It’s a new year, although poker tournament organizers continue to confront the same challenges they faced during most of 2020.

World Series Of Poker Video

As a means to meet those challenges, the World Series of Poker this week announced a new WSOP Online Circuit Series that will last throughout 2021.

Patterned after the live WSOP Circuit of past years, the online series will feature monthly 12- or 18-tournament series in which winners will receive WSOP-C gold rings.

The 2021 WSOP Online Circuit will culminate with the $250,000 WSOP Online Circuit Championship in December, which will award a WSOP gold bracelet to the winner.

Monthly online series similar in format to earlier live WSOP-C stops

A press release on Wednesday from the WSOP noted how “live poker remains a challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” thus prompting the decision to create an expanded online series.

ESPN’s live coverage of the 2011 World Series of Poker was a huge hit with the poker community, but now the ratings are proving that even non-poker enthusiasts were tuning in for the innovative. The US live poker scene in particular is slowly getting back to normal with the country’s top casinos now back in operation. In December, the final table of the American leg of the 2020 hybrid World Series of Poker.

During 2020, the WSOP was able to stage a handful of live tournament series early in the year, including one in February at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. However, from mid-March onward, all live WSOP-C events were cancelled and replaced by several online series on WSOP.com.

For the 2021 WSOP Online Circuit Series, tournaments will only be open to those playing on the WSOP Nevada and WSOP New Jersey sites.

There will be 12 WSOP-C tournament series in 2021, one per month. In most cases, the series schedule will contain 12 tournaments, similar to the schedule used in the past at live WSOP-C series stops. Roughly once per quarter will come an expanded “Super Circuit” series with 18 tournaments.

The Super Circuit series will include both $1,000 and $2,000high roller events and a $500 pot-limit Omaha event.

Extra tournament in the cards?

The announcement notes that a 13th tournament series might be added to the schedule at a later date “pending launch of the WSOP.com service in a newly regulated market.”

WSOP.com received regulatory approval to launch in Pennsylvania last year, and has indicated the new site will go live in 2021. There has been no announcement regarding whether or not the new WSOP PA player pool might be shared with those at other WSOP sites as part of a multi-state agreement, either initially or in the future.

As noted, winners of each tournament will receive a WSOP Circuit ring along with first-place prize money. In addition, the WSOP will be adding over $600,000 in prize money over the course of the year via “a variety of promotions and events.”

Casino branding, leaderboard and freerolls with added prize money

For the first time, some of the online tournament series will be “co-branded” via partnerships with various retail casinos.

Planet Hollywood, Bally’s, Paris Las Vegas and Harrah’s Las Vegas are among the Nevada properties that will be represented. Such tournaments will feature “‘cash at the cage’ buy-in and cash out availability while offering its out-of-market players special promotional rates to stay onsite” while they play.

There will be a 2021 WSOP Circuit Series Leaderboard as well, with all players who cash in events receiving points for their finishes.

World Series Of Poker 2021 Live Coverage

The points will enable players to become eligible for freeroll events. They also will help players win their way into the year-ending $250,000 WSOP Online Circuit Championship (discussed below).

Also, the top 10 players each month will divide $10,000 worth of tournament tickets. Those 10 players will also win seats to play in that month’s $25,000 Monthly Freeroll where only that month’s event winners and top 10 points-getters will participate.

The $25,000 Monthly Freerolls are scheduled for the following dates:

• Feb. 2
• Mar. 2
• Apr. 1
• Apr. 29
• May 27
• Jun. 29
• Jul. 29
• Sep. 28
• Oct. 28
• Nov. 23
• Dec. 21

Players who play in a minimum number of tournaments each series who have not otherwise won their way into the Championship will be able to play another freeroll event, the Monthly Second Chance Fast Forward. That will be a winner-take-all tournament with first-prize being a seat in the Championship.

WSOP bracelet awaits $250K Championship winner

The $250,000 WSOP Online Circuit Championship will take place Dec. 21, 2021. Players can become eligible in a variety of ways:

• Winning any 2021 WSOP Online Circuit gold ring event
• Finishing with the most points in a given month to win Player of the Month
• Winning a Monthly Second Chance Fast Forward freeroll
• Finishing as one of the top 50 players on cumulative 2021 WSOP Circuit Series Leaderboard (if not already eligible)

The Championship will be limited to a maximum of 256 entrants.

2021 World Series of Poker Online Circuit Series Schedule

Table Of Contents

While those in the northern hemisphere might be facing the cold days of winter, the sun is shining as brightly as ever for those Down Under. With the gorgeous Australian summer sun at its peak, there's no better time to jump straight into the heated action at the Poker Palace Summer Championships in Sydney, located at Club Marconi. The two-week poker extravaganza is promising to deliver sizzling-hot action with nearly a million Australian dollars up for grabs.

Opening its doors back in 2008, the Poker Palace has grown from a small venue to become a household, nationwide name for poker in Australia, and one of the most prestigious rooms to play in. The Poker Palace is famous for raising the bar every time, with each quarterly series outdoing the previous one.

Bookmark the Poker Palace Summer Championships live reporting hub to follow along with live coverage on March 3-8.

For the Summer Championships, a whopping A$800,000 is expected to be paid out amongst the poker enthusiasts. The room features over 20 custom-build tables, sports professional dealers and is well-known for its welcoming staff and management.

The festival is already in full swing and kicked off on Feb. 21 with the A$1,100 Six-Max High Roller. This weekend, a A$550 Main Event Warm Up graces the calendar, with four total starting days. The prize pool for this event is expected to be A$100,000.

PokerNews to Live Report Three Events

For the first time ever, the PokerNews live reporting team will travel to the Poker Palace in Sydney to bring you all the action from the floor. Three events are headlining the series, with the A$2,500 High Roller kicking off Headline Week on Wed., March 3. With a whopping 100,000 in chips and 40-minute levels, players are expected to compete for a prize pool of at least A$150,000 in this two-day event.

The highlight of the festival is the A$1,150 Main Event. This five-day festival kicks off on Thu., March 4 and features four starting days. Players will receive 50,000 in chips and levels will be 45 minutes on starting days and 60 minutes thereafter. A prize pool of A$250,000 is estimated. The final table will be played on Monday, March 8th.

Last but certainly not least, Monday will also feature a A$5,000 Super High Roller, big enough to draw attention from out-of-state players to fly in and compete for large sums. Players receive 100,000 chips, with late registration open for six levels for this one-day event.

If you're in Australia and love poker, this is where it's happening! COVID-19 procedures have been put in place and tournament directors will advise in case of a lockdown. To find out more information, visit Poker Palace on Instagram, Facebook or go to the website for more details.

Poker Palace Summer Championships Headline Week Schedule

• Tags

  PokerPalace