WSOP Main Event Festivities in Full Swing

If you think the conclusion of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is just about the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, you couldn’t be further from the truth. A variety of side events and a cavalcade of media will make this weekend one for the ages.

On Saturday at 10:00am, credentialed media can begin accessing the behemoth facility that is the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas. Media will be seated on stage, in the first row of the auditorium, and in a press box overlooking the festivities. Players will be nearly on top of the audience as part of a revamped stage layout and only a handful of poker fans will likely be let in due to an overwhelming number of supporters brought by each player.

Harrah’s officials placed the $15.8 million up for grabs into a money market account back in July. It has since accrued $1,321 in interest, which will be divided among the top finishers based on their original payday. Ninth place will see no change to their payout, while the first place bounty of $8.5 million will be boosted by $607. Players who have busted out of the Main Event will be herded to a special interview area 10 minutes following their exit. Play kicks off at Noon PT on Saturday.

During the dinner break of the Main Event, World Poker Tour (WPT) Host and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Mike Sexton will be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame as the lone representative of the Class of 2009. Sexton’s induction ceremony takes place in the Brasilia Ballroom in a $150 per plate affair sponsored by JAQK Cellars. Sexton was one of nine players up for nomination this year and received 75% of the vote of a panel of media members and living Hall of Fame players.

Sexton told ESPN “Inside Deal” hosts Laura Lane and Bernard Lee about his plans for the induction speech: “I’m getting my thoughts together now on what I’m going to say. Certainly, I’m going to acknowledge the other nominees and thank people who have been very important to me in my poker career and life as well.”

Play is expected to last between 12 and 24 hours on Saturday and will continue well into the night until two remain. On Sunday, a meatball eating contest featuring some of the world’s top professional eaters will take place at Cafe Martarano’s at the Rio. Among those vying for the title will be Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, who owns a record 11 WSOP bracelets. Hellmuth will square off against the likes of Joey Chestnut, who has won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest three years running.

At 3:00pm PT on Sunday, DoylesRoom will announce the fifth member of its Brunson 10. The stable of young online poker pros hand-picked by site namesake Doyle Brunson already includes Chris “moorman1” Moorman, Amit “amak316” Makhija, Alec “traheho” Torelli, and Zachary “CrazyZachary” Clark. The festivities are being held in conjunction with the release of Brunson’s autobiography, “The Godfather of Poker.” Brunson will be on-hand distributing signed copies of his book for those in attendance at the Blush Nightclub at the Wynn. Members of the media were distributed invitations to the exclusive event this week.

Also taking place on Sunday is Vince Neil’s Fifth Annual Off the Strip Poker Tournament. The event, run by Matt Savage and organized by the Mötley Crüe front man, emanates from Buzio’s at the Rio at 7:00pm. The gala boasts a $550 buy-in and a $50,000 prize pool will be up for grabs. Proceeds benefit the Skylar Neil Foundation, named in honor of Neil’s daughter, who died of cancer 14 years ago. Las Vegas comedian Vinny Favorito, All-In Magazine owner Casey Thompson, and Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande are just a few of the players confirmed for the event.

Monday at 10:00pm PT will see the two survivors of the Main Event play down to a champion. The tournament’s conclusion will air on Tuesday at 9:00pm ET on ESPN. Poker News Daily will be on site in Las Vegas for the conclusion of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Check back for complete coverage from Sin City.