WSOP Main Event Buy-In

[MarkZ 0]

Daniel, do you think they should raise the entry fee for the main event, seeing as entrants are climbing at an astronomical rate? I don't think $10,000 carries the same weight as it did in 1970. Maybe up it to $25,000 or even $50,000?

[Tritz 0]

I think it should stay at $10,000, so people like myself can enter it, I wouldn't be willing to put $50,000 up on a single poker tournament, but thats just me.

[marchingant 0]

I think the more people that play, the better it is.

[MarkZ 0]

I think the more people that play, the better it is.

Maybe so, but logistically speaking what casino is going to house a 10,000 person tournament, as it may become in a few years?

[cardtarget 0]

They just would have to change the format slightly. Do 1000 people a day for ten days... that would weed out half the field. Then 2000 for three days... half more.... then you're down to the 2500-3000 that were there originally.That or just get a couple hundred GIANT tents out in the desert.

[bmwguy525 0]

I wouldn't be willing to put $50,000 up on a single poker tournament

That's the point. The World Series of Poker used to be played by the greatest of the great. That's how the greats were distinguished. I think they absolutely should raise the entry fee or make restrictions as to who can enter, such as qualifying rounds in other WSOP events or things of the sort. That way the WSOP main event can go back to being a battle of the Titans, as it was intended to be.

[Boothy 0]

I also think it should remain at $10,000. Heats are the way to go if the field gets out of hand.There is only one WSOP main event and the magic of it is that anyone can anti-up and pit their wits with the pros. Try doing that in golf or any other 'sport'

[JaysonWeber 0]

They just would have to change the format slightly.   Do 1000 people a day for ten days... that would weed out half the field.  Then 2000 for three days... half more.... then you're down to the 2500-3000 that were there originally.That or just get a couple hundred GIANT tents out in the desert.  

There would be problems with this, The people on the first day would have an advantage of being rested over the people from later days, this already happened in the 04 WSOP when they had a phase 1 and phase 2 of day 1. 9 people from the first phase and 1 from the second made it to the final table. I think if it continues to get bigger, just to keep a cap on the thing they may HAVE to raise the entry fee, but I am not one advocating it. Another thing I see here is someone posted that it used to be the best players in it, well you have a point, but the new goal for pro's will become the ESPN Player of the Year standing, there is no way you can get to the top of that board by having a lucky 5 day streak. To be on the top you have to be in a lot of tournaments and place consistently, I think the picture of that player should go on the wall now instead of the picture of the player who wins the Crapshoot of a tournament we call the WSOP Main Event.

[Sundevils21 0]

I think they should do one of two things...1. raise it to at least 25K. The main event should be at least that of other casino's regular buy in annual events.2. keep the main event at 10K and crown the world champion in that event. But, add another event that's a higher buy in. Say $100K. That way there would be a "pro's pro" type of prestige tournament(like 10K was in 1970). This event could be hold'em or(to please Daniel) hose or horse event.-Travis

[bmwguy525 0]

I think the picture of that player should go on the wall now instead of the picture of the player who wins the Crapshoot of a tournament we call the WSOP Main Event.

That's exactly what I'm trying to say. The WSOP was not meant to be a "crapshoot". It was meant for the best players in the world to come and compete against each other, especially the main event. If you are not good enough to play in it against the pros, aside from luck, then you shouldn't be in it anyways. Those pictures are on that wall for a reason.I think it's a great marketing device for online poker sites to provide entries into it, but seriously, 2500 players?? The WSOP main event isn't meant for Joe-Schmoe players who "like to play but don't take it seriously," and therefore should be wittled down to people who prove themselves, not people who fork over a 20+2 buy-in and play all-in draws just to get lucky on online poker sites.

[JaysonWeber 0]

Now as much as I'd like to agree with you here, the businessman part of me says No! Think about it, you are in a prefessional poker players shoes, think about the ROI you have from playing in this tournament if you play for Profit and not Necesarilly first place, with 2500 entrants 10th place gets you waht 1st place would get you 5 years ago! With these odds out there and the fact that they still make most there money on cash games (atleast the pros who aren't broke and getting backed for every tournament). For this reason I'd have to say that let it be a type of crapshoot, you can't be upset that Poker is popular, let it happen, play your cards and just watch over these next few years a pro WILL win it soon enough. But Pros know they will most likely place in the top 10-20% of the playing field in which case they are cashing out for a fine amount of money anyways.

[engine59 0]

The very thing that made this game instantly popular is the idea that an average man can become a world champion. If you raise the buy-in you kill that pipe dream we all have. You'll always have plenty of tables, they can spread the action out to other casino's associated with harrahs. The originall perpose of the world series of poker is to drawl high rollers and spectators in that will gamble at the casinos, they don't care who the best in the world is. besides they invented the player of the year award to do just that. The idea that 50 poker buddies can throw up 200 dollars and play a satellite for one of them to have a chance to be on tv and become a millionare is the american dream. Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker are moder day rocky balboas. If they raise that buy-in my dream of playing init will remain just that.

