by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Nov 25, 2021 | Updated on Nov 25, 2021
Summary
- The 52nd WSOP attracted 127,245 entries across 99 bracelet events
- 2021 series generated the third-largest prize pool in its history
- Attendance numbers dropped but the series was a massive success overall
The 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is finally over, and with stats now coming out, it’s safe to say that the festival has ended its stay at the Rio in epic fashion. The Las Vegas casino has been home to the WSOP for 17 long years. The series will move to Bally’s on the Strip in 2022.
Beating the Odds
The WSOP returned in 2021 after going on hiatus for 26 long months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, there had been doubts as to whether the festival would take place considering the challenges that needed to be dealt with in a post-COVID world, but the WSOP team remained steadfast in their commitment to bringing back the series this year, against all odds.
For the first time, the festival adopted a fall schedule to allow ample time for much-needed preparations. The 52nd edition of the series ran smoothly with no major issues despite some pandemic-related restrictions. Indeed, everyone’s immense hard work and effort have paid off, as the 2021 WSOP has been a phenomenal success!
2021 WSOP Key Facts & Figures
This year’s series pulled in a total of 127,245 entries across nearly two months of action, awarding an astonishing $237.9 million in total prize money. The 2021 WSOP attracted the second-largest turnout in the festival’s history and also generated the third-largest prize pool.
The festival also featured the most number of bracelet events with 99. Eleven of these took place online and accounted for more than $8 million of the total prize pool.
Drop in Attendance
With international travel restrictions still in place when the series kicked off in September, it was anticipated that participation numbers would decline, and this was reflected in the turnout at some of the festival’s key events, including The Millionaire Maker and the Colossus both of which suffered a significant drop in attendance.
The flagship tournament of the series, the Main Event, attracted 6,650 entries, 22% down on the 2019 edition, that’s despite the addition of two Day 1s to accommodate more international players, in response to the lifting of travel bans in early November.
The average prize pools this year were also at their lowest in 18 years.
Nevertheless, the series exceeded all expectations and was a resounding success considering all the obstacles it went through. More importantly, it gave the clearest indication yet that live poker is officially back!
