Las Vegas – ClubWPT $5M Freeroll kicked off today!

The WPT World Championship event series kicked off already on December 3^rd, and the final hand will be dealt on December 23. While the $1K WPT Prime tournament is down to its final 100 players, the ClubWPT $5M Freeroll just kicked off with 1,450 players!

PokerListings is present at the Wynn/Encore resort in Las Vegas, as WPT invited us to create content to give people all over the world an impression of this wonderful event. While the vast majority of players here are from the US, we spotted a reasonable number of Europeans as well who joined in on this festivity called the WPT World Championship.

Melvin Schroen, content creator and social media manager of PokerListings, made the trip to Las Vegas a couple of days back and is now busy creating exclusive insights for the event. The WPT family is very welcoming, and everything is arranged perfectly inside out, which creates an incredibly comfortable working environment. Where it all started with the player’s party last night, of which we took a small piece as well, it now came down to the second flagship tournament of this week, the ClubWPT $5M Freeroll!

ClubWPT Freeroll – Hosting a massive prize pool of $5,000,000

From the very first moments that WPT and ClubWPT revealed a whopping Freeroll tournament with a guaranteed prize pool of $5,000,000, all eyes were set on this event by every single media brand in the poker world. It directly caught the attention of players from all over the world, but this freeroll isn’t just for anyone to participate. It’s more kind of a private event, as only players who are registered at ClubWPT can join in on the action. You can figure it out for yourself when you know that to be able to register and validate your account at ClubWPT, you need to be residing in the US, or Canada*.

At the moment, there are 1,450 players sitting at the poker tables here in the Encore Las Vegas. They all started the day with 20,000 starting chips, while the blind levels were set to 100-100. We have seen plenty of big names already in the mix in this Freeroll, among them Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, Dan Smith, Eric Persson, Dan Sepiol, Kitty Kuo, Brad Owen, Patrik Tardif, Xuan Liu, Vince van Patten, Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates, and Eli Elezra.

The whole event is one big show here in Las Vegas. Not just that, it’s a testimonial of the poker scene as well- Never it has happened to have a freeroll tournament where $5,000,000 in prize money is being divided. The pro players and ambassadors know that as well. Take for example Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates, who entered the poker room dressed as Willy Wonka, being surrounded by oempa-loempa actors. There is much more ‘Showbiz’ to come as we expect plenty of pros will reach far in this tournament.

The Wynn Encore – Las Vegas

The Wynn Encore Las Vegas is a beautiful and luxurious hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Connected to Wynn Las Vegas, it offers a more relaxed and intimate experience while still being full of excitement. While being welcomed by the bellhops as soon as you arrive at the entrance, when you walk into the lobby, you’ll notice the bright, elegant design and a welcoming atmosphere right away. In other terms, it’s an extraordinary resort.

The suites are spacious and comfortable, with big windows showing amazing views of the Strip or the desert. For fact, the hotel rooms have cozy beds, fancy bathrooms, and all modern features you’d expect and not expect. Take for example our dear friend ‘Alexa’, who follows you instructions and opens/closes the curtains, plays music, puts on your TV, and much more.

The casino is lively and has something for everyone—slots, table games, and a stylish sportsbook for sports fans. If you’re hungry, there are great restaurants like Sinatra for Italian dishes or Wazuzu for Asian flavours. You can also enjoy fresh American food at Jardin, a bright and cheerful spot.

By day, the Encore Beach Club is perfect for relaxing by the pool (although the weather isn’t that great at this point), and at night, XS Nightclub becomes the place to party with top DJs and great music. If you need a break, the Encore Spa is one of these spots which will help you to go into full relaxation mode.

For shopping, the Encore Esplanade has high-end stores with fashion, jewellery, and more, such as supercars! Everything about Encore feels special, making it a perfect choice for a fun and luxurious stay in Las Vegas- Not just for the players and other guests, but especially for the working crew in every single aspect of it!

The PokerListings Experience

Heading to Las Vegas for the first time and working at one of the greatest poker events in the world is truly a privilege. They say Las Vegas can be overwhelming at first, but having been active in the poker industry for quite some time, it feels more natural to me than it might for most newcomers. Sure, it takes a bit of adjustment to adapt to a new environment and different customs (like tipping!), but that’s part of the adventure whenever you visit a place for the first time.

In Las Vegas, you can only be in one place at a time, but there are more places than anywhere else in the world to play poker, grab a bite to eat, or enjoy a drink. It’s easy to feel lost here, but thankfully, the city is full of incredibly friendly people who are always ready to lend a hand if needed. Preparing well before your trip is essential to hit the ground running and find your rhythm in this unique city. Although you have certain things just not in your own hands and are destined to leave them to others, such as luggage, flights, and so on!

Make sure to keep track of our social media channels, where we will share unique insights, interviews, and the overall experience of poker at the Wynn Encore resort.