Noteworthy additions to World Series of Poker schedule

(PRESS RELEASE) -- The 50th annual World Series of Poker is just one month away, and while we’ve already announced the event schedule, deepened the structures and added a ton more starting chips, there are several other additions to the 2019 WSOP players should be excited about.

The WSOP is set to run from 28 May to 16 July 2019 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

When arriving at the Rio, arrive camera ready as visitors to the Rio Convention Center rotunda area will be greeted with a $1,000,000 display of cash under the famed Horseshoe, replicated for the 50th WSOP to pay homage to the famous display that WSOP patriarch Benny Binion created downtown. Here is some of what else is new and noteworthy that players can expect when they arrive:

• Main Event Seat(s) Giveaway – To help celebrate our 50th, we’re giving away $50,000 in Main Event seats to our loyal tournament players. Players can earn up to five entries for a drawing to be held 1 July 2019. Five seats will be awarded to the 2019 WSOP Main Event. Players can get a free entry by swiping their Caesars Rewards card at the Rio Caesars Rewards desk. Receive additional entries based on your participation in gold bracelet events. Enter two different gold bracelet events, earn a second entry. For every additional gold bracelet event entered after two, you earn another entry to the drawing. Participants may earn a maximum of five entries for the drawing. Simply buy into gold bracelet events, and you will be automatically tracked and entered.
• $500 Hot Seat Promotion for Live Action Games – Everyone knows the Rio Pavilion Ballroom is the home of all levels of live action games throughout the WSOP. Approximately 40 of these live action tables will participate in the hourly “Hot Seat” promotion every day, every hour of the WSOP. A random seat will be drawn each hour, and the player in that seat will receive $500 in cash value Rio casino chips. This promotion runs from 3 June to 9 July.
• WSOP Tournament Account – Players now have the option to wire in funds for WSOP tournament play, or put money on account when they arrive. After a player initially sets up this account at the WSOP Main Cage in Tropical room, the player will have the option to register online or via mobile device for WSOP tournaments with the funds used to initiate the account and simply print seat card(s) and receipt(s) at one of the kiosks – avoiding the need to use the registration line to enter events.
• Credit Cards at the Cage – While cash, casino chips and cashier’s checks have long been options for players to use for tournament buy-ins, players will now have the option to use credit and debit cards in-person at the WSOP Main Cage in Tropical room. Fees apply.
• Amazon Room Adds Automatic Shufflers – The famed Amazon Room, used primarily for 3pm starting events and all re-starts, will be outfitted with 100 automatic shuffling machines to be used exclusively for WSOP tournaments. The shufflers are DeckMate2 provided by Scientific Games.
• Gorilla Gaming Live Action Games – Another addition to the Pavilion Room this year will be a mid-stakes live action section, featuring 30 tables – all high-end Gorilla gaming tables – which will feature automatic shufflers, power for device charging and upgraded chairs. (The King’s Lounge returns with 15 high stakes live action tables, along with the other popular amenities including the food buffet for participating players).
• Gavin Smith Memorial Poker Tournament – On the opening day of the WSOP on 28 May at 6pm we will host a $200 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament to help raise funds for the family of popular poker player Gavin Smith. The event will be rake-free, with the prize pool receiving $100 of each entry, with the other $100 going to the Gavin Smith Trust.
• Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Warm Up Tournament – On the eve of the Ladies championship event, a $150 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament will be held. This is a one-day event, scheduled for Wednesday, 19 June at 6pm, to serve as a warm up for the next day’s gold bracelet event.
• Seniors Deep Stack – Every Wednesday from 28 May to 10 July at 9am, a special Seniors only (age 50+) Deep Stack one-day tournament will be held featuring the No-Limit Hold’em format.
• Pot-Limit Omaha Deep Stack – Every Sunday from 2 June to 14 July at 5pm, a special $250 buy-in one-day Deepstack tournament will be held featuring the popular Pot-Limit Omaha variant.
• Final Table Live Streaming – PokerGo returns to offer poker fans live streaming from WSOP gold bracelet events. While final schedule will be announced by PokerGo next month, viewers can expect near daily coverage from 30 May - 16 July.

A record 123,865 entries participated in the 2018 WSOP, creating a 49-year high of $266,889,193 in prize money. The average WSOP gold bracelet event in 2018 had a $3,421,656 prize pool with $655,337 going to the winner.

Buy-ins for tournaments at the Rio will start as low as $70. Single table satellites and all your favorite live poker games: low, medium and high limit will begin on 28 May and run 24 hours a day throughout the seven-week series taking place in the spacious Rio Convention Center for the 15th consecutive year.