Total prize pool is unprecedented
The World Series of Poker has released the schedule for the inaugural WSOP Super Circuit Online Series, to be held at GGPoker. The series will run for four weeks from May 3 through May 31 and will feature $100m in guaranteed prize pools.
It is the first online tournament series to reach that guaranteed figure, breaking the record of $85m that was just set by PokerStars for the 2020 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP).
GGPoker just seriously raised the bar”
In the initial announcement of the WSOP Super Circuit Online Series, the WSOP said there would be “hundreds” of events. With Monday’s schedule unveiling, that term proved to be no exaggeration, as there are 595 tournaments in the series.
“GGPoker just seriously raised the bar,” said WSOP executive director Ty Stewart. “We’re tremendously proud to see that GGPoker’s first international WSOP-C series will sit amongst the biggest online events of all time.”
Players to compete for championship seats
With the World Series of Poker postponed and WSOP Circuit events canceled or moved back because of casino closures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WSOP Super Circuit Online Series fills a giant hole in the WSOP calendar. Whereas March’s successful WSOP.com Online Super Circuit Series was for players in Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey, this new series is for players outside of the U.S. on GGPoker.
The Global Casino Championship, an official gold bracelet event, is by invitation only. Main Event winners and Casino Champions at each circuit stop are extended invites, as are the top 50 points earners across the entire season, provided they didn’t earn a seat otherwise. For all of these players, the $1m guaranteed event is a freeroll.
The top 100 players in the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year standings and all the ring winners from the 2019-2020 season may also participate, but they must pay the $10,000 entry. The entire buy-in is added to the prize pool on top of the $1m.
Opening ring event for COVID-19 relief
Buy-ins for the WSOP Super Circuit Online Series start at $50 and range up to $25,000 for the High Roller Championship. The High Roller has the largest guarantee of the series at $10m.
entire $111 tournament fee portion of the price going to the Nevada COVID-19 Task Force
The very first ring event is a $1m guaranteed COVID-19 Charity Event. It costs $1,111 to enter, with the entire $111 tournament fee portion of the price going to the Nevada COVID-19 Task Force.
The Main Event, WSOP Ring Event #17, has a $1,000 buy-in and a $5m guaranteed prize pool. It is a “phased” tournament, with many Day 1 flights throughout the series, starting on May 10. The second and final day of the Main Event takes place on May 31.
Several of the other ring events are also phased tournaments.