The inaugural World Series of Poker (WSOP) on the Vegas Strip has begun and will run until Wednesday, July 20.
This year, the WSOP has relocated from its previous location at Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino, where it was held for 17 years. The event will now be hosted at Paris Las Vegas and Bally’s.
Bally’s is presently undergoing renovations to transform into Horseshoe Las Vegas. Interestingly, this resonates with the fact that Binion’s Horseshoe casino, situated in downtown Las Vegas, used to be the venue for WSOP before it was shifted to Rio.
Vanderpump rules WSOP 2022 opening ceremony
In 2022, Lisa Vanderpump inaugurated the WSOP. She made the customary “Shuffle Up and Deal” announcement for the Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em tournament at Paris, with a buy-in of $500.
After the announcement, Vanderpump joined over 460 other players at the event by taking a seat.
Vanderpump first came into the public eye on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She currently oversees a restaurant empire that spans more than 35 locations nationwide.
Vanderpump A Paris, her latest restaurant in Las Vegas, is conveniently situated within the casino, close to the ballrooms that host the WSOP. Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, a highly favored spot, is located just across the street within Caesars Palace.
This year, WSOP is launching new events and ensuring to schedule low buy-in tournaments with high payouts on weekends. This strategy enables tourists to plan their visit to Las Vegas and participate without impacting their work schedules. This initiative is expected to boost attendance, which has suffered a decline since the COVID-19 pandemic.
WSOP 2022 moves to a new venue
For the first time, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) will be held on the Vegas Strip. The events will be divided between Paris and Bally’s.
WSOP and two casinos are owned by Caesars. Last year, renovations began within Paris. The casino now boasts an array of new restaurants, such as Vanderpump A Paris and a new Nobu location. Martha Stewart’s The Bedford will be opening soon.
The transformation of Bally’s is currently underway, with the property set to be renamed Horseshoe Las Vegas by the end of the year.
This month, Jack Binion Steak will open its doors at Bally’s. Following the completion of WSOP, M.Y. Asia by Martin Yang will also begin operations. As the year progresses, more new venues will continue to inaugurate.
Says Jason Gregorec, SVP and General Manager of the property:
Horseshoe is all about the gambler. Established in 1951, Horseshoe Casinos have consistently offered the best odds, highest limits, and largest jackpots. Hence, it’s quite apt that we’re reintroducing Horseshoe to Las Vegas, precisely on the Las Vegas Strip.
So far, both casinos are updating their sportsbooks. Eventually, Bally’s casino floor will undergo a total makeover.
The conversion of Bally’s into Horseshoe Las Vegas will occur throughout the year. There may be some confusion as both names will be used interchangeably and individually.
For those visiting Las Vegas for the event, WSOP announcers Lon McEachern and Norman Chad provide a tour of Paris and Bally’s.
Parking at WSOP 2022
A significant change that accompanies the Vegas Strip is the requirement to pay for parking. There is no free on-site parking available for all players, unlike the previous location at Rio.
The fees for self-parking begin at $15 for 1-3 hours and rise to $18 for 24 hours daily. Hotel guests are required to pay this self-parking fee. Locals are also required to pay the parking fee if they stay at Bally’s or Paris for over three hours.
Complimentary self-parking is provided to any player at the Platinum tier of Caesars Rewards. Those at the Diamond tier and higher also receive complimentary valet in addition to self-parking.
WSOP participants can register for the new Caesars Rewards credit card to attain Platinum tier status and receive free self-parking.
Some casinos on the Vegas Strip offer free parking, though they may require a bit of walking. Alternatively, one could park elsewhere on the Strip and take a monorail to save some money, though this option may add extra commute time. However, if one is determined enough, there is always a way to make it work.
Dealers sharing rooms
Like many businesses across the nation, Caesars and WSOP have also been grappling with employee shortages for approximately the past year.
Caesars had to raise WSOP dealers’ salaries this year. Due to a vigorous effort, they successfully recruited 1,000 dealers for this year’s event.
Vegas Inc. reports that WSOP dealers have the potential to earn up to $50 per hour this year.
Officials have raised the basic hourly wage for dealers from $9.75 to $12.50. Moreover, dealers can earn $15 for each half-hour shift at a table during hold’em-only bracelet events. For non-hold’em bracelet events like Omaha, the earning is $20 for each half-hour shift. Therefore, dealers can earn as much as $50 per hour, excluding tips.
In addition to providing a pay raise, Caesars has also arranged for dealers to stay in hotel rooms at the Rio All-Suites, their former WSOP base. Approximately 300 dealers are spending $30 per night to stay there.
A few of those dealers are splitting suites to cut down on expenses. It’s roughly a five-minute drive from Rio to Bally’s and Paris.
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