Gambling in the USA

What’s at stake at the 2019 World Series of Poker main event?

Published

5 years ago

May 21, 2019

George Miller

What’s at stake at the 2019 World Series of Poker main event?

The 2019 WSOP main event takes place this summer in the spiritual home of gambling – Las Vegas.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The wait for the 2019 World Series of Poker is almost over with the event due to start in just a few weeks’ time. That hasn’t dampened the anticipation amongst poker fans or the thousands of players preparing to play in the WSOP tournaments.

This article gives you everything (almost) you need to know about the 2019 WSOP including estimated prize money, the best tournaments and a guide on how to enter the 2020 WSOP.

WSOP 2019

When is it?
The tournament starts on May 28th and last for just over a month and a half with the final table closing up on July 16th.

Where is it?
The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is the venue for the 50th WSOP event. This has been the official venue of the WSOP since it moved from original venue Binion’s Horseshoe in the mid-noughties.

How many players have entered?
Official participation figures are yet to be released for the 2019 WSOP but the figure is expected to be an increase on last year’s record-breaking figure of 123, 865. Of that figure only 7,874 featured in the WSOP main event.

What’s the prize money?
The 123,865 participants involved last year contributed towards a staggering figure of $266,889,193 in prize money. With numbers expected to increase this time around that figure will be slightly higher although it will still be some way off the $300 million mark.

What events are on?
Undoubtedly the biggest draw of the WSOP is the main event which will see the world’s best players battle it out for supremacy. This final table of this event finishes the entire poker festival with the winner scooping a minimum $10 million in prize money.

Elsewhere players can enjoy Millionaire Maker, Seniors No-Limit, Monster Stack, Big 50 and Crazy Eight’s. The competition in these events will be less fierce but there will still be a of prize money available with the winner of the Big 50 getting their hands on a minimum $1 million.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUn1Td4iatw

(In 2003 accountant and amateur poker player Chris Moneymaker took the world of poker by storm, winning the tournament with an epic bluff against Sammy Farha.)

How to enter the WSOP

Unfortunately the time to enter this year’s WSOP is almost over but you can always prepare to enter next year’s tournament. You can do that in two-ways by paying your way in or by qualifying through a number of licensed events.

The buy-in option

This is by far the easiest option if you just want to get involved and make sure you’re at the 2020 WSOP. Although at $10,000 the buy-in for the main event is slightly expensive. If money is no object to you then you may as well buy-in.
If like most of us ten thousand dollars sounds like a lot of money to spend on a poker tournament then fear not, there are other ways. Players sell stakes of their potential winnings to investors to raise the WSOP buy-in amount.

Alternatively if you’re part of a poker league you can persuade the rest of the league to front the cost of a buy-in for the league’s best player – you’ll of course have to ensure you’re the best player in the league.

Classic qualification
WSOP run a series of satellite events across the world in the run-up to their showpiece event where players can win entry to the WSOP main event. The vast majority of these tournaments tend to take place in the United States with a few taking place in Europe and Asia.

If you can’t make it to any of these tournaments keep your eyes on the 888 Poker website. The online gambling company are the only officially licensed online satellite for the WSOP and regularly run qualification events throughout the year.

Who will win the 2019 WSOP?
After 10 hours of gruelling back and forth play, John Cynn finally overcame Tony Miles in a heads-up to win the 2018 WSOP. You might expect then that Cynn will be the hot favourite to take the crown again this year.

However if history has told us one thing about the WSOP it’s that it is incredibly hard to retain your poker crown. Tony Miles will be among the front runners to go one better than last time with Joe Cada, Nicolas Manion and Michael Dyer all hoping to win the WSOP main event.

Where can I watch the 2019 WSOP?
Dedicated poker fans can get their card fix this summer on the WSOP live stream after subscribing. If you’d rather watch the action on your TV then the tournament will be shown live on ESPN in the United States.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 8-14

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America and an Official Partner of Churchill Downs Inc., announced five time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the headlining performers at FanDuel’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Party. The exclusive, invite-only event will take place on Friday, May 3 at Paristown Arts and Entertainment District in Louisville, Kentucky from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

TPI, a leading provider of innovative player communication solutions for the casino industry, has appointed Joe Tingson as its new Vice President of Customer Success. With his unparalleled dedication to his customers, Joe will play a pivotal role as a leader for our digital Customer Success and Product teams.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced plans for its new 33,000 square foot Atlanta Headquarters, which will be located in the Star Metals Building in Midtown Atlanta. The company plans to grow its workforce by 1000 new jobs over the next seven years, the economic impact of which will be $25M to the state of Georgia.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that it opened its hotel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Riverview. The Riverview is a 69 room, six-story building with 68,000 square feet that is adjacent to and connected with Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The project cost $30.5 million and was financed with cash on hand.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced the opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana. The $290 million investment includes a casino floor with 1000 slot machines, 36 table games, and a state-of-the-art sportsbook. The 400,000-square-foot entertainment venue also features regionally inspired bars and restaurants including: Four Cornered Steakhouse, Rockwood Bar & Grill, The Soda Shoppe, Crossroads Center Bar and High Limit Bar.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Partnerships

EQL Games has partnered with global aggregation leader and NeoGames company, Pariplay, to provide the Virginia Lottery, through an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive, with a series of eInstant iLottery games for their industry-leading digital platform.

