WSOP FINALIZES 2016 SCHEDULE WITH 69 EVENTS ON TAP

Rio® All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas  To Host Poker’s Most Popular Festival from May 31 - July 18, 2016

Number of Places Paid Increasing – Up 50% for Most Events

Colossus II with $7 million Prize Pool Guarantee & $1 million for 1st begins June 2

Main Event & Other $10k Buy-In Events Now to Receive 50,000 Starting Chips

Start Times Being Pushed Up One Hour for Many Events, Now at 11am & 3pm

Structures Refined To Aid Events Meeting Scheduled Duration

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 23, 2016) – On the heels of a record-breaking 2015 which saw the WSOP surpass 100,000 entrants for the very first time, the 47th annual World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) – a set of poker tournaments open to anyone 21 years of age or older – will open its doors on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with the most ambitious and diverse schedule in the 47-year history of the event and a new prize money distribution format which will see up to fifty percent more players cashing in WSOP events versus previous years. (For the majority of events, some exceptions apply).

New Events:  This year, eight new events have been added to the schedule.  They are:

  1. June 5: Event #4 - $1,000 Top Up Turbo No-Limit Hold’em. (2-day event) – 20-minute levels. Starts at 2pm
    • As a new event to wrap up Colossus weekend, this unique hybrid event will play as a traditional live poker tournament, but customers playing and cashing in $55 single table satellites on WSOP.com (or live at Rio) just prior to the event will be able to boost their stack to double the starting chips. Visit Nevada’s leading real-money poker operator on mobile or web platform via www.wsop.com/promotions/ to learn how to get extra chips for this event, or visit the single table satellite podium at the Rio.
  2. June 9: Event #12 - $565 Pot-Limit Omaha with re-entry. (Lowest ever price point for this variant)
  3. June 15: Event #23 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em – new price point for poker’s most popular game.
  4. June 23: Event #40 - $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball featuring Limit A-5, 2-7 and Badugi.
  5. June 26: Event #45 - $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha. A mix of today’s two most popular games.
  6. June 30: Event #53 - $1,500 Mixed Pot-Limit Omaha-8/Omaha-8/Big O. A trifecta in the Omaha variant.
  7. July 1: Event #54 A/B/C/D - $888 Crazy Eights Eight-Handed No-Limit Hold’em - $888,888 guaranteed for 1st.
    • First time a sub-$1,500 buy-in event will be run short-handed
  8. July 7: Event #61 - $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em. 2-4 person teams. Must register together. $1,000 per team. A
    • All members of winning team will receive their own WSOP gold bracelet.

Key Changes:  Addressing player feedback, the following changes are planned at this year’s WSOP:

  • Places Paid:  The majority of bracelet (and Deepstack) events will now payout 15 percent of the field, up 50% from what was WSOP standard.  The minimum payout is expected to be one-and-a-half times the buy-in.
  • In the Money Earlier: With payouts increasing, many events are expected to reach the money on Day 1.
  • Start Times: Moved up one hour: Most (not all) events are on a new time schedule, with the first event of the day scheduled for 11am and the late events now to begin at 3pm. Deepstacks now at 2pm, 5pm, 7pm & 9pm.
  • Five Times Starting Chips: All $10,000 buy-in events, including the Main Event, will now feature 50,000 in starting chips, up 66%.  This means all WSOP events now start with at least five times buy-in amount.
  • Structure Tweaks: With some of the above changes, structures have also been modified slightly in an effort to aid events meeting scheduled duration.  Players are encouraged to review structure sheets in advance.  (One example: Instead of a 100-200 level followed by 100-200-25, there will now be just a 100-200-25 level).
  • Playing into the money on Day 1 of Colossus: Each of the six starting flights of Colossus II will reach the money and begin processing payouts immediately within the flight versus a traditional hard bubble on Day 2 of a consolidated field.  This will cut any congestion in payouts process significantly and also allow players who cash in a flight or surrendering their stack at the end of the flight, a chance to re-enter another flight and perhaps cash again within the same event.
  • Registering for only one flight at a time: In order to better manage, multi-flight, multi-entry events (Colossus, Millionaire Maker, Crazy Eights & Little One for One Drop), players may only register for one flight at a time in advance. If they are eliminated in that flight, they may go to the cage to register for another flight if they choose.

