WSOP Confirms Monitoring Coronavirus Outbreak: ‘The 2020 Schedule Remains Intact’
Following the new that the 2020 Triton Super High Roller Series has been postponed until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak, poker players were understandably concerned about the impact the disease might have on the 2020 World Series of Poker.
In one thread on the TwoPlusTwo poker forum entitled 'Will the Coronavirus cause the POSTPONEMENT of the WSOP 2020?', a user known only as 'Registered 2018' speculated as to the possibility of the WSOP being postponed.
'Could this be the first WSOP that will be played strictly online?' he wrote. 'What would be the legal mechanics to make this doable even for non-Nevada residents?
'I think the WSOP organizers should be acting early with regards to this possibility.'
Another forum user called 'prototypepariah' replied, saying that despite initially planning on going to the WSOP the threat had got him "spooked" and that he was "confirmed out."
Read also: Coronavirus Prevention Tips: A Guide for Live Poker Players
Seth Palansky: "We've been monitoring the situation"
With six confirmed cases in the United States already, PokerNews reached out to WSOP organizers for their official comment.
"We’ve been monitoring the situation," said Seth Palansky, Vice President of Corporate Communications for the WSOP. "[We] will continue to lean on the experts in this field for guidance.
"At this time, all our events and schedules remain intact and are planned to go on without interruption.
The online poker festival features 34 action-packed tournaments with more than $1.4 million in guaranteed prizes.
61 Events Confirmed So Far
A total of 61 bracelet events have been confirmed so far for the 51st annual World Series of Poker.
From the 'Value Menu' to the 'Freezeout Series', the latest addition is a $250,000 Super High Roller, the biggest buy-in event in World Series of Poker history.
Every event in the "Value Menu" will either be in a freezeout or single re-entry format, with the exception of unlimited reentries in the $1,000+$111 Little One for One Drop that sports a charitable component.
However, the most exciting announcement came in the form of the $1,500 Mystery Bounty which takes place on June 28 at 11 a.m. where a guaranteed $1 million will be distributed in "mystery bounties."
Running as a typical bounty tournament, with each elimination worth $100, there will be a total of 100 mystery bounties ranging from $2,500 to $250,000.
Roughly one-third of the schedule remains to be seen, with all dates, times and events released so far subject to change, with individual event online pre-registration not open until March/April, by which time all events will be determined and approved by regulators.
Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.
