WSOP drops $10m first prize guarantee
Major changes have been announced to how the Main Event will pay out this year, with more opportunity for min-cashers.
The $10 million guarantee for the first place winner has been removed from this year's World Series of Poker Main Event. Instead the WSOP has decided to guarantee 1,000 players will make the money.
Last year the first prize guarantee was introduced to celebrate ten years at the Rio and also to grow the event. Martin Jacobson eventually won that prize in a Main Event which saw 5% growth.
Now 1,000 players will be paid instead. If the Main Event had the same entrants as last year, this would see an $8 million first prize and more than 300 extra players making the money (An almost 50% increase).
This 1,000 payout guarantee is based on a minimum of 5,000 entrants.
More players walk away with money
Last year when the first place guarantee was announced, this writer was very critical of the move. It has been my long held belief that recreational players in the Main Event want more and/or flatter payout structures, rather than bigger top heavy prizes.
Now it seems the WSOP has come to the same conclusion:
“The dream of life-changing money is core to the DNA of the WSOP Main Event and we also want to make it easier to experience playing in poker’s Big Show,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart. “Our players understand numbers, and 2015 now presents the best odds ever to leave the Main Event a winner.”
What do you think to these changes? Let us know in the comments.
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