The 2014 World Series of Poker schedule was released Tuesday, a seven-week odyssey featuring 65 events culminating, of course, with the $10,000 Main Event.
Speaking of which, the WSOP has decided that to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the poker festival being held at the Rio, it will guarantee $10 million to the winner of the Main Event. Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the WSOP, also said in an interview on WSOP.com that, “…while we’ve been happy with the figures the past few years, it’s time to see the Main Event spike back up. We’re seeking to send a loud message that 2014 is the year to come or come back again to the signature event in poker.”
The first prize for the 2013 Main Event was $8,361,570, the smallest since 2007, which was the first post-UIGEA WSOP. That’s not all the fault of the turnout, as the payout structure was flattened a few years ago, but attendance (and, in turn, the top prize), has declined in each of the past three years. The $10 million award will be the second largest in history, behind the $12 million awarded to Jamie Gold for winning the 2006 Main Event.
Though the WSOP is guaranteeing the $10 million prize, it is not guaranteeing the total prize pool. What it is doing is simply taking $10 million from whatever prize pool is generated and earmarking it for the winner. The rest of the payouts will follow a regular percentage formula. As a result, all of the other players who make the money will make less than they would have without the predetermined first prize (assuming the total number of entrants would not naturally produce a $10 million first prize). The differences aren’t staggering by any means, especially at the lower pay levels, but they are diminished, nonetheless.
The 45th Annual World Series of Poker begins May 27th with the traditional Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em Event. The first open event is also that day, a new $25,000 Mixed Max No-Limit Hold’em tournament. The first of three Main Event starting days will be July 5th; the tournament will run through July 14th, at which point the final nine players will have to wait until November 10th to fight to the finish.
2014 World Series of Poker Schedule
May 27 – Event #1: Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em – $500 – 2-Day Event
May 27 – Event #2: Mixed Max No-Limit Hold’em – $25,000 – 4-Day Event
May 28 – Event #3: Pot-Limit Omaha – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
May 29 – Event #4: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
May 29 – Event #5: Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
May 30 – Event #6: No-Limit Hold’em Shootout – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
May 31 – Event #7: Seven Card Razz – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
May 31 – Event #8: Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 1 – Event #9: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
June 1 – Event #10: Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 2 – Event #11: No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 3 – Event #12: Pot-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 3 – Event #13: No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 4 – Event #14: Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 5 – Event #15: No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed – $3,500 – 3-Day Event
June 6 – Event #16: Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 6 – Event #17: Seniors No-Limit Hold’em Championship – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
June 6 – Event #18: Seven Card Razz – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 7 – Event #19: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 7 – Event #20: No-Limit Hold’em Shootout – $3,000 – 3-Day Event
June 8 – Event #21: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
June 8 – Event #22: H.O.R.S.E. – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 9 – Event #23: Turbo No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 2-Day Event
June 10 – Event #24: No-Limit Hold’em Six Handed – $5,000 – 3-Day Event
June 10 – Event #25: Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $2,500 – 3-Day Event
June 11 – Event #26: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 12 – Event #27: H.O.R.S.E. – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 12 – Event #28: Pot-Limit Hold’em- $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 13 – Event #29: No-Limit Hold’em – $2,500 – 3-Day Event
June 13 – Event #30: Seven Card Stud Hi-Low 8-or Better – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 14 – Event #31: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 14 – Event #32: No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 15 – Event #33: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
June 15 – Event #34: Seven Card Stud – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 16 – Event #35: No-Limit Hold’em Eight-Handed – $5,000 – 3-Day Event
June 16 – Event #36: No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 17 – Event #37: Pot-Limit Omaha – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 17 – Event #38: Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 18 – Event #39: No-Limit Hold’em – $3,000 – 3-Day Event
June 19 – Event #40: Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 19 – Event #41: Dealer’s Choice Six-Handed – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 20 – Event #42: Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Handed – $5,000 – 3-Day Event
June 20 – Event #43: Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 21 – Event #44: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 22 – Event #45: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
June 22 – Event #46: The Poker Players Championship – $50,000 – 5-Day Event
June 23 – Event #47: Ante Only No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 24 – Event #48: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 25 – Event #49: No-Limit Hold’em – $5,000 – 3-Day Event
June 25 – Event #50: Eight Game Mix – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 26 – Event #51: No-Limit Hold’em MONSTER STACK (15,000 starting chips) – $1,500 – 4-Day Event
June 26 – Event #52: Limit Hold’em – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
June 27 – Event #53: Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship – $10,000* – 3-Day Event
June 27 – Event #54: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $3,000 – 3-Day Event
June 28 – Event #55: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
June 29 – Event #56: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000 – 3-Day Event
June 29 – Event #57: The Big One for One Drop – No-Limit Hold’em – $1,000,000 – 3-Day Event
June 30 – Event #58: No-Limit Hold’em Mixed Max – $1,500 – 4-Day Event
June 30 – Event #59: Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better – $3,000 – 3-Day Event
July 1 – Event #60: No-Limit Hold’em – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
July 1 – Event #61: Seven Card Stud – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
July 2 – Event #62A: The Little One for One Drop – $1,111 – 4-Day Event
July 2 – Event #63: Ten-Game Mix Six-Handed – $1,500 – 3-Day Event
July 3 – Event #62B: The Little One for One Drop – $1,111 – 4-Day Event
July 3 – Event #64: Pot-Limit Omaha – $10,000 – 3-Day Event
July 5 – Event #65A: No-Limit Hold’em Main Event – $10,000 – 10-Day Event
July 6 – Event #65B: No-Limit Hold’em Main Event – $10,000 – 10-Day Event
July 7 – Event #65C: No-Limit Hold’em Main Event – $10,000 – 10-Day Event
*Ladies eligible for 90 percent discounted buy-in ($1,000)
