To be sure, the main event of the World Series of Poker is mesmerizing, with storylines of unknowns taking a shot at fame and established pros battling a field of thousands, all while being featured on ESPN. But that’s only a small part of the WSOP, which begins May 31, runs 49 days, and consists of 69 events.
WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said during a press conference last week that on average, WSOP players enter 1.5 events. “But that’s highly skewed by the professional players who play in 10, 20 or more tournaments,” he said. The vast majority of WSOP players enter just one event. “So we want to respect all the players, where it’s someone buying in on a $20 satellite on WSOP.com or professional players who have made it their mission to be connected to the WSOP for the past 47 years,” Stewart said.
That’s why the WSOP is in front of the curve on many poker changes, including a 15 percent payout structure, inexpensive events for recreational players not interested in the $10,000 buy-in main event, and digital advances designed to keep players well-informed.
Most poker events reward cash to only the top 10 percent of the field, but WSOP changed its structure this year. Players who go deeper in the tournament than just the top 15 percent won’t receive as much of a payout, but more patrons have hopes.
That change will likely prompt a record number of players who get payouts at the second annual WSOP Colossus, which starts June 2. Last year the Colossus broke the record for most entries in a poker tournament. The $565 buy-in tournament attracted 22,374 entries and paid out 2,241 players. Moreover, the WSOP listened to players who grumbled that the $638,880 first prize seemed low for topping a record field, so the winner now gets at least $1 million.
This year, the WSOP has revived a Tag Team tournament, with up to four players rotating at one spot on the table (minimum one round per player). The $1,000 event is on July 6. “It’s supposed to be fun,” Stewart said. “Previous iterations were like mixed doubles, and we’re looking to promote interest in the recreational player. We think a large percent of the market wants a social event, like a husband-and-wife event.” The last team tournament was in 2012.
Meanwhile, the WSOP also has tried to better train the 1,200 or so dealers at the tournament. WSOP Dealer Academy, based in Hollywood, Fla., now runs an online course. “It’s all about continuous improvement and making all of us better,” WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel said. “So that collaboration is to offer a wider range of people to take an online course wherever they are and then have a shot to come to WSOP.
“The truth is there aren’t that many with the skills we need them to have,” Effel said. “A lot of dealers come to the WSOP and may be the best Texas Hold ‘em dealers, but here they are asked to deal games such as triple draw, too.”
Other WSOP upgrades have little to do with the actual playing of live poker. The WSOP has enhanced its WSOP.com online site, with more than 500 events, featuring $2 million in guarantees, scheduled on the site between May 25 and July 10. Meanwhile, players can keep friends updated on their chip count by using WSOP Chip-in, somewhat like the ability of those who have a friend running a marathon being able now to keep track of their friend’s progress on-line. The WSOP also announced a new eQueue payout process, where text messages will summon players when their payout is ready for pickup. Last year, floods of players in the Colossus stood in long lines, bringing complaints.
In short, WSOP officials have listened to the players and made changes. As has been their pattern, they will monitor those changes to see if they have played their cards right.
