World Poker Tour

Ever dreamed of playing in the World Poker Tour (WPT)? As a poker player of any skill level, who hasn't?

The World Poker Tour was started in 2002, with the total prize pool at $1,416,200.00. The 2013 WPT has a prize pool of $3,660,500.00

Each season, a Player of The Year (POY) is established, awarding the WPT Player of The Year, based on a points system. WPT Player of the Year points are awarded based on the total prizepool of the tournament. In the event of a tie in a given Season, the player who earns the most money in such Season will win WPT Player of the Year for such Season.

In many ways, the World Poker Tour is the Superbowl of the poker community.

So - what if you did want to enter the WPT? Here's what you need to know:

It is not necessary to be a poker professional, but candidates do need to be at least 21 years of ages in some of the locales. Players must also pay an entrance fee, which may vary by location. Because some of these fees coupled with the buy-in can be substantial, only serious players typically play at these events. Finally, players must first win a series of satellite tournaments in order to qualify for the main events. The entrance fee and buy-in for the satellite events are much less than the official tour games. Once at the table, the standard poker rules apply and players may be disqualified for infractions such as profanity, cheating and other inappropriate behaviors.

Let's talk winnings...

First, the winner will have their tournament entrance fee refunded. These fees are often in the hundreds of dollars, which does not include the buy-in for the tournament. They also typically have their hotel stay and related charges such as dining and airfare reimbursed as well. This applies to the main events and not the satellite tournaments. The prizes for the tournaments range from $100,000 to well over $4 million. Many of the individuals that play at this level are pros at the game and this is their singular source of income. Some of the higher level players also become sought after guest speakers and commentators at poker events around the world.



2013 World Poker Tour at the Bellagio in Las Vegas

Dates	May 19 - 26, 2012
Final Table Date	May 26, 2012
Buy-In	$25,000 + $500
Number of Entrants	152
Prize Pool	$3,660,500

 

Do you follow the World Poker Tour? If so, how long have you been following it for?