Top Five Ways to Get to the WSOP

Claiming a seat in the World Series of Poker Main Event is but a mere dream for so many poker fans. What most of them don’t realize, however, is just how many ways there are to get into the WSOP. Read on and you’ll learn about 5 ways to get into the WSOP!

Ways to Get into the WSOP – #1: Save Up

The most obvious way to get into the WSOP would be to save your pennies until you have an extra $10,000 to fork over. It’s probably not the favorite way, but it’s the most guaranteed entry method by far. If you’re a good poker player to begin with, you can start earning money on the tables, setting aside your profits to build a WSOP stash in better time. Don’t forget to save up a little extra for hotel, food, etc.

Ways to Get into the WSOP – #2: Get Staked

If you’re a good enough poker player, and can prove it to someone with a much larger wallet than your own, you may be able to get staked into the WSOP. This means that someone else puts up the $10,000 buy-in for you, and if you finish in the money, you split it with them. An exact percentage should be agreed upon before the staking takes place, and a written/signed contract is highly recommended!

Ways to Get into the WSOP – #3: Live Satellites

Many casinos, especially those associated with Caesars, will offer WSOP Live Satellite Tournaments. These are large, multi-table events held in a brick-and-mortar casino poker room, where a smaller buy-in grants you a chance to play for the WSOP buy-in. Either the 1st place winner will win the $10k buy-in to the WSOP, or (if there are a lot of players) the buy-ins are added up ad for every $10k in the pool, 1 WSOP buy-in is awarded. Let’s say 200 people enter at $200 apiece. That’s $40,000 in the prize pool, awarding up to 4 seats in the WSOP Main Event. However, there may be just one seat awarded, and the remaining $30k is split between the other top finishers. Be sure to check out the prize structure.

Ways to Get into the WSOP – #4: Online Satellites

Online poker rooms often present WSOP Satellite Tournaments, just like a live poker room would. However, there are many more seats up for grabs at an online tournament because entries are not restricted to the size of the poker room. Where a live room may accommodate only 200 people or so, the online poker site can take in thousands of players per tourney, thereby awarding a multitude of WSOP prize packages in a single qualifier.

Satellites will generally be held in a multi-tier tournament structure. The first level would be the cheapest to enter, awarding a seat in the next satellite, then maybe a third satellite with the WSOP seats up for grabs. You can buy-in directly to the qualifier or join the less costly satellites and work your way in.

Ways to Get into the WSOP – #5: Steps Satellites

In recent years, Steps Satellites have become the most popular way to try and win a seat in the WSOP. They are just like regular satellites, but held in single-table, Sit’n’Go (SNG) format. That means you are only competing at a table of 9 or 10 players. Win the tournament and play in the next step. If you win all of the Steps, you win the WSOP prize package. You can buy-in directly to any level of the steps, with the buy-ins growing progressively.