- The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is underway at the Paris and Horseshoe Casinos in Las Vegas.
- The venerable poker tournament is off of a record breaking 214,641 entrants in 2023.
- The iconic ‘Main Event’ of the World Series of Poker begins on July 3.
The 55th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP®) has officially begun at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas, following a record-breaking summer in 2023 that saw 214,641 entrants from more than 114 countries. The 2024 series started with flair as Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup champion and 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault delivered the iconic “Shuffle Up and Deal” to launch the WSOP’s first opening weekend event, Event #1: Champions Reunion No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout.
Marchessault, known as the “Original Misfit,” was joined by WSOP Main Event royalty, including last year’s champion Daniel Weinman. The NHL star, who secured the Golden Knights’ first Stanley Cup in franchise history and was named the most valuable player of the playoffs, took on his first competitive poker tournament after receiving some pointers from poker legend Daniel Negreanu.
“I’ve heard about how special the World Series of Poker is, but seeing all of this energy today with former champions on hand really drives home the magnitude of this event,” said Marchessault. “While I’d rather still be on the ice fighting for a championship, sitting down to give it a shot in my first competitive poker tournament against WSOP legends is a nice consolation. The WSOP holds a special place in Las Vegas history, and I am so glad I could come out and be a part of it today.”
The new Champions Reunion No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout event features a $5,000 buy-in and an exciting twist: players who knock out a former Main Event champion receive an automatic entry into the 2024 WSOP Main Event as a bounty. All living Main Event champions have been given a free entry to play in this event.
“What a way to start out the 2024 World Series of Poker as we aim for our biggest and best series ever, following the record-setting summer that took place last year,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart. “Having a Las Vegas champion here today was the perfect way to kick off the summer and our new Champions Reunion event.”
Full WSOP Schedule and Highlights
Running from May 28 to July 17, 2024, the WSOP in Las Vegas features nearly 700 tables, new events, and the highly coveted WSOP Main Event® Bracelet. The Main Event begins on July 3 with four starting flights running until July 6. Late registration is available on July 7-8 through Level 7, around 4:40 p.m. on Day 2 of each starting flight.
The Main Event Final Table will occur on July 16-17 at Horseshoe Las Vegas. Last year’s Main Event drew a record 10,043 entrants, with Daniel Weinman winning $12.1 million, the largest first-prize payout in the series’ history.
