The schedule for the 2024 World Poker Tour World Championship has been released, and it has a new twist — a $5 million freeroll celebrating the launch of its newest online poker suite, ClubWPT Gold. Players who preregister for the site will receive an entry into a freeroll where “golden passports” to the $5 million freeroll will be won.
The winner will get a check for $1 million. It’s a three-day event starting on Dec. 13, with the final table scheduled to be filmed for broadcast.
“Our return to Wynn Las Vegas this December is equipped with another monumental investment into the development and growth of not only the WPT World Championship but the poker industry as a whole,” said WPT CEO and President Adam Pliska. “In celebration of the launch of ClubWPT Gold, we’re aiming for another first for the poker world with the largest freeroll ever offered.”
According to the WPT, “to be eligible to win a passport, players are required to sign up for a free account at ClubWPTGold.com. After that, from Sept. 24, right up until the start of the tournament on Dec. 13, 2,000 entries will be given away through a series of contests, promotions, and raffles.”
The WPT differs from the licensed and regulated sites in the United States by using a sweepstakes model. Players pay a monthly subscription fee that ranges from free to $149.95 a month. Instead of cash, players play for coins — which can be exchanged for cash and prizes, including tournament entries. Details about the new tier that will be ClubWPT Gold are scant, only that the suite will be released early 2025.
Championship guarantee nixed
Last year, the WPT guaranteed a world-record $40 million guarantee for its $10,400 World Championship. This year, there will be no prize-pool guarantee. None. Zilch. Nada. Organizers are still expecting huge numbers.
“We have crafted an incredible schedule for this year’s World Championship, featuring more than 60 tournaments and satellites,” said Ryan Beauregard, Executive Director of Poker Operations at Wynn Las Vegas. “I’m confident that the loyal fanbase of Wynn Las Vegas and WPT, as well as more than 500 qualifiers and satellite winners, will make the 2024 WPT World Championship another rousing success.”
While the headliner won’t have a prize-pool guarantee, plenty of other events will, ranging from $50,000 in the series opener, a $600 Omaha 8 event on Dec. 3, to the $5 million guarantee of its $1,100 WPT Prime Championship that starts on Dec. 8.
The $1,100 Ladies Championship also features a very healthy $250,000 guarantee (Dec. 14-15), while the $1,100 Seniors Championship comes with a $500,000 guarantee (Dec. 18-19).
There are also plenty of satellites for players to sneak into these big events for cheap. The whole schedule is packed and can be found here.
