WSOP back to Las Vegas as a live, in-person event after two-year hiatus

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he World Series of Poker has returned as a live, in-person to Las Vegas for its 52nd annual event after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Play began Thursday, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the tournament’s host since 2005.

Tournament organizers expect the edition to draw thousands of players during the next eight weeks not only from the U.S. but worldwide, as they compete for 88 championship bracelets. The main event, the $10,000 no-limit Texas Hold’em World Championship, ends November 23.

“We’ve spent the last 26 months dreaming of the return of the WSOP live and in-person to the Rio, and it feels incredible to say, today is that day,” said Ty Stewart, senior vice president of the event, reports Associated Press.

We are BAAAACK ! @PokerGO #wsop2021 pic.twitter.com/McfFbDRhJf

— WSOP (@WSOP) September 28, 2021

The Caesars Entertainment-hosted event announced on August 27 that players, spectators, vendors and media would be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for this edition. While WSOP normally takes place between June and July, this time delays due to the pandemic moved dates to September through November.

As a result, this year’s edition coincided with football season, while WSOP typically falls in line with sports betting’s lowest point in the U.S. calendar. As the World Series of Poker launched Thursday, Las Vegas was seen full of not only poker players but sports bettors.

“Make no mistake, the 2021 WSOP will be the real deal and we’re preparing for a full house,” added Stewart, according to CBS. “Throughout the storied history of the WSOP, this year will be particularly memorable and we’re preparing for a poker reunion all players can celebrate.”

The event kicked off with a charity event, the $1,000 buy-in COVID-19 Relief No-limit Hold’em event, Thursday evening. The day also saw a $500 event for casino employees and a $25,000 HORSE event that featured some of poker’s top high-stakes players.

In 2019, the tournament attracted more than 187,000 entrants from 118 different countries, and awarded more than $293 million in prize money.