I normally go to the WSOP every year but in 2019 I was sick so had to cancel and in 2020 it was canceled. This will be my 12th one if I make it. All those times was as a Rec who normally only played at his local Friday Night tournaments at a casino in Missouri.

I am scheduled to be out mid to late Oct, but not sure if I will make it. Once the local casino stopped doing tournaments I switched to cash and am enjoying it. Cash can be played anywhere so I see less reason to Vegas for poker.

Right now my tentative schedule is:

Oct 18: Freeze Out ($500).
Oct 25: Shoot Out ($1500).

If I do any more tournaments then it will not be anything major. Maybe try my luck at the satellites or the daily deepstack a few times. The Freeze Out is the only one I am probably for sure going to play but after it I may be burnt out on tournaments and play cash instead.

Iv always flown to Vegas for the WSOP but this time I am planning to drive. Like the OP, I want to stop along the way and explore. I normally drive to Vegas twice a year with family so I'm used to the drive, but this year will be going alone.

Anyone know how the parking situation during the WSOP is? Iv parked at Rio plenty in the past but never during the WSOP.


Some advice to Recs who are not used to the WSOP. (im a rec).

Space out your tournaments.

The daily Deepstacks can be great for a Rec but understand that they can last a long time. Entering one the day before your scheduled to enter an event tournament can mean you may not be at your best for it.

Example: A few years ago I entered a daily and ended up playing until just after 4am (yay cash). I had a 11am $1500 tournament scheduled and was not at my best for it. I had little sleep and just got done playing long the day prior. As a Rec im not used to that and IMO I just pissed that $1500 away for the small daily.

Tournaments can last a long time. It is hard for most Recs to handle 10+ hour tournaments, just to come back the next day and do it over again. Take breaks and try to relax. If I plan on playing mostly at the RIO then I like to pay the extra for a room there. Being able to go up to the room during breaks is worth it.

Lines can get long before tournaments. Try to do your buy-in online or well in advance when there are no lines.

Bathrooms can be insanely crowded during breaks. I like to get up a few minutes before break and go. I may miss one of my blinds but its worth it.

There's a huge parking lot for the convention center. You enter the building where the rotunda is, so it saves a lot of walking. One downside is leaving late at night. There's no security and the size means it's easy for crims to hid and then rob you. Be aware of your surroundings and have a plan for what you're going to do if jumped. There have been robberies in that lot.

I really liked playing Daily Deepstacks, but in 2019 I realized what a time sink they are. If you're short on cash, they're probably the best poker value in Vegas. They're basically the same cost as an STT, but could well give you 12-16 hours of play. As you said, the next day is a write-off. Can't play any bracelet events unless you got knocked out of the DD early. I consider them 2 day events. I don't think I played any in 2019.

One thing they're good for is experimenting with styles because they're so deep stacked. There was a scandi-type that played mega-aggro. His stack was like a roller coaster until he spewed his last chips off around level 8. I've thought about trying something like that.

Rec player here, played WSOP 1 time in 2010.
Hoped to go back last year 10 years later, but covid happened.

Are the structures avail for the daily deepstacks ( or 2019s) ?
I hope to go around 10/28 & play senior & super senior & maybe
colossus before the main event. & maybe 1 DD
Senior & SupSenior appear best structures of the 1-1.5k events ?

This link https://vegas-poker-schedule.com/ should provide an excellent listing of events and their relevant "S" rating. This is an FAQ link if you are not familiar with the term. https://vegas-poker-schedule.com/faq/

Both the Sr and Super Sr have high ratings 133 while the RIO daily deepstacks are around 40.

For the actual structures of the Rio Daily try https://www.wsop.com/2021/2021-WSOP-Deep-Stacks.pdf

Is the dangerous lot you mentioned the one that is north or east of the Rio? Or do you mean that entire area? Thnx

https://www.crimemapping.com/map/nv/lasvegas

It's the sea of pavement right outside the convention center.

Nice I will be playing in both of those as well , maybe I will see you!

Nice! Yea if you play big 50 let me know!

Yea I agree! Im going try to be more aggressive and to stack up early, I was reading someone on 2plus 2 saying it’s a lottery tournament and I agree! I will will take my odds with the reunion lottery over a conventional lottery anyday 15% to cash out of let’s say 20k people.

