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More Details Emerge for WPT World Championship at Wynn

Written by Jennifer Newell
Last updated on

There was no doubt that the 2023 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas would be big. The schedule spanned more time and included more events than the much-acclaimed inaugural WPT-Wynn series last December. There are more events on the schedule. And the WPT Main Event has an eye-popping $40M guarantee.

As the months have passed, though, the WPT has released more details about the series, including livestreaming details, side events like the MUG and Phil Ivey heads-up matches, and the player party. Suffice it to say that it will be a big deal; the whole affair will be a very big deal.

Review of Schedule

The full WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas runs from November 29 through December 23, 2023. It is filled with a variety of poker variations, structures, buy-ins and guarantees. The complete listing on the Wynn website also includes lucrative satellite opportunities, starting stacks, and levels.

The core of the WPT-Wynn schedule is as follows:

  • Nov 29:  $600 Limit O-8 ($50K GTD)
  • Nov 29-Dec 4:  $600 NLHE w/8 flights ($1M GTD)
  • Dec 3:  $10,500 NLHE 8-Max
  • Dec 4-7:  $1,600 NLHE Mystery Bounty ($2M GTD)
  • Dec 4-6:  $1,100 Seniors NLHE Championship ($500K GTD)
  • Dec 4:  $1,100 NLHE 6-Max ($100K GTD)
  • Dec 5:  $1,100 PLO/NLHE ($100K GTD)
  • Dec 6-8:  $1,100 Ladies NLHE Championship ($250K GTD)
  • Dec 7-12:  $1,100 WPT Prime Championship w/3 flights ($5M GTD)
  • Dec 8-9:  $2,200 8-Game Mix ($200K GTD)
  • Dec 12-21:  $10,400 WPT World Championship w/4 flights ($40M GTD)
  • Dec 12-13:  $1,100 HORSE Championship ($100K GTD)
  • Dec 13:  $1,100 PLO ($100K GTD)
  • Dec 15:  $1,600 NLHE Turbo Bounty ($100K GTD)
  • Dec 16:  $3K NLHE PKO ($500K GTD)
  • Dec 17-18:  $1,100 Limit O-8 Championship ($100K GTD)
  • Dec 17-18:  $25,700 NLHE High Roller
  • Dec 18-20:  $1M WPT Big One for One Drop
  • Dec 19-22:  $1,600 NLHE w/3 flights ($2M GTD)
  • Dec 19-20:  $10K Seniors NLHE High Roller ($500K GTD)
  • Dec 19:  $3K NLHE 6-Max ($500K GTD)
  • Dec 20-21:  $3K Dealer’s Choice Championship ($200K GTD)
  • Dec 20-21:  $50K WPT Alpha 8
  • Dec 21:  $10,500 PLO
  • Dec 22:  $1,100 NLHE ($200K GTD)
  • Dec 22:  $10,500 NLHE 8-Max
  • Dec 23:  $1,100 NLHE ($100K GTD)

Premier MUG

Last year’s Premier Meet-Up Game, a cash game full of WPT stars and well-known pros, was a huge hit with poker players. Those of all stripes came together to play some splashy games, meet, chat, and win prizes. And looking back, it was one of the last times that Doyle Brunson made a public appearance before his death in the spring of 2023.

This year, Brunson’s absence will be felt. The MUG will pay tribute to him with a ten-deuce promotion, as well as welcome back some attendees like Lynn Gilmartin, Matt Savage, Vince Van Patten, Tony Dunst, Brad Owen, Andrew Neeme, and Phil Ivey. There will be at least 28 tables of $1/$3 and $2/$5 NLHE and PLO games, tentatively running form 9am to 1pm on December 1.

Women’s Initiatives

The second-annual WPT Ladies Championship, as noted on the schedule above, will be a highlight of the series this year. Last year, there were 578 entries in the tournament and a prize pool of $560,660, far surpassing the $250K guarantee. This year, executives expect an even larger field.

That tournament will run December 6-8. On the morning of December 8, there will also be a Ladies Mimosa MUG, a meet-up game hosted by Jamie Kerstetter in the Wynn Poker Room. It will run from 9am to 12pm with complimentary mimosas, splash pots with prizes, and WPT Prime Championship seats up for grabs. Last year, more than 150 women attended the free event to play a variety of cash games.

On December 7, which will be Day 2 of the Ladies Championship, the WPT Passport Lounge will host a viewing party of all four episodes of the 2022 WPT Ladies Championship. People must earn an invitation from Poker Power, Women’s Poker Association (WPA), Poker League of Nations (PLON), or Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF).

