September will be a critical month for the success of the WSOP, as speculation swirls around the probability that all 88 bracelet events will take place as planned.
Event organizers are doubtless hoping for a drop in COVID cases in Las Vegas, as well as nationally and internationally. The series is genuinely a "world" event, further complicating an ambitious tournament schedule in an ongoing pandemic.
Today WSOP.com announced its September promotions and, as expected, they heavily feature attractions related to the 52nd annual running of the WSOP.
Players on WSOP.com in New Jersey and Nevada will have the opportunity to win a Main Event seat through $215 buy-in satellites on the platform. The tournaments will run daily at 6:30 EST, so for those who have to work for a living, the schedule favors the larger New Jersey pool.
Oh BLAST!
The daily satellites are not the only way WSOP.com is getting more players out to Las Vegas. Main Event Mania adds three additional paths to potential poker greatness via the WSOP Main Event.
The first path requires players to compete in the allegedly-popular BLAST sit-n-goes offered on WSOP.com. All players competing in ten BLAST tournaments within a seven-day period will be entered into a weekly drawing for a Main Event seat.
Cash-game players can also qualify for the weekly drawings by generating 10 APPs during the same qualifying period, by playing the cash-game variant of their choice. The first qualifying period begins today (September 1), with the fifth and final period spanning from September 29 to October 5.
Finally, a Main Event Seat freeroll will be held on September 29. Qualification requires players to earn 100 APPs through cash-game play from September 1 to 26.
Players are required to opt in to all promotions via the client or from friendly buttons in the WSOP.com monthly email.
More online circuit series
Pennsylvania players get another crack at winning WSOP jewelry in September. The PA WSOP Online Circuit Event will award twelve gold rings and a total guaranteed prize pool of over $600k. The event runs from September 3-14.
Also announced today was the Caesars Palace Online Circuit Event running from September 15-26. As with the recently-completed Rio event, twelve gold rings will be up for grabs.
We are still puzzled by the concept of an online event with casino badging, since neither the food nor cocktail service will improve as WSOP.com rebrands from Rio to the more comfortable Caesars Palace. What is apparent, however, is that WSOP is pulling out all the stops in September, both in promoting the series, and in linking it heavily with their Las Vegas properties.
Is this wise?
Grounded optimism or simply wishful thinking?
It now seems almost inevitable that Event #1 of the 52nd annual WSOP will start on time. We are even confident that the event will run with minimal problems. We say as much in our WSOP Odds for 2021 article.
What is far less clear in our view is whether the WSOP can pull off an 88-bracelet series without major disruption along the way, including the possible postponement or cancellation of events.
The fundamental issue is that, as the series progresses, the challenges inevitably mount. Sick dealers will only compound the reported dealer shortages. The longer players are cooped up together, the higher the likelihood of a significant COVID outbreak.
To players and staff alike, we wish you well.
Featured image source: Twitter