The number of official WSOP gold bracelet events is up one to 69.  To view the entire gold bracelet schedule, please visit: WSOP 2016 Schedule

For those who don’t notice the Big One for ONE DROP, the WSOP’s $1 million buy-in charity poker tournament on the schedule, don’t worry.  It will indeed take place in 2016 in grand fashion; however, it won’t be in Las Vegas as part of the summer schedule.  More details on the Big One for ONE DROP will be announced soon.

Among the other highlights:

  • Event #1 – $565 buy-in Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em – Wednesday, June 1 at 11am (single re-entry format)
  • Event #2 -- $565 buy-in Colossus II No-Limit Hold’em (re-entry) – Six starting flights over three days
    • Thursday, June 2 at 10am (Flight A) and 4pm (Flight B)
    • Friday, June 3 at 10am (Flight C) and 4pm (Flight D)
    • Saturday, June 4 at 10am (Flight E) and 4pm (Flight F)
    • Event is expected to crown a champion on Tuesday, June 7
    • Winner is guaranteed $1 million (prize pool may be adjusted to account for this)
    • Prize Pool is guaranteed at $7 million minimum
    • Re-Entry event – Once a player is eliminated from a flight, they may elect to re-enter any remaining flight
    • Day 1 will play into the money for all flights.  Players are expected to play 18, 30-minute levels on Day 1.
    • Day 2 for all remaining players is on Sunday, June 5 at 2 pm. Players will play 10, 60-minute levels.
    • Bally’s Las Vegas is running a WSOP Circuit Event on February 25 -27, 2016 with this payout format, players are encouraged to play or review this event. (Event #1: $365 buy-in, $250,000 guarantee)
  • Event #14 - $1500 buy-in Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em – 10am flights on Fri. June 10 & Sat. June 11
    • Winner guaranteed $1,000,000 and runner-up also guaranteed $1,000,000 this year.
    • Single re-entry.  If you enter Flight A and are eliminated, you may re-enter Flight B.
  • Event #27 -- $1000 buy-in Seniors Championship No-Limit Hold’em – 10am, Fri. June 17. Must be age 50+
  • Event #31 -- $1000 buy-in Super Seniors No-Limit Hold’em – Starts at 10am, Sun. June 19. Must be age 65+
  • Event #33 -- $1500 buy-in Summer Solstice No-Limit Hold’em – 11am, Mon. June 20. 90-minute levels. 5-days.
    • We celebrate the longest day of the year by having the longest levels of any event under $10k buy-in.
  • Event #41 -- $1500 buy-in Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em – 10am flights on Fri. June 24 & Sat. June 25
    • This is a single-entry event.  Choose Flight A (Friday) or Flight B (Saturday)
    • Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips.
    • Fields combine and play Day 2 on Sunday, June 26 at 11am. Event likely to conclude on Tues. June 28.
  • Event #46 -- $1,500 buy-in Bounty No-Limit Hold’em – Every player is a bounty: Monday, June 27 at 11am.
  • Event #48 -- $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em – Two-day event, 30-minute levels. Tuesday, June 28 at 11am.
  • Event #54 -- $888 buy-in Crazy Eights 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em. 10am & 4pm on Fri. July 1 & Sat. July 2.
    • Winner guaranteed $888,888
    • Players will receive 5,000 in starting chips and play 18, 30-minute levels.
    • Re-Entry event – Once a player is eliminated from a flight, they may elect to re-enter any remaining flight
    • Day 2 for all remaining players will be Sunday, July 3 at 2pm.  Players will play 10, 60-minute levels.
    • Event expected to conclude on Tuesday, July 5.
  • Event #55 -- $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship – Five-day event, 100-minute levels. Sat., July 3 at 3pm.
    • Event plays 6-handed
    • 8 variants of poker: Limit Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Razz, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low/8-or Better, No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball
  • Event #61 -- $1,000 buy-in Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em. 2-4 Person Teams. Wednesday, July 6 at 11am.
    • Teams must register together. Minimum of two players. Maximum of four.
    • Each member must play at least one round of blinds.  Other team members wait outside ropes and sub as desired.
    • Each member of winning team is awarded their own WSOP gold bracelet.
  • Event #62 -- $25,000 buy-in High Roller 8-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha– 4-day event. Wednesday, July 6 at 3pm.
  • Event #65 -- $10,000 buy-in Ladies Championship No-Limit Hold’em – Fri., July 8 at 11am. 90% off for ladies.
  • Event #66 -- $1,000 buy-in WSOP.com Online No-Limit Hold’em – Fri. July 8 at 1pm. Play and register online.
  • Event #67 -- $111,111 buy-in High Roller for ONE DROP Charity No-Limit Hold’em. Fri. July 8 at 1pm.

