The World Poker Tour has announced that it will nearly triple the prize pool guaranteed for the season-ending championship, which takes place in December.
The $10,400 buy in event last year crushed the $15 Million Guarantee, which at the time was the biggest guarantee ever seen in poker. The event attracted 2,960 entries, generating a prize pool of more than $29 million.
The WPT has increased the stakes (pardon pun) in 2023, given the positive reception and high attendance at the Wynn. The tour has decided to guarantee $40 million for the event. This is the biggest guarantee ever put on a poker tournament.
The record of the largest poker prize pool will be broken by a far larger number than the roughly 4,000 players required to reach $40 million. This number was displayed in the World Series of Poker Main Event earlier this year, when a prize pool of nearly $94,000,000 was posted.
WPT CEO Adam Pliska said: “The WPT World Championship is poised to achieve new heights, and we wanted match that expectation by providing a guarantee like no other live poker tournament before.” The journey to December starts now and we are planning on giving players an unforgettable experience at Wynn Las Vegas.
The support and excitement I’ve witnessed from the poker community in just a year is unlike anything else that I’ve ever seen,” said Executive Director of Poker Operations, Wynn Las Vegas Ryan Beauregard. We look forward to hosting the WPT World Championship in 2023 and providing an industry-leading experience for players.
The series will run at the Wynn Las Vegas between Nov. 29 and Dec. 4. It includes multiple events that have seven-figure guarantee in addition to high roller tournaments. The Main Event is scheduled to run from December 12-21 with four different starting flight options.
This year’s poker tournament will face some competition from abroad.
The WSOP announced a competing tournament, WSOP paradise that will take place from December 3-14. It is possible to participate in both tournaments, but it will take some time to travel from The Bahamas and Las Vegas.
The WSOP’s Caribbean Series announced a guarantee of $50 million spread over 15 bracelet events. The Main Event was a $5,000 buy in (half of the Wynn WPT) and featured the same guarantee from last year’s WPT.
