WSOP Announces Final Schedule and Registration Details
It is final. The 2020 WSOP will offer 101 gold bracelet events.
The World Series of Poker confirms that the event schedule posted on its website is “now finalized.” There will be “notable enhancements” to the series itself, but the schedule seems to be complete. The only thing missing is the event numbers attached to the tournaments.
So, this week’s WSOP announcement focuses on how to pay for and register for tournaments and how to cash out.
First Step: Register for Caesars Rewards
This is a must for any player at the WSOP. It is required for those playing tournaments and definitely recommended for those playing cash games. Players earn points that can be used toward accommodations, food, and entertainment at Caesars properties.
Anyone can sign up for a Caesars Rewards account online here, and it takes only a few minutes.
Once the player arrives at the Rio or any Caesars property in Las Vegas, they must visit a rewards desk in the casino to obtain the physical card. They must simply present a driver license, state identification, or passport to match the online information. During the WSOP, there will be a desk in the rotunda of the convention center area to obtain that card.
Anyone who loses a card or needs a reprint of an existing card can visit a reprint kiosk in that rotunda, avoiding any line at the processing desk.
Second Step: Register for WSOP Tournaments
There are several ways to register for World Series of Poker tournaments.
There will be a registration area in the Tropical Ballroom in the convention center at the Rio for in-person tournament registrations. The office will open on Tuesday, May 26 at 9am. It will then be open around the clock through July 14.
Players must show a picture ID and Caesars Rewards card to register for an event. They can then pay the buy-in via these choices:
–cash
–credit or debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express)
–Rio gaming chips
–Rio tournament buy-in chips or credits
–wire transfers
–cashier’s checks from an accredited bank, made payable to the player or Rio
WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart admitted there needed to be some improvements from past years to expedite the process of handling buy-ins. He said there is new technology in use for the 2020 WSOP, as well as new equipment and knowledgeable employees.
Third Step: Register for WSOP Events Online
Any player competing in more than one 2020 WSOP tournament is encouraged to consider using the online/mobile registration system. BravoPokerLive.com manages the system and allows players to register without waiting in any lines.
However, it is important to know that players must visit the main cage in the Tropical Ballroom or Belize Ballroom to verify their identity to a Caesars employee. Once this is complete and they have registered online for a free account, they can complete online registrations and pick up their seat assignments at a kiosk at any time.
There will be able 20 kiosks around the Rio’s convention center through which players can obtain a seat assignment card. A quick scan of the player’s Caesars Rewards card will pull up tournament options, at which point the player can select the appropriate tournament and quickly receive their seat card.
The Bravo Poker Live registration system is expected to open in April, and an announcement will inform players when that happens.
The WSOP noted that players processed 38,565 entries via this system in 2019. That was about 20% of all entries, and the goal is to increase that number to about 80% this year.
More Information About Online Accounts
The WSOP tournament account online expedites payments for WSOP tournament buy-ins.
The Bravo app is also handy for registering for cash game tables in advance via waiting lists and pre-registering for a variety of events around the world. Many players use it during the summer at WSOP time for events around Las Vegas.
Players create a free account and then search using the following filters/choices:
–tournaments or cash games
–region (West)
–game category
–state/province (NV)
–game limits (for cash games)
–zip code (89103 for Rio)
Scroll down to find the Rio and then choose the desired tournament (or cash game).
Players can wire money prior to the WSOP or put money in the account via a cashier cage at the Rio. With money in that player’s account, he or she can then register for any tournament via the app and simply pick up a seat card at a kiosk.
Registration Assistance
This year, there will be a dedicated space in the Belize Ballroom in the convention center to assist players with registration issues. These professionals will help resolve problems with the app, kiosks, etc.
The hope is to allow lines to run more smoothly and players to find help right away. There shouldn’t be anyone taking an inordinate amount of time at a registration window or seat assignment kiosk.
Fourth Step: Get That Money!
Any player who cashes in a tournament – or wins – should visit the Palma Ballroom (formerly the media center), which is directly across from the Amazon Ballroom player entrance. They will need their Caesars Rewards card and a valid ID card, as well as the tournament ticket.
The Payout office will now be where the Media Room was located.
Considering many people would walk into the Media Room thinking it was Payouts, this seems like a good idea.
— Kevin Mathers (@Kevmath) February 27, 2020
If players want to be paid via a bank transfer or wire, they must bring all information – account numbers, bank addresses, etc. – when visiting the payout office.
International players will also need to bring another form of identification as evidence of their residential address that matches the information on their player’s account. Anything from a signed apartment lease to a utility bill or mobile phone bill will suffice.
Players can request their payments in cash or the aforementioned wire, but they can also request casino chips, a check, or a transfer to their Bravo tournament app.
Special Note about Big 50 Event
The WSOP wants to encourage players to use the Bravo app to register for big tournaments, such as the $500 Big 50 NLHE event on the first weekend of the series. With starting flights daily on May 28-31, there will be a special announcement as those dates near to avoid long lines. Those using the online/mobile registration system may be offered an incentive to do so.
More information will be revealed in the coming months.
The 2020 WSOP starts 3 months from today!
We have finalized the gold bracelet schedule and ALL events can be seen here: https://t.co/glD5nqgeHE
Improvements to registration and payouts as well. Details here: https://t.co/ZUkb1C6JvX pic.twitter.com/m4Qg0gAiNo
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) February 27, 2020