JACK Entertainment LLC announced the selection of Konami Gaming Inc.’s SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operator’s portfolio includes a combined 2600+ gaming machines and 85 table games at JACK Cleveland Casino in downtown Cleveland, and at JACK Thistledown Racino, located approximately 10 miles to the southeast.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that the company has reunited with the Atlanta Braves as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner for the 2024 season. The partnership extends a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2020, with the two Atlanta-based companies continuing to work together on unique opportunities for their dedicated fans.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 1-7

Published

2 weeks ago

April 8, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

International Game Technology PLC (IGT) announced that it will showcase its performance-focused portfolio of games and solutions for tribal casinos at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA) 2024, April 9-11 in Anaheim, Calif. Under the theme “We’ve Got Game,” IGT’s booth #536 will feature a compelling array of gaming solutions designed to engage players and drive growth.

Caesars Sportsbook announced its receipt of the prestigious RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). The certification includes an assessment of Caesars Sportsbook’s commitment to Responsible Gaming, including areas such as player and Team Member education, public awareness advertisements and funding for organisations dedicated to Responsible Gaming research, awareness and education.

Veriff, a global identity verification (IDV) provider, announced the appointment of Jeffrey Guy as President and COO. Jeffrey brings a wealth of leadership experience at technology companies in driving profitable growth and expanding product portfolio. Before Veriff, he was Chief Operating Officer at DigitalOcean, a publicly traded cloud computing platform provider.

GAN Limited announced that Mr. Brian Chang has recently been named the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Chang had previously been serving in an interim capacity. Mr. Chang will be focused on guiding the Company towards a timely closing with Sega Sammy Creation Inc. (Sega Sammy).

Partnerships

The Commerce Casino & Hotel, home to the largest poker room in the world, has announced an exciting partnership with the richest, most prestigious and longest-running poker series – the World Series of Poker (WSOP). This collaboration signifies a pivotal moment for the poker community, bringing together two powerhouses to elevate the poker experience for players and fans worldwide.

BetRivers, powered by Rush Street Interactive, a leading US-based online betting and gaming company, has announced its partnership as the title sponsor for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race at Dover Motor Speedway. The BetRivers 200, set for Saturday, April 27, is being undertaken with the Delaware Lottery and marks the beginning of a thrilling new chapter in NASCAR history, as RSI commits to the long-term support of this top tier sporting event.

Elys BMG Group Inc., an interactive gaming and sports betting technology company, announced the completion of its sportsbook installation at The Ugly Mug restaurant and bar situated at 723 8th St SE, in Washington, DC. This collaboration underscores Elys’ commitment to providing unparalleled sports wagering experiences for small and local businesses across America.

SCCG Management has announced a strategic partnership with mkodo, a leading technology provider in the iGaming space. This collaboration is set to distribute mkodo’s innovative geolocation product, GeoLocs and other leading solutions across the US and key global markets, including Brazil, leveraging SCCG’s robust market presence and industry expertise.

Prove Identity Inc. announced a strategic partnership with BetMGM, a sports betting and iGaming leader, to enhance the security and user experience for BetMGM customers through the cutting-edge Prove Pre-Fill identity solution. Prove Pre-Fill accelerates digital consumer onboarding by up to 79% and is used by more than 1000 businesses globally across diversified industries, including 9 of the top 10 banks.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – March 25-31

Published

3 weeks ago

April 1, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

Bragg Gaming Group is now registered as an approved service provider by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, allowing for the distribution of online casino games, including Bragg’s proprietary and exclusive games portfolio, via the Bragg HUB aggregation platform to operators in the soon-to-be-launched LatAm iGaming market.

PENN Entertainment announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Anuj Dhanda to the Board, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. Dhanda’s appointment expands the size of the Board to ten members, nine of whom satisfy the standards for director independence under the current Listing Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

SlotsCalendar has launched its tailor-made platform for American users: https://www.slotscalendar.us. The brand’s clear aim is to provide a digital environment where impartial and informative content is optimised specifically for the American market.

MGM Resorts International announced that it proposes to offer $750,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2032. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the notes to repay existing indebtedness, including its outstanding 6.750% senior notes due 2025. Pending such use, the Company may invest the net proceeds in short-term interest-bearing accounts, securities, or similar investments.

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that it has been certified by the State of Wisconsin Division of Gaming as a gaming-related contractor with immediate effect.

Win Systems is going to participate in the next edition of GAT with its exclusive distributor in Colombia, Comercializadora Selan S.A.S. The event will be held in Cartagena de India on April 10–11, and the company’s booth will be A11.

Pragmatic Play is set to make another appearance at a Latin American exhibition, at GAT Expo in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The gaming provider will be on stand A31 and A32 to showcase its diverse portfolio, including Slots, Live Casino, Virtual Sports and Bingo content, alongside its new Sportsbook offering.

Partnerships

DraftKings announced an expanded relationship with Kindbridge Behavioural Health to provide access to therapy and treatment for problem gaming in every jurisdiction where DraftKings operates its online sportsbook and iGaming products. DraftKings and Kindbridge originally joined forces in September 2023 to launch a pilot programme to deliver personalised support for sports bettors in Colorado.

The Connecticut Lottery, in partnership with Fanatics Betting and Gaming, the online and retail sports betting subsidiary of Fanatics Holdings, has opened a new retail sportsbook location at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. The exciting new location is more than 2300 square feet and features betting windows, self-service betting kiosks from Suzohapp and high-definition TVs situated all around the sportsbook.

The Texas Lottery and Texas Motor Speedway have joined together again to rev up luck for lottery players and racing fans through the new LUCKY 7s scratch ticket game. The new $5 game features chances to win a $100,000 top prize and integrates a series of promotional second-chance drawings. The drawings give players with non-winning tickets a chance to win exclusive Texas Motor Speedway prizes.