Las Vegas, NV (Aug. 31, 2023) – One year after offering the largest live tournament guarantee in poker history, the World Poker Tour® is giving poker players a can’t-miss event yet again. Following 2022’s $15 million guarantee at the WPT ® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, the 2023 WPT World Championship features a $40 million guaranteed prize pool.
“The WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas is poised to reach new heights and we wanted to match that expectation with a guarantee that no live poker tournament has ever seen before,” said Adam Pliska, WPT CEO. “The journey to December begins now, and we plan on giving players another unforgettable experience at Wynn Las Vegas.”
This year’s $10,400 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas runs Dec. 12-21, including four starting flights and a televised final table. This follows the inaugural marquee event in 2022 with 2,960 entrants and a $29,008,000 prize pool – nearly doubling the original guarantee. Eliot Hudon won the event for $4.1 million..
“The astonishing support and excitement we’ve seen from the poker community after just one year is nothing like I’ve seen before,” said Ryan Beauregard, Executive Director of Poker Operations at Wynn Las Vegas. “We look forward to the 2023 WPT World Championship and hosting another industry-leading event with an unparalleled player experience.”
Along with the record-breaking $40 million guarantee for the marquee event, the full WPT World Championship festival schedule is also released. The schedule features a wide array of more than 30 supporting events for poker players of all levels.
The 2023 WPT Prime Championship also follows a blockbuster debut, with a $5,267,100 prize pool and Stephen Song topping 5,430 entries in 2022. This year, the WPT Prime Championship boasts a $5 million guarantee and runs from December 7-12 with a televised final table on Dec. 19.
There is no shortage of high stakes tournament poker in the overall festival schedule. Previously announced, the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop runs Dec. 18-20, representing some of the most prolific names in poker. A $25,700 High Roller is set for Dec. 17-18 and is followed by the WPT Alpha8, a $50,000 buy-in taking place Dec. 20-21.
The festival kicks off with a $1 million guaranteed, $600 No Limit Hold’em multi-flight tournament Nov. 29 – Dec. 4, followed by other player favorites including the $250,000 guaranteed WPT Ladies World Championship Dec. 6-8, the ever-popular Mystery Bounty featuring a $2 million guarantee, a $1,100 Seniors Championship (50+) and a $10,000 Seniors High Roller. Multiple mixed game tournaments are also available throughout the festival, ranging from the $1,100 HORSE Championship to a brand-new addition to the schedule, a $3,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship.
Additional announcements can be expected in the coming months. For more information regarding this event, visit WPT.com. For more information on Wynn Las Vegas, visit wynnlasvegas.com.
Dan is the founder of PokerLiveUpdates, a veteran poker tournament reporter who can be found wandering somewhat aimlessly through tournament arenas worldwide. As a founding member of FunTour2.0, he searches for the best in craft beer at all locations in the poker world.
