888poker will act as the official sponsor for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) for the second consecutive year. This sponsorship agreement grants 888 Holdings the authorization to operate official online WSOP satellite tournaments. Along with advertising rights, 888 is also permitted to conduct 2016 WSOP promotions through its well-known online poker room. WSOP step tournaments will be available round the clock on 888poker.
In the previous year, 888 garnered significant attention when it sponsored 128 players for the WSOP Main Event. Among these players was 2015 WSOP Champion Joe McKeehen, who secured victory in the event, earning over seven million dollars.
Tommy Yates, a bar owner from Greece, was another success story from the 888-sponsored satellites last year. He was able to convert a one penny buy-in step satellite into a thirteen thousand dollar World Series of Poker (WSOP) package. Yates then traveled to the WSOP in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he managed to cash the tournament for approximately nineteen thousand dollars, finishing in 486th place.
Senior Vice President at 888 Holdings, Itai Pazner, issued a statement regarding the success of Yates and his excitement towards his company’s future involvement with WSOP:
The World Series of Poker represents the zenith of the poker schedule, and throughout the Main Event, the attention of the global poker community is focused on the happenings in Las Vegas.
In 2015, we made Tommy Yates’ dreams come true, and renewing our partnership will enable us to bring more 888 players from across the globe to the WSOP this year. This sponsorship is incredibly beneficial for the 888poker brand, 888 players, and the broader poker community.
888 Poker-themed live WSOP events
The step tournaments are set to run continuously online, with satellite buy-ins starting at just a penny. Additionally, a live event sponsored by 888 will take place at the WSOP: the Crazy Eights tournament. As you might predict, the buy-in for this No-Limit Hold’em tournament is 888 dollars.
The Crazy Eights tournaments, a WSOP bracelet event, offers a guaranteed first place prize of 888,888 dollars.
WSOP.com 2016 Main Event qualifiers
Thus far, only two final step tournaments have been announced on WSOP.com: the 25 Seat Scramble and the 2016 WSOP Main Event Qualifier.
This year, WSOP.com’s largest Main Event qualifier is The Scramble. It’s a No-Limit Hold’em tournament with a buy-in of two hundred dollars. The event ensures 25 spots for the 2016 Main Event. The tournament will take place at 1:00 pm on July 9, with step tournament qualifiers commencing shortly.
The qualifier for the 2016 Main Event will take place every Sunday leading up to the WSOP. This tournament, with a buy-in of two hundred dollars, gives players the opportunity to vie for a Main Event seat. For the first two hours of the tournament, rebuys are permitted in this qualifier.
Players have the option to join a ten dollar add-on tournament during the Sunday qualifiers. These tournaments guarantee a first-place prize of one thousand dollars in WSOP tournament buy-in chips.
