There’s Still Time To Win A Seat To The WSOP Main Event

Only three of the five poker rooms in Atlantic City are currently open, and neither offers any tournaments at this time. What a bummer! But you can play poker tournaments online and maybe even parlay this activity into an opportunity to participate in the biggest and most prestigious poker competition of all–the WSOP Main Event!
When and where will the WSOP Main Event take place?
The 52nd Annual World Series of Poker will take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from Thurs., Sept. 30, 2021 through Wed. Nov. 23, 2021. During that time, players can choose from no less than 88 bracelet events. But the one that will command worldwide attention is the Main Event. The first day of play for all entrants will be Nov. 4, 5, 6, or 7. All surviving players will then advance to the second day of play on Nov. 8 or 9, and so on.
Play will continue on the scheduled days and times until the field gets whittled down to nine players. Those individuals will comprise the final table, which will begin play on Tues., Nov. 16.
As in 2019, a huge turnout is expected
Due to the pandemic, the WSOP had to be canceled in 2020, so the last time the tournament was held was in 2019. So, naturally, after an absence of 26 months, eagerness to get the 2021 tournaments started is very high.
The 2019 WSOP set records for both participation (187,298 entries) and prizes ($293,183,345). The 2019 Main Event alone attracted 8,569 players (the largest field since 2006), a prize pool of $80,548,600, and a top prize of $10 million.
Other notable results in 2019 included, for the first time ever, 62 events with a prize pool over $1 million and 12 events with a prize pool over $5 million, as well as 12 events with more than 5,000 entrants representing more than 100 countries.
But 2021 could be the year when brand new records are set.
In anticipation of the high level of demand, CBS Sports will televise 18 of the 82 bracelet events, including a minimum of 15 hours of coverage of the Main Event.
Eligibility requirements and how to register for the 2021 WSOP
In order to attend any of the 2021 WSOP events, either as a participant or as a spectator, you must be at least 21 years old and present proof of having been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to playing. Negative test results in lieu of vaccination and requests for exemption from the vaccination requirement for any reason will not be accepted, and no exceptions will be considered.
In addition, anyone who has had a positive COVID-19 test, or has been placed on quarantine restrictions within 14 days of the tournament, or who has experienced symptoms associated with the virus within the past 48 hours cannot attend.
Players may register and pay for the specific events that interest them either in advance online or on their mobile device or in-person at the Rio Convention Center 24/7 starting 9 a.m. Thurs., Sept. 30 until the start of the last event on Nov. 23.
For your convenience, a complete list of all of the scheduled WSOP events with the day, starting time, and entry fee is provided here.
Accommodations in Las Vegas
Participants in any of the 2021 WSOP events can reserve hotel accommodations at the Rio or any other Caesars Entertainment property in the area for a special discounted rate, subject to availability.
If you can’t afford the entry fee, what other options do you have?
None of the WSOP events are cheap. Buy-ins range from $400 all the way up to $25,000. The WSOP Main event carries a $10,000 price tag.
However, many players who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the WSOP at all manage to secure a seat via the satellite route. We recommend that you visit the WSOP.com website for more information about satellites for the WSOP bracelet event of your choice.
Or even better, if you’re a registered player on the NJ gambling website WSOP.com and have your sights set on the WSOP Main Event, you might even win a free seat!
Start by logging into your account and entering the code MYSEAT2021 to receive $50 in free play.
Then take advantage of either or both of these ways to earn entries for the Sept. 29th and Oct. 7th drawings for free Main Event seats.
- Earn one entry for every 10 APPs you earn in cash games.
- Play in 10 BLAST games to earn one entry.
The entry earning period for the Sept. 29th drawing runs from now through Sept. 28. The entry earning period for the Oct. 7th drawing runs from Sept. 29 through Oct. 5.
The bottom line
If you would like to play in this year’s WSOP Main Event and/or any of the other exciting bracelet events, time is of the essence. Also, given that the entry fees are sky-high, I strongly recommend that you attempt to get the cost down, any way you can, either via a satellite or by winning a free seat outright in a drawing.
It’s still a longshot, but it’s worth a try. And if doesn’t work, you should still view it as a positive outcome and not a negative outcome. You can still enjoy all of the highlights of the thrilling action on TV at no cost at all and pick up some valuable pointers along the way that will improve your game significantly. Then, next year, you can think about putting your newly acquired skills to the test where they can really pay off–in the 2022 WSOP Main Event!