In exciting news for Australian poker, The Star Sydney has announced it will host the 2017 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Sydney Circuit event for the second consecutive year. It will kick off on November 28 and run for 21 days, ending on December 18, 2017.
Star Poker expects the event to be even bigger and better this year, featuring 13 events across the 21-day series. Players of all levels will have the chance to compete for a total minimum prize pool of $3.8 million across the series, including the highly anticipated Main Event – with a $2 million guaranteed prize pool at a buy-in of $2,200.
Other highlights include a $500,000 guarantee for the Opening Event, a $20,000 buy-in High Rollers event, a $1,100 Monster Stack event, a Masters event, mixed games, Omaha and more.
Two players from the Sydney Circuit series – the Main Event winner and the overall ‘Casino Champion’ – will also win a seat into the 2018 WSOP Global Casino Championship, which has a $USD1 million prize pool. The Casino Champion title will be awarded to the player who accrues the most points based on their performances across 11 events (Teams and Ladies events excluded). Last year Joel Dodds (Main Event winner – pictured) and Christine Hia (overall Casino Champion) won their seats into the Championship event, which is to take place from August 8-10, 2017 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina, USA.
The Star Sydney is the only Australian stop on the 2017/18 WSOP International Circuit, which will visit more than 16 international venues. The tournament series will take place in The Star’s newly renovated poker room, which features 40 tables and seating up to 400 players at any one time. The renovation took place in time for the 2016 WSOP Circuit series to the praise of players both local and international, and has established itself as one of the most prominent poker rooms in the country.
Damian Quayle, Chief Operating Officer of Gaming at The Star Sydney said, “We are excited to be the only Australian host of the World Series of Poker Circuit and look forward to another thrilling tournament series in our world-class poker room.”
Following the success of the inaugural event at The Star, World Series of Poker Director Gregory Chochon is also delighted about the return to Sydney.
“The World Series of Poker is the biggest and the best tournament series in the world, and we couldn’t be happier to be bringing the Australian leg of the international circuit back to The Star for the second year running. Last year’s circuit event at The Star poker room was the biggest international circuit event we’ve ever held and we’re thrilled to be doing it all again,” he said.
The WSOP is the longest-running poker tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2016, it attracted 107,833 entrants from 107 countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, where it awarded more than $USD221 million in prize money. In 2005, ‘Aussie Joe’ Joseph Hachem from Melbourne won the main event for $USD7.5 million.
Satellites into the WSOP Circuit series will begin on Monday, October 9 and every satellite will have at least one seat guaranteed into the tournament. Satellite and series schedules can be found here.
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