Caesars Entertainment has confirmed that the World Series of Poker is on the move in 2021, relocating from its home of 16 years at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino to Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas.
The world’s most prestigious annual poker tournament series will also return to its traditional mid-year timeslot, having been cancelled altogether in 2020 and postponed for five months in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Next year’s series will run from 31 May to 19 July 2022.
Confirmation of the WSOP’s big move, announced by actor Vince Vaughan on Wednesday as the Main Event final table got underway – the winner will be crowned today and take home a US$8 million top prize – comes after Caesars sold the Rio in a US$516 million deal in September 2019.
“As we approach the Final Table, we look back on yet another successful Main Event that exceeded expectations,” said WSOP Senior Vice President, Ty Stewart. “We are absolutely thrilled with this year’s turnout, both domestically and internationally. As we close out this chapter at the Rio, we are excited to have the iconic Vince Vaughn usher in a new era of WSOP at Bally’s and Paris next summer.”
The full schedule for next year’s WSOP is expected to be announced in January.
The 2021 WSOP has defied the odds, attracting big numbers back to the felt including 6,650 starters in the US$10,000 buy-in main event despite the absence of a hefty chunk of international players.
