World Series of Poker schedule set; final table determined July 16

LAS VEGAS -- The 2013 World Series of Poker will take place May 29 through July 16 at the Rio, tournament officials announced this week.

The slate of individual events still is being finalized, but the tournament is expected to include at least 60 events where the winners earn gold bracelets.

The $10,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em World Championship, often referred to as the Main Event, will be contested over 10 days beginning July 7.

Three starting flights will take place July 7 to 9, with the final table of nine being determined July 16. The nine players will return to the Rio in November to play for the title.

Greg Merson of Laurel, Md., won the 2012 World Series of Poker's Main Event, earning more than $8.5 million.

Nearly 500 poker tables will be set up across more than 100,000 square feet of ballroom space inside the Rio Convention Center to accommodate the tournament.

The 2012 World Series of Poker attracted 74,766 participants in 61 events, generating a prize pool of more than $222 million, the largest prize pool in the tournament's 43-year history.

The $1 million buy-in "Big One for One Drop" won't be part of the 2013 World Series of Poker but will return in 2014.

However, a smaller version will be held next year.

Last summer's Big One for One Drop was sold out and raised $10 million for charity, including $5.3 million for the One Drop water awareness charity. The tournament paid out the largest prize in poker history, $18.346 million, which was won by Antonio Esfandiari.

For next summer's World Series of Poker, the tournament will host the "Little One for One Drop," which will have a $1,111 buy-in benefiting One Drop.

The official bracelet event will offer an unlimited re-entry over two starting days, giving it potential to be the biggest event in terms of entrants at the 2013 World Series of Poker.