World Series of Poker 2018 Schedule is Ready

The 49th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) one of the longest-running poker series of tournaments unveils its event schedule for the 2018 summer iteration at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with a tournament festival consisting of a comprehensive slate of the game's most popular poker variations running from 29 May through 17 July.

The annual poker extravaganza, which dates back to 1970, will be televised exclusively on ESPN networks and live streamed on PokerGO. The full television and live streaming schedules will be announced at a later date.

"With today's announcement, we hope there is enough time to adjust your holiday wish list," said WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel. "We feel very good about the multitude of offerings on the 2018 World Series of Poker schedule and look forward to welcoming everyone to the Rio in Las Vegas this summer."

The WSOP Main Event, the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship and the granddaddy of all poker tournaments, gets underway earlier this year, starting on Monday, 2 July and running daily until a winner is crowned on Saturday, 14 July. With three starting flights, the final day for players to enter this year will be on America's Independence Day: Wednesday, 4 July. Once the field combines for the first time for Day 3 on Saturday, 4 July, play will run every day without break.

Unique to the 2018 WSOP schedule, a dozen different tournaments begin after the WSOP Main Event commences. Several staples like the Little One for One Drop and the Big One for One Drop are part of those culminating events, plus several new and exciting additions are on tap during the post-WSOP Main Event time period.

They include:

• A $1,500 Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha event.
• A $5,000 two-day No-Limit Hold'em (30-minute levels) tourney.
• A $1,500 Mixed Eight-Handed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha three-day tournament.
• A $1,000 "Double-Stack" No-Limit Hold'em event, featuring 10,000 starting chips and 30-minute levels.
• The $10,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Championship.
• A $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em two-day event.
• "The Closer," a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em tournament with 15,000 starting chips and 30-minute levels.

In all, nine new events have been added to the 2018 WSOP schedule, with five events from last year removed from this year's schedule. New events this year include:

• $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em (replaces the $10k Tag Team).
• $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em (new addition).
• $365 PLO GIANT (replaces a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em).
• $1,000 DOUBLE STACK No-Limit Hold'em (10,000 starting chips, replaces a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em).
• $565 WSOP.com ONLINE Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Handed (new addition).
• $1,500 BOUNTY Pot-Limit Omaha (replaces a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em).
• $1,000 DOUBLE-STACK No-Limit Hold'em (30-minute levels, replaces a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em).
• $1,500 THE CLOSER No-Limit Hold'em (15,000 starting chips, 30-minute levels, new addition).
• $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em (new addition).

Big One for One Drop concludes the 2018 schedule this year, taking place from 15-17 July 2018. This event is an every-other-year event like the $111k High Roller for One Drop, which takes place in odd calendar years.

Most weekday events will usually begin at 11 a.m. or 3 p.m., with weekend events most likely starting at 10 a.m., with afternoon flights of the same event usually at 5 p.m.

Structure sheets for each individual event are expected to be posted on WSOP beginning in January once all necessary approvals are received. Online and in-person registration is expected to open in March.