The World Series of Poker Main Event is heading back to ESPN under a new multiyear agreement announced Thursday. The final table of the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship will air live on the network August 3-5, following a 20-day break in the tournament.
Coverage kicks off July 2 with Day 1A, with ESPN committing to at least six hours of daily tournament programming. The Main Event will again use a “cliffhanger” format: play stops once the nine-player final table is set on July 13, then resumes for a three-day live finale from 6 to 9 p.m. local time.
During the hiatus, ESPN will air special primetime episodes profiling the final table competitors. The pause is shorter than the controversial “November Nine” era (2008-2016), which stretched more than three months.
Last year, Michael Mizrachi won the Main Event from a record field of 9,735 entrants, taking home $10 million and the gold bracelet.
“The World Series of Poker is a global phenomenon that transcends the gaming category, and our goal is to bring it to the widest possible audience,” said Ty Stewart, CEO of the WSOP, in a news release. “Returning to ESPN — the home of our most iconic moments since 1987 — allows us to showcase the human drama of the Main Event like never before. With our new ownership’s commitment to growth, this is the perfect time to bring the ‘World Championship’ back to the biggest stage in sports.”
ESPN’s relationship with the WSOP dates back decades; its coverage of Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 win sparked a poker boom. The WSOP had moved to CBS Sports Network in 2021. This year’s series runs May 26 through July 16 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas, featuring 100 live bracelet events.
“We’re proud to welcome the World Series of Poker back to ESPN,” said Ashley O’Connor, vice president, programming & acquisitions at ESPN. “Poker is filled with unexpected storylines, and nobody is better equipped to showcase the stories that unfold throughout a tournament more than ESPN. Bringing the WSOP back reflects our continued commitment to delivering premium competition that connects with fans in new and exciting ways.”
