WSOP 2012 Predictions
With the 2012 WSOP underway, many fans and industry insiders are wondering what the next seven weeks will be like. Here are a few predictions about what the 43rd season of the WSOP will hold – based on the trends in WSOP events in the past few years:
Re-entry events to have a large number of entrants – 5,500 and more
One category of the events most players are likely to enter is re-entry matches. All the main events held by the WSOP Circuit (WSOPC) follow this format. In the past, the returns from these events have been impressive. Following the success of the event in the WSOPC, the WSOP created a bracelet for a re-entry event (#9).
The event will have a player capacity of more than 4,700 each day. If as many players enter the event, it will take the place of Event 3 in WSOP 2010 – the second largest event in the non-main tournament category in the WSOP – which had a field of 4,345. A few believe that the event also has the potential to beat the all-time record of 6,012 players seen at the 2009 WSOP Stimulus Special.
Number of players in mixed tournaments will be high
With professional players expanding their portfolios to include more poker variants at tournaments, the number of registrations in mixed tournaments has increased compared to previous years. For instance, in 2010, the field in a $1,500 PLO eight-or-better event was 818, while that in 2011 was 925. In 2010, 828 players $1,500 entered HORSE, but in 2011, 963 players opted for the event.
However, one type of mixed tournaments have seen a drop in numbers – Stud poker. In 2010, 408 players opted for a $1,500 7-card stud event. The numbers to the same event dropped to 357 in 2011. The number of players who showed up to the 2011 $1,500 7-card stud 8-or-better event was just 606 while in 2010 it was 644. Want to find out which players to look out for this year at the WSOP? Click here.
All 48 seats to Big One for One Drop may get taken
With an entry fee of $1 million, Big One for One Drop has shocked many in the poker world. What is more surprising is that the event, which is scheduled to take place in July, already has 30 entrant. Just 18 seats remain to be filled. The willingness of players to pay the hefty buy-in, $111,111 of which will go to charity (from each entry), shows that they are interested in doing their share to help One Drop. The charitable organization, which was chosen to be the official charity for the WSOP, works to bring clean water to those who need it, and raise awareness about the issue. The WSOP is conducting satellite qualifiers to Big One for One Drop, showing that it will leave no stone unturned to have all seats sold.
Last year, a few bold predictions were made. One of the most remarkable was the prediction that the field in the event will have just about 2,500 players. However, close to 7,000 players showed up to take the poker circuit by storm in 2011.