World Series of Poker officials have confirmed that a bracelet event connected to the “One Drop” charity will be part of the WSOP slate in both 2013 and 2014.
The 2012 series saw the introduction of the “Big One for One Drop” tournament. The event, created with the assistance of One Drop and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, featured a $1,111,111 buy-in, $111,111 of which went to One Drop charity, which was founded in 2009 and focuses on clean water supply issues around the globe.
The tournament drew an elite field of 48 poker pros and business leaders and was the series’ featured “made for TV” event, and it drew plenty of poker-world notice as well.
Antonio Esfandiari won the inaugural 2012 tourney, outlasting Sam Trickett for the title. Esfandiari’s win was worth a record $18,346,673, and since the tourney was designated an official WSOP bracelet event, instantly made Esfandiari the WSOP’s all-time leading money winner.
In 2013, the WSOP will offer the new “Little One for One Drop” tourney as an alternative. This novel event will feature a $1,111 buy-in, and will feature unlimited rebuys over its first two days, with the prospect of building the WSOP’s largest ever field for an open tournament.
The Big One for One Drop will return in its original form in 2014, with another elite field competing in the event. One Drop, now the official WSOP charity, will continue to have a prominent place in events at the Rio in coming years.
