In just a few days, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino will open the doors for the 40th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). Thousands of poker players and fans will descend on the Amazon Ballroom to watch the penultimate event of the poker year, but several thousands more will be unable to make it to Las Vegas for the fun and games. Harrah’s officials have made it easier for everyone to take in some of the action that will develop during the next seven weeks.
In an announcement late Thursday afternoon, WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack announced that two websites – ESPN360.com and BluffMagazine.com – will have live streaming video broadcasts of 24 tournaments. By using these two outlets, fans from around the world will be able to view the action in almost real-time. During the announcement, Commissioner Pollack commented, “We are proud to provide the culminating action of so many prominent events to a worldwide audience in real-time. This online initiative will complement our spectacular television package on ESPN and deliver even more of this year’s milestone WSOP to fans who want the most immediate coverage possible.”
While ESPN’s television coverage will contain 32 hours of action, it will be limited to two bracelet events, the special anniversary $40,000 No Limit Texas Hold’em tournament and the Main Event. It will also air two non-bracelet events, the WSOP Champions Invitational and the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament. The streaming video feed of the WSOP will feature other highly prestigious tournaments on the schedule, including four of the $10,000 World Championships, the Ladies’ Championship, and the $50,000 HORSE tournament.
In an exclusive interview with Poker News Daily, Sports and Entertainment Director Seth Palansky stated that internet broadcasts will run similarly to last year: “There will be a slight delay for those that view the tournaments on the internet. These delays were built in by the rules of the Gaming Control Board, not us, to prevent any possibilities of impropriety. They were satisfied with the delay we instituted last year and we plan to do the same with the web broadcasts this year.”
The ability for thousands of people to see the events as they unfold in Las Vegas on the internet is extremely special for not only the WSOP, but also for the players and fans themselves. Palansky commented. “To have 24 bracelet events being awarded and for folks around the world to be able to see them, it’s terrific. Assuming that there are no technical issues – which there weren’t last year – we will let the public or those tuning in determine the success thereafter. We are happy to offer it and appreciate Bluff’s and ESPN’s willingness to make it happen.”
The schedule of events that will either appear on Bluffmagazine.com or ESPN360.com is as follows:
Event #4: $1,000 No Limit Hold’em
June 2nd, ESPN360.com
Event #5: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
June 3rd, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #7: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
June 4th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #10: $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha/Pot Limit Hold’em
June 5th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #11: $2,000 No Limit Hold’em
June 6th, ESPN360.com
Event #15: $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed
June 8th, ESPN360.com
Event #17: $1,000 Ladies No Limit Hold’em
June 9th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #19: $2,500 No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed
June 10th, ESPN360.com
Event #20: $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em
June 11th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #22: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
June 12th, ESPN360.com
Event #24: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
June 13th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #29: $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up
June 15th, ESPN360.com
Event #30: $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha
June 16th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #33: $10,000 Limit Hold’em
June 17th, ESPN360.com
Event #34: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
June 18th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #35: $5,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
June 19th, ESPN360.com
Event #36: $2,000 No Limit Hold’em
June 20th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #40: $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha
June 22nd, ESPN360.com
Event #41: $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Shootout
June 23rd, ESPN360.com
Event #45: $10,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
June 25th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #47: $2,500 Mixed Hold’em
June 26th, ESPN360.com
Event #49: $50,000 HORSE
June 30th, ESPN360.com
Event #51: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
June 29th, Bluffmagazine.com
Event #54: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em
July 1st, Bluffmagazine.com