Big Names Expected in WSOP 2021 High Roller Tournaments
Poker players and fans rejoiced when it was announced that there would be a live World Series of Poker (WSOP) taking place in 2021.
Not only do players get to return to the Rio, perhaps for the last time, there's also the return of some of the most popular high roller events as well as the debut of some new tournaments with eye-watering buy-ins.
The WSOP High Roller events have increased in number and popularity in recent years, with poker enthusiasts excited to see the most elite poker players battle it out on the felt. With smaller fields and astronomical buy-ins, the high rollers have rapidly become some of the most prestigious events at the WSOP. The world's best and biggest names in poker will no doubt be doing all they can to win at least one bracelet from the below list.
Use this article as your go-to to find out all the high roller related information as the 2021 WSOP progresses!
WSOP High Roller Schedule
| Date | Time (PT) | Buy-In | Event | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 | 3 p.m. | $25,000 | Event #6: $25,000 8-Handed High Roller No-Limit Hold’em | 3 Days |
| Oct 5 | 2 p.m. | $25,000 | Event #11: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship - (64 Player Max) | 3 Days |
| Oct 19 | 3 p.m. | $50,000 | Event #38: $50,000 8-Handed High Roller No-Limit Hold'em | 3 Days |
| Oct 27 | 3 p.m. | $25,000 | Event #53: $25,000 8-Handed High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha | 4 Days |
| Oct 31 | 3 p.m. | $50,000 | Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship | 5 Days |
| Nov 18 | 3 p.m. | $250,000 | Event #82: $250,000 Super High Roller | 3 Days |
| Nov 19 | 3 p.m. | $50,000 | Event #84: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha | 2 Days |
| Nov 20 | 3 p.m. | $50,000 | Event #85: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em | 2 Days |
| Nov 21 | 3 p.m. | $100,000 | Event #87: $100,000 High Roller | 3 Days |
Event #6: $25,000 8-Handed High Roller No-Limit Hold’em
Event Details: October 2, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $25,000 (3 Day Event)
The first high roller of the WSOP calendar gets underway with the $25,000 8-Handed High Roller. This is a new event for the 2021 WSOP which will see players battle it out over the course of three days for gold bracelet glory.
Players will receive a starting stack of 150,000 and will have to navigate 8 levels, which are 60 minutes in duration, to make it to Day 2.
Players will be able to re-enter just once in this period ahead of the second day of high roller coverage resuming at 2 p.m. the next day. Day 2 will see 10 levels of play before the final day which is when the event will play down to its winner.
Event #11: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Event Details: October 5, 2 p.m PT. Buy-in: $25,000 (3 Day Event)
Another $25K buy-in event that takes place in the first week of the WSOP is the $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship. The WSOP's annual heads-up competition has seen the entry-fee more than double for this year, with the event traditionally being a $10K buy-in.
The last live heads up event in 2019 saw Sean Swingruber (pictured) take the title after beating Ben Yu in the final round for $186,356.
Event #38: $50,000 8-Handed High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
Event Details: October 19, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $50,000 (3 Day Event)
Ben Heath (pictured) took gold in Event #5: 50th Annual High Roller - $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em two years ago for $1.48 million and his maiden WSOP Gold Bracelet.
Blinds will go up every 40 minutes with entries getting 300,000 in chips. Again there will only be one re-entry into the event however players can enter or re-enter until Day 2 gets underway.
Read More: Who Are the Best Poker Players Without a WSOP Bracelet?
Event #53: $25,000 8-Handed High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha
Event Details: October 27, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $25,000 (4 Day Event)
The event that saw Stephen Chidwick end his WSOP hoodoo, the PLO high rollers are an event growing in popularity amongst the poker echelons.
The event itself is still in its infancy at the WSOP with the first instalment coming in 2015, which was won by Anthony Zinno. That tournament saw 175 entries in total, and just four years later there were 278 players taking part which generated a staggering prize pool of $6,602,500.
This is the first of two PLO high rollers in this year's WSOP schedule, so if you have love some four-card action then you have got a lot to look forward to this year.
Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Event Details: October 31, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $50,000 (5 Day Event)
Among the most prestigious events of the WSOP, The Poker Players Championship is highest-stakes mixed game event and one all poker purists have aspirations of winning.
The poker variants that are included in the Championship are:
- No Limit Hold’em
- Seven Card Stud
- Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
- Razz
- Pot-Limit Omaha
- Limit Hold’em
- Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
- No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw
- 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw
The mixed-game tournament also produced arguably the baddest of all beats in WSOP history.
Event #82: $250,000 Super High Roller
Event Details: November 18, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $250,000 (3 Day Event)
The only super high roller event of this year's WSOP will cost players a cool quarter of a million dollars. A host of poker players who play nosebleed stakes have had a warm up for the debuting event in the form of the 2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe and Super High Roller Bowl VI.
One player expected to have a seat at the table is three-time Super High Roller Bowl champion Justin Bonomo (pictured). Speaking to Chad Holloway regarding his return to live poker after two years, Bonomo said "Probably mid or late October I’ll start playing some events, and then there are some really good high rollers that I’m definitely going to play."
Read More: WSOP 2021: 8 Things Poker Players Should Definitely Bring to the WSOP
Event #84: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha
Event Details: November 19, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $50,000 (2 Day Event)
The second PLO High Roller of the series and also a debutant for the WSOP, the $50K PLO event has the potential to generate the biggest PLO tournament prize pool of all time.
The 2-day tournament will have only one re-entry, with late registration closing after 12 levels of play. The blinds will increase every 40 minutes with players having a starting stack of 300,000.
Event #85: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em
Event Details: November 20, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $50,000 (2 Day Event)
One high roller event that is returning to this years' series is the 8-Handed $50K buy-in event. Daniel Tang took down the last live iteration of this tournament in 2019 for $1,608,406, overcoming a stacked final table that included the likes of Sam Soverel, Michael Addamo, Ali Imsirovic and Seth Davies.
Those who enter this tournament will be given a 300,000 starting stack, with blinds starting at 1000/2000 with a 2,000 big blind ante. Levels will be 60 minutes in length with late registration closing at the start of Day 2. Players will be able to re-enter just once in this event.
Event #87: $100,000 High Roller
Event Details: November 21, 3 p.m. PT. Buy-in: $100,000 (3 Day Event)
The $100,000 High Roller is the second most expensive tournament on the WSOP schedule. Daniel Negreanu will no doubt be looking to go one better after finishing as the runner-up in 2019's instalment of the event. Keith Tilston pipped the Canadian to the first-place prize of $2.79 million two years ago, besting a final table that included Nick Schulman, Igor Kurganov and Dominik Nitsche.
Day 1 will break after 12 levels, with Day 2, kicking off the following day at noon, playing down until the final five remaining players. The final day of WSOP high roller action will see the crowning of the $100K champion.
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum's proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.
