[toc]In past years, poker players have had to alter their schedule around the biggest field tournaments the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has to offer each summer. This year, they can pick any weekend they want and find a huge event that is almost guaranteed to have an incredible turnout.
The other piece of exciting news is now players will be able to buy-in to these tournaments with a credit card should they choose to do so.
Schedule of flagship events
Each weekend of this year’s WSOP will feature what the company is calling a “flagship” tournament.
Here is a look at what is in store:
- June 2, 3, 4: $565 Colossus III – two starting flights a day (10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) for three consecutive days
- June 10, 11: $1,500 Millionaire Maker – one starting flight each day at 10 a.m. on both the Saturday and Sunday
- June 16, 18: $1,000 Seniors & Super Seniors – 10 a.m. start time. Friday for Seniors; Sunday for Super Seniors
- June 24, 25: $1,500 Monster Stack – 10 a.m. starting flights on Saturday and Sunday
- July 1, 2: $888 Crazy Eights – two starting flights a day (10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) for two consecutive days
- July 8, 9, 10: $10,000 Main Event – one starting flight a day (11 a.m.) for three consecutive days
More on the WSOP flagship tournaments
Each tournament on the flagship weekend has a unique twist or price point which helps it to be a must-play event for poker enthusiasts.
Colossus
This is the third installment of the Colossus event. It is the only open-field event of the series with a $565 buy-in.
There are a total of six starting flights and players can re-enter up to once a flight. That means, if need be, you can have 12 shots at a bracelet.
The tournament features a guaranteed $1 million first-place prize. Last year, the event drew an astonishing 21,613 entries. In the end, the prize pool came in at over $10.8 million.
Millionaire Maker
This tournament is back for the fourth year running. It is a $1,500 buy-in event with a guaranteed first-place prize of $1 million. There are two starting days and players can re-enter once each day, which gives them up to four tries at seven figures.
Last year the event drew 7,160 entries and there were guaranteed $1 million paydays for the top two places. The lopsided payout structure drew some criticism. This year the format returned to having a single guaranteed $1 million payout for the champ.
Seniors and Super Seniors
While the younger set is off at the Electric Daisy Carnival, players over the age of 49 will flock to the Rio for what will likely be another record-setting senior’s field. Last year there 4,499 entries and winner Johnnie Craig took home almost $540,000 from the $4 million prize pool.
The Super Seniors event limits the age range by only allowing players ages 65 and up. Both tournaments feature a $1,000 buy-in.
Monster Stack
Ever since this event was introduced in 2014, players have been beating down the doors to take a seat in the tournament where players get ten times the normal starting stack.
The $1,500 buy-in event is a freeze-out with only one entry per person. Even with no re-entry, the event managed to draw 6,927 players and generate a $9.4 million prize pool.
Crazy Eights
This event is an eight-handed no-limit hold’em tournament with an $888 buy-in and a guaranteed first-place prize of $888,888. There are two starting days with two flights on each day. This event features unlimited re-entries.
This tournament was a new addition to the WSOP schedule last year. It ended up being the fourth-largest tournament of the summer with 6,761 entries.
Main Event
What is there to say that has not already been said about the WSOP Main Event? The granddaddy of them all gets underway on July 8 with the first of three starting days. Last year, Qui Nguyen bested a field of 6,737 to take home just over $8 million.
The 2017 WSOP is scheduled to begin at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 30.
