The WPT World Championship festival will feature a lot more than a $15 million guaranteed main event. Kicking off 20 days of action on December 1 will be a meet-up game where players can ante up alongside stars such as Doyle Brunson and DJ Steve Aoki.
Known officially as the Premier Meet-Up Game: WPT Poker Icons Experience, the tournament is open to anyone attending the World Championship. Play starts at 10 a.m. on December 1 at the Wynn, Las Vegas, and entry opens at 8 a.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Joining Brunson and Aoki will be a cast of WPT fan favorites, including Tony Dunst, Vince Van Patten, Lynn Gilmartin, and Matt Savage. WPT ambassadors Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme will be aligning the stars for what they see as a great start to the World Championship.
WPT ambassadors making poker fun for all
Owen and Neeme joined the WPT family earlier this year. The two pros have used social media vlogs to take fans behind-the-scenes and make high-level WPT events accessible to the masses. Their meet-up games are part of the effort to bridge the gap between poker’s elite and the masses.
Another WPT jewel pic.twitter.com/xPETljk3oh
— Doyle Brunson (@TexDolly) November 1, 2022
Neeme believes that kicking off the WPT World Championship with a meet-up game will set the tone for what’s expected to be an exciting end to 2022.
“We’re always looking to grow the scope of our meet-up games and the World Championship is the perfect opportunity for us to get everyone involved. The Premier Meet-Up Game is going to be a blast,” Neeme said.
Owen echoed Neeme’s sentiment, adding that it will be a great way for poker players to compete against pros and celebrities in a fun environment.
“Our recent meet-up game in Las Vegas was a big hit. I’m looking forward to mixing up with Steve [Aoki] again when we do it even bigger in December,” Owen added.
Aoki opens his crib to ClubWPT members
Aoki is equally excited about playing in the meet-up game, but he’s also looking forward to raking in pots on his own turf.
“The Premier Meet-Up Game is going to be an absolute blast, but I can’t lie – I’m really looking forward to having a Sit & Go at my crib,” Aoki said.
The special, one-table Sit & Go at Aoki’s Las Vegas pad will take place on December 6. Owen and Neeme will be in attendance, as will the celebrity host. Completing the line-up will be two ClubWPT qualifiers.
ClubWPT members can enter two satellites on November 11 and 12. The top finishers in each get a seat in the November 13 finale where two players will win an invitation to Aoki’s home game.
The $2,000 prize package not only includes money for expenses, but entry to Aoki’s Vegas “Playhouse,” which boasts a pool, foam pit, and personalized poker table (see video above).
The qualifier who lasts longest in the Sit & Go will win a seat in the $10,400 WPT World Championship main event.
ClubWPT Diamond members who miss out on a spot in Aoki’s game can still win a $12K prize package for the World Championship. The final two satellites are scheduled for November 6 and November 13 at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Anyone who isn’t a member of ClubWPT can take advantage of qualifiers running on WPT Global and in live casinos around the world. The 20th anniversary WPT World Championship festival runs from December 1 to 20 at the Wynn and features a $15 million guaranteed main event.
