Adam Pliska serves as President, Director and President and Chief Executive Officer of WPT of the Company. He has been with the World Poker Tour since 2003. As President and CEO of WPT, Mr. Pliska has overseen the entire WPT business portfolio, including but not limited to live events, online services, televised broadcasts, and WPT office personnel in Los Angeles, London and Beijing. He is one of the longest serving executives in the poker industry and was named the American Poker Awards Industry Person of the Year for 2014.
Pliska spoke to BSO’s CEO Robert Littal about a very exciting event coming to Las Vegas.
- One year after offering the largest live tournament guarantee in poker history, the World Poker Tour® is giving poker players a can’t-miss event yet again. Following 2022’s $15 million guarantee at the WPT ® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, the 2023 WPT World Championship will feature a $40 million guaranteed prize pool.
- This year’s $10,400 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas runs from December 12-21, and includes four starting flights and a televised final table. This follows the inaugural marquee event in 2022, which drew 2,960 entrants and generated a $29,008,000 prize pool – nearly doubling the original guaranteed amount. The substantial sum ensured a grand prize of $4,136,000, claimed by Canadian Eliot Hudon.
- Along with the record-breaking $40 million guarantee for the marquee event, the full WPT World Championship festival schedule has also been released. The schedule features a wide array of more than 30 supporting events for poker players of all levels.
- The 2023 WPT Prime Championship also follows a blockbuster debut, which saw a $5,267,100 prize pool and Stephen Song topping 5,430 entries in 2022. This year, the WPT Prime Championship boasts a $5 million guarantee and runs from December 7-12 with a televised final table on Dec. 19.
- There is no shortage of high stakes tournament poker in the overall festival schedule. Previously announced, the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop will run December 18-20, representing some of the most prolific names in poker. A $25,700 High Roller is set for December 17-18 and is followed by the WPT Alpha8, a $50,000 buy-in taking place December 20-21.
- The festival kicks off with a $1 million guaranteed, $600 No Limit Hold’em multi-flight tournament from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4 and will be followed by other player favorites including the $250,000 guaranteed WPT Ladies World Championship from December 6-8, the ever-popular Mystery Bounty featuring a $2 million guarantee, a $1,100 Seniors Championship (50+) and a $10,000 Seniors High Roller. Multiple mixed game tournaments are also available throughout the festival, ranging from the $1,100 HORSE Championship to a brand-new addition to the schedule, a $3,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship.
Check out the full interview.