It’s that time of year already. The 2017 WSOP is still five months away but that doesn’t mean we can’t begin preparations.
The WSOP has announced key dates for the 48th edition of the world’s largest annual poker series. It all kicks off on May 30th, with the summer session concluding on July 17th, the final day of the Main Event prior to the November Nine.
The series begins with the $565 buy-in Casino Employees tournament which is only open to, you guessed it…casino employees.
As has been the case the past few years, the 2017 World Series of Poker will feature numerous events for a wide range of budgets. Yes, that means the $565 buy-in Colossus will be back for its third consecutive year.
In 2015, the Colossus set a world record for most entries in a live poker tournament (22,374). Last year’s edition fell just short of that record (21,613). Colossus III should bring in another massive field.
The tournament begins June 2 with the first two of six Day One starting flights. Benjamin Keeline is the defending champion. Cord Garcia was the inaugural winner.
Other Returning Events
The full schedule won’t be released until February. What we know now is the main events to expect when the WSOP rolls around in late May.
Two of the most popular $1,500 buy-in hold’em tournaments in the world are back again: Millionaire Maker and Monster Stack. These events draw thousands of players each year. The Millionaire Maker paid its top two finishers at least $1 million in 2016.
The champion next year will for sure win at least that much. With more than $9 million in the pot, Mitchell Towner claimed the bracelet in the Monster Stack last year for more than $1.1 million.
Also back for 2017 includes the $1,111 Little One for One Drop, Ladies Championship, and Seniors Championship. The seniors event is scheduled for June 16 and has a $1,000 buy-in.
Players must be 50 years of age or older. In the past, men have been allowed to enter the $1,000 buy-in ladies tournament, but were forced to pay $10,000.
Way too Early Potential Storylines
It’s never too early to plan for the WSOP. Last year, heading into the series, the main storylines involved the Vanessa Selbst-Jason Mercier bet and the possible return of Howard Lederer and/or Chris “Jesus” Ferguson.
While it’s too early to predict what people will be talking about in May, there are a couple of potential storylines to look for. First off, the Cate Hall/Mike Dentale heads-up match may or may not actually take place in March. Either way, those two will draw some attention.
Also, again, will we see Ferguson and Lederer at the Rio in Las Vegas? They kept quiet throughout the 2016 WSOP but many were unhappy to see them.
There are still many who despise them and won’t welcome them with open arms should they enter some 2017 events.
