15-Hundo Heaven: WSOP Releases Slate of $1,500 Events and High Roller Series
The drip, drip, drip release of World Series of Poker events continued this week with the announcement of the summer’s $1,500 tournaments. The poker mecca begins May 26 and runs through July 15 at the Rio in Las Vegas.
This buy-in level remains one of the most popular at the series, with 25 different live gold bracelet events scheduled this year.
Players will be guaranteed a minimum 25,000-chip starting stack at the $1,500 buy-in level. Along with these lower buy-ins, the WSOP also recently released a slate of high roller events as well.
WSOP offers wide range of the $1,500 events
The $1,500 buy-in has been a consistent price point since first appearing at the WSOP in 1977. That $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event attracted 38 players and created a $57,000 prize pool. Louis Hunsaker, of Austin, Texas took home the gold bracelet and $34,200.
Since then, $1,500 events have been on every schedule except 1985. The eight No-Limit Hold’em offerings in 2019 averaged 3,332 entrants, a $4.5 million prize pool, and a $642,173 first-place prize.
These events have become a mid-range price point between the WSOP championship and high rollers events and the bargain events announced recently.
This summer, 25 different live tournaments will be spread at the $1,500 level. That includes 18 different game types and a dozen in freezeout format. Several others only allow a single re-entry.
“We have found the $1,500 price point to be the sweet spot in poker, perfectly balancing affordability, field size and prize pool to offer great value for participating players,” WSOP Vice President Jack Effel said in a news release.
“As we continue to cater our offerings to find something for everyone, the $1,500 buy-ins remain a core staple of the WSOP.”
Also new for 2020 is a dedicated leaderboard for several of the $1,500 buy-in events, similar to the Player of the Year race. Any player cashing in these will earn points throughout the summer with prizes up for grabs for the winner.
Along with the standard POY race, series organizers plan a subset of events under differing leaderboards category.
WSOP High Roller events also unveiled
Beyond this lower slate of buy-ins, the series also recently announced a grouping of high roller events for this summer. In all, the WSOP has nine nosebleed stakes events scheduled.
The selection of events is being dubbed the High Roller Series and will set a player back $625,000 for playing them all.
“We have something for everyone on the 2020 World Series of Poker schedule and the high rollers are no exception,” Effel said. “The High Roller Series are great spectacles for the fans and a challenging series of events is sure to bring out the game’s best and those looking to take them on.”
The high-stakes action gets underway quickly with the WSOP’s opening weekend featuring the first high roller. A $25,000 buy-in event is set for May 29.
More action follows including three high buy-in events in all for the week of May 29 to June 5. That lineup includes:
- $25,000 No Limit Hold’em Eight-Handed – May 29
- $25,000 Heads-Up Championship with capped field of 64 players – May 31
- $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em – June 5
Omaha players are in luck with $25,000 and $50,000 events added to the schedule. A new $100,000 No Limit Hold’em Eight-Handed event closes out the High Roller Series on July 11.
Online events not released yet
For online poker players in Nevada and New Jersey, only one event has been announced so far.
The series has added a new $10,000 online bracelet event scheduled for July 2. The No Limit Hold’em freezeout event features 30,000 starting chips and 20-minute levels.
In the coming weeks, organizers will release more online events. Here’s a look at the complete WSOP schedule so far:
| Starting Flight Dates | Event | Buy-in | Re-entries |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27 | Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em | $1,000 | Freezeout |
| May 27 | Casino Employees Event No-Limit Hold’em | $500 | 1 |
| May 28 | Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| May 28, 29, 30, 31 | Big 50 | $500 | 1 per flight |
| May 29 | High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $25,000 | 1 |
| May 30 | Dealers Choice 6-Handed | $1,500 | 1 |
| May 31 | Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em | $25,000 | Freezeout |
| May 31 | WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold’em | $400 | 1 |
| June 1 | No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack | $600 | 1 |
| June 1 | Mixed Limit Triple Draw Lowball | $2,500 | 1 |
| June 2 | Super Turbo Bounty NLH - $300 bounty/player | $1,000 | Freezeout |
| June 2 | Seven Card Stud | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 3 | 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em | $1,500 | 1 |
| June 3 | Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 4 | Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 4 | H.O.R.S.E. | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 5-6 | Millionaire Maker | $1,500 | 1 per flight |
| June 5 | High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $50,000 | 1 |
| June 5 | Mixed: PLO Hi-Lo 8; Omaha Hi-Lo 8; Big 0 | $1,500 | 1 |
| June 6 | Seven Card Stud | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 7 | Forty Stack No-Limit Hold’em (40,000 starting chips) | $1,000 | 1 |
| June 7 | HORSE | $3,000 | Freezeout |
| June 7 | WSOP.com ONLINE PLO 7-Handed | $777 | 3 |
| June 8 | Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack 8-Handed | $600 | 1 |
| June 8 | Short Deck | $10,000 | 1 |