Thanks for the post! And yea I think I prefer cash as well but also like the possibility of that one big payout I’m going to be chasing my whole life �� also thanks for the advice! I have worked out a schedule and have spaced my tournaments to allow for rest! I’m also playing in 2 of those Wsop daily deep stacks. Appreciate the advice on the longs lines, i wasn’t prepared the first time �� if you do choose to come to Vegas good luck!!!!

Ok guys I’m getting excited have 2 weeks before I arrive in Vegas! I get my last covid shot on the 16th which has my 14 day period lining up perfectly with playing in flight one of the reunion, the WSOP literally waited the last minute to make vaccinations mandatory, for the record I was not going to take it until I saw my Wsop trip flashing before my eyes �� so a poker player had to do what he had to do!

I will be arriving in Vegas on the 24th, I have some family coming that day as well so that whole weekend I will be having fun with them and playing no poker �� but when they leave on the 26th I will be free to spend countless hours around a poker table!

Here is my tentative schedule

09/27 $400.00 Monster Stack- Venetian

09/28- open

09/29-open

09/30- $200.00 100k guaranteed - golden nugget

10/01 $500.00 the reunion- already pre registered due to me wanting this specific flight

10/02- open

10/03 -open

10/04- $600 Wsop deep stack- hoping I will not be playing this because I am in day 2 of reunion

10/05- open

10/06- open

10/07-$600 500k guaranteed- golden nugget

10/08- open

10/09-open

10/10- go home - hopefully I have had a great cash by this time and I have extended my hotel for one more week at least !!!!!


I have left open days to account for when I make 2nd days in tournaments✊��, or for cash sessions, or for smaller tournaments like the wsop daily deep stack or other smaller tournaments. Hoping to play in about 8 total tournaments. I have an additional 600 for those types of tournaments and 2k for cash games.

I am very optimistic about this trip and am hoping to break even on the trip as far as cost, if not I will have a few tax write offs, have had a great time and will begin preparing for next year ��. I will be in Vegas for 16 days so if you want to grab a drink let me know, I will be the guy in the Patrick mahomes jersey!

In the same boat, going for my second time. I went in 2019 and was 0-3 in bracelet events. I made day 2 of $800 nlh but lost all in pre with ak vs 1010. $1500 plo i flopped the nuts on a j87 board got it all in, guy calls with top two and spiked the full house on the riv. $600 nlh/plo i dont recall how i lost this one it was a blur at this point lol.

Definitely feel more comfortable this time around knowing what to expect in all aspects. Im a much more experienced online tournament player than live also. There re a lot of things to get used to playing live such as the big blind ante etc. Live cash iv played a lot but not so much tournaments.

Will be flying in on 10/3 and planning on jumping right into day 1c of the reunion late reg’ing as i will be getting there around 12. Hopefully get a little luck and play all day. Likely a $500 punt given the late reg but hey why not with the size of the tournament. If that goes bad will play the $600 on 10/4 and if out of that will play the $1000 super bounty on 10/5. After that nothing planned…Will be playing cash as well 1/3 and 2/5 mostly at rio but do want to venture out to other poker rooms. Leaving on 10/8…Ready to take down a bracelet! Gl all

Also going for my second time (first in 2019). Oct 1st -10th. Playing a couple bullets in the Reunion and then 1 bullet in a few other WSOP events potentially.

GL all!

recreational player here. I am intending to go for the main event and the mini-main event (assuming the Covid situation doesn't look bad). I will probably play a few other small side events. This will be my around 11 or 12th WSOP (I don't really count anymore).

Rec player here coming in 10/29-11/4, only my third WSOP ever. Playing the Colossus on 10/30, the $600 event #61 on 11/1, and hopefully the Mini main on 11/3. Other than that, some 2/5 and 5/10 at the Bellagio

Rec player getting ready for my 3rd trip next week, Oct. 25th thru Nov. 1st. I have only played the Senior Event, STTs and some daily events. If I get bounced before Saturday in this year's Seniors, I may try the Colossus, or just play another Senior at the Venetian or Aria. Of course, I am hoping to have to change my return flight for a final table.

Just a heads up, when I was in vegas, the cash game waiting lists and waiting times were long. I suggest you start early around 8-9 am and remember to call the poker room to lock up a seat. The Bellagio had lots of easy 1-3 games running and the floor staff was phenomenal.

There's a free tram that runs from the Aria to the Bellagio every few minutes.
Check the Bravopoker app to see the waitlists and games running.
There are 1-2 games at MGM grand and Mandalay bay, but the games weren't so good in my opinion.