That is the ultimate yr that the World Collection of Poker (WSOP) will likely be held on the Rio All Suites Resort & On line casino. From 2022, the occasion will transfer to the Strip, the place will probably be hosted collectively by Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas, organizers stated Tuesday.
The Rio All-Suites Resort & On line casino has been the WSOP’s dwelling for the previous 16 years. However the occasion is heading to the Strip for 2022. (Picture: Caesars Leisure)
WSOP vice chairman Jack Effel additionally stated the sequence will likely be moved again to its common summer time slot, having been delayed till fall this yr due to the pandemic.
The WSOP is owned by Caesars Leisure, which offered the off-Strip Rio to New York-based property developer Dreamscape Firms in a deal introduced in September 2019. Caesars will proceed to function the property on behalf of the brand new proprietor till 2023.
Rumors of a venue change for poker’s greatest occasion have been swirling for a while, predating the sale of the Rio. The property was not included in a sequence of upgrades on a Caesars’ property undertaken a number of years in the past. In 2018, it was rumored to be in line for demolition.
WSOP’s Lengthy Journey to the Strip
The WSOP has been held on the Rio since 2005, when it outgrew its earlier dwelling, Binion’s Horseshoe, on Fremont St.
Caesars, then generally known as Harrah’s Leisure, had acquired the Collection a yr earlier when it bought Binion’s Horseshoe from the Binion household.
The household patriarch, Benny Binion, based the occasion in 1970. The primary WSOP was an invitation-only sequence of money video games that featured simply seven gamers.
The legendary Johnny Moss grew to become the primary world champion after a vote by his friends. Anecdotally, the vote needed to be recast after every participant initially voted for himself.
The next yr, the Binions developed the event freezeout poker format, now performed globally.
Caesars offered Binion’s Horseshoe quickly after the 2005 occasion however saved the rights to the WSOP model, which it went on to increase throughout America and internationally.
Aldemir Leads, Play Resumes Tonight
Tonight, for the final time on the Rio, a brand new champion will likely be topped. With three gamers left from a discipline of 6,650, Germany’s Koray Aldemir holds a commanding chip lead, with $264M in chips, or 165 huge blinds.
That’s greater than a 3:1 lead over British participant Jack Oliver, who sits in second with $77M, or 48 huge blinds.
The final American standing is beginner participant George Holmes, who has solely recorded one earlier event money. With $57M, or 36 huge blinds, he’ll be hoping to catch a couple of playing cards.
Every participant is assured not less than $3M. The eventual winner will take dwelling $8M.
