The World Series of Poker might have ended in Las Vegas, but this winter, it’s heading to the Bahamas. In partnership with GGPoker, the WSOP has launched WSOP Paradise, which will take place between December 3rd and 14th later this year. With over $50 million in prize pools and a $5,000-entry Main Event, the action is just beginning.
World Series of Poker Growing Worldwide Brand
“Many players say summer in Vegas is the best time of year. We hope that will only be rivaled by winter in paradise.”
With the announcement of the WSOP Paradise event series, the World Series of Poker are confirming their intention to grow the brand worldwide. It’s a good time to do it. With poker experiencing something of a second ‘boom’, the WSOP must keep up with other globetrotting live poker tours such as the World Poker Tour, whose reach has perhaps never been wider globally.
There is a lot of excitement around the WSOP Paradise festival and GGPoker Global Ambassador Daniel Negreanu took time out from his ever-popular video blogs to explain a little of what is happening when the WSOP head to Atlantis in December.
WSOP Paradise at @atlantisbahamas will run between December 3-14, featuring 15 bracelet events and $50 Million in guarantees.
We realize it appears Atlantis is already sold out. This is due to our massive block reserved for poker players at discounted rates. Information on how… pic.twitter.com/xZtEj2bci9
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 19, 2023
Everyone involved in the WSOP can’t wait to bring the summer’s iconic drama to the paradise of Atlantis in the Bahamas.
“The summer was an unprecedented success, but the vision is equally as ambitious for WSOP Paradise,” Ty Stewart, SVP & Executive Director of the WSOP, said in a statement. “We have the strongest online partner in the world, and they are set to send a record number of qualifiers to a live tournament. Atlantis also has a great legacy in poker, and we believe this combination of partners can deliver poker’s most powerful new franchise for years to come. Many players say summer in Vegas is the best time of year. We hope that will only be rivalled by winter in paradise.”
“GGPoker is delighted to launch WSOP Paradise and welcome hundreds of players from all over the world to Atlantis Paradise Island this December,” Negreanu agreed. “It’s going to be an absolutely amazing experience, the best of poker at one of the world’s most luxurious resorts!”
Heading ‘Back’ to Atlantis
“We are excited to welcome the WSOP Paradise this winter for players and their fans.”
Poker has previously made plenty of memories in Atlantis, as the resort was the long-time home of the European Poker Tour’s Bahamas-set PCA, otherwise known as the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. The return to this iconic resort is not lost as a unique selling point to players by those organising the festival.
“Atlantis’ 25th anniversary launches a new chapter for the resort, unveiling a multimillion-dollar transformation of the Atlantis Casino complemented by renovated guestrooms at The Royal and Michelin star chef dining experiences in time for the WSOP Paradise event,” said Joe Brunini, the Chief Gaming & Customer Development Officer of Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. “We are excited to welcome the WSOP Paradise this winter and look forward to hosting the debut of this premiere tournament series for players and their fans.”
The resort has already been inundated with requests to stay during the dates by over-eager poker players, but as the WSOP explained, booking a room isn’t yet possible.
“We realize it appears Atlantis is already sold out,” they said on Twitter. “This is due to our massive block reserved for poker players at discounted rates. Information on how to book will be available soon!”
Innovation or Sentiment?
Atlantis is, in some regards, a poker location that splits opinion. Frequently remarked upon as an old resort by some in the industry, the EPT and partypoker’s MILLION$ live tour both upped stilts and moved their Bahamas-based tours to the Baha Mar resort in recent years. Since those moves, however, a fondness has been rediscovered for Atlantis.
Sure, the resort isn’t as built for five-star luxury as Baha Mar, but the charm of the Lazy River ride and the tropical creatures that swim under bridges traversed inside the Atlantis resort has become more appealing in their absence. Poker’s love for Atlantis is a little like it was for the Rio – everyone had something negative to say about it, but players kept turning up there every year.
Atlantis will be an enormous draw to poker players and, as ever, events dictate attendance. With the $5,000-entry WSOP Paradise Main Event having a $15 million prize pool and a $1,500 buy-in Mystery Bounty event coming with a $5 million guarantee, players of all levels are catered for.
High Rollers, as Negreanu mentioned, are equally tailored to, with a $100,000-entry High Roller event coming with a $5 million guarantee, a $50,000 buy-in event having a $2 million guarantee and a $25,000-entry GGMillion$ event offering a whopping $10 million guarantee before an entry has been booked.
Atlantis is a fine choice for the WSOP to bring paradise to poker players everywhere. With buy-ins between $1,000 and $100,000, the organisers look to have pitched it just right. With GGPoker having sent 774 players into the WSOP Main Event in July, they’ll be making sure over 1,000 head to poker paradise in December.
