Poker Central, ESPN unveil 2018 World Series of Poker live broadcast schedule

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Poker Central and ESPN released their preliminary live coverage schedule for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which will air start to finish everyday coverage from 2-14 July. On top of its daily WSOP Main Event coverage, ESPN will broadcast the Big One for One Drop from 16-17 July – a $1,000,000 buy-in tournament that takes place every other year. In addition to ESPN's coverage of the WSOP Main Event and Big One for One Drop, PokerGO will offer exclusive WSOP Main Event coverage that is not broadcast during ESPN windows while coverage aired on ESPN will not air on PokerGO. The full PokerGO WSOP streaming schedule will be announced at a later time.

"Last year, both ESPN viewership and PokerGO subscription numbers were very strong throughout the WSOP Main Event," said JR McCabe, chief digital officer of Poker Central. "This year, we're doubling down on live coverage of the World Series of Poker by adding the Big One for One Drop and bringing even more live poker to fans worldwide."

"ESPN has a long-running relationship with the World Series of Poker, and we are always looking for ways to bring viewers the most preeminent coverage," said Doug White, ESPN senior director, Programming & Acquisitions. "By doubling down on our broadcast and digital platform coverage, we're going to bring fans and viewers even closer to the sport's biggest events from all aspects and angles."

In this year's partnership between ESPN and Poker Central, ESPN will telecast at least 40 hours of live WSOP coverage, plus an additional 130 hours of originally produced episodes. ESPN comprehensive broadcast of the WSOP will continue through 2020.

"We're ecstatic that ESPN and Poker Central continue to raise the bar and deliver more live poker content to audiences across the globe," said Ty Stewart, executive director, World Series of Poker. "Fans today demand immediacy and wall-to-wall coverage, and this year's offering delivers on that."

The planned broadcast schedule of the WSOP Main Event and Big One for One Drop on ESPN/ESPN2 is as follows:

• 2 July, 8 p.m. – 1 a.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 1A - ESPN2
• 3 July, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 1B – ESPN2
• 4 July, 8:30 p.m. – midnight, WSOP Main Event: Day 1C – ESPN2
• 5 July, 10 p.m. – midnight, WSOP Main Event: Day 2A/B – ESPN2
• 6 July, 8:30 p.m. – midnight, WSOP Main Event: Day 2C – ESPN2
• 7 July, 6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 3 – ESPN2
• 8 July, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 4 – ESPN
• 9 July, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 5 – ESPN2
• 10 July, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 6 – ESPN
• 11 July, 12:30 a.m. – 2 a.m., WSOP Main Event: Day 7 – ESPN2, play to final table
• 12 July, 9 p.m. – end, WSOP Main Event: Day 8 – ESPN, nine to six players
• 13 July, 9 p.m. – end, WSOP Main Event: Day 9 – ESPN, six to three players
• 14 July, 9 p.m. – end, WSOP Main Event: Day 10 – ESPN, three players to winner
• 16 July (July 17), Midnight – 2 a.m., WSOP Big One for One Drop: ESPN2 (Live)
• 17 July, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., WSOP Big One for One Drop: ESPN2 (Tape replay)
• 17 July, 9 p.m. – end, WSOP Big One for One Drop: ESPN2 (Live)
• 21 July, 11 p.m. – 1 a.m., WSOP Big One for One Drop: ESPN2 (Tape replay)

The scheduling including dates, times, and specific events is subject to change. All events will be streamed on a 30-minute delay with hole cards shown per gaming regulations.