The Wynn Spring Classic in Las Vegas is set to become one of the biggest live poker events in the U.S. since COVID-19. And the event is just another step towards returning to normalcy for tournament grinders in the U.S.
The event, held at the Wynn Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, begins March 3 and runs through March 22. Over the course of those 20 days, poker players in town will have an opportunity to compete for their share of $2.5 million, including two events in which the prize pool is guaranteed to hit at least $1 million.
Not only is the Wynn guaranteeing big bucks handed out to those who cash in the various tournaments. The poker room is offering tournaments with reasonable blind structures that are beneficial to the pros who often complain about casinos spreading too many turbo hold'em tournaments.
Highlights of Wynn Spring Classic
The upcoming Wynn Spring Classic is headlined by four high-profile events, with another 12 smaller events mixed in. The series begins with the $300 No-Limit Hold'em Survivor at noon. Players will start with 20,000 chips (30-minute blind levels) and the tournament guarantees at least $15,000 will be awarded.
The real fun begins on the following day at noon, with Day 1A of the $600 No-Limit Hold'em, a tournament with a guaranteed $250,000 prize pool. Day 1B and 1C will run at the same time the following two days.
On March 11, at 3 pm, the one and only High Roller, a $10,500 tournament, begins. This one doesn't have a guarantee, but most Wynn high roller events bring in a sizable crowd relative to the lofty buy-in.
The third big event of the series kicks off March 12 at noon with Day 1A (Day 1B at the same time on March 13). We're talking about the $3,500 No-Limit Hold'em Championship. It's a deep stack event — players start with 40,000 in chips, and the blinds increase once per hour — which guarantees at least $1 million in the prize.
The second $1 million guaranteed tournament — $1,600 No-Limit Hold'em — starts March 18. Days 1B and 1C take place on the 19th and 20th. The final table runs on the 22nd, which closes out the Wynn Spring Classic.
Poker making a comeback
The Wynn Spring Classic is yet another step in the right direction for live tournament poker. Following a brutal year for the industry in which all poker rooms across the country were closed for for months due to COVID-19, we're starting to return to a bit of normalcy.
Poker in Las Vegas is picking up, especially with tournaments. Not only is the Wynn Spring Classic about to launch, the neighboring Venetian Resort and Casino is currently hosting a mid-stakes DeepStack series, which is bringing in some six-figure prize pools.
Now we all wait and see if the 2021 World Series of Poker will take place in Las Vegas. That will be the barometer for just how close we are to returning to normalcy.
Featured image source: Twitter
