It has been reported that there is a possibility that the WSOP will run online satellites for the Main Event of 2103 WSOP. This will be a first. The Main Event will happen later this summer. If this happens, the next world champion might just come from an online tournament.
There is much to be done before any of this occurs however. But if it does, WSOP.com will be only the second website within the state of Nevada that offers real-money poker. According to WSOP officials, they are hoping to get started with new software at the next WSOP series. This begins on May 29 and will be at the Rio.
If possible, they would like the launch to occur in before the Main Event which starts July 6. This would allow players to compete for entries into the world famous championship through the planned online satellite tournaments.
The news came out during a conference call. WSOP said that is now planning to have an online site that is to be active by summer and that, too, the popular Carnivale of Poker is going to return.
According to the VP of corporate communications for Caesars Entertainment, Seth Palansky, they are working right now on making the software that will be used as perfect as possible. As real money will be involved in the online site, this is an important issue.
It was also announced that WSOP.com has been running ads for a few months now. These ads are said to be teasing potential players that real money online poker will be coming to them soon. Ads or not, it is up to the Nevada Gaming Control Board to give its approval before anything concrete can be said or done. As of this writing, there is no information as how the Board is leaning in this matter or what it thinks about adding real money online poker to the state’s gambling venues.
It was also announced that Carnival of Poker will be coming back with 21 events. This is a completely separate set of events that offer much lower buy-ins but will run simultaneously along with the WSOP events that constitute the championship.
As of information we have now, Carnivale of Poker events will have buy-ins of $300, $500, $1000 and $1,675. The event winners will also get a gold medallion. It was also announced that there is to an Open-Face Chinese event. And, that WSOP is going to add $100,000 toward the top 10 earners of points which will be at the close of the Carnivale. It has been ten years since the last Carnivale of Poker took place.
While many younger players will not remember the Carnivale of Poker at all, those that do often state that the events were great fun and they are eager to see its return.
As more details come out on the WSOP plan to bring in online tournaments or more information comes out on the return of the Carnivale of Poker, readers will be advised.