2025 WSOP!!

I enjoy "offseason" poker in Vegas and will be looking to engage with stuff like Wynn WPT and Wynn Millions again this year. You don't need to wait until summer to play good tournaments in Vegas. They are sprinkled throughout the year.

On the other hand, no matter how cynical I get about the WSOP, it's definitely special. What sets it apart?

- Huge fields packed with international players who may only come to Vegas once per year (or even once per lifetime).
- The chance to turn a small buy-in into a gigantic prize because of the huge fields.
- The chance to play non hold-em and PLO variants for medium-high stakes in a tournament format.
- Uniquely exciting atmosphere. It's the world's biggest live poker festival.
- Numerous series running across town to benefit from the temporary poker player boom.

I'm sure I'll be back in 2025. Maybe I'll book a small cluster of days or maybe I'll go huge and block out a month in a rental. It's too early to say, but I know that when the time comes, I'll want to participate and take some shots at the miracle bink.

I don't expect major changes from GG yet. I think in the first year they'll stick with what works, other than ramping up the online element.

I’m one of those that only goes out once per year. And I’m lucky my wife even lets me do that!

Yeah, there’s just something special about this series that sets it apart from others. The atmosphere is electric.

In terms of player participation, I foresee little or no change. Those of us who come to the series every year will continue to do so. The WSOP will continue to be a major draw for the foreseeable future, and as highlighted above, the rival series at Venetian/Wynn/GN/Orleans etc are a huge attraction in themselves.

As regards the structure and format of the summer WSOP, I think we should be prepared for surprises. No corporation sinks 500m into an existing venture unless they feel they can add value and increase revenue in some way. That suggests change. Their online presence implies that we may see more bracelet events on the GG platform. Maybe some sort of hybrid event? Probably increased rake in one way or another, almost certainly an expansion of the satellite arena.

To my mind, two things are inevitable. One is that meaningful change of some sort will ensue. And the second is that most of it will be unattractive (to me at least).

I hope GG Poker is not same as Ceasars Corporate Staff. Ceasars Staff has no prior poker knowledge. Suddenly by working for a corporation which is Top provider of poker tournaments, they became Poker Expert.

There are two golden rules for huge tournament turnouts :
1, Big Guarantees
2, Moderate Buy-ins.

If GG Poker offers that , will do better than Caesars.

I’m thinking this year will be pretty much business as usual just so they can get a better handle on what they’re getting into. But I think the 2026 WSOP might be the beginning of significant changes.

Unless, you know, WWIII and/or CWII causes some delays or postponements.

Updates with marquee events should be any week now.

Well, one major change I'd like to see are better food options. The snack bar is an over-priced joke. I suspect that they will be reluctant to bring anything in that competes with the HS food court or the existing eateries in Paris. I play at Talking Stick casino where there is a snack bar and also table side menu service. What a luxury that is.

Talking Stick has, what, 25 tables? WSOP has closer to 500. Not feasible.

Well Talking Stick actually has 69 tables. Bigger than any poker room in Vegas except for when the WSOP runs. Yeah it wouldn't be real feasible. Just pointing out the contrast in experience at these two venues. Even pop up sandwich vendors in the hallways, like they had at the Rio, would be an improvement.

Yes, we're getting close. I've jumped the gun and officially booked my 2025 trip, schedule unseen. I'll be going out 9 nights from 6/14-6/23, which should hit Monster Stack and Milly Maker weekends if past years are an accurate predictor. It's also peak seniors season most summers, though I'm not eligible for those events yet. Surely there will be other stuff around town to play. This year I opted not to target specific events, but instead to just take a convenient blob of nights and figure out my schedule later. If nothing else there's never a shortage of NLHE running, be it at the WSOP or elsewhere.

Main thing I hope to see from the WSOP itself is better satellite offerings, as the pathways to the $2-3k+ stuff last year were problematic for me. There were multiple times when I wanted to play afternoon megas, but had trouble registering because the windows were jammed up by the 1PM $250 daily deepstack. I hope they can provide other routes besides Bravo to get tickets for the satties without standing around in long lines for a different tournament.

Speaking of the 1PM $250, one of my goals this year is to avoid all 10-handed poker. Between cramped space and ranges, it's just not the ideal experience. I know it's a mathematical reality of the huge demand and limited space/dealers, but I'd rather play elsewhere or aim for a higher buy-in event on days when it's that or 10-handed.

Not yet counting down the days, but definitely looking forward to summer poker.

One thing I am wondering about is if they are going to allow Diamond cardholders to go to the top of the waitlists for the cash games now that GG is running the show. I generally only play a handful of tourneys at the WSOP, but do like to play the cash games in the Kings Room. If they do away with the Diamond wait list jump, I'll be spending most of the summer at the Aria playing cash instead of hanging around at the Paris.

I’m very much looking forward to marquee events announcements.

I’ll go for two or three weeks, and build out my schedule around the Monster Stack and the Colossus, most likely.

I guess that depends on who has control of cash games. I was under the impression that’s still a Caesar’s area of control so I’d imagine Diamond still gets to jump. I just assumed WSOP/GG would handle tournaments only. Hope I’m not wrong.

If GG is reading this, PLEASE BRING BACK SIT AND GOs!!

Living in the Phoenix area I can drive up for 3 or 4 night stays with the option to extend if I really run deep. Last couple of years I made two trips -- for the Mystery Bounty and the Monster Stack. I have the option to fly too, or course, but these annual road trips have become part of the ritual. I am eagerly awaiting the schedule drop. I always reserve my room well in advance. Something to look forward to anyway.

I'm going to play in the Main Event for the very first time, can't wait!

Planning on going for about 14-17 days, arrive a week before the Main Event starts and leave Day 4/5 if I don't make it that far, will be staying at the Horseshoe.

I need to have a read of all those blogs and dining threads 😀

Wow ! It is a charm for 1 st time !

Experience all the excitement !!

Good Luck !!

Mine was 2006 !!

Thanks!

Hoping to play the Colossus and a couple other events as well if they'll be scheduled around the same time as the Main Event like this year, i'm sure there will be plenty of choice anyway.

Just be sure to be prepared to patiently wait in long lines. So budget your time accordingly and try to register early for events (at least a day or two before, if possible).

But nothing beats the first time so good luck and soak it all in! It has an energy unlike any other tournament out there.

Thanks! I'll be the Scottish guy wearing a bunnet if anyone else is around come say hi :p

I guess this is a good time for my annual "if you want to avoid lines then reg the night before" post.

I've played quite a few WSOP events in the last 6 years and have only experienced long lines when attempting to register for a tournament that's already in progress. Best advice I can give to avoid waits is simply to buy your tickets the night before. I feel like 90% of the complaining about lines stems from operator error where people show up at the last minute and expect the Red Sea to part for them. Just plan ahead and you can avoid most of the hassle. My advice is to hit the cage 9PM or later the night before. The WSOP cage is open 24 hours, so unless you're arriving day-of with a narrow time window, there's not much excuse for getting stuck in line.

That being said, re-entry and late reg are a different beast.