This year though, the final event on the calendar will not be the WSOP Main Event.  The WSOP Main Event will officially be Event #68 on the schedule.  The $10,000 buy-in world championship begins on Saturday, July 9 at 11am with the first of three starting flights.  Players may also begin their journey on Sunday, July 10 at 11am or, the final flight to enter, on Monday, July 11 at 11am. Other details about Main Event:

  • Play begins daily at 11am (up one hour from previous)
  • Players begin with 50,000 in starting chips (up 66% from 30,000 in previous years)
  • Players who enter Flight A or B begin their Day 2 play on Tuesday, July 12 at 11am
  • Players who enter Flight C begin their Day 2 play on Wednesday, July 13 at 11am
  • Day 3 for all players remaining is on Thursday, July 14 at 11am
  • Final day of summer play is Monday, July 18, where we are expected to reach the final table
  • Final nine players return October 30 to November 1 to play out final table live on ESPN.
  • ESPN to film and cover this event for television.
  • 1000 places or 15% of field to be paid, whichever is greater. Final 9 to receive minimum $1 million.

Holding the final slot on this year’s schedule is the very popular Little One for ONE DROP.  The $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event has finished in the Top 5 of entries at the WSOP as long as it has been offered.  This year, as Event #69, it has three starting flights – all after the Main Event is well underway – one each at 3pm on Tuesday, July 12 (Flight A), Wednesday, July 13 (Flight B) and Thursday, July 14 (Flight C).

  • Event has unlimited re-entry during open registration.
  • Players can participate in any flight they choose, but must be out of chips to re-enter
  • Players begin with 5,000 in tournament chips.
  • Players who donate $111 (collected at time of registration) to One Drop will receive an additional 5,000 in tournament chips.
  • Event is scheduled to end on Sunday, July 17.

Additionally, the 2016 WSOP continues its track for high-buy-in mixed games, rarely spread at other tournaments around the world, certainly not at the $10,000 price point.  In total, 10 poker variants beyond No-Limit Hold’em will see $10,000 “Championship” bracelet events contested in 2016. 

The annual poker extravaganza, which dates back to 1970, is televised exclusively on ESPN from the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.  The tournament series consists of a comprehensive slate of the game’s most popular poker variations running from May 31 through July 18.

“It’s hard to fathom that this event can continue to grow the way it has,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart.  “But with the schedule we’ve put together for this year, we are confident 2016 will be another record-breaker at the WSOP.”

In 2015, the WSOP gold bracelet tournaments set an all-time record for attendance, with 103,512 entries and awarded over $210 million in prize money.  An incredible 51 events had prize pools of at least $1 million, with 25 events reaching more than $2 million, eleven events reaching $3 million, eight events reaching $4 million, plus three events reaching $10 million+.  The average WSOP gold bracelet event in 2015 featured a $3,093,813 prize pool with $558,571 going to the event’s winner. 

In terms of the physical layout, 2016 will look very similar to recent years.  The Pavilion, Brasilia and Amazon ballrooms will be transformed into poker’s version of Woodstock.  There are expected to be around 450 poker tables spread throughout the Rio Convention Center’s three largest areas, allowing for non-stop tournament, satellite, Daily Deepstack and live game action.

The late afternoon gold bracelet events will begin play at 3:00 p.m., and play 10, one-hour levels, with 15-minute breaks after every two levels.  Players will be able to register for most of these events until the start of Level 9 (approximately midnight; please check individual structure sheets) and play will end for the day at 2:00 a.m.  Most other gold bracelet events priced under $2500 close registration before the start of Level 7 (with the exception of shootouts, heads up and Main Event).  11am starting events will close registration at approximately 7:10 p.m. in most cases. (Please consult individual structure sheets).

