Name: A pile-up of the WPT World Championship, EPT Prague and WSOP Paradise. In other words, everything, everywhere, all at once.
Age: At least 18.
Appearance: Poker players from all over the world looking for a year-saving trip to Prague, Las Vegas, The Bahamas, or elsewhere.
Ah, December… finally a chance to relax and put our feet up. Not for serious poker players, it’s not. This time of year is packed with major live series to choose from.
Aren’t there big poker events going on all year round? Sure, but not like this. Three of the biggest poker brands in the world — the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker — all have some of their biggest and richest events going on at the same time: the WPT World Championship, EPT Prague and WSOP Paradise, respectively.
Why now? You know what it’s like when the weather turns cold; there’s nothing better than heading inside, hunkering down and playing cards long into the night.
So it’s cold where these events are taking place? It certainly is in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, where the EPT has held its end-of-year shindig since 2007. It’s famous across the world for its snow-capped buildings, bustling Christmas markets and mulled wine.
How about the other two? They are being held in Las Vegas and The Bahamas.
Hmmm… any snow predicted? Not exactly. Vegas gets up to the 60s, and generally stays nice and sunny. Over in The Bahamas it’s pushing 80 degrees; if Rudolph’s nose is red, it’s most likely sunburn.
That sounds pretty good right about now. The chance to get some winter sun is definitely part of the appeal — as is the chance to end the year with a win and balance the books. The trouble is, with three great options all colliding at the same time it’s dividing the player pool. With Prague, The Bahamas and Las Vegas all very far away from one another, it’s a tall order to consider playing more than one of them. Players have to make a choice between some of the best events of the year.
Is that good business? It’s certainly aggressive. The WPT scheduled its first marquee World Championship in 2022, possibly to grab some of the EPT Prague crowd. Then the WSOP launched their Paradise stop in 2023, presumably to snatch some of the WPT market. It seems like poker is a zero-sum game whether you’re playing the cards or dealing them.
Who got there first? The Five Diamond World Poker Classic was the WPT’s big December series from 2003 to 2021, so if any of these big 3 can lay claim to being 'first', it’s them. EPT Prague has been running since 2007, while WSOP Paradise is the new kid on the block — the series currently being played is the third time it has run.
More choice is good, though, right? It’s great for players, but it can be risky for the operators. When the first WSOP Paradise took place in 2023 the WPT fought back by announcing the largest ever single tournament guarantee of $40 million. It missed the guarantee and had to foot the bill for an overlay of several million dollars. Then in 2024 WSOP Paradise announced a new biggest-ever tourney guarantee of $50 million. That one was missed, too, but ‘only’ by half a million or so.
Overlays? Sounds good to me! But how do I decide where to play in December? If you want to play for a bracelet, head to WSOP Paradise. If you want the Christmas vibes, and a chance to explore a historic and beautiful city, EPT Prague is perfect. And if Las Vegas is your thing — or your home — then the WPT World Championship at Wynn is a great bet.
What if I can’t make any of them? Luckily for you, PokerOrg will be bringing you news from all of the above.
Do say: “I’d rather be out playing poker than home watching Christmas movies...”
Don’t say: “... though I am partial to a Miracle on 4th Street.”