WPT Workshop

LearnWPT, the educational arm of the World Poker Tour, will be in the building with a workshop on December 4-5. Seating is limited for the $2,500 experience, as it will feature lectures and lab sessions from a premier team of poker trainers.

The strategy sessions will include tournament information regarding final tables, short-handed play, early stages, heads-up, and making deals. In the end, attendees will play a satellite that will award two $1,100 WPT Passports to the Prime Championship to the top two players.

WPT Ambassadors Challenge

This promotion happened at ClubWPT in the latter half of October. Players will have qualified to play in the WPT Ambassadors Tag Team Challenge on December 9 at Wynn.

Each player will compete in a six-handed SNG that includes a WPT Ambassador. And on the table will be six WPT Prime Championship Passports and one WPT World Championship Main Event seat.

Phil Ivey Duel

Ask many a poker player, and a dream scenario would be to play against Phil Ivey. Two ClubWPT qualifiers will win that chance online, and they will play heads-up matches with Ivey on December 10.

The qualifiers on ClubWPT will actually take place on November 19. The two finalists will each win a WPT Prime Championship Passport and a seat on the other side of the poker table from Phil Ivey to play a WPT Duel. Ivey will play both competitors at the same time in separate heads-up matches. If a qualifier wins, that person will take a seat at the WPT World Championship.

WPT Players Party

As last year, Area15 in Las Vegas will host the “Ultimate Players Party” for the World Poker Tour. Everyone from WPT Ambassadors to employees and hosts will be at the off-Strip club, and players can take a free shuttle from Encore, which departs every 30 minutes from 7:30pm to 9:30pm on December 11.

Players must present their tournament receipt or satellite receipt to gain entry to the party, which will feature music by the likes of DJ Fergie and DJ Sub Zero, entertainment, games, open bar, and food.

Final Table Action

For those not at the final tables as players, anyone is welcome to watch the final tables for free at Wynn/Encore. By sending an email to audience@wpt.com, they can reserve a seat to watch any of the following:

  • WPT Prime Championship final table on December 19 at 4pm
  • WPT Big One for One Drop final table on December 20 at 4pm
  • WPT World Championship final table on December 21 at 4pm

On-Site Features

There will be even more things to see and do at Wynn Las Vegas during the series.

  • ShopWPT December 4-19:  Shop for exclusive WPT World Championship merchandise in the Mozart Corridor at Encore.
  • WPT Voyage Booth December 4-20:  Register for a WPT cruise on Virgin Voyages for 2024 in the corridor outside the Main Encore Ballroom.
  • Prime Halftime Show on December 8 (3:30pm):  See a unique performance during WPT Prime in the Encore Ballroom.
  • VIP Concierge December 7-16:  Ask any questions about the WPT at the dedicated WPT concierge desk open from 10am to 2pm and 5:30pm to 8pm on the designated days. This will be located in the Mozart Corridor.  

Online Livestreams

Everyone cannot be at Wynn Las Vegas for the month-long festival. That’s why there will be livestreams for 14 days to keep poker fans entertained and included. There is a schedule to follow for livestreams on the WPT YouTube channel and Twitch channel.

  • December 7 (4pm):  $25/$50 Creator Cash game featuring Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen
  • December 8:  $1,100 WPT Ladies Championship final table
  • December 9 (4pm):  $100/$200 cash game
  • December 10 (4pm):  $200/$400 cash game
  • December 11 (4pm):  $50/$100 PLO cash game
  • December 12 (4:30pm):  $1,100 WPT Prime Championship Day 3 playdown to final six
  • December 14 (4pm):  $50$100 WPT Ladies Cash Game
  • December 16-20:  $10,400 WPT World Championship Days 2-6
  • December 18 (4pm):  Arsham Celebrity Cash Game
  • December 19 (4pm):  $1,100 WPT Prime Championship final table
  • December 20 (4pm):  $1M WPT Big One for One Drop final table
  • December 21 (4pm):  $10,400 WPT Championship final table
Jennifer Newell

Jennifer Newell

Editor in Chief
View All Posts By Jennifer Newell

Jennifer Newell is the Editor in Chief at LegalUsPokerSites. Jennifer Newell has nearly two decades of experience in the iGaming industry. She is a respected poker media member, contributing to publications like US Today, Playfecta, Cardplayer Lifestyle, and PokerScout. Her knowledge spans gambling legislation and the broader online gaming world. She has spent years advocating for diversity, most notably gender equity in the traditionally male-dominated poker sphere.

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