“By paying 50% more entrants and reaching the money earlier, we anticipate the 2016 WSOP to be the most rewarding yet,” said WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel, who will oversee the tournament for the eleventh straight year.  “Our schedule this year really runs the gamut for all levels of poker enthusiasts, so we hope you will peruse the events and make your plans to join us this summer at the Rio.”

All Caesars Entertainment properties in Las Vegas offer reduced hotel room rates for entrants of WSOP bracelet events if they book early using the special advanced booking codes.  The Rio is now offering its weekday (Sunday-Thursday) rates to WSOP players beginning at just $69.  On the Las Vegas Strip there are plenty of options as well.  Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas and The Linq provide WSOP player rates as low as $49-$120 a night.  To view a complete list of rates across all Caesars Entertainment properties, please visit our Reservations page.  (Note: Rates are based on availability and are subject to blackout dates).

July 8th will be a special Main Event “satellite day” at the Rio featuring a comprehensive slate of satellites, mega satellites and single-table satellites with entry fees as low as $125.  (Satellites are tournaments which award tournament chips that can be used to enter larger buy-in tournaments).

WSOP.com in Nevada and New Jersey remain the exclusive home to WSOP satellite offerings online in the United States.  WSOP.com will run nightly satellite events offered at 6pm for the next day’s bracelet events, plus a whole host of extra satellites for key events like the Colossus II, Seniors, Ladies event, etc.  Hundreds of players have won seats to WSOP events and at least 25 players are guaranteed to win a seat to the Main Event each year in one of the largest guaranteed tournaments in the U.S., the 25 Seat Scramble, scheduled for July 9 at 3pm.  Players can register and jump online to win their way to the WSOP.  Go to WSOP.com and visit the tournament tab for schedules and details.

Starting Times: 

Though most WSOP gold bracelet events now begin at 11am or 3 p.m., there are exceptions where a 10:00 a.m. or other start time is in effect.  The Colossus (Event #2), Millionaire Maker (Event #14), Seniors (Event #27), Super Seniors (Event #31), Monster Stack (Event #41), Crazy Eight’s (Event #54) all begin this year at 10 a.m. while the One Drop High Roller (Event#67) begins at 1pm, as does the WSOP.com Online event (Event#66). The Colossus and Crazy Eight’s events do offer 4:00 p.m. flights as well. Event #4, the Top Up Turbo Hold’em has a special 2:00 p.m. start time on Sunday, June 5.

All other WSOP gold bracelet tournaments will begin at 11am or 3pm Pacific Time each day, with a maximum of 10 one-hour levels being played for the 11am starts.  Thus, 11am tournaments will end at 11:40 pm and include four 20-minute breaks and a 90-minute dinner break after Level 6 (5:40pm).  (Note: Consult event structure sheets.  Some events have levels that are more or less than one hour in length, and in those cases, breaks, number of levels played in a day, etc., vary).

For those advancing past the first day, re-starts for 11am bracelet events are at 12 noon this year.  Events that start at 3pm will restart at 2pm the next day, with 10 or 10.5 levels being played each day until a champion is crowned.   The Main Event features two-hour levels, plays five levels a day, starts at 11am daily and concludes at 11:40 pm. daily.

On-site registration will be available at the Rio Main Casino Cage beginning April 1.  Work continues on an online registration solution, which we hope to provide more details on as remaining pieces come together next month.

The 2016 WSOP marks the 47th running of the game’s most prestigious annual tournament.   In 2015, the WSOP saw entrants from 111 different nations and surpassed the $2.2 billion mark in total prize money awarded.  Players compete for prize money and the championship gold bracelet, globally recognized as the game’s top prize. 

To view important details about this year’s event, visit WSOP.com/2016.  This page will remain leading up to and during the event, where we will add relevant information about the WSOP. 

