One of the things that was spoken about regarding the 2023 World Series of Poker was the constant commentary regarding the number of players who were taking part. Yes, the $10,000 WSOP Championship Event drew in a record, 10,043 PLAYERS (not entries, folks…PLAYERS), and other events that traditionally had smaller numbers (RE: non-Texas Hold’em tournaments)… Read more »
The pandemic isn’t over Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person version of the World Series of Poker (along with most other live activities for months), the deadly virus is still having an impact on the WSOP. Things are “back to normal” at the Series, now located at Paris and… Read more »
It may seem as if all the news coming about poker is all about the World Series of Poker, but that is not necessarily true. There are other newsworthy tidbits that are out there that, under normal circumstances, would receive a lot more airtime. We will look at some of those stories in this volume… Read more »
Omicron variant running rampant The Nevada Gaming Control Board issued a notice to its licensees emphasizing that they must comply with Governor Steve Sisolak’s Emergency Directive 045 regarding mask wearing. The Directive, originally issued in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold in the United States, essentially says that the state will… Read more »
Omicron variant spreading quickly As the world rushes headlong into yet another COVID-19 wave, this time thanks to the omicron variant, we are all experiencing the challenges of simultaneously trying to be safe and live our lives. After live tournaments were cancelled for the vast majority of 2020, they have come back with a vengeance… Read more »
There are a tremendous number of people who are looking forward to the November/December period for tournament poker in Europe. That is, they “were” looking forward to the events; as new COVID variants emerge, it is leading to the altering of the tournament poker schedule across Europe, including the abbreviation of the 2021 World Series… Read more »
The 2021 World Series of Poker has come and gone and, for the most part, it was a highly successful run. Almost 90 tournaments, all run very well, and the threat of COVID-19 was pretty much nonexistent save for the end of the schedule. But there was one thing that, while on its face looked… Read more »
It is arguably the best time of the year for the poker world. The venerable World Series of Poker is back in action in 2021 (after an online effort in summer 2020 and a poorly advised “hybrid” “Main Event” at the end of the year), but this year is going to be extremely unique compared… Read more »
Following state guidelines The World Series of Poker announced Tuesday that players will be permitted to go maskless while seated at their tables. The decision, says the WSOP, is in line with Nevada Emergency Directive 050, signed by Governor Steve Sisolak on September 2. Whenever players are away from the table, even a step, they… Read more »
WSOP Team Members “strongly encouraged” to get vaccinated Late last week, we reported that everyone attending the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to gain entry. At the time, the WSOP’s announcement of the new policy implied that poker dealers would be included in… Read more »
In a stunning move this morning, Caesars Entertainment and World Series of Poker officials took a monumental step for their upcoming tournament series. All people who enter WSOP tournaments will be required to show that they have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. This new requirement will extend to the personnel working the event, including… Read more »
The hits keep coming The second summer of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the poker world. On Thursday, the Maryland Live! Casino announced that it has postponed its World Poker Tour stop, scheduled for September 15 through September 28. The Main Event was to be September 24 through the end of the festival. In… Read more »
Get vaccinated or stay home On Monday, August 16, Harrah’s New Orleans casino becomes what is believed to be the first casino in the United States to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for entry. The decision comes not from casino operator Caesars Entertainment, but from the City of New Orleans itself.… Read more »
Earlier this week, Caesars Entertainment and World Series of Poker officials ignited a storm of controversy. By simply introducing one new rule into their books for the 2021 competition beginning in September, the WSOP seemed to shoot themselves in the foot with the only contingent that could come to this year’s event, the U. S.… Read more »
The 2021 World Series of Poker is about a month and a half away and players from around the United States are finalizing plans to finally get back to Las Vegas after the WSOP – in its traditional form – was cancelled last year. I say US players, specifically, because right now, the US is… Read more »
No-go for now, hopefully not for good It’s happening again. On Monday, the bestbet Jacksonville casino announced that it has postponed the World Poker Tour (WPT) bestbet Scramble because of yet another strong wave of the COVID-19 virus. The Main Event was originally scheduled for August 27-31, while the entire festival was to begin next… Read more »
After the debacle that was the 2020 “World Series of Poker” (first held online then having a “Main Event” in a half-assed live manner), EVERYONE has to be happy that the 2021 event is making its comeback. Earlier this year Caesars Entertainment, WSOP officials and the poker world breathed a sigh of relief that the… Read more »
Taking cue from public health department The Venetian, Palazzo, and Sands Expo & Convention Center are re-instituting face mask requirements for employees following new recommendations from the Southern Nevada Health District. All three properties are owned and operated by Las Vegas Sands Corp., though they will soon be under new ownership after VICI Properties and… Read more »
Rahm was destroying the field Even though golfer Jon Rahm didn’t even finish the Memorial Tournament over the weekend, many people who placed bets on him still won. In a goodwill gesture, several sportsbooks decided to pay out Rahm bets after he was forced to withdraw from the tournament after the third round because of… Read more »
MGM got its employees vaccinated With millions of COVID-19 vaccines getting administered every day in the United States, the pandemic statistics are moving in the right direction. Because of this, casinos have gradually been upping their customer capacities. Things are really starting to accelerate in Nevada, as MGM received permission from the Nevada Gaming Control… Read more »
Get ready to party on The Strip I have always enjoyed the times I have spent in Las Vegas (no drunken-blackout-lost-all-my-money disasters for me, fortunately), but I never really liked the crowds. An empty casino is depressing, but a jam-packed one, well, that’s not really my cup of tea. Give me somewhere in the middle.… Read more »
As many areas around the world reopen after the COVID pandemic, there are some difficult decisions that still must be made. In hard hit Las Vegas, these decisions are magnified because of the economy being based on the tourism industry. Thus, the decision by Wynn Las Vegas regarding the numerous COVID vaccinations in use currently… Read more »
The confetti has been swept up, the noisemakers…oh, wait a second. There were no big gatherings for New Year’s Eve this year. It was quite odd looking at an empty Times Square on New Year’s Eve, but it has become the situation we face under the current COVID-19 pandemic. And, especially after the massive cluster…(my… Read more »
While it seems that there are great hopes for a vaccine soon, the immediate situation regarding the coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) outbreak and pandemic remains a fluid one. Many locales still have stringent guidelines regarding gatherings of certain sizes. You might think a poker game would be able to avoid this type of situation but, in Canada,… Read more »
Capacity cut in half again As daily new cases of COVID-19, as well as hospitalizations and deaths resulting from the virus, continue skyrocket around the country, Nevada casinos are facing a new round of restrictions. Beginning a minute after midnight on Tuesday, casinos are required to drop their capacity limits from 50 percent to 25… Read more »