| June 9 | Super Turbo Bounty NLH ($500 bounties) | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 9 | HORSE | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 9 | WSOP.com ONLINE Freezeout Knockout Deepstack NLHE | $800 | Freezeout |
| June 10 | Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed | $1,000 | 1 |
| June 10 | No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw | $1,500 | 1 |
| June 11 | Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em | $2,500 | Freezeout |
| June 11 | Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 12-13 | Monster Stack | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 12 | Super Turbo Bounty NLH | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 12 | Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw | $1,500 | 1 |
| June 13 | Dealers Choice 6-Handed | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 14 | No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack | $800 | 1 |
| June 14 | Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed) | $1,500 | 1 |
| June 14 | WSOP.com ONLINE 8-Handed NLH Turbo Deepstack | $500 | 1 |
| June 15 | Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em | $500 | Freezeout |
| June 15 | No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw | $10,000 | 1 |
| June 16 | 8-Handed Mixed NLH/PLO Deepstack | $600 | 1 |
| June 16 | Razz | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 17 | Ladies Championship | $1,000 (ladies) $10,000 (men) | 1 |
| June 17 | Shootout No-Limit Hold’em | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 17 | High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed | $25,000 | 1 |
| June 18 | Seniors Championship (age 50 and up) | $1,000 | 1 |
| June 18 | No-Limit Hold'em | $3,000 | Freezeout |
| June 18 | Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 19-20 | Double Stack | $1,000 | 1 per flight |
| June 19 | Nine-Game Mix (6-Handed) | $2,500 | 1 |
| June 20 | Pot-Limit Omaha | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 21 | 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack | $800 | 1 |
| June 21 | Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em | $5,000 | Freezeout |
| June 21 | WSOP.com ONLINE Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em | $500 | Freezeout |
| June 22 | Super Seniors (age 60 and over) | $1,000 | 1 per flight |
| June 22 | Tag Team (two-person teams) | $1,000 per team | Freezeout |
| June 22 | Poker Players Championship | $50,000 | Freezeout |
| June 23 | Deepstack Championship No-Limit Hold’em | $600 | 1 |
| June 23 | Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better (8-Handed) | $1,500 | 1 |
| June 24-25 | Colossus | $400 | 1 per flight |
| June 24 | Razz | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 25 | No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed | $5,000 | 1 |
| June 26-27 | Crazy Eights | $888 | 1 per flight |
| June 26 | Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 27 | Super High Roller No-Limit Hold’em | $250,000 | 1 |
| June 27 | Limit Hold’em | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 28 | Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold’em ($1 million in bounty guarantees; $250,000 max bounty) | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| June 28 | Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 28 | WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold’em Championship | $1,000 | 1 |
| June 29 | Mini Main Event | $1,000 | Freezeout |
| June 29 | 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 29 | WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold’em | $500 | 1 |
| June 30 | FINAL 500 Salute to Warriors No-Limit Hold’em | $500 | 1 |
| June 30 | Limit Hold’em | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| June 30 | WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $1,500 | 1 |
| July 1, 2, 3 | Main Event | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| July 1 | WSOP.com ONLINE High Roller NLH 8-Handed | $3,200 | 1 |
| July 2 | WSOP.com Online NLHE Super High Roller | $10,000 | Freezeout |
| July 3 | WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold’em | $400 | 1 |
| July 4-6 | Little One for ONE DROP No-Limit Hold’em | $1,000 + $111 | Unlimited |
| July 4 | WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack | $500 | 1 |
| July 5 | Limit Hold'em 6-Handed | $3,000 | Freezeout |
| July 5 | WSOP.com ONLINE 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em | $600 | 1 |
| July 6 | Mixed No-Limit Hold’em; Pot-Limit Omaha (8-hand) | $5,000 | 1 |
| July 7 | Bounty No-Limit Hold’em ($500 bounties) | $1,500 | Freezeout |
| July 7 | High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha | $50,000 | 1 |
| July 8 | Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha ($500 bounties) | $1,500 | 1 |
| July 8 | No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed | $3,000 | 1 |
| July 9 | Fifty Stack No-Limit Hold’em | $1,500 | 1 |
| July 9 | Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/PLO (8-Handed) | $1,500 | 1 |
| July 9 | High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $50,000 | 1 |
| July 10-11 | The Closer | $1,500 | 1 per flight |
| July 10 | Pot Limit Omaha 6-Handed | $3,000 | 1 |
| July 11 | High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $100,000 | 1 |
| July 12 | No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack | $800 | 1 |
| July 12 | Eight Game Mix (6-Handed) | $1,500 | 1 |
| July 12 | WSOP.com ONLINE Summer Saver No-Limit Hold’em | $500 | 1 |
| July 13 | Super Turbo No-Limit Hold’em | $1,000 | 1 |
| July 13 | Mixed Big Bet | $2,500 | 1 |
| July 14 | No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $5,000 | 1 |
Photo by Jayne Furman/WSOP