Get a Caesars Rewards card
We are exactly four weeks away from the start of the 2022 World Series of Poker, the 53rd running of the most prestigious poker festival on the calendar. With the tournaments drawing near, registration has opened, allowing players to better plan their trips to Las Vegas. The WSOP has posted the registration procedures, so let’s take a quick look at what to expect.
First and foremost (well, maybe not exactly foremost, as foremost might be the requirement to have enough money to play), all WSOP participants are require to have a Caesars Rewards card. Players may sign up for a Caesars Rewards card online or in person. You can visit the Rewards center any Caesars property to sign up in person or hit the Players Services desk in the Champagne Ballroom in the Paris Convention Center (remember, the WSOP is at Paris and Bally’s Las Vegas this year). Valid ID (driver’s license or passport) is required and it appears that players will need a physical copy of their Caesars Rewards card come tourney registration time. Those who don’t have their card can visit a re-print kiosk in the Champagne Ballroom.
Online or live registration
Tournament registration is now open online via the Bravo Poker Live website, which is also used for many other poker venues around Las Vegas. The Caesars Rewards card is required for there, as well. After registering and paying for a tournament, players must still visit the Paris Convention Center Burgundy Room for a one-time WSOP FasTrac verification at least one hour before the start of the event. Expect to show identification and the card with which payment was made (if a card was used).
Once verified, players can print their seat assignments at kiosks, rather than waiting in line.
For those who wish (or need) to register in person, the Paris’ main cage is the place to go at the moment. It is highly recommended to register for tournaments online, as the lines can get unbearably long during the WSOP.
Payment methods and fees
There are a number of payment methods accepted at the WSOP:
1) Cash
2) Credit and debit cards
3) Wire transfers or cashier’s checks
4) Paris or Bally’s gaming chips
5) WSOP tournament buy-in chips or credits
6) ACH (electronic bank transfer) – additional option for players using online registration
The World Series of Poker charges a $3 fee for using US credit cards, wire transfers, cashier’s checks, and ACH, though that fee goes to the payment processor, not to the WSOP. Credit and debit card issuers may charge another 2.95%-3.95% per transaction, so check your card’s terms to make sure. International credit cards charge 3.5%. Banks may also charge for wire transfers.
When paying online, there is a $10,000 cap per transaction on ACH transfers and card payments.
The WSOP is also encouraging players to use a WSOP Tournament Account for all their event registration and payment. Essentially a WSOP wallet, players make the initial setup at the WSOP Main Cage in the Champagne Ballroom and the wire funds in and out of that account. Once money is in the account, players can register for tournaments online (again, with the Bravo Poker Live site) and then just go to a kiosk to print their tickets. For players who plan on playing in lots of tournaments, this is likely a more convenient and cheaper method than making separate transactions for each tournament buy-in.
Image credit: PokerGO.com