The World Series of Poker starts next month and Barry Carter shares predictions for what he thinks will happen in Vegas.
The Biggest Main Event (again)
Last year we finally broke the record for the biggest ever Main Event with 10,043 runners.
Live poker continues to boom and I think the hype train has not run out of steam just yet. So my first prediction is that the buzz generated by last year’s event will lead to an even bigger field in 2024.
GGPoker have pledged to send 1,000 satellite winners to the Main Event and while there has not been as much media messaging about breaking the record this year, I think we will beat the record, narrowly, again.
Record Seniors events
Live poker is booming and, in particular, for older players. We saw Barny Boatman’s heroics in the EPT this year, and it seems that every major tour has a Mystery Bounty, a Ladies event and a Seniors event at each stop. The demand is so high for them.
Every year more poker players become eligible for these events and thankfully people are living longer. I expect to see both the biggest Seniors and Super Seniors event ever.
I also suspect the first-ever $5,000 Seniors High Roller to be a success and maybe we will see an even bigger buy-in for older players in 2025.
Tice vs Becker is meh…
We all spoke of it like it was the prop bet of the ages. The GTO kid vs the young gun of live poker. Everyone, myself included, has money on the crossbook between Landon Tice and Jeremy Becker.
I think it would be funny, and perhaps inevitable if both players had a horrible downswing during the series and bricked everything.
Most of tournament poker, especially in large fields, is losing. It would not surprise me at all if the prop bet ended with half a dozen min cashes between both men.
Shaun Deeb wins the original prop bet
One of the biggest stories of 2024 so far has been Shaun Deeb’s epic weight loss. Bill Perkins bought out of their bet, which was originally scheduled to end at the start of this year’s WSOP.
Deeb pledged to get down to his target bodyfat percentage of 17% by the WSOP to honour the original bet and for people who had side bets on him, not bound by the buyout.
If there is one thing I have learned over the years is you do not bet against Shaun Deeb. If he said he would do it, that’s good enough for me.
What do you think will happen this year at the WSOP? Let us know in the comments:
