2020 WSOP Postponed but Bracelet Race to Continue Online

Greg Shaun

1 year ago

The 2020 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has been postponed due to the coronavirus but players will still have a chance to win a bracelet this summer.

The 2020 WSOP in Las Vegas has been postponed but players will still be able to compete for bracelets online. (Image: USPoker)

The announcement was expected but official confirmation came via WSOP executive director Ty Stewart on April 20.

In the announcement, he explained that the organization hopes to run the event this year but at a later date. Stewart hasn’t confirmed when that will be but expectations are the series could take place in the fall.

Logistics and Safety Force WSOP Delay

The decision to postpone the WSOP is as much to do with logistics as the current lockdown. Although quarantine measures in Las Vegas and other parts of the world could be lifted by the end of May, there’s not enough time to organize the event.

The WSOP has always been a major operation. However, in recent years, record numbers have made it bigger than it’s ever been. Between this and safety concerns, the only viable option is to delay the action.

For those able to access WSOP.com, all is not lost. Stewart also confirmed that a select number of bracelet events will take place online in the coming weeks.

“Official WSOP competitions are expected to be played online this summer, and we will soon announce details of an expanded series of tournaments to be played on WSOP.com and through partnership with international operators,” Stewart said on April 20.

Given the current trend for turning live events into digital affairs, the decision to go virtual isn’t surprising. In fact, the WSOP was a pioneer in this area long before coronavirus forced operators to innovate.

Coronavirus Could Open Up Online Bracelet Race to More

The first WSOP online bracelet event took place in 2015. Interest has increased year-on-year and, this summer, a record number of MTTs were scheduled to take place. The plan to build on this momentum will still happen just not in the same way.

Although postponing its live events may hurt the WSOP in the short-term, it may help its online product. Thanks to partnerships with “international operators,” more players will have the chance to compete for a bracelet online.

Since 2015, WSOP online events have only been open to those residing in Nevada and New Jersey. Ring-fenced events will still take place this year. The WSOP won’t be able to bypass national gaming laws.

However, even if it’s forced to run events for individual markets, it should still give thousands of players a chance to win a bracelet in 2020.