WPT World Championship 2023
Get the latest details on online satellites, the schedule, event highlights, and more.
Last updated: December 13, 2023
Last year was such a huge introduction for the WPT World Championship. The poker community showed up big, and we are looking forward to bringing that hype back to Wynn again this year.
The WPT World Championship (WPTWC) returns this year at the Wynn, Las Vegas, for what is set to be a triumphant outing.
The festival plays out live between November 29 to December 23. The iconic Championship main event caps off the series with a record-breaking $40 million guarantee that will run between December 12 and 21.
The Championship event set quite a few records last year, achieving a prize pool of $29 million and easily surpassing the $15 million guarantee it started with — all of which will be blown out of the water with the 2023 guarantee of $40 million.
The festival will offer huge guarantees, even without the crowing Championship event. Players can also enter the $5 million guaranteed Prime Championship and the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop, which will be making a return for the first time since 2018.
- Find the full WPT World Championship Festival schedule right here
- Check out the key events and highlights of the festival
- Find online and live qualifiers for WPT World Championship and who is eligible to enter
The WPT World Championship event will be looking to build further on the massive success of last year’s festival and make the 2023 edition even more epic and memorable for all who attend it.
The event will make a perfect ending for one of the best years live poker has ever seen, and despite competition with several other major poker festivals, it is expected to become one of the biggest and most attended poker events in the history of the game.
We will be keeping you posted about all developments regarding the WPT World Championship 2023 as they are revealed, so be sure to keep coming back to this page for all information on the series with the biggest guaranteed poker tournament event ever.
What is the WPT World Championship Festival?
The WPT World Championship Festival is a live poker stop that forms part of the World Poker Tour. The Festival is scheduled for November 29 to December 23, 2023, at Wynn Las Vegas. It will host a number of poker events, including the $40 million guaranteed Championship event which is the main attraction of this event.
What is the WPT World Championship Event?
The WPT World Championship Event is the final tournament of the WPT season. In 2023, the tournament guarantees a prize pool of $40 million and will be played as part of a massive festival at Wynn Las Vegas.
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WPT World Championship Festival Key Details
| WPT World Championship Festival 2023 | |
|---|---|
| 📅 2023 WPT World Championship Festival Dates | Nov 29 – Dec 23, 2023 |
| 🌴 2023 WPT World Championship Festival Location | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
| 🎰 Official WPT World Championship Festival Venue | The Wynn Casino Las Vegas |
| 🎪 WPT World Championship Event | $10,400 buy-in, with $40,000,000 GTD |
| 🗝 WPT World Championship $40M Event Dates | December 12 – 21, 2023 |
| 💵 Lowest Buy-In | $600 |
| 💰 Highest Buy-In | $1,000,000 |
| 🤜🤛 WPT World Championship Event Online Qualifiers | WPT Global & Club WPT |
| 🔞 Age to Compete | 21+ |
WPT World Championship: Event Overview
The WPT World Championship is the pinnacle of the WPT season, first launched in 2022 during the 20th season of the Tour. This year, the WPT World Championship event will run from December 12 to 21, with side events starting as early as November 29, all happening at Wynn Las Vegas, one of the world’s most iconic live poker venues.
The festival will run for nearly a month in total, featuring a number of satellites, lower buy-in events, and High Roller events, including a return of the $1,000,000 buy-in Big One for One Drop event, organized in cooperation with Guy Laliberte’s One Drop Foundation. “The Big One is what high stakes is all about. Everyone’s game will elevate when they play in the biggest buy-in event in WPT history,” Phil Ivey said via press release.
The Big One for One Drop features the lowest rate of rake the tournament. Six percent of each buy-in will directly benefit the One Drop Foundation to continue their mission of ensuring sustainable access to safe water for communities most in need in West Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The $1 million buy-in The Big One for One Drop has run on three occasions, previously parented with the WSOP, generating $16 million in contributions for the One Drop Foundation’s mission.
Big One for One Drop History
| Year | Event name | Entrants | Winner | Prize | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP 2012 | $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop | 48 | Antonio Esfandiari | $18,346,673 | Sam Trickett |
| WSOP 2014 | $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop | 42 | Dan Colman | $15,306,668 | Daniel Negreanu |
| WSOP 2018 | $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop | 27 | Justin Bonomo | $10,000,000 | Fedor Holz |
| WPT Dec 2023 | $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop | ? | ? | ? | ? |
“After a five-year hiatus it seems the grounds have never been more fertile for the Big One, it is clear it has been missed,” said Alexandre Meunier, One Drop Foundation’s Chief Marketing and Events Officer. “Past players from the worlds of business and high stakes poker are showing strong interest as well as players who have never played a Big One before which is very encouraging. We would go as far to say that we haven’t seen such strong interest at this stage since the early editions of the history-making event.”
Big names planning to play in the Big One for One Drop include:
- Phil Ivey
- Daniel “Jungleman” Cates
- Rick Salomon
The WPT World Championship event will feature a buy-in of $10,400 and an incredible $40,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, making it the biggest guaranteed poker event ever seen anywhere in the world. Aside from this event, players will get a chance to play for buy-ins ranging from just $600 all the way up to $1 Million, making it the most versatile poker festival of the year.
For all players looking to get into the WPT World Championship in a more affordable way, WPT Global is running qualifiers* “every single week*, with $12,400 packages up for grabs at a fraction of the price, while ClubWPT is sending ten more players to the Championship through a final satellite scheduled for play on November 5. Please check your location first, to see if you are eligible to play.
Sunday, October 22, was a special day for players who can access the WPT Global app. The operator increased the number of WPT World Championship packages to give away12! Step satellites ran throughout the week to help players to qualify.
Sunday, October 22, satellites were a great opportunity for all players looking to book a seat to the epic tournament, as WPT Global bumped up the guarantee from the usual 8 Passports to as many as 12.
While the $1060 buy-in price may still be a bit steep for some, the operator offered a long range of step satellites leading up to Sunday, with buy-ins starting as low as $5, while an extra $220 direct satellite also went down on Sunday and awarded a minimum of one WPT World Championship Passport.
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WPT is also running a Tag Team promotion where players can enter WPT Global satellites to qualify for the Online Sit & Go Qualifier Final on Oct 29th. Winners will then have the chance to team up with WPT Ambassadors: Andrew Neeme, Tony Dunst or Vince Van Patten in real life to compete for entry into the WPT Championship event.
WPT World Championship Festival Schedule for 2023
The full schedule for the WPT World Championship Festival has been released.
It boasts nearly 30 unique events, along with a number of live satellite tournaments offering seats in the WPT World Championship, WPT Prime Championship, and other events.
The festival’s most anticipated event will be the $10,400 WPT World Championship event itself, which will feature a massive $40,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and four starting days between December 12 and 15.
The $1,100 WPT Prime Championship will provide a more affordable version of the Main Event, featuring a slightly faster blind structure and $5,000,000 in guaranteed prizes, making it a significant event in its own right.
High Rollers will have plenty to look forward to as well, with $25k and $50k events on the calendar, along with a few other $10k tournaments, and the biggest High Roller of the year, the $1 Million buy-in Big One for One Drop, scheduled for December 18 – 20.
A $1,600 Mystery Bounty event, and a number of Championship events across different poker disciplines like HORSE, 8-Game, Omaha 8, and Dealers Choice will complete the schedule, making for a truly robust festival worthy of the attention of all types of poker players.
2023 WPT World Championship Festival: Full Schedule
| Date | Tournament | Buy-In | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29 | Limit Omaha 8 | $600 | $50,000 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 3 | No Limit Hold’em | $600 | $1,000,000 |
| Dec 3 | NLH 8-Max | $10,500 | TBD |
| Dec 4-7 | Mystery Bounty | $1600 | $2,000,000 |
| Dec 4-6 | Seniors NLH Championship 50+ | $1100 | $500,000 |
| Dec 4 | NLH 6-Max | $1100 | $100,000 |
| Dec 5 | PLO/NLH | $1100 | $100,000 |
| Dec 6-8 | Ladies Championship | $1100 | $250,000 |
| Dec 7-12 | WPT Prime Championship | $1100 | $5,000,000 |
| Dec 8-9 | 8-Game Mix | $2200 | $200,000 |
| Dec 12-21 | WPT World Championship | $10,400 | $40,000,000 |
| Dec 12-13 | HORSE Championship | $1100 | $100,000 |
| Dec 13 | Pot Limit Omaha | $1100 | $100,000 |
| Dec 15 | NLH Turbo $500 Bounty | $1600 | $100,000 |
| Dec 16 | NLH Progressive Bounty (PKO) | $3300 | $500,000 |
| Dec 17-20 | No Limit Hold’em | $3000 | $3,000,000 |
| Dec 17-18 | Limit Omaha 8 Championship | $1100 | $100,000 |
| Dec 17-18 | NLH High Roller | $25,700 | TBD |
| Dec 18-20 | WPT Big One for One Drop | $1,000,000 | TBD |
| Dec 19-20 | NLH Seniors High Roller (50+) | $10,000 | $500,000 |
| Dec 19 | NLH 6-Max | $3,000 | $500,000 |
| Dec 20-21 | Dealer’s Choice Championship | $3000 | $200,000 |
| Dec 20-21 | WPT Alpha 8 | $50,000 | TBD |
| Dec 21 | PLO High Roller | $10,500 | TBD |
| Dec 22 | No Limit Hold’em | $1100 | $200,000 |
| Dec 22 | No Limit Hold’em 8-Max | $10,500 | $TBD |
| Dec 23 | No Limit Hold’em | $1100 | $200,000 |
WPT World Championship Festival Highlights
There is plenty to appeal to poker players throughout the 2023 WPT World Championship Festival schedule. There is not only the $40 million guaranteed Championship event for high rollers, but the Big One for One Drop is returning as is the WPT Prime Championship. We dig into the highlights from the schedule below.
- The WPT World Championship event will feature a $40,000,000 guarantee, the biggest guarantee recorded in tournament poker history.
- The Big One for One Drop makes a return during the festival for the first time since 2018, offering the highest stakes tournament action around.
- The WPT Prime Championship offers an opportunity to play a Main Event for just $1,100 and $5,000,000 in prizes on the line.
- Online satellites are available at WPT Global and ClubWPT, offering opportunities to win your way to the Championship at just a fraction of the price.
The WPT World Championship Festival and Championship Event are playing out at a key time for poker operators. This December will see, for the first time, a battle between the WPT, the WSOP and PokerStars who are all running live events within days of each other.
| When | Who | What | Where | Satellites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 3 – 14 | WSOP & GGPoker | WSOP Paradise | Atlantis on Paradise Island, the Bahamas | via WSOP US & GGPoker |
| December 6 – 17 | PokerStars | EPT Prague | Prague, Czech Republic, Europe | via PokerStars Power Path |
| November 29 – December 23 | WPT/WPT Global | WPT World Championship | Wynn Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | via WPT Global |
“Last year was such a huge introduction for the WPT World Championship,” said WPT Ambassador Brad Owen. “The poker community showed up big, and we are looking forward to bringing that hype back to Wynn again this year.”
I am pumped to be returning to the Wynn in December for the WPT World Championship. You can’t beat the Wynn player experience.
“I am pumped to be returning to the Wynn in December for the WPT World Championship. You can’t beat the Wynn player experience,” WPT Ambassador Andrew Neeme echoed. “I’ve always felt like the Wynn staff does the best job of combining professionalism while staying personable. And there will be so much going on during the entire festival, like MUGs, giveaways, parties; The value is just too great to pass up.”
Record Breaking Poker Festival is Guaranteed
Offering the biggest single event guarantee in tournament poker history at $40 million, the 2023 WPT World Championship is destined to become one for the poker history books.
Not only will the event itself attract thousands of players from all over the world, but the festival built around it is sure to build up plenty of buzz, with Prime Championship, Mystery Bounty, and various Championship events all very attractive in their own right.
The return of the Big One for One Drop will make the whole show even bigger, with some of the biggest names in poker, including Phil Ivey, already confirming their attendance at the High Roller bonanza.
But he’s not the only big name headed for the Big One for One Drop.
Joining Phil Ivey will be:
- Daniel “Jungleman” Cates
- Rick Salomon
- David Einhorn
- Talal Shakerchi
- Chris Brewer
- Nick Petrangelo
“It is amazing to witness the first wave of entrants into the Big One, which includes some of our past participants as well as new faces,” said Alexandre Meunier, One Drop Foundation’s Chief Marketing and Events Officer via press release. “Rick, David and Talal have been a part of every Big One since its inception. We welcome all the players and cannot wait to add more incredible names to the lineup.”
Salomon had played in all four previous editions of the Big One for One Drop and has cashed in three of them.
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Ways to Qualify Online for the WPT World Championship
The WPT World Championship is one of the most anticipated live poker tournaments of the year, and it comes as no surprise that online qualifiers for the event are already running.
Currently, there are two paths to win a seat in the Championship online:
- Seats available every week for international players via WPT Global online satellites
- Ten players from the US will win a seat via the $150k Freeroll this November
International Players: Online Satellites at WPT Global
Players looking to win their way to play in the WPT World Championship from outside the US can play for their chance at a seat every Sunday at WPT Global, the online home of WPT.
Step 1 satellites for the WPT World Championship start as low as $5 and are available every single day, while direct qualifiers are on the schedule every Sunday, with $220 and $1060 buy-ins available.
Players who win their way to Vegas via WPT Global will be awarded a WPTWC package worth $12,400, which includes the $10,400 WPT World Championship seat and $2000 in cash for travel and accommodation costs.
If you happen to win one of these packages, you will need to verify your identity with the operator and make sure to pick between Day 1A or Day 1B, which are the only two days available to online qualifiers.
If a player wins more than one package, the seat will be transferable to another player, but WPT Global will not offer any cash compensation for seats won, so make sure you only play the satellites if you can attend the event in December.
The WPT is expecting more than 1,000 players to qualify for their $40 million guaranteed, $10,400 buy-in Championship Event via online qualifiers and live partners.
“Once again, holding true to last year, we are proud to offer a wide assortment of opportunities for players to secure their seat in the World Championship,” said WPT CEO Adam Pliska, via press release. “WPT Global is the foremost avenue for international online players to qualify, while our casino partners scattered across the globe are hosting satellites and promotions to bring players from all walks of life to Wynn Las Vegas this December.”
Direct Qualifiers are running each Sunday for $220 and $1,060 buy-ins. Winners can earn a $12,400 WPT World Championship Passport package that includes the $10,400 tournament entry and a $2,000 travel allowance to the WPT Championship event.
Satellites are running around the clock, starting at just $5, that allow players to win their way into the Sunday Qualifiers.
Sign up Bonus via WPTGlobal
Players who are new to WPT Global can win their way to the WPT Championship via their Welcome Bonus promotion.
- Deposit at least $20 into your WPT Global account and they provide four free $5 WPTWorld Championship satellite tickets
- Deposit $300 or more and WPT Global will add a $22 WPT World Championship satellite ticket
- Deposit $1,200 or more and in addition to the above, WPT Global will give to you a $220 WPT World Championship Qualifier ticket
Scavenger Hunt: August 21 to November 26, 2023
The WPT Global Scavenger Hunt is available to new and existing customers.
Players must complete 6 missions through the week to earn entry to the Sunday freeroll. The winner of the freeroll win the $12,400 WPT World Championship Passport package that includes the $10,400 tournament entry and a $2,000 travel allowance to the WPT Championship event. The top 25 freeroll finishers will win a $1,500 in satellite tickets to once again have a shot of winning the Championship Event seat.
Weekly missions include:
- Deposit $20 or more
- Play 100 hands in total of PLO4/5 (at stakes Low or above)
- Play 100 hands of Hold 'em (at stakes Low or above, excludes Pace)
- Play 2 ‘Bump It Up’ tournaments ($55 Lucky Escalator PKO, $22 Daily Escalator Turbo, $110 Nightly Escalator, $11 Mini Slam, $110 Sunday Slam and $330 Grand Slam)
- Play 20 hands of Poker Flips
- Play at least two WPT World Championship satellites (buy-ins $5, $22, $55, $220, $1,060)
WPT Global Online Fall Festival: 10 September to 1 October
81 tournaments are taking place over four weeks of action, promising over $2 million in guarantees via WPT Global’s Fall Festival.
There are two $12,400 WPT World Championship Passport packages up for grabs during the Fall Festival. Both the Fall Festival Champion of Champions and Leaderboard Winner will win a package.
Everyone who finishes in the top 100 spots on the leaderboard during the Fall Festival earns satellite tickets to win their own passport package to the World Championship.
Satellite tickets range from $22 up to a $1,060 buy-in.
- 1st place: $12,400 WPT World Championship Passport
- 2-5th place: $1,060 WPT World Championship Qualifier Ticket
- 6-9th place: 2 x $220 WPT World Championship Qualifier Tickets
- 10-34th place: $220 WPT World Championship Qualifier Ticket
- 35-59th place: $55 WPT World Championship Satellite Ticket
- 60-100th place: $22 WPT World Championship Satellite Ticket
WPT Global Weekly $10 entry Discord Channel Tournaments
Each week, players move up the Leaderboards in the WPT Global Discord Channel $10 tournaments that take place every Sunday.
Be top of the leaderboard after the last tournament each month and players earn a $12,400 Passport package to the WPT World Championship $40 million guaranteed Championship event.
PLO Rake Challenge: September 4 to 26 November, 2023
Players that rake $25,000 in either PLO4 or PLO5 cash games on WPT Global between 4 September and 26 November can earn themselves a WPT Championship Passport.
Remember the Passport includes:
- $10,400 tournament entry to the $40 million guaranteed Championship event
- $2,000 travel allowance to the WPT Championship event that takes place in The Wynn, Las Vegas
Kings of Cash Promotion
Cash game players on WPT Global can opt in to the Kings of Cash promotion. For every 100 hands played, WPT Global will award King of Cash tickets that can be used for entry into their weekly freeroll. Winners the weekly freerool can walk away with WPT World Championship satellite tickets ranging from $22 satellite entry to the $220.
Weekly Tournaments Leaderboard
Cash in WPT Global weekly tournaments and move up the tournaments leaderboard. As well a standard cash prizes players can who make the top 100 can earn WPT World Championship $220, $55 or $22 satellite tickets.
US Players: ClubWPT Seats Available
WPT Global is not licensed for operation anywhere in the US and thus does not offer satellites for American players, but it’s not all bad news.
If you live in the US, you can sign up for ClubWPT and, for a modest monthly subscription rate, have a chance to win one of the ten WPT World Championship seats being given away there.
The seats will be given away in the $150,000 WC Passport Challenge on November 5, and you can still win your way into that one by coming top 20 in one of the monthly events leading up to it.
Players who win their way to the Wynn via ClubWPT will receive a package worth $12,500 which contains:
- $10,400 WPT World Championship seat
- Hotel stay at the Wynn for the duration
- $1000 in cash for flights and other costs
- Dedicated ClubWPT host
- ClubWPT merch
- Meet & Greet with ClubWPT players
Live Satellites for WPT World Championship Event
In addition to numerous online qualifiers leading up to the big event, WPT will feature a variety of satellites at the Wynn in the days leading up to the tournament.
Players looking to win their seat on the spot can do so via Milestone Satellites. This particular format turned out hugely popular with the players last year, so the organizers will be bringing it back in December.
Unlike traditional satellites, where the tournament plays down to however many seats are available, players in Milestone Satellites need only to accumulate a certain number of chips. The moment they reach the predetermined chip count, they are awarded the ticket, and their stack is removed from play. This continues until all available seats are awarded.
There will be two types of qualifiers during the 2023 WPT World Championship Festival: $1100 direct satellites and $400 Double Play Milestone Satellites awarding two $1100 tickets to each qualifier, which can be used to enter main Milestone Satellites.
2023 WPT World Championship Live Satellites
| Date | Tournament | Buy-In | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4 – 6 | Daily Double Play Milestone Satellite | $400 | 2x$1100 tickets |
| Dec 9 – 10 | Daily Milestone Satellite | $1100 | $10,400 WPT World Championship entry |
| Dec 11 – 14 | 2x Daily Milestone Satellite | $1100 | $10,400 WPT World Championship entry |
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Live Satellites and Casino Partners for WPT Championship 2023
For players who want to win their way to the WPT Championship via live satellites, the WPT have you covered via their global partnerships. Casinos running live satellites include:- Aspers Casino
- Barbados Federation
- bestbet Jacksonville
- Bicycle Casino
- Card Casino Bratislava
- Casino Gran Via
- Crown Poker Club
- CTP Club
- Gardens Casino
- The Gulf Coast Poker Tour
- Main Event Travel
- Malta Poker Festival
- Playground Poker Club
- Seminole Hard Rock Casino
- TexaPoker
- The Star Gold Coast
- Thunder Valley Casino
The Wynn Las Vegas will also hold live $1,100 buy-in WPT World Championship satellites that will run in December during the Festival offering seats to the headlining $40 million guaranteed Main Event.
- The WPT satellites at The Wynn start Dec 9
- 10 live satellites
- Nine of the satellite tournaments guarantee 25 seats
- The remaining satellite that runs on Dec 11 has a 75-seat guarantee
Getting to know The Wynn
Some of you may not be lucky enough to have experienced a stay at the Wynn let alone an iconic poker tournament. It is a luxurious hotel and casino in Las Vegas, with high end eateries, clubs, pools and a top class casino.
To help get a taste for what The Wynn has to offer we are sharing a great video that highlights all that the casino and hotel has to offer.
WPT World Championship Festival FAQ
When does the 2023 WPT World Championship Event take place?
The 2023 WPT World Championship will be played from December 12 to 21, with the surrounding festival extending from November 29 to December 23.
When does the WPT World Championship Festival 2023 take place?
The WPT World Championship Festival takes place from November 29 to December 23, 2023.
Where will the WPT World Championship Festival 2023 take place?
The 2023 WPT World Championship Festival will be held at Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.
Can I qualify for the 2023 WPT World Championship Festival online?
Yes! You can win a WPT World Championship package by playing online satellites at WPT Global or joining ClubWPT and playing in the monthly qualifiers to the $150k WC Challenge in November. However, WPTGlobal is only available in certain markets. Players in Ontario, the UK, and the United States can only enter via ClubWPT as WPT Global real money online poker is unavailable in those jurisdictions.
What is the guaranteed prize pool for the 2023 WPT World Championship Event?
The 2023 WPT World Championship will feature a guaranteed prize pool of $40,000,000, making it the biggest live guarantee in tournament poker history.