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WSOP Paradise Super Main Event Misses $50M Target by Just 22 Entries

WSOP Paradise Super Main Event Misses $50M Target by Just 22 Entries
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Iva Dozet News Editor
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: December 19, 2024 · 1 minutes to read

The ambitious $50 million guaranteed WSOP Paradise Super Main Event came close but ultimately fell short of making poker history. Held on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, the $25,000 buy-in tournament saw a final field of 1,978 entries — just 22 players shy of the 2,000 needed to hit the groundbreaking guarantee. The shortfall left the WSOP covering an overlay of $550,000, far less than the worst-case projections some pros had floated before Day 2.

Predictions of a Massive Overlay Fizzled Out

In the lead-up to Day 2, there were murmurs of a massive overlay, with some speculating that the WSOP could miss its mark by as much as $10 million. The steep buy-in and lofty guarantee had players firing multiple bullets to chase their share of poker history. Rumors even swirled of one high-roller entering the event nine times across the four live Day 1 flights.

But the WSOP’s inclusion of online Day 1 flights on GGPoker played a significant role in narrowing the gap. A total of 600 players participated online, with 90 advancing directly to Day 3. Combined with the 1,378 players who entered through the live flights and Day 2 late registration, the final tally fell just 22 entries short of the target.

Not a Bad Result for the WSOP

An overlay of $550,000 might sound significant, but compared to the early doom-and-gloom predictions, the WSOP will likely consider this a success. The event still smashed attendance records for a $25,000 buy-in tournament, solidifying the WSOP Paradise as a major addition to the series calendar.

With the bubble bursting on Day 2 — notably marking the dramatic elimination of Phil Hellmuth — the 297 remaining players (including 90 online qualifiers) are now guaranteed at least $50,000. The tournament resumes at Level 17 with blinds at 40,000/80,000/80,000, as the players chase the ultimate $6 million payday for the champion.

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