One reason Las Vegas works as a destination city is because it has long offered experiences you can’t get anywhere else. Take, for instance, the largest and richest poker tournament on the planet. Las Vegas has been home to the World Series of Poker since 1970, when seven card sharks played a single round of no-limit Texas Hold ’em at Benny Binion’s Horseshoe Casino. Today, thousands of poker aficionados fill nearly 500 tables spread across more than 100,000 square feet of convention space at the Rio.
This year’s WSOP kicks off May 30 and runs for 49 consecutive days, during which time many gold bracelets and millions in prize money will be awarded in multiple tournaments. It all culminates July 17 when the “final nine” is set for the granddaddy of them all: the WSOP Main Event. Last year, more than 6,700 players anted up $10,000 each to compete in the Main Event, with the last man standing—Qui Nguyen—walking away with slightly more than $8 million.
Don’t have $10,000 to chase the Main Event dream—or even the lesser cash required to enter one of the smaller tournaments? No worries. All 49 days of the WSOP are open to “railbirds” free of charge, provided you’re at least 21 years old … and you don’t tip anyone’s hand!
Rio, times and buy-ins vary, daily through July 18, 21+. wsop.com/2017
