Online WSOPE Satellite Tournaments

Despite reports of online poker being on the down slope of popularity, the WSOP (World Series of Poker) and WSOPE (World Series of Poker Europe) continue to thrive. The number of entrants for the WSOPE Main Event rose from 346 players in 2010 to 593 players in 2011 – an increase of 71%. The larger field resulted in a top prize that increased from £830,401 to £1,206,577.

Numbers like these are likely to cause a snowball effect in future WSOPE Main Events because bigger prize pools create more interest, which creates even bigger prize pools. Of course everyone wants to get a piece of the pie, including the best poker websites to play at online. To encourage new signups, keep current players happy, and of course to make more money, more online poker sites are offering WSOPE Main Event satellites than ever before. The types of satellites that can be played have also expanded, which means it’s easier for players to find tournaments that suit their playing style.

Types of WSOPE Satellite Tournaments at Online Poker Sites

As mentioned above, there are now more ways to qualify for the WSOPE Main Event than ever before. If you want to take a serious shot at winning a seat, we recommend looking around at different sites to find something that fits your game. Since the Main Event is a Texas Hold’em tournament, most satellites are as well. Here are some of the ways to win a seat.

WSOPE Steps Satellite Tournaments

Steps tournaments are a popular way to win a WSOPE seat, but they can be very difficult as well. Steps tournaments are exactly as they sound, where players move up or down different levels (steps), trying to work their way to the final step. These are usually set up as single table sit & go tournaments, but sometimes they can be found in multi-table format as well. Players can start at any level they want, but pay more money to enter at higher levels. For example, step 1 at most sites cost £2 – £5, then step 2 might cost £10, then £25 for step 3, and so on. Each site is different, but that’s the basic idea. To win a WSOPE seat, players usually win the big prize at steps 7 – 8.

Here’s the best thing about steps tournaments. Players don’t have to win every step they enter because multiple finishers either move up to the next step, stay at the same step, or move down a step. At most sites and on most step levels, the top 5-7 players continue in the steps with no additional cost. It’s common to see steps where the top 1-3 players move up, players 4-5 stay at the same step, and players 6-7 move down one step. The rest are out of the tournament and must buy-in again to get back into the steps. Solid players can get a ton of play for very little money, with a shot at a WSOPE Main Event seat or other big prizes.

WSOPE Large-Field Satellites

These are typical satellite tournaments like any other tournament with a lot of players. These types of tournaments have a wide variety of buy-ins, ranging from £1 to £2000. Of course the smaller the buy-in, the harder it is to qualify. For example, if you’re playing in a £2 satellite, only one seat is available for every 6250 players (based on a £12,500 prize package). In a £10 satellite, one player in 1250 would win a seat. In a £200 satellite, one player in 63 would win a seat.
Most of the cheaper tournaments like these are super-satellites, which means winners at this level win seats into the satellite. For example, you might start in a £2 super-satellite, winning a £100 seat into an actual WSOPE satellite tournament where one or more seats are being given away.

Tournament Tickets

Several of the best online poker sites now offer players the ability to earn tournament points which can be traded for entry fees into any tournament of their choice. For example, you might play in a £5 tournament with a couple hundred players, and win a $100 ticket to any tournament you choose. Players can accrue tournament points, then cash them in when they’re ready. These can be used for WSOPE satellite tournaments as well.

One benefit of doing this is that players can compete against weaker competition in £2 – £10 tournaments, and build a bankroll of tournament points. Most average or better than average players have a better chance to win low-stakes tournaments than they do in higher stakes tournaments. So instead of paying $100 cash to play in a satellite, you might be able to earn a satellite ticket of the same value with less money out of your pocket.

Easiest Way to Win a WSOPE Main Event Seat

The easiest way to win a WSOPE Main Event seat really depends on your game. If you are a consistent, top 5 finisher in sit & go tournaments, steps tournaments might be your best choice. If you’re better in large tournaments with hundreds of players, look for those instead. Also, look for tournaments with blind structures and starting stacks that fit your skill level. Some have very quick blind structures and small starting stacks, while others have slow blind structures and deep stacks. In general terms, players with more experience should do better in satellites with deep-stacks & slow moving blind structures. This type of tournament gives the best players a chance to play real poker, where faster tournaments with smaller stacks have less forgiveness for bad luck. Newer players without high skill levels will have a better shot in satellites with fast blind structures and shorter stacks, because it’s easier to get lucky for short periods of time.

The other important factor in finding the easiest way to win a WSOPE Main Event seat is dependent on what you can afford to play. If you’re a serious player with a set bankroll, you shouldn’t be risking more than 2% of your bankroll on any single tournament, let alone a satellite. Players using a bankroll need to keep that bankroll replenished, which satellites don’t do. If you’re not using a set bankroll or consider yourself a more casual player, then it comes down to how much money you are willing to invest. The more money you have to play with, the easier it is to win a seat because you’ll have fewer people to beat. As mentioned above, a £5 satellite would require a player to beat 2500 players, but a £100 satellite only requires that you beat 125 (both figures based on a £12,500 prize package).

WSOPE Main Event Satellite Packages

Since players come from all over the world to play in the tournament, most online poker sites offer WSOPE Main Event prize packages with a value of £2500 – £3000 more than the entry fee itself. This is so players can pay for hotel accommodations and airfare to & from the tournament. So, with the £10,000 buy-in added to that, WSOPE Main Event prize packages usually have a total value of £12,500 to £13,000.

A number of online poker rooms also hold special events just for players who qualified on their site. For example, some sites throw big parties for their players, with celebrity & professional poker players in attendance. Other prizes might include a bag full of poker swag like shirts, hats, iPods & more.