the upcoming series, what to expect, and spoke with a few players about their plans.
World Series of Poker 2021
- Dates: Sept. 30 – Nov. 23
- Location: Rio, Las Vegas
- Number of bracelet events: 88
- $10,000 Main Event: Nov. 4-17
- Viewing options: CBS Sports Network, PokerGO (daily coverage)
- Online bracelets: 10 for players in Nevada and New Jersey; one for Pennsylvania
WSOP ‘Reunion’ at the Rio a big part of first weekend, Phil Hellmuth ready
This year’s WSOP obviously comes with some changes. Because of the COVID pandemic, the series is being played in the fall. Series officials are also requiring vaccines, but no mask requirements once a vaccinated player becomes eligible to play.
How that affects turnout remains to be seen. Organizers had originally hoped for the largest festival in the history of the series. However, COVID and vaccine requirements may change that.
A few major name players like Kristen Bicknell and Alex Foxen have said they won’t play this year. Whatever the case, the vaccine requirement remains in place and plenty of players are ready to get back in the action. One of those is 15-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.
“I love it,” he says of the series’ return. “I’m looking forward to resuming my ‘chase for history’ at the WSOP.”
Players will once again find a wide variety of tournaments, with buy-ins ranging from $400 to $250,000. WSOP organizers have slotted a special tournament for the first weekend to welcome players back to Vegas. The $500 “Reunion” kicks off Oct. 1 with a $5 million guaranteed prize pool. Here’s a look at the complete series schedule:
2021 World Series of Poker
Date Event Buyin Number of days
Sept. 30 Event #1: Casino Employees No Limit Hold'em $500 2
Sept. 30 Event #2: H.O.R.S.E. $25,000 3
Sept. 30 Event #3: Covid-19 Relief No Limit Hold'em Charity Event $1,000 2
Oct. 1 Event #4: The Reunion No-Limit Holdem
$5,000,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool$500 5
Oct. 1 Event #5: Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better $1,500 3
Oct. 2 Event #6: High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed $25,000 3
Oct. 3 Event #7: Dealers Choice 6-Handed $1,500 3
Oct. 4 Event #8: No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack $600 2
Oct. 4 Event #9: Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship $10,000 4
Oct. 5 Event #10: Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold'em (freezeout) $1,000 1
Oct. 5 Event #11: Heads Up No Limit Hold'em Championship $25,000 3
Oct. 5 Event #12: Limit Hold’em $1,500 3
Oct. 6 Event #13: Freezeout No Limit Hold'em $3,000 3
Oct. 6 Event #14: Seven Card Stud $1,500 3
Oct. 7 Event #15: 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em $1,500 3
Oct. 7 Event #16: Limit Hold'em Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 8 Event #17A: MILLIONAIRE MAKER No-Limit Hold’em $1,500 5
Oct. 8 Event #18: Mixed Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) $2,500 3
Oct. 9 Event #17B: MILLIONAIRE MAKER No Limit Hold'em $1,500 1
Oct. 9 Event #19: Seven Card Stud Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 10 Event #20A: Flip & Go No Limit Hold'em Presented by GGPoker $1,000 2
Oct. 10 Event #21: Mixed: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better; Omaha Hi Lo 8 or Better; Big O $1,500 3
Oct. 10 Event #20B: Flip & Go No Limit Hold'em Presented by GGPoker $1,000 1
Oct. 11 Event #22: LADIES No-Limit Hold’em Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 11 Event #23: Eight Game Mix 6-Handed $1,500 3
Oct. 12 Event #24: Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack (8-Handed) $600 2
Oct. 12 Event #25: 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em $5,000 3
Oct. 13 Event #26: Freezeout No-Limit Holdem $1,000 2
Oct. 13 Event #27: H.O.R.S.E. $1,500 3
Oct. 14 Event #28: Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed $1,000 3
Oct. 14 Event #29: Short Deck No Limit Hold'em $10,000 3
Oct. 15 Event #30A: MONSTER STACK No Limit Hold'em (freezeout) $1,500 5
Oct. 15 Event #31: No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw $1,500 3
Oct. 16 Event #30B: MONSTER STACK No Limit Hold'em $1,500 1
Oct. 16 Event #32: H.O.R.S.E. $3,000 3
Oct. 17 Event #33: 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack $800 2
