The 2023 WSOP Online Main Event, currently underway on GGPoker as part of the prestigious online bracelet series, is on the brink of shattering its own record. With a jaw-dropping $25 million prize pool guarantee and a $5000 buy-in, this tournament requires just a few hundred more entries to make history as the largest online poker tournament ever.
The 2023 WSOP Online Main Event on GGPoker began its journey with the Day 1A flight on August 20, the first of 21 starting flights integrated into the extensive WSOP Online schedule. Now, it has reached its final stage, with just a single Day 1 flight left.
Already, almost 5500 participants have joined the event, surpassing the ambitious $25 million guarantee.
Back in 2020, the tournament attracted a staggering 5802 entries, building a prize pool of $27,559,500. This accomplishment earned it an official Guinness World Record for the largest prize pool in a single online poker tournament.
This feat was achieved during a time when the world grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic, with many people confined to their homes due to government-imposed quarantine measures.
A year later, as the effects of the COVID-19-induced online poker boom waned, the guarantee was lowered to $20 million. This edition garnered only 4092 participants, resulting in an overlay of $563,000. However, in 2022, the $20 million prize pool guarantee was obliterated by 4984 entrants, leading to a colossal $23,674,000 prize pool.
With 5492 confirmed entrants, this year’s tournament has outperformed the previous year, making it the second-largest online poker tournament ever. However, to surpass the 2020 record, it still needs an additional 311 entries.
At the time of this writing, the final flight has seen registration from nearly 100 players and requires around 200 more entrants. There’s a significant possibility that the seemingly unbreakable 2020 record is now at risk.
Breaking the 2020 record would be a remarkable achievement, considering it was set during a period of online poker resurgence. GGPoker has, however, grown substantially since then, boasting three times the traffic compared to that year and recently surpassing an average of 10,000 players concurrent players in cash games.
GG $5k WSOP Online Main Event History
| Year | Guarantee | Prize Pool Generated | Entrants | Gtd Surpassed | Overlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $25,000,000 | $27,559,500 | 5802 | 10.24% | |
| 2021 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | 4092 | 0.00% | $563,000 |
| 2022 | $20,000,000 | $23,674,000 | 4984 | 18.37% | |
| 2023 | $25,000,000 | $26,087,000 | 5492+ |
GGPoker WSOP Online Numbers So Far
The WSOP online bracelet series officially begun on August 20, marking the fourth time it has been hosted on the GGPoker network. Like previous iterations, it offers 33 bracelet events along with numerous side events.
Data compiled by pokerfuse and PRO reveal that the series has already paid out an astounding $58 million in prize money across 31 completed bracelet events. Some notable highlights include Event #7: $210 Mystery Millions, which drew an astonishing 51,211 entries, breaking its own record for the largest Mystery Bounty tournament online.
The $100 FLIP & GO NLH attracted 13,267 entries, amassing a prize pool of $1.2 million, while the $400 buy-in event saw over 10,000 participants and a prize pool exceeding $1 million.
Participation in some events has declined compared to 2022: the signature $1,500 Millionaire Maker is down 25%; the $800 Ultra Deepstack NLH is down 12%; $2,100 Bounty Championship down 31%; and the $5,000 Short Deck Championship, down 13%. But the Main Event has defied this trend with a surge in entrants and is now on the cusp of making history.
While overall participation levels may have dipped, the WSOP Main Event is poised to break records. The final flight is set to kick off in a matter of minutes, and online satellites are still running, including the unique Express Satellites offered by the operator.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s WSOP. Get full details on the WSOP 2024 schedule, events, and more in our complete guide!