Other notable highlights of the 2016 schedule:

  • ONE DROP Charity – After terrific success with charitable giving the past four years, with more than $17 million donated to charitable causes via the WSOP, all events will continue to offer an opportunity to donate.  The “1% for ONE DROP” returns, where players cashing in any event, may donate 1% of their winnings to ONE DROP.  In addition, Events #67 and #69 have specific charitable components to help raise funds for WSOP charitable partner, the ONE DROP organization (www.ONEDROP.org)
  • Daily Deepstack No-Limit Hold’em Tournaments – The Rio will host four different daily No-Limit Hold’em tournaments this year from May 31 to July 18.  The first one, at 2 p.m. daily, is a $235 buy-in.  At 5 p.m., players can play the $185 buy-in tournament. Then at 7p.m., a $135 buy-in tournament and at 9 p.m., a new $365 tournament will be offered with a turbo format. These are one-day structured tournaments, and non-bracelet events in No-Limit Hold’em.  These events will take place in the Pavilion Ballroom and start one hour earlier this year, and pay 50% more entrants, with 15% of the field now cashing.

Satellites Every Day! – A complete array of satellites, from single-table to mega, will be offered from May 31 - July 10.  Qualify for $5K and $10K bracelet events in mega satellites with buy-ins of $575 or $1,100 at 8 p.m. Qualify for $1,500 bracelet events daily at 9 a.m. in the $185 buy-in Mega Satellite, played in a turbo format as No-Limit Hold’em running throughout the duration of the series.

The schedule, events, start times, end times and locations of events are subject to change. Tournament chips have no cash value.  Winners will be required to provide a valid picture ID.  Tax forms will be completed for those with winnings in excess of $5,000 net of event buy-in.  Players without a Tax Identification Number and foreign players from non-tax treaty countries are subject to up to 30 percent tax withholding.  

WSOP reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the tournament or any tournament event, in part or in whole, without notice.

Notes:

Events #2, 14, 54 & 68 are offering altered payout formulas as marketing initiatives. The funds for these payouts come out of the existing prize pool, with remaining positions potentially adjusted to account for this. 

 

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ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER (WSOP)

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world, awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970.  In 2015, the event attracted 103,512 entrants from 111 different nations to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and awarded more than $210 million in prize money.  Interested in Online Poker?  Visit WSOP.com to learn about the World Series of Poker and how you can participate. 

ABOUT RIO ALL-SUITE HOTEL & CASINO

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, home of the World Series of Poker, offers guests a unique all-suite hotel experience. Complete with 2,522 all-suite hotel rooms – including 380 newly designed Samba suites – the property overlooks the famous Las Vegas Strip and sits one block west of the famed boulevard. The resort features a variety of entertainment options including headliners Penn & Teller, the world-famous Chippendales, Crown Theater, and the VooDoo Zip Line, an adrenaline-rushing thrill ride that offers a 360-degree panorama of the famed Las Vegas Strip from 490 feet above the ground. Rio is home to a diverse array of dining and nightlife experiences including Hash House A Go Go, Voodoo Steak, KJ Dim Sum & Seafood, iBar, VooDoo Beach and, with panoramic views of The Strip, VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub. Rio also offers the Rio Secco Golf Club. Recognized by USA Today as one of the “Top 10 Golf Destinations in the World,” Rio Secco Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course designed by famed architect Rees Jones and home to the Butch Harmon School of Golf. For more information, please visit www.riolasvegas.com or caesarslasvegas.mediaroom.com to access media materials and request high-resolution images. Find Rio on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

ABOUT CAESARS INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT (CIE)

CIE is one of the world’s leading interactive social and mobile casino-themed game providers. CIE owns the World Series of Poker (“WSOP”) in addition to multiple mobile and social game titles under its Playtika subsidiary, including Slotomania, Caesars Casino, Bingo Blitz, House of Fun and World Series of Poker.  In addition, CIE operates real money online gaming in Nevada under the WSOP.com brand and in New Jersey under the CaesarsCasino.com, HarrahsCasino.com and WSOP.com brands, and licenses its brands in other foreign legal real money online gaming jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom. CIE, a subsidiary of Caesars Growth Partners, LLC (“CGP”), which is a joint venture between Caesars Acquisition Company (“CAC”) and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (“Caesars Entertainment”), the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino- entertainment company, was formed by Caesars Entertainment in May 2009 to take the diverse brands in the Caesars portfolio and maximize their value in today’s digital, online world.  CIE’s business partners are some of today’s most successful global companies, including Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Yahoo.  CIE employs more than 500 full-time employees and has offices in four countries on three continents: at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Montreal, Canada and in Tel Aviv, Israel. It also houses development studios in California, Belarus, Romania and Ukraine. www.caesarsinteractive.com