Oct. 17 Event #34: Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw $1,500 3
Oct. 18 Event #35: Freezeout No-Limit Holdem $500 2
Oct. 18 Event #36: Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 19 Event #37: Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold'em (freezeout) $1,500 1
Oct. 19 Event #38: High Roller No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed $50,000 3
Oct. 20 Event #39: Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed) $1,500 3
Oct. 20 Event #40: H.O.R.S.E. Championship $10,000 4
Oct. 21 Event #41: Freezeout No Limit Hold'em $2,500 3
Oct. 21 Event #42: Razz $1,500 3
Oct. 22 Event #43A: DOUBLE STACK No Limit Hold'em $1,000 5
Oct. 25 Event #44: $3,000 Six-Handed NLHE $3,000 3
Oct. 23 Event #45: Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Championship $10,000 4
Oct. 24 Event #46: No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack $800 2
Oct. 24 Event #47: Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed $5,000 3
Oct. 25 Event #48: SHOOTOUT No Limit Hold'em $1,500 3
Oct. 25 Event #49: No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 26 Event #50: Mixed No Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack 8-Handed $600 2
Oct. 26 Event #51: 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em $3,000 2
Oct. 27 Event #52A: SENIORS No-Limit Hold’em Championship $1,000 1
Oct. 27 Event #53: High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed) $25,000 4
Oct. 28 Event #52B: SENIORS No-Limit Hold’em Championship $1,000 1
Oct. 28 Event #54: Nine Game Mix 6-Handed $2,500 1
Oct. 29 Event #55A: COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold’em $400 3
Oct. 29 Event #56: 6-Handed No Limit Hold'em Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 30 Event #55B: COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold’em $400 1
Oct. 30 Event #57: Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship $10,000 3
Oct. 31 Event #58: SUPER SENIORS No-Limit Hold’em $1,000 3
Oct. 31 Event #59: TAG TEAM No Limit Hold'em $1,000 3
Oct. 31 Event #60: Poker Players Championship 6-Handed $50,000 5
Nov. 1 Event #61: Deepstack Championship No Limit Hold'em $600 3
Nov. 1 Event #62: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better (8-Handed) $1,500 3
Nov. 2 Event #63: SALUTE to Warriors - No-Limit Hold’em $500 3
Nov. 2 Event #64: Mixed No Limit Hold'em; Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed) $5,000 2
Nov. 3 Event #65: MINI Main Event No-Limit Hold’em (freezeout) $1,000 2
Nov. 3 Event #66: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship (8-Handed) $10,000 3
Nov. 4 Event #67A: MAIN EVENT No Limit Hold'em World Championship - Day 1A $10,000 1
Nov. 5 Event #67B: MAIN EVENT No Limit Hold'em World Championship - Day 1B $10,000 1
Nov. 6 Event #67C: MAIN EVENT No Limit Hold'em World Championship - Day 1C $10,000 1
Nov. 7 Event #67D: MAIN EVENT No Limit Hold'em World Championship - Day 1D $10,000 1
Nov. 8 Event #68A: LITTLE ONE FOR ONE DROP No-Limit Hold’em $1,111 5
Nov. 9 Event #68B: LITTLE ONE FOR ONE DROP No-Limit Hold’em $1,111 1
Nov. 10 Event #68C: LITTLE ONE FOR ONE DROP No-Limit Hold’em $1,111 1
Nov. 10 Event #69: Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better $1,500 3
Nov. 11 Event #70A: CRAZY EIGHTS No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed $888 6
Nov. 11 Event #71: BOUNTY Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed $1,500 1
Nov. 12 Event #70B: CRAZY EIGHTS No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed $888 1
Nov. 12 Event #72: Mixed No Limit Hold'em; Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed) $1,500 3
Nov. 13 Event #70C: CRAZY EIGHTS No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed $888 1
Nov. 13 Event #73: Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship $10,000 3
Nov. 14 Event #70D: CRAZY EIGHTS No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed $888 1
Nov. 14 Event #74: Mixed Big Bet Event $2,500 3
Nov. 15 Event #75: Freezeout No-Limit Holdem $1,500 3
Nov. 15 Event #76: Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold'em (freezeout) $10,000 2
Nov. 16 Event #77: FIFTY STACK No-Limit Hold’em $1,500 2
Nov. 16 Event #78: Razz Championship $10,000 3
Nov. 17 Event #79: Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No Limit Hold'em (freezeout) $1,979 2
Nov. 17 Event #80: 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha $3,000 4
Nov. 18 Event #81: No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack $800 2
Nov. 18 Event #82: Super High Roller No Limit Hold'em $250,000 3
Nov. 19 Event #83A: The Closer - No-Limit Hold’em $1,500 3
Nov. 19 Event #84: HIGH ROLLER Pot-Limit Omaha $50,000 2
Nov. 20 Event #83B: The Closer - No-Limit Hold’em $1,500 1
Nov. 20 Event #85: HIGH ROLLER No-Limit Hold’em $50,000 2
Nov. 21 Event #86: Super Turbo No Limit Hold'em $1,000 1
Nov. 21 Event #87: High Roller No-Limit Hold’em $100,000 3
Nov. 22 Event #88: 8-Handed No Limit Hold'em $5,000 2
Players eager to hit the tables
Many players are happy to see the festival’s return. Fresh off a third-place finish in the World Poker Tour Online Borgata Poker Open at partypoker US Network, New Jersey’s Daniel Buzgon lands in Las Vegas on Tuesday. He has a full schedule of events he’s looking forward to playing.
That includes tournaments at the Rio and beyond. The WSOP also recently announced 10 online events for players in Nevada and New Jersey with buy-ins ranging from $400 to $7,777.
“I’ll be playing a mix of WSOP, Venetian, Wynn, and anything else that looks good,” Buzgon says. “I’ll probably throw some online poker in there as well. All the schedules look really promising and I’m excited to see how the numbers will be with everything that is going on.”
The Borgata Poker ambassador scored two runner-up finishes in the recent WSOP Online and also has eight WSOP Circuit rings.
Four-time WPT champion Darren Elias is also looking forward to some WSOP action. Family commitments may not allow for a full summer of poker, but he has a few events in mind.
“I’m planning on making three separate trips around two weeks each and focusing on the higher buy-in no limit events,” he says. “With the family it’s tough to leave for any longer than that in a single stretch.
“I also enjoy the No Limit 2-7 Single Draw event so will work that into my schedule. The Aria is doing a good job offering bigger no limit events on days where there are only mixed events at the WSOP or smaller events.”
The Autumn at Aria Series features 41 events from Oct. 5 to Nov. 14 with almost $1.7 million guaranteed. The festival is running several events for players looking for action after the WSOP Main Event.
“I’m curious to see how the post-lim events in November fare,” Elias says. “There’s never been so many big events after the Main Event.”
Getting prepared
Other players are also getting ready for the series. Four-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb will be back at the tables as well. He even recently announced some early meal plans.
Anyone who wants to stay fat during wsop let me know I’ll be at hash house most mornings https://t.co/VqWD86Jzx1
— Mask Police (@shaundeeb) September 11, 2021
With the vaccine requirement in place, getting in the action may come with some hiccups. Six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu urged patience and planning. He recently made some recommendations to speed up the players’ registration process.
Attention @WSOP players that don’t want to wait in lines.
Get your account set up and use the Fast Trac machines.
It’s a no-brainer. pic.twitter.com/ainPeZmYhu
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) September 22, 2021
Daily Deepstacks offer even more tournament action
Beyond the bracelet events, players have numerous other tournament options with the non-bracelet Daily Deepstacks events. These tournaments feature smaller bankrolls but can bring in nice prize pools. That often includes a five-figure payout to winners.
Most Daily Deepstacks are held daily in the Pavilion room and kick off Sept. 30. Here’s a look at those events:
- 1 pm – $250 NLHE
- 4 pm – $200 NLHE
- 7 pm – $400 NLHE Turbo
- 10 pm – $150 NLHE
- Mondays, 5 pm – $250 HORSE (starting Oct. 4)
- Wednesdays, 9 am – $250 NLHE Seniors (starting Oct. 6)
PokerGO streaming plenty of action from the WSOP
Poker players and fans who can’t make it to Las Vegas will still be able to follow the action. Once again, PokerGO will live stream WSOP events from the Rio.
Viewers can expect daily events on the network, kicking off with the $25,000 High Roller on Oct. 4. In all, PokerGO will live stream 26 WSOP events through Nov. 23.
That also includes coverage of the $10,000 Main Event from start to finish. Poker fans can look for 36 days of live broadcasts throughout the series.
The WSOP also announced in April that CBS Sports Network and Paramount+ will be offering 15 hours of the Main Event and 36 hours of 18 additional gold bracelet events as part of the networks’ episodic coverage of the series.
USPoker will once again also offer plenty of coverage throughout the series including twice-weekly updates. Here’s a complete look at the WSOP PokerGO streaming schedule.
2021 WSOP PokerGO Streaming
Date Tournament
Oct. 4 $25,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller
Oct. 6 $600 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack
Oct. 7 $25,000 Heads-Up Championship
Oct. 8 $3,000 No Limit Hold’em Freezeout
Oct. 9 $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship
Oct. 11 $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Championship
Oct. 13 $1,500 8-Game Mix
Oct. 14 $1,000 Ladies Championship
Oct. 15 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed
Oct. 16 $10,000 Short Deck
Oct. 18 $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.
Oct. 19 $800 No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed
Oct. 21 $50,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller
Oct. 22 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
Oct. 23 $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
Oct. 24 $3,000 Limit Hold’em 6-Handed
Oct. 26 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
Oct. 26 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Freezeout
Oct. 27 $10,000 No Limit 2-7 Lowball Championship
Oct. 30 $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
Nov. 5 $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Nov. 4-17 $10,000 Main Event
Nov. 19 $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty
Nov. 20 $250,000 No Limit Hold’em Super High Roller
Nov. 22 $50,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller
Nov. 23 $100,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller
Fantasy poker options
Those watching the WSOP action from afar can also take part in some fantasy poker action via SuperDraft. The DFS platform is promising contests for 18 events throughout the series including four different competitions during the Main Event.
SuperDraft allows users to select players with certain multipliers for each roster spot. A user’s performance is based on the complete roster’s results.
The contests are based on the higher buy-in events so that more recognizable names can be available to select. SuperDraft is promising $40,000 in freerolls throughout the series as well as contests with buy-ins. The SuperDraft contests kick off with the $25,000 HORSE event on Sept. 30.
Additionally, the site is giving away a Main Event seat as part of the contest for the $50,000 Poker Players Championship. SuperDraft has already run some DFS contests for PokerGO events, but sees the WSOP as the real opportunity to showcase its poker DFS options.
“The WSOP is where it’s really going to start to have some legs and take off,” SuperDraft Vice President of Player Development Ricky Stroude says.
Verifying vaccination status
Those heading to Vegas for the series are asked to use CLEAR’s free mobile app and Health Pass feature. The platform allows players to upload their proof of vaccination through the app.
Once that’s complete, players may go directly to the registration cage tellers at the Rio. There will also be on-site verification, but players are asked to use the mobile process if possible.
A look at the WSOP.com online bracelet events
Those looking to play online bracelet events in Nevada and New Jersey at WSOP.com have several events to check out. The series plans to run a tournament each Sunday with 10 total events.
Additionally, players in PA also have one bracelet event to look forward to. Here’s a look at the complete schedule:
2021 WSOP Online bracelet events
Date Event Tourhnament Buy-in
Oct. 3 1 NLHE Freezeout $5,300
Oct. 3 2 Big 500 (3x re-entry) $500
Oct. 10 3 Ultra Deepstack (2x re-entry) $400
Oct. 17 4 PLO Crazy 8s (3x re-entry) $888
Oct. 24 5 Online Bracelet Championship (2x re-entry) $1,000
Oct. 31 6 NLHE (2x re-entry) $666
Oct. 31 satellite 25 Seat Main Event Scramble $215
Nov. 2 satellite 25 Seat Main Event Scramble Encore $215
Nov. 7 7 High Roller (2x re-entry) $3,200
Nov. 14 8 Lucky 7s High Roller (1x re-entry) $7,777
Nov. 14 9 Lucky 7s NLHE (2x re-entry) $777
Nov. 21 10 Mini Main Event (freezeout) $1,000
Nov. 21 PA Mini Main Event (freezeout) – PA market $1,000
* photos courtesy WSOP