'Wedding Crashers' & 'Old School' Star Vince Vaughn to Join WSOP's Move to Strip in 2022

November 16, 2021

Actor Vince Vaughn, who announced "Shuffle Up and Deal" to kick off the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table, will serve as "Master of Ceremonies" next year when the WSOP moves to the Las Vegas Strip.

That's right, those who have complained about the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in recent years will finally get their wish next summer. The 2022 WSOP will take place in the convention space between Bally's and Paris, two Caesars Entertainment properties on the Strip. Rio has been the host venue for poker's biggest spectacle since 2005, taking the reigns from Binion's Horeshoe Casino downtown, the original home of the World Series of Poker.

Iconic Actor Coming to the WSOP

Vaughn is one of numerous celebrity poker enthusiasts who compete in high-stakes Hollywood private games. As part of his role as Master of Ceremonies, he'll compete in next year's Main Event, at the very least, and will serve as an ambassador for the WSOP as it moves to a new venue.

PokerNews first reported the rumor that the WSOP could move to Bally's in 2022 this past summer. During the PokerGO live stream of the Main Event final table, our initial speculation was confirmed accurate.

After announcing shuffle up and deal, Vaughn joined PokerGO to commentate for a bit during the final table. He briefly spoke about his upcoming role as Master of Ceremonies. The 2022 WSOP schedule hasn't been released and likely won't until January or February, but we know it will move back to the summer after a one-year stint in the fall.

Vaughn is one of the most famous actors of the past 20 years. He began his acting career in 1988 as a teenager in a Chevrolet commercial. Shortly after, he moved to Hollywood to pursue his dreams and the rest is history.

Vaughn's career took off in 1993 when he played a side role in the inspirational college football flick, Rudy. He'd go on to play a lead role in hit comedies such as Dodgeball, Starsky & Hutch, and Wedding Crashers.

One of Many WSOP Celebrities

The 51-year-old celebrity, who grew up in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, is an Academy Award-nominated actor. He's also a two-time People's Choice award winner (2006 for The Break Up and 2007 for Wedding Crashers).

Vaughn is one of many high-profile Hollywood actors that play poker. Most summers, the WSOP Main Event attracts a number of these mainstream stars, such as Ray Romano (pictured above), Brad Garrett, and Kevin Pollak. James Woods, a retired actor who famously co-starred in the hit movie Casino, has competed in dozens of WSOP events over the years. This fall, Woods has six cashes, including an eighth-place finish in Event #54: $2,500 Nine Game Mix 6-Handed.

Other celebrities who have competed at the annual poker series include Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Michael Phelps, just to name a few. With Vaughn on board next summer, perhaps he'll bring some of these stars back to the WSOP.

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Senior Editor U.S.

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