[spacemonkey 0]

I think they should keep it like it is right now. But they should also add a big buy in (50,000+) and call the winner something like the "WSOP Big Game Champion." The buy-in should be big enough that it would restrict the field to 500 or less. Maybe change the game from No-Limit to Pot-Limit to make things more interesting by not putting all the money in before the flop. Make that the game that all the big name players want to win since it's really, really hard for even the world's greatest player to even make it to the final table in a field of 5,000+.

[bmwguy525 0]

But they should also add a big buy in (50,000+) and call the winner something like the "WSOP Big Game Champion."

:? Apparently you fail to understand the $10,000 buy-in and the title MAIN EVENT. There is a reason the buy-in for the main event is so much and the winner of the event is World Champion of Poker.

[doublesuited 0]

actually you can do it in golf, its called the US Open. Anyone with a 2 handicap can try to qualify

[KKsuited 0]

I may get flamed for this, but I don't think the number of entrants will keep going up.It may be 4,000 this year, but I think the popularity will slow down and the numbers will come back a little. Poker is just very hot right now. I don't think it will stay that way. Divorces will be happen, people will go broke, some people will realize they aren't very good, etc and the numbers may return to a more normal rate (probably still a couple thousand).I heard so many stories of people spending tons of money in sats, rich people just showin up to play, etc. Those things won't continue to happen in my opinion.

[seymour15 0]

I think that they need to keep the buy-in at $10k. It is so popular now because it gives the average card player a belief that he would have a shot in it. However, I am of the belief that numbers in future main events won't skyrocket to what some think. I think that the high numbers will have an adverse affect and people won't want to pony up $10,000 when they know they are 1 out of 5,000.

[Sundevils21 0]

But they should also add a big buy in (50,000+) and call the winner something like the "WSOP Big Game Champion."

:? Apparently you fail to understand the $10,000 buy-in and the title MAIN EVENT. There is a reason the buy-in for the main event is so much and the winner of the event is World Champion of Poker.

"is *so* much". That is the point. It ISN'T SO much anymore. In 1970 it was SO MUCH. In 2004 it isn't.The Bellagio has an event that is a $25K buy in and most tournament's main event is 10K.

[bmwguy525 0]

Yes I understand that, but the highest buy-in in the WSOP besides the main event is the $5,000 NL Hold'em and PL Omaha, so the main event is double any other tourney they have at the WSOP. What he was saying was to have a bigger event, so he is just saying to raise it, right?......

[Munky 0]

Pretty soon the chip stacks will look like this:http://www.nevadacasinochips.com/ChrisCastle2003.jpgandhttp://www.nevadacasinochips.com/chipcastlewinner.jpgThat many people, that much money, the tables will crush under the weight of the chips!

[seymour15 0]

So is there anything Chris Ferguson can't do???

[CodyHartman 0]

15k buy in max at how many people you can actually house. If you have played in5 of more events you get a "reserved" spot. (This should still be nowhere near). The problem with splitting the feild into 2 days is the second group is more tired. Give everyone a day off, then the tourney takes 10 days. So what do you do. So to make it fair your have to be able to house all the aprticipants for day one.But next year it looks like the are going to 3 first days, so who knows?Also the other events are getting HUGE as well. I mean 800+ in the first event WOW. That is almost as much as the previous years Main Event. The "smaller" events are probably going to be a problem next year too. I mean when I first heard about the WSOP I thought it was just 1 event. I am sure that others did too. I bet the other events will become bigger as well 1000+ in some NLHE's.Kind of rambling here. Do you get my point though?

[Boothy 0]

actually you can do it in golf, its called the US Open.  Anyone with a 2 handicap can try to qualify

Yes, but you still have to meet the criteria. The only criteria for the WSOP is the will and the wad.

[tekn0wledg 0]

I think they should raise it to at least 25k.... like someone mentioned, the event will grow far too large to host. As it is this year they are planning on having three days for just dwindling down the first group of people on three seperate days. Imagine how odd that is, to play on Thursday and not have to play again until Monday because you had to wait for the other groups of entrees to play and get the field down to a managable size.... particularly if you are rolling good you are now taking several days off....

[nutzbuster 7]

I think they should raise it to at least 25k.... like someone mentioned, the event will grow far too large to host. As it is this year they are planning on having three days for just dwindling down the first group of people on three seperate days. Imagine how odd that is, to play on Thursday and not have to play again until Monday because you had to wait for the other groups of entrees to play and get the field down to a managable size.... particularly if you are rolling good you are now taking several days off....

At 25K you'd loose 2/3 of the field. Too many I think.A 15K buy in would be prefect IMO, have the desired effect. Get rid of a bunch yet still make it reachable for those still dreaming of glory